Why is The Shawshank Redemption considered so great?

[minute bull]

It played all the time on television in the late 90s.

 

[new_mexico1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meaning_(existential)


You can't let the external world define your inner being. That's what Shawshank is all about.

"Here

 

[shunyata]

Your biggest problem is that you seem to think a screenplay about redemption is about revenge.

It is not about revenge.

 

[markulous]

It's my favorite movie easily. I love the acting as well as the story. The atmosphere and music are perfect.

 

[markulous]

Your biggest problem is that you seem to think a screenplay about redemption is about revenge.

It is not about revenge.

That's a good point. The plot for both movies are completely different so I don't know why the comparison was brought up.

 

[Sasquatch Smith]

It played all the time on television in the late 90s.

It's still on like every other week on TNT

 

[Thrawn33]

Dat prison sex

 

[Lead]

It played all the time on television in the late 90s.

Ha, I was going to say that. I'm not sure if that is cause or the effect

 

[SafyreSchool**]

Your biggest problem is that you seem to think a screenplay about redemption is about revenge.

It is not about revenge.

Really?

I would say his revenge is carried out on a legal system and a crooked warden that robbed him of his life, and he obviously very well plotted to get his life, and then some payback, in the end.

 

[minute bull]

No, they owed him that.

Dat prison sex

Who doesn't love a good comeback story?

 

[Brotha Will]

Touch

 

[SafyreSchool**]

No, they owed him that.

The legal system owed him the money?
That makes sense, but it wasn't the legal system's money, it was the Warden's money.


And even if the warden was crooked, he didn't sentence Andy or find him guilty, so that logic is flawed.

 

[minute bull]

And even if the warden was crooked, he didn't sentence Andy or find him guilty, so that logic is flawed.

 

[markulous]

Really?

I would say his revenge is carried out on a legal system and a crooked warden that robbed him of his life, and he obviously very well plotted to get his life, and then some payback, in the end.

While there may be a sub-plot of revenge, it's quite a reach to say that it is the main plot. Andy is the protagonist and isn't escaping to take revenge on the legal system. I would say it's more about escape and trying to maintain yourself (or hope) while doing so (e.g. not succumbing to being institutionalized).

 

[SafyreSchool**]

While there may be a sub-plot of revenge, it's quite a reach to say that it is the main plot. Andy is the protagonist and isn't escaping to take revenge on the legal system. I would say it's more about escape and trying to maintain yourself (or hope) while doing so (e.g. not succumbing to being institutionalized).

Yes, what you say is true.

-and in Monte Cristo, Dantes tries to maintain his faith in god (hope) and not succumbing to revenge. (hate) But it's interesting because he shows humanity by succumbing to that hate, and going to great lengths to get revenge. It's interesting because he's the hero, and despite his turn (and eventual turn back) we still root for him.

Anyways, I think Shawshank is a great film.
I didn't mean it to sound like I was saying it sucked, or that Count of Monte Cristo should be more acclaimed. I just think it's held in WAY too high regards in the medium of film.

 

[SowingSeason]

 

[minute bull]

I'm glad you're dead, Brooks.

 

[Project 2501]

It's a good movie. But I agree with the Ts. It doesn't deserve to be number 1.

 

[iThrillhouse]

if I catch this movie on TV and its 40 minutes in, I will still watch it t see the reveal that Andy had been tunneling his way to freedom this whole time and had ruined the warden and haldens life in the process.

Soooo effin great, you just feel good in the end

was actually reading about the count of monte cristo earlier today weirdly enough. I love that movie, but for some reason Shawshank was way more rewarding in Andy's revenge

 

[the ambush]

Out of curiosity I searched IMDB just to see what the overall rating score for this movie. I can see how people thought Shawshank (9.3/10) was a very good movie, it wouldn't be on my top 10 all time list but I wouldn't object it being on someone else's list. The director Frank Darabont is a good storyteller, period. I actually prefer his fine work in Green Mile (8.5) to Shawshank, while I also realize that opinion may not be too popular here.

A similarly talented director to Darabont is Robert Zemeckis, while I also enjoy Forrest Gump (8.7) I think I enjoy Back to the Future (8.5) a little better. The higher rating isn't always the better film at IMDB imho.