Frank Darabont unfortunately failed to earn much of a profit, and was initially considered

a flop. Thanks to especially strong word of mouth, it became the most rented home video

of 1995 though, and its frequent broadcasts on basic cable have since made the 142-minute

picture an American classic - and IMDb's number one top-rated film of all time. The R-rated

story, based on the novella, "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption", by acclaimed writer

Stephen King - follows Tim Robbins , an innocent banker from Maine serving consecutive life

sentences in the titular prison. During his decades on the inside, he bonds with the wise

Morgan Freeman (in an Oscar nominated role)... whose booming narration ties together the

lengthy narrative. William Sadler, Gil Bellows, and elderly character actor James Whitmore

round out the unique group of fellow ex-cons. Robbins also faces off against a host of devilish

adversaries; a violent gang of prison rapists led by Mark Rolston, Clancy Brown as uncompromising

and sadistic guard, and Bob Gunton in perhaps his most iconic role; as the positively despicable

and corrupt warden of the penitentiary, who has no issue leveraging Robbins' banking talents

for financial gain, only to turn around and toss him in a dark cell for months at a time.

The portrayal of these inspirational and frightening characters is accomplished with the highest

caliber of skill from all involved, including a particularly poignant scene when Robbins

realizes his mantra for survival, "Get busy living... or get busy dying." Set during the

mid 20th-century, the allegorical tale of hope and freedom organically meanders from

one interesting vignette to the next. It could be argued that many smaller arcs could be

excised for a leaner plot, but it's these personal moments that build such a rich and

moving tapestry; especially a sequence focusing on Whitmore's release from prison as an old

man... struggling to deal with the psychological consequences of being institutionalized his

entire adult life. Or Robbins' small act of defiance when he plays a portion of Mozart's

" Marriage of Figaro" opera over the prison's PA system - facing certain punishment in the process. The period-authentic vernacular

is laced with inventive phrases and colorful insults, allowing for more than a few lighter

moments in an otherwise somber picture. Not to be understated is Oscar-nominated cinematographer

Roger Deakins's work behind the lens... masterfully filling the 16:9 frame with sweeping shots

of the beautiful stone prison, shot on-location in Mansfield, Ohio. Every shot is so meticulously

crafted, showcasing the lights, shadows, and emotion of every scene so perfectly, it's

a wonder production actually finished ahead of schedule. The strings-heavy soundtrack

from Thomas Newman is an atmospheric and moody one, swelling to full volume during the film's

spectacularly glorious final act - one of the best in cinema history. A marvelous technical

accomplishment in every facet, it's a true shame that this near-flawless piece of storytelling

did not win any of its seven Oscar nominations... losing several of them, including a "Best

Picture" nomination to "Forrest Gump", which as incredible as it is, was perhaps the less

deserving film that year. An effortlessly immersive and satisfying experience, that

is enjoyable on every viewing, "The Shawshank Redemption" is "A triumphant masterpiece of

filmmaking." Now let's hear some of your reviews from the YouTube comments.

Our scores now for "The Shawshank Redemption"... two TENs. No real surprise here, the film

has remained fixed atop IMDd's top-250 list for good reason, this is a remarkable, and

supremely enjoyable movie - praise was unanimous for all points. So rarely does a fictional

story inspire as much as this one, it gets an almost-perfect score from me, an easy AMAZING

- one of my favorite movies.