Product description

The Shawshank Redemption [1995]

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Binding : DVD
EAN : 5037115055231
Label : ITV DVD
Manufacturer : ITV DVD
Publisher : ITV DVD
Release date : 2003-09-01
Title : The Shawshank Redemption [1995]
Actor : Array
Audience rating : Suitable for 15 years and over
Format : Array
Languages : Array
Number of items : 1
Original release date : 1995-02-17
Region code : 2
Running time : 136
Studio : ITV DVD
Theatrical releaseDate : 1994-09-23
Number of discs : 1

Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review

When The Shawshank Redemption was released in 1994, some critics complained that this popular prison drama was too long to sustain its plot. 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.

Tim Robbins plays a banker named Andy who is sent to Shawshank Prison on a murder charge, but as he gets to know a life-term prisoner named Red (Morgan Freeman), we soon realise his claims of innocence are credible. We also realise 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 Shawshank Redemption 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. Nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, Actor and Screenplay, it's a remarkable film (which movie lovers count among their all-time favourites) that signalled the arrival of a promising new filmmaker.

On the DVD: The Shawshank Redemption limited-edition release contains the complete 48-minute documentary "Shawshank: The Redeeming Feature", including interviews with all the principal cast and crew; plus more interview material and the theatrical trailer. --Jeff Shannon

Special Features

Theatrical trailer
Interviews with star cast
Shawshank: The Redeeming Feature - includes interviews with Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman plus interviews with key crew members including Frank Darabont, the Producer, Production Designer and film critics

DVD Technical Information:

Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Audio: English, Stereo
Subtitles: English for the Hard of Hearing
Region Code: 2
Colour
Running time: 136 mins approx.

Synopsis

In writer-director Frank Darabont's The Shawshank Redemption, Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison for the alleged murders of his wife and her lover in the late 1940s. Sent to Shawshank Prison to do hard time, Andy is the only one who knows he didn't commit the crimes. A taciturn banker in the outside world, he is forced to learn how to get by in the brutal, cut-throat confines of a maximum security prison. His quiet strength slowly earns the respect of his fellow inmates--most notably, Red (Morgan Freeman)--and even much of the prison staff, but Andy's seemingly stoic acceptance of his unjust imprisonment hides a fierce determination for freedom. This beautifully crafted movie features touching and sincere performances from the entire cast, with an uplifting message about humanity's indomitable spirit and the redemptive value of hope. Based on the novella "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" by Stephen King, Darabont's intriguing adaptation is easily one of the finest films of the 1990s.

From the Back Cover

Nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor (Morgan Freeman), The Shawshank Redemption is an extraordinary tale of hope, friendship and survival inside a maximum security prison. Wrongly accused city banker Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) arrives at Shawshank Prison in 1947, after receiving a double life sentence for the brutal murders of his wife and her lover. It is not long before Andy discovers that when they send you to Shawshank for life, that’s exactly what they take. His quiet strength, however, slowly earns him the respect and friendship of the prison fixer, Red (Morgan Freeman), and he also becomes popular with the warden and prison guards by using his banking experience to help the corrupt officials amass fortunes. But Andy’s seemingly stoic acceptance of his unjust imprisonment hides a fierce determination for freedom and provides a unique chance to change his fate. This beautifully crafted movie features powerful performances from the entire cast and ultimately provides an uplifting message about the power of the human spirit and the value of hope.

Customer reviews

review by: date: 2008-08-30 rating:

Passionate prison drama
Tim Robbins (War of the worlds) stars as Andy, a man who is sentenced to life in Shawshank prison after the murder of his wife and her lover.

In this adaptation of Stephen King's novel, director Darabont delivers a touching tale about one man's quest to live and to survive in one of the toughest prison's in the country, with great acting, a wonderful plot, and a few other little tweaks to make a beautiful crime drama.

Nominated for 7 Oscars including Best Picture, Shawshank is a true touching crime drama, built around Andy Dufresne, who's approach to life in prison, his attitude towards life and the care for his inmates, makes him the most caring guy in prison you will ever see, which is helped along by a stunning performance by Robbins. He is the symbol of hope, the guy of light and talent to aspire to.

The ideology of hope is issued throughout the 2 hour film, and will leave you feeling inspired come the end.

Robbins is helped along by Oscar nominated Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar baby) who plays Red, the man who can get things. Red to, is a symbol of hope and light out of the darkness of the cruel surroundings, and his narration really gets an idea of what life in Shawshank is really like.

Red's tale is very sharp, and very dramatic, giving a thoughtful approach to prison life. The settings of the prison are very drab, a very dull place to serve your life sentence. The ruling of the place is equally as dramatic as the settings with cruel beatings, a place called the hole and fellow criminals to make life a misery. These approaches to running the prison is also controversial, a shocking portrayal of the system but justifies the genre exceptionally well.

Having never read the novel, this film has inspired me to take an interest in Stephen King's novels, as did Misery and The Shining, but being a fan of drama rather than horror, makes this top of my list.

Not the best of King's films I have to say, with The Shining and Misery true film greats, but the touching tale of one man and his punishment makes Shawshank Redemption a remarkable stunning watch.

8/10

review by: bigdave2020 date: 2008-08-18 rating:

Get busy watching...
The Shawshank Redemption is a warming tale of the human spirit, friendship and justice. Like so many great films this has been adapted from a Stephen king novel.

The official category is of a prison drama but in my opinion this sells the film short. The prison only provides the backdrop for the heart warming story of humanity that unfolds. The story could be set anywhere. The escape from prison could be a metaphor for any situation which requires courage and strength to escape from, and the friendship and positivity between the two lead characters could build under other circumstances.

Like so many other reviewers I find this film hard to criticise. The narration by Morgan Freeman nudges the story along beautifully, the casting is perfect and the film is paced perfectly and devoid of the usual Hollywood clichés. This film shows just what can be achieved with great acting and a fine script instead of over the top CGI stunts and predictable plot lines. A typical example of this is the final scene in the film. The camera pulls way without cheesy dialogue or over acting, the images say it all.

I have yet to meet anybody who genuinely dislikes it and with good reason, it's a classic.

review by: date: 2008-07-30 rating:

One of THE Masterpieces!
Whoever said that this film was too long for its plot must have been so inpatient as to find running slow. It is long, in that they were right, but it is gripping, dramatic and brilliantly acted, every minute of it. The brutality of '30s American prison life is convincing, shocking, powerful and the sinister nature of the officers and their sadism encapsulates and emulsifies the utter despair of the inmates, particularly the innocent Andy Du Fraine, making the prevelance of hope and goodness all the more uplifting, wondourous and majestic. This is one of those films that you must see before you die.

review by: date: 2008-07-11 rating:

"Get busy living, or get busy dying!"
There have already been so many reviews of this film on this site alone that, even if you haven't yet seen the film for yourself (in which case, where have you been for the last 10/15 years? Mars?!), you should, by now, have an idea of what happens in it! So straight to my analysis and opinion of the film.

"The Shawshank Redemption" can be seen as an allegory about life and the human condition. Many people feel trapped in their daily lives, often because life has dealt them an unlucky card at some point. So they struggle on in occupations and relationships that give them very little mental stimulation or personal satisfaction, working for managers or living with partners who appear to care little, if anything, for them, their morale or their aspirations.

Red (Morgan Freeman) warns Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) that hope, especially for the inmates at Shawshank prison, can be a dangerous thing. However, for Andy, hope is the only thing that keeps him alive. Hope that he WILL get out of Shawshank, alive, so that he can fulfill his dream of moving to the Mexican coast, buying a boat and doing it up, and getting revenge on the prison warden and senior guard. In this respect, Andy Dufresne acts as an inspiration and unlikely hero, encouraging the rest of us to take responsibility for our own lives.

review by: Martin Crawley date: 2008-06-09 rating:

The Ultimate Prison Film Masterpiece....stunning
From the Director of both The Green Mile and the Majestic and with the writing talents of Stephen King you'd be forgiven to think this is a horror tale...Not so...The Shawshank Redemption is an inspiring tale of good against evil,friendship,innocence and a spiritual tale of the type you will rarely ever experience again...Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is wrongly imprisoned only to meet up with Red (Morgan Freeman) who both begin a lasting friendship together with the injustices experienced inside Shawshank Prison...Andy is well liked by his inmates so much so he becomes the main spokesperson often to his peril.....but all is not lost in this inspiring tale as anger,laughter, murder, revenge and joy are experienced along the way...Words could not express just how good this film is....seeing is believing when it comes to Shawshank which has to go top of the list as far as Best films are concerned....Like so many other films of this nature the viewer takes the journey with Andy and Red and you just cannot help getting caught up in this excellent drama as if you are almost taking part in the story yourself......pure screen magic...this dvd is a must see

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