The Shawshank Redemption

I love this film, I remember when I first went to see it at the cinema years and years ago - I went in not knowing what to expect and suspecting I would hate it.

It's certainly in my all time favourites list.

Many people who don't like it just don't understand what it's about and what message it's trying to convey. If you don't like it, fine, but please don't put those of us down who like a film that makes us think.
 
Sorry if this sounRAB a bit condescending, i really don't mean it to be, but not everybody under the age of 25 are dribbling morons who only like films if they have bits that "go boom"...

That said, i suppose if you showed the film to your average street corner chav he/she would hate it and proclaim that 'The Fast and the Furious 3: Tokyo Drift' was an infinitely better film, lol. So i get what you mean, but don't tar everybody under 25 with the same brush.

I was about 13 or 14 when i first watched Shawshank and i absolutely loved it. You don't really need life experience to appreciate a good story.
 
You are right Jeremy, I am a fan of the books but I want to stress that I do like all of the King adaptations you have mentioned. Its just that Darabont's speak to me in a way the others don't. Its really hard to explain.
 
Brilliant film, I love it. Hadn't seen it in about 2 years and had bought it on DVD but never got round to watching it again so I watched it last weekend... just reminded me of how good a film it really is. It truly deserves it's place at the top of the IMDb's Top 250 Films of All Time, a classic that thankfully did get the recognition it deserved after being criminally overlooked upon it's release.
 
My son is just coming up for 14, Shawshank is the only film that I have known him to sit still and quiet the whole way through.
 
to be fair the poster didn't say that.....and I certainly wasn't implying it at all. my point was more that with life experience can come a deeper understanding of the issues of the film. Nothing more, nothing less. I was 18 myself when the film came out and found it captivating, but at the time no one my age that I knew had the slightest interest in the film, which isn't the case now.

In fact, my friend who dismissed it as 'boring' at the time found it a source of great inspiration when she was going through a really rough patch.
 
I'm probably in a small minority who thinks Shamshaw is total crap. I hated everything about it.

The cliched story. The treatment of prisoners (sooooooooooooo done time and time before), the 'hope' this story gives to others! Give me a break!

I also hated how everyone in it never ages in twenty years, all but a sprinkle of grey hair at the temples.

Overlong, tedious, predictable and hugely boring.

Just my view. :)
 
Wasn't it a massive critical and commercial flop on its release? And word of mouth through video rentals turned everything around. I think it was nice the Academy nominated it and didn't follow the critics, even though it didn't win anything. Not sure that would happen now.



It gets it now though BodRAB, its always in the top 100 or 10 lists of best movies of all time.

Great film, and yes far superior to Forrest Gump IMO (which I do like).
 
Thats what made it great. Despite two known names, and being a Stephen King story, there was no hype. Just word of mouth.

Now excuse me, as I am off to read some 'Alexander Dummass'...:D
 
I don't think it was a critical flop (it got nominated for seven Oscars) , and even commercially it wasn't QUITE a flop, it did at least manage to cover the costs of making the film at the box office. I think it was quite a hard film to market, and the original trailer for it was rather confusing.

It certainly is true that it became popular as a result of word of mouth following it's release on video though. Quite remarkable really.
 
im 13 and i was twelve the first time i saw it and thought it was incredible. there's so many things you could say are brilliant about this film but it makes you think and gives you a new outlook on life. it is the only film i cant bear to even blink during. ive tried to convince all my frienRAB to watch it but they're more interested in their twilight and st. trinians, etc. :mad::(
 
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