The Shawshank Redemption is a movie I really should re-watch every other year if not every year as it’s an extraordinary and perfect film from the script to direction to the phenomenal performances from Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman.
The Shawshank Redemption
(1994)
Genre(s): Drama
Warner Bros. | R – 142 min. – $24.99 | September 14, 2021
Date Published: 09/19/2021 | Author: The Movieman
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Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post.
The opinions I share are my own.
THE MOVIE — 5/5 |
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Plot Synopsis: The Shawshank Redemption tells the story of Andy Dufresne (TIM ROBBINS), a prominent banker unjustly convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment at Maine’s Shawshank Prison. He is befriended by longtime convict Red (MORGAN FREEMAN) who’s been in long enough to know the ropes and helps him cope with the frightening realities of prison life. As the two men grow closer, so does the sense of hope that can truly set them free. Quick Hit Review: It’s been probably 20 years since I last watched The Shawshank Redemption and forgot just how dang good this film was, featuring incredible and genuine performances from all involved, though Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman were especially standouts, with more than an honorable mention to James Whitmore as the amiable Brooks and the character’s heartbreaking scenes on the outside. Also worth mentioning is Bob Gutton as the corrupt and brutal prison warden. The film was directed by Frank Darabont who also adapted the screenplay based on Stephen King’s classic novel. Although being nearly 2.5 hours, the movie never feels its length thanks to the excellent performances and an all around engaging story culminating with a fantastic finale. Despite being a prison movie with some brutal scenes, it never felt dour and ends on an uplifting note. |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 4/5 |
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Audio Commentary — Screenwriter/Director Frank Darabont Hope Springs Eternal (31:01) — Filmmakers and cast reminisce on the making of the film and how it became so popular. Shawshank: The Redeeming Feature (48:17) — From conception to production, how the film came to be and listen to reactions as it grew to critical acclaim. The Charlie Rose Show (42:21) episode featuring Frank Darabont, Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins in a roundtable discussion. The SharkTank Redemption (24:46) — Spoof short. Last up are some Production Stills and the Theatrical Trailer (1:59). |
VIDEO – 4½/5 |
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Warner Bros. releases The Shawshank Redemption onto 4K Ultra HD, presented in the original 1.85 widescreen aspect ratio and a 1080p high-definition transfer (the included Blu-ray disc is the same from the original 2008 release). The picture, while not entirely perfect when in comparison to other 4Ks for other older films, still does look quite good. Detail is sharp and the natural film grain is still present giving it some nice texture in spite of taking place in plenty of darker locations (mostly inside the Shawshank prison). There are some vibrant colors once outside and especially during the finale giving it nice contrast in assessment. |
AUDIO – 4¼/5 |
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The disc comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track which probably is similar if not the same from the original Blu-ray releases but even so, dialogue comes across nicely and the sounds of the prison comes through every channel with respectable depth. |
OVERALL — 4¼/5 |
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Overall, The Shawshank Redemption is a movie I really should re-watch every other year if not every year as it’s an extraordinary and perfect film from the script to direction to the phenomenal performances from Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. |