Appreciating The Shawshank Redemption

By Claudette Ann C. Manalo of ACT 184

Narrative

The movie commences on a creepy ‘If I didn’t

care’ song by The Ink Spots displaying a car
with a man inside drinking with a gun in his
hand. The car was parked at the house’s
backyard and anyone can guess what his
motive by his actions. Then the scene was
rapidly changed into a trial court scene where
Andy Dufresne, was on a trial negotiating with
a feisty lawyer doesn’t give him a chance to
defend himself more. He’s an accused banker
for murdering his wife and her lover on the
same night he was outside of its house. Thus,
the lawyer has the point that time based on
their strong evidence because of his loaded
gun on his bare hands.

Then without further ado, he was sent to the

state of Maine where the Shawshank prison is
located where he met some convicts
especially Red that he gradually became his
best comrade. Before he gets along with
other prisoners, he saw how they’re treated
by the jail guards rudely on their daily lives.
Andy experienced how crowded they are while
eating together talking about many things, happy and satisfied. There are times that
they are at the Shawshank’s open field to play softball as entertainment. After a month,
Andy asks Red if he can get some rock hammer as he is a big fan of geology that’s why
he loves to collect rocks. Eventually, when the warden Norton, asks for volunteers to be
resurfaced of a f actory's roof, Red, Andy, and their other buddies volunteered. That’s
the time when Andy eavesdropped to Captain Hadley talking about tax which he got
more interested until he joins himself to the conversation which he got almost thrown off
from the roof. Then he helped Norton and other guards to their taxes which he became
the most favorite among the convicts.
 Therefore, he made that as an
opportunity to also help his co-
inmates by developing a library
inside the prison. It is for the tribute
to one of his best buds who hanged
up himself on the same spot where
the library was built, his name was
Brooks. Everything goes smoothly,
until, Norton made him do a filthy thing on his hand by laundering the warden’s money.
That’s the start of his nightmare inside the Shawshank. But, he had a hint of hope when
a new inmate Tommy came that has information to acquit his new buddy. Then the
news came to Norton that’s why he murdered Tommy rapidly as Andy goes to solitary
for two months. After two decades of staying at Shawshank, Andy doesn’t have hope
anymore unlike before, so that he asks for a rope from his comrades. That makes them
think that he will do something bad to himself.

Red nervously thinks what will Andy do to that rope, until he founds out that Andy was
not able to answer the daily roll call. Everyone thought that he’s dead but surprisingly
when they got into his cell, no one is there. Thus, the warden and other guards
discovered the truth that Andy was chiseling the wall behind a Rita Hayworth poster
which is exactly on the womb of her, for 20 years. Andy was able to endure the smelly
sewer pipe just to make his work by a rock hammer be worth it. As to what I interpret,
Andy, that time resurrect and was born again from the womb of girl on the poster and
the sewer pipe as he escapes from that hell. Going back, the newborn city boy was able
to go the bank withdraw all of his money as Mr.Stevens which he made fictionally from
inside due to warden’s influence. Then he also asks that bank to drop an envelope on a
mail which contains very strong evidence against Norton. Thus, the police went at
Shawshank arrest him but Norton prefers to shoot himself inside his office as he ate his
pride even at his last breath.

While Red was finally free after a

decade, he discovers that Andy made
his promise ‘till the end as he made
remote hayfield and Red follow his
instructions ‘till he finds the money
which Andy gave him. Until the two of
them reunited somewhere in the Pacific
as new humans that will make the most
out of their liberty as free as a bird.
Cinematography

Unlike today’s movies or

series’ cinematography, this
1994 movie has its
uniqueness that brought out
to the audience how movies
are uniquely made at that
time. As to what I observe,
the Shawshank Redemption
has mostly dark shots
especially when Andy starts
to live inside the prison. For
me, it depicts the cruel reality
that the convicts are facing behind those cells. However, as to what I saw, there are
dark scenes that have rays of light in which new symbolism will arise. Those lights can
be the hope as what Andy has inside his heart throughout his journey. Despite his
challenges, he’s smart enough to see positivity and look forward to his life inside that
prison. On every angle in this movie, it has deep meanings and witty metaphors that
can never be founded initially by the viewers. Thus, there’s another reason to be this
movie declared as masterpiece.

Mise en Scene

The things they use in

every setting were
appropriate with the
plot’s timeline which
through the years of
the 1940s. From the
brands of their
cigarettes they’re
using to the posters
posted on their cells
especially on Andy’s,
are changing as the
year from the movie
passing by. I am so
amazed by the production team this time due to their immeasurable efforts just to
execute their set neatly. However, some people are much detailed than the team
because they’ve found some mistakes in the movie. Most of it is the props that were
invented in the 1960s-1970s that was supposed to be not yet existed based on the
movies’ plot. Nevertheless, the team did a great job enough to get multiple awards
because of that movie. Above all of those mistakes, its words of wisdom will still remain
in our hearts as they made an impact on everyone’s life.

Sound and Setting

In the first part of the movie, I thought it was a horror one because it played old music
as Andy was drinking beer in front of a house, in a car. The effects were simple enough
to hear natural things, especially inside the prison community. Their voices were played
naturally thick and serious to hear, I think that’s their tactic to make the movie more
genuine to touch everyone’s heart. The editing was quite good for a classic movie,
although it may clichè at some point
because it started at the beginning of the
plot, they’re still different because they
inserted some future scenes at the interval
of first scenes. My favorite music that was
played in the movie is Mozart’s The
Marriage of Figaro which Andy plays for
his co-inmates. Through that, they felt free
and hopeful in a short while because of
Andy’s desire to inspire them.