US (1999): Drama
"The book was better" has been the complaint of many a reader since the invention of movies. Frank Darabont's second adaptation of a Stephen King prison drama (The Shawshank Redemption was the first) is a very faithful adaptation of King's serial novel. In the middle of the Depression, Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) runs death row at Cold Mountain Penitentiary. Into this dreary world walks a mammoth prisoner, John Coffey (Michael Duncan) who, very slowly, reveals a special gift that will change the men working and dying (in the electric chair, masterfully and grippingly staged) on the mile . As with King's book, Darabont takes plenty of time to show us Edgecomb's world before delving into John Coffey's mystery. With Darabont's superior storytelling abilities, his touch for perfect casting, and a leisurely 188-minute running time, his movie brings to life nearly every character and scene from the novel. Darabont even improves the novel's two endings, creating a more emotionally satisfying experience. (Amazon.com)
4 nominations
· Best Picture of the Year 1999: David Valdes and Frank Darabont - Producers (Castle Rock, Warner Bros.)
· Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role 1999: Michael Clarke Duncan
· Achievement in Writing (Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published) 1999: Written for the Screen by Frank Darabont
· Achievement in Sound 1999: Robert J. Litt, Elliot Tyson, Michael Herbick & Willie D. Burton