Time will prove the value of classics, although at some point it will be misjudged and ignored.
The Shawshank Redemption filmed in 1994 did not shine on the Oscars of the following year. It lost to the “main theme” film Forrest Gump. The Shawshank Redemption is like a naughty genius. It is screened out by the teacher of Oscar’s stereotypes and the “good student reward” list. Seven prizes are shortlisted and none are given!
It can be said that the popularity of DVD distribution and home video has saved The Shawshank Redemption. Otherwise, this future classic may be inadvertently buried in the shadows. It is also the case that the film The Shawshank Redemption has been approved by a group of audiences to obtain the evaluation and reputation it deserves.
Today, I still remember the brainstorming sensation that I got after I first watched this movie many years ago. Because there are too many readings about this film, even the simple line “I have to remind myself that some birds aren’t meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright.” In The Shawshank Redemption, the master’s public security dissident exists in a way that is different from the population. All that we know about Andy in the movie comes from the description of the Red character played by Morgan Freeman. There is a special kind of view in the movie called “God’s Perspective”, which is often a view of everything from a high altitude. In this film, Red’s perspective can’t be called God’s perspective, but the director skillfully borrows Red’s eyes to look on the side. From the perspective of Red to interpret Andy this special persona. A once-famous banker was sentenced to prison in prison for being impulsive, and from the panoramic shot of the prison section, everything about Andy’s in prison was from the mouth of Reid.
Everything we saw by Red was fascinating, and we were eager to know how the weak Andy survived in the complex environment of prison. Fortunately, Andy not only survived here, but also lived well. Usually Andy is quiet, but often can make a move that makes the warden a surprise, such as a person in the prison’s broadcast room who put up his favorite music. In this scene, the prison was quiet, and all the people looked up and stared at the ceiling. And after Andy relied on his own wisdom winning the opportunity to repair the roof for Red and others, in the afternoon breeze, they quietly sat on the roof by the beer. You don’t need to use too many dialogues to explain, this is telling people the answer to a long-overseen question– If the heart is free, then nothing can bind you. This interpretation, like the line in the movie, tells some of the unchanging truths in life, “Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.”
Good movies can always have a variety of interpretations. For example, in The Shawshank Redemption, there are freedom and hope, friendship and persistence, dreams and pursuits, and self-helpers. In addition, Red’s evaluation of prison life: These walls are kind of funny like that. First you hate them, then you get used to them. Enough time passed,get so you depend on them. That’s institution alized. In short, no matter how you interpret it, pessimists can always find strength from this movie. Let the optimists go more calmly and let the pessimists be full of power. This may be the most profound meaning of the movie The Shawshank Redemption.
Darabont secured a $25 million budget to produce this movie, but only earned $16 million during its initial theatrical run. Many reasons were cited for its failure at the time, including competition from films such as Pulp Fiction and Forrest Gump, to the general unpopularity of prison films, lack of female characters, and even the title, which was considered to be confusing for audiences. However, it went on to receive multiple award nominations, increased the film’s box office gross to $58.3 million.
Before The Shawshank Redemption, the audience didn’t watch a movie like this, so it definitely need a period of time for acceptance. Weswalker said in his review of The Shawshank Redemption, “This film manages to redeem Hollywood in the eyes of people who feared it long lost in a dark sea of clichés and predictability. Darabont shows us that artists still work in the Hollywood studios and production facilities. These artists show their capability to produce art; real art that inspires you to look at the deeper aspects of life and the world around you. The Shawshank Redemption delivers much-needed breath of fresh air for anyone who realizes the capability of film. It proves that masters of the craft still live on this earth, and still bless us with timeless masterpieces that we will never forget.” In 2015, the United States Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the National Film Registry, finding it “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
A good movie, like a good song, will not be forgotten as time goes by. On the other hand, every time you watch, every time you listen, you will have new gains and different experiences. From the first time I saw The Shawshank Redemption, and whenever the negative frustration hit, I will always open this film to learn the courage and strength to face life.