The Shawshank Redemption
US (1994): Prison/Drama
When this popular prison drama was released in 1994, some critics complained that the movie was too long (142 minutes) to sustain its story. Those complaints miss the point, because the passage of time is crucial to this story about patience, the squeaky wheels of justice, and the growth of a life-long friendship. Only when the film reaches its final, emotionally satisfying scene do you fully understand why writer-director Frank Darabont (adapting a novella by Stephen King) allows the story to unfold at its necessary pace, and the effect is dramatically rewarding. Tim Robbins plays a banker named Andy who's sent to Shawshank Prison on a murder charge, but as he gets to know a life-term prisoner named Red (Morgan Freeman), we realize there's reason to believe the banker's crime was justifiable. We also realize that Andy's calm, quiet exterior hides a great reserve of patience and fortitude, and Red comes to admire this mild-mannered man who first struck him as weak and unfit for prison life. So it is that the film builds considerable impact as a prison drama that defies the conventions of the genre (violence, brutality, riots) to illustrate its theme of faith, friendship, and survival. (Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com)
8 nominations
· Best Picture of the Year 1994: Niki Marvin - Producer (Castle Rock, Columbia)
· Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role 1994: Morgan Freeman
· Achievement in Writing - Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published 1994: Frank Darabont
· Achievement in Cinematography 1994: Roger Deakins
· Achievement in Film Editing 1994: Richard Francis-Bruce
· Achievement in Music (Original Score) 1994: Thomas Newman
· Achievement in Sound 1994: Robert J. Litt, Elliot Tyson, Michael Herbick, Willie D. Burton