Production

Many people claim that The Shawshank Redemption is the best movie ever, solidified further by the Internet Movie Database, IMDb. However, there are also people that agree that The Shawshank Redemption, although a good film, is not the best. I agree with the latter and so here is a list of 10 movies that are better.Darabont secured the film adaptation rights from author Stephen King after impressing the author with his short film adaptation of The Woman in the Room in 1983. Although the two had become friends and maintained a pen-pal relationship, Darabont did not work with him until four years later in 1987, when he optioned to adapt Shawshank.[8] This is one of the more famous Dollar Deals made by King with aspiring filmmakers. Darabont later directed The Green Mile (1999), which was based on another work about a prison by Stephen King, and then followed that up with an adaptation of King's novella The Mist.

Rob Reiner, who had previously adapted another King novella, The Body, into the movie Stand by Me (1986), offered $2.5 million in an attempt to write and direct Shawshank. He planned to cast Tom Cruise in the part of Andy and Harrison Ford as Red. Darabont seriously considered and liked Reiner's vision, but he ultimately decided it was his "chance to do something really great" by directing the film himself.[3]

Though the story is set in Maine, the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio was used as a stand-in for the fictional Shawshank Prison. Though a large portion of the prison was torn down after filming, the main administration building and two cell blocks remained; the site would be revisited later for filming parts of the film Air Force One.[9] Several of the interior shots of the specialized prison facilities, such as the admittance rooms and the warden's office, were shot in the reformatory.[9] The interior of the boarding room used by Brooks and Red was located in the administration building, though exterior shots were made elsewhere.[9] The prison site remains a tourist attraction as of 2011.[9] Internal scenes in the prison cellblocks were actually filmed on a soundstage built inside the nearby shuttered Westinghouse factory.[9] Downtown scenes were also filmed in Mansfield, as well as neighboring Ashland, Ohio. The oak tree under which Andy buries his letter to Red is located at 40°39′14″N 82°23′31″W, near Malabar Farm State Park, in Lucas, Ohio. The tree was heavily damaged by straight-line winds in a thunderstorm on July 29, 2011; officials are unsure if the tree will survive.The film was dedicated to Allen Greene, an agent and a close personal friend of the film's director, Frank Darabont. Greene died shortly before the film was released due to complications of HIV/AIDS.

In 1949, Andy overhears the brutal chief guard Byron Hadley (Clancy Brown) complaining about taxes on a forthcoming inheritance and informs him about a financial loophole. After another vicious assault by the Sisters nearly kills Andy, Hadley severely beats Bogs resulting in Bogs being sent to another prison. Andy is not attacked again. Warden Samuel Norton (Bob Gunton) meets with Andy and reassigns him to the prison library to assist elderly inmate Brooks Hatlen (James Whitmore), a pretext for Andy to manage financial duties for the prison. His advice and expertise are soon sought by other guards at Shawshank and from nearby prisons. Andy begins writing weekly letters to the state government for funds to improve the decrepit library.In 1954, Brooks is freed on parole, but unable to adjust to the outside world after 50 years in prison, he hangs himself. Andy receives a library donation that includes a recording of The Marriage of Figaro. He plays an excerpt over the public address system, resulting in his receiving solitary confinement. After his release, Andy explains that he holds onto hope as something that the prison cannot take from him, but Red dismisses the idea. In 1963, Norton begins exploiting prison labor for public works, profiting by undercutting skilled labor costs and receiving kickbacks. He has Andy launder the money using the alias "Randall Stephens".

In 1965, Tommy Williams (Gil Bellows) is incarcerated for burglary. He joins Andy and Red's circle of friends, and Andy helps him pass his General Educational Development (G.E.D.) examinations. In 1966, after hearing the details of Andy's case, Tommy reveals that an inmate at another prison claimed responsibility for an identical murder, suggesting Andy's innocence. Andy approaches Norton with this information, but the warden refuses to listen. Norton places Andy in solitary confinement and has Hadley murder Tommy, under the guise of an escape attempt. Andy refuses to continue with the scam, but Norton threatens to destroy the library and take away his protection and preferential treatment. After Andy is released from solitary confinement, he tells Red of his dream of living in Zihuatanejo, a Mexican Pacific coastal town. While Red shrugs it off as being unrealistic, Andy instructs him, should he ever be freed, to visit a specific hayfield near Buxton to retrieve a package.

The next day at roll call, upon finding Andy's cell empty, an irate Norton throws one of Andy's rocks at the poster of Raquel Welch hanging on the wall. The rock tears through the poster, revealing a tunnel that Andy had dug with his rock hammer over the previous two decades. The previous night, Andy escaped through the tunnel and the prison's sewage pipe with Norton's ledger, containing details of the money laundering. While guards search for him the following morning, Andy, posing as Randall Stephens, visits several banks to withdraw the laundered money. Finally, he sends the ledger and evidence of the corruption and murders at Shawshank to a local newspaper. The police arrive at Shawshank and take Hadley into custody, while Norton commits suicide to avoid arrest.

After serving 40 years, Red receives parole. He struggles to adapt to life outside prison and fears he never will. Remembering his promise to Andy, he visits Buxton and finds a cache containing money and a letter asking him to come to Zihuatanejo. Red violates his parole and travels to Fort Hancock, Texas to cross the border to Mexico, admitting he finally feels hope. On a beach in Zihuatanejo, he finds Andy, and the two friends are happily reunited.

10 Movies Better than Shawshank Redemption

Many people claim that The Shawshank Redemption is the best movie ever, solidified further by the Internet Movie Database, IMDb. However, there are also people that agree that The Shawshank Redemption, although a good film, is not the best. I agree with the latter and so here is a list of 10 movies that are better.
10==>Inception
This 2010 blockbuster was praised for its immersive storyline and wonder technical features. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Ken Watanabe, this film did amazingly successfully both at the box office and in the eyes of critics and viewers alike. The premise of the movie is simple but unravels to be more complicated and detailed than initially presumed. A skilled thief that uses technology that allows him to enter the human mind via dream invasion, is hired to carry out his toughest task, “inception” or implanting an idea in the mind of a victim and making him think it is his own.
09==>Any Lord of the Rings Movie
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Based on a novel series written by acclaimed fantasy writer John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, and directed by also acclaimed director Peter Jackson, these movies were a hit when released. The movies were hailed for their stunning visuals and amazing story-telling, as well as great acting. Starring Elijah wood, Noel Appleby, Sean Bean, Sean Astin amongst others, the film is a tale of a hobbit who is joined by a valiant group of men as they try to get him to Mount Doom so he can dispose of a deviously powerful ring that can only be destroyed by sending it into the fires from whence it came. To put it bluntly, one does not simply dislike the Lord of the Rings movies.
08==>Fight Club
Fight Club is an extraordinary movie in many aspects. Its story is well presented and it is a very interesting watch. The film stars Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, and Helena Bonham Carter and spawned immense critical appeal shortly upon release. The plot is as follows: An insomniac office worker and a supposed soap maker band together to form an underground fighting ring which escalates to a full blown revolution. The movie was greatly presented and is a must-watch for any film aficionado.
07==>The Empire Strikes Back
Considered one of the best sci-fi movies of all time and preserved in the U.S. national Film Registry as historically, culturally, and aesthetically significant, the sequel to the debut of the Star Wars series was a massive hit. Many think this to be the best of all the Star Wars movies (myself included), it was truly a spectacle at the time of its release. It is a magnificent conglomeration of a well-done story and visual appeal starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Kenny Baker (come on I had to include the guy who plays R2D2), and others. I don’t think a summary of the plot is necessary because who hasn’t seen it? However, essentially the Empire takes revenge on the rebels after what they did in the first movie.
06==>The Dark Knight
Brought to you by Christopher Nolan and a sequel to a really good movie as well, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight takes the story further by introducing the Joker, a zany, comical, insane killer, played by Heath Ledger (who also died the same year), who makes Batman’s job even harder with intelligence and cunning never before faced by the dark knight. Starring Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart, Heath Ledger (as aforementioned). The film is credited with a wonderfully written plot and great visuals accompanied by amazing acting. Being a box office success, it is unlikely you haven’t seen this film, but if you truly have not you definitely should.
05==>Schindler’s List
This is a great tale set amidst the Jewish persecution in the middle of World War II. The film stars Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, and Itzhak Stern. The film won numerous academy awards and is considered one of the best movies. It is about a German businessman who becomes concerned for the Jews as they are persecuted by the Nazis and so employs them at his factory to protect them. If you have not seen this film then you really should.
04==>The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is probably the best western film to date. It is a wondrous epic set in the Wild West and is the third installment in the Dollars Trilogy. The film stars Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach in the most prominent roles. The film revolves around three gunslingers who compete to find a treasure trove of confederate gold.
03==>Pulp Fiction
A very iconic movie considered a cult classic – many people took a liking to Pulp Fiction. It was an independent film directed by Quentin Tarantino whose other notable works include Kill Bill and Inglourious Basterds. Pulp Fiction was met with critical acclaim shortly upon release as being not only amazing for an indie film, but also amazing in general. The film stars Samuel L. Jackson, Jon Travolta, Uma Thurman, and Bruce Willis.
02==>The Godfather: Part II
The sequel to #1 on this list (oh, come on, that was so obvious), The Godfather: Part II was also a masterfully written and executed film that is worthy of the praise it gets. The film centers on the Early life of Vito Corleone as he advances among the ranks of gangsters to finally set up his own crime family and on Michael Corleone as he expands the syndicate his father started that now stretches from Nevada all the way to Cuba thanks to Michael. The film was presented well, and was a box office and critical success. If you have not seen the Godfather movies, you definitely should, especially the first two.
01==>The Godfather
Based also on a novel written by Mario Puzo and met with critical appeal, The Godfather is undoubtedly one of the best, if not the best (in my opinion the best) movies ever made. It is a wonderful tale of redemption and the rise of a Mafia leader and the difficulties he faces. Al Pacino plays magnificently and undertakes his role masterfully. It stars Al Pacino, Marlon Brando, and James Caan and focuses mainly on a New York Crime family as they expand their interests and as the reluctant family outsider Michael ascends and takes over the syndicate.

Argo and Shawshank Redemption top 'great escapes' list

'Argo' and 'The Shawshank Redemption' have been named the best 'escape' movies.
The Ben Affleck directed thriller - which recently won Best Picture at the Academy Awards - took its place among iconic films such as 'Shawshank' and 'Jurassic Park' in a Virgin Media poll of the most nail-biting movies about characters in peril.
Topping the list, which quizzed 1,000 pollsters, was the Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman starring drama about a lawyer who is wrongfully imprisoned for life.
1963 World War II drama 'The Great Escape' came second on the list, followed by Julia Roberts thriller 'Sleeping with the Enemy'.
Other recent films joining 'Argo' in the list include 2000's animated caper 'Chicken Run' and 2009's debauched bachelor party comedy, 'The Hangover'.
Nick Forward, editor in chief of digital entertainment at Virgin Media, said: ''Like most Brits, we love tenacious plots and our poll has shown that whether it is a thriller, action movie or animation, real life stories like 'Argo' can be as captivating as any plot conjured up by a scriptwriter.''
The CIA thriller, directed by and starring Ben Affleck, has been the toast of awards season, sweeping the Oscars, BAFTAs and Golden Globe Awards.
'Argo' is available now on Virgin Movies, the on demand movie pay-per-view service from Virgin Media, three days before its DVD release.
The top 10 'escape' movies:
1. The Shawshank Redemption
2. The Great Escape
3. Sleeping with the Enemy
4. Chicken Run
5. Escape from Alcatraz
6. The Hangover
7. Argo
8. Alien
9. Jurassic Park
10. Thelma and Louise

The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 film about a banker who is accused of double murder in the 1940s and begins a life sentence at the fictional Shawshank prison, where he's befriended by an older inmate named Red. During his long stretch in prison, Dufresne comes to be admired by the other inmates for his upstanding moral code and his quietly indomitable spirit.
Andy Dufresne

The funny thing is, on the outside, I was an honest man, straight as an arrow. I had to come to prison to be a crook.[Scrawled in a Bible he hollowed out to make space for the rock hammer he used to tunnel through his cell wall, and placed in the Warden's safe the night before his escape] "Dear Warden; You were right. Salvation lay within. Andy"
[in a letter] Dear Red, If you're reading this, you've gotten out. And if you've come this far, maybe you're willing to come a little further. You remember the name of the town, don't you? I could use a good man to help me get my project on wheels. I'll keep an eye out for you and the chessboard ready. Remember, Red. Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. I will be hoping that this letter finds you, and finds you well. Your friend, Andy Dufresne.
They say it has no memory. That's where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory.
Ellis Boyd 'Red' Redding

The first night's the toughest, no doubt about it. They march you in naked as the day you were born, skin burning and half blind from that delousing shit they throw on you, and when they put you in that cell, when those bars slam home, that's when you know it's for real. A whole life blown away in the blink of an eye. Nothing left but all the time in the world to think about it. Most new fish come close to madness the first night. Somebody always breaks down crying. Happens every time. The only question is, who's it gonna be? It's as good a thing to bet on as any, I guess. I had my money on Andy Dufresne. I remember my first night. Seems like a long time ago.I have no idea to this day what those two Italian ladies were singing about. Truth is, I don't wanna know. Some things are best left unsaid. I'd like to think they were singing about something so beautiful it can't be expressed in words, and it makes your heart ache because of it. I tell you those voices soared, higher and farther than anybody in a grey place dares to dream. It was like some beautiful bird flapped into our drab little cage and made these walls dissolve away, and for the briefest of moments, every last man in Shawshank felt free.In 1966, Andy Dufresne escaped from Shawshank prison. All they found of him was a muddy set of prison clothes, a bar of soap, and an old rock hammer, damn near worn down to the nub. I remember thinking it would take a man SIX hundred years to tunnel through the wall with it. Old Andy did it in less than twenty.Oh, Andy loved geology. I imagine it appealed to his meticulous nature. An ice age here, million years of mountain building there. Geology is the study of pressure and time. That's all it takes really, pressure, and time. That, and a big goddamn poster. Like I said, in prison, a man will do most anything to keep his mind occupied. Turns out Andy's favorite hobby was totin' his wall out into the exercise yard, a handful at a time. I guess after Tommy was killed, Andy decided he'd been here just about long enough.Andy did like he was told, buffed those shoes to a high mirror shine. The guards simply didn't notice. Neither did I... I mean, seriously, how often do you really look at a mans shoes? Andy crawled to freedom through five hundred yards of shit smelling foulness I can't even imagine, or maybe I just don't want to. Five hundred yards... that's the length of five football fields, just shy of half a mile.
Andy Dufresne, who crawled through a river of shit and came out clean on the other side. Andy Dufresne, headed for the Pacific. Those of us who knew him best talk about him often. I swear, the stuff he pulled... Sometimes it makes me sad, though, Andy being gone. I have to remind myself that some birds aren't meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright and when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up does rejoice, but still, the place you live in is that much more drab and empty that they're gone. I guess I just miss my friend.I find I'm so excited I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it is the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend, and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.These prison walls are funny. First you hate 'em, then you get used to 'em. Enough time passes, gets so you depend on them. That's institutionalized. They send you here for life, that's exactly what they take. The part that counts anyways.
Community Review: Jeff’s Dad and the Shawshank Thanksgiving

Community sadly continues its volley of inconsistent comedy this week with another seasonal episode, this one Thanksgiving. Dean Pelton once again barges into the study room wearing Jeff’s old Halloween costume. What’s worse though, is that he spills the beans (or “deans”, as the show would like you to say…) that Jeff is spending the holiday with his dad, whom he has recently reconnected with.  “Reconciling with estranged family members is the stuff of talk shows,” Britta warns Jeff, “Chairs might be thrown. Weaves might be pulled.”
He is also on deck to meet his half brother who is considerably younger and more influenced by his father. The rest of the group decides to tag along to Shirley’s family’s house for Thanksgiving dinner, something that they will come to regret as soon as they enter the door. The feeling is not helped at all by Pierce, who eagerly proclaims, “Let’s carve this jive turkey!” while Abed warms the house with some two year old bean dip he dug out of his fridge, clearly contaminated.
Meanwhile, Jeff makes it all the way to his dad’s front door, finger hovering over the doorbell, but he simply can’t do it. Driving back, he gets a call from Britta and she tells him that –surprise!- she is already at his dad’s house, ready to psychologically meddle in their relationship.
The rest of the group is not faring as well at Shirley’s house, having ducked away into the garage, “This is the Jonestown of thanksgivings,” Annie proclaims. Enter the Shawshank Redemption homage in which harmonica music pipes up while Abed rattles off some introspective voice-over. Not much ever comes of this little meta-sequence in the episode and it sadly comes off as being a bit half-assed. If these were the glory years of the show, the homage would have been an all-in type setup where the group don prison blues, tar the roof, and (spoiler alert!) crawl out of the sewers, but instead, we’re just left with Abed’s voice to guide us and the whole thing flatlines.
Back at the Winger home, Willie, Jr. is still on edge about meeting Jeff, his half-brother (“His nail beds are better than mine!”) and while Britta tries to calm him down, Jeff and his father attempt to catch up for lost time. Will Sr. makes an off-handed comment that Jeff might have been better off without him around, at which point Jeff tells him to go to hell, and leaves before Thanksgiving can even start, but before he does, he tells his dad just what his absence has turned him into: “I can’t even look my friends in the eye because I’m afraid that they’ll know I’m a wreck. That you can take credit for.” And that’s just scratching the surface.
Warden Samuel Norton

This is Mr Hadley, Captain of the guards. I'm Norton the warden. You are convicted felons, that's why they sent you to me. Rule No. 1 No Blasphemy, I cannot take the lord's name in vain in my prison, the other rules you'll figure as you move along. Any questions?
I believe in two things; discipline and the Bible. Here you'll receive both. Put your trust in the Lord. Your ass belongs to me. Welcome to Shawshank.
There might be an edited and dubbed version in which Norton says "the rest" rather than "your ass."
Lord, it's a miracle! Man up and vanished like a fart in the wind! Nothing left but some damn rocks on the windowsill. And that cupcake on the wall! Let's ask her, maybe she knows.
I want him found! Not tomorrow, not after breakfast—NOW!!!
Brooks Hatlen
Dear fellas, I can't believe how fast things move on the outside. I saw an automobile once when I was a kid, but now they're everywhere. The world went and got itself in a big damn hurry. The parole board got me into this halfway house called "The Brewer" and a job bagging groceries at the Foodway. It's hard work and I try to keep up, but my hands hurt most of the time. I don't think the store manager likes me very much. Sometimes after work, I go to the park and feed the birds. I keep thinking Jake might just show up and say hello, but he never does. I hope wherever he is, he's doin' okay and makin' new friends. I have trouble sleepin' at night. I have bad dreams like I'm falling. I wake up scared. Sometimes it takes me a while to remember where I am. Maybe I should get me a gun and rob the Foodway so they'd send me home. I could shoot the manager while I was at it, sort of like a bonus. I guess I'm too old for that sort of nonsense any more. I don't like it here. I'm tired of being afraid all the time. I've decided not to stay. I doubt they'll kick up any fuss. Not for an old crook like me. P.S: Tell Heywood I'm sorry I put a knife to his throat. No hard feeling, Brooks.
Dialogue

Norton: [Takes the Bible from Andy's hands] I'm pleased to see you reading this. Any favorite passages?
Andy: "Watch ye therefore; for ye know not when the Master of the House cometh."
Norton: Mark 13:35. Always liked that one. But I prefer, "I'm the light of the world; he that follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life."
Andy: John, chapter 8, verse 12.
[Later, as Norton exits the cell, he hands back the Bible through the bars]
Norton: Almost forgot; I'd hate to deprive you of this. Salvation lies within.
Andy: Yes, sir.
Andy: I had Mr. Mozart to keep me company...[points and taps his head.] It was in here. [gestures over his heart] And in here. That's the beauty of music. They can't get that from you. Haven't you ever felt that way about music?
Red: Well... I played a mean harmonica as a younger man. Lost interest in it, though. Didn't make too much sense in here.
Andy: No, here's where it makes the most sense. You need it so you don't forget.
Red: Forget?
Andy: That there are places in the world that aren't made out of stone. That there's... there's somethin' inside that they can't get to; that they can't touch. It's yours.
Red: What are you talkin' about?
Andy: Hope.
Red: Hope? Let me tell you something, my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane. It's got no use on the inside. You'd better get used to that idea.
Andy: Like Brooks did?
Heywood: [sorting through books] "The Count of Monte Crisco"
Floyd: That's Cristo, you dumb shit.
Heywood: By Alexandree... Dum-ass. Dumbass? [Red chuckles.]
Andy: Dumbass? [Heywood shows him the book.] Dumas. You know what that's about?
Heywood: [confused] Uuh-uh.
Andy: You'll like it. It's about a prison break.
Red: Well, we ought to file that under Educational too. Oughtn't we?
Andy: My wife used to say I'm a hard man to know. Like a closed book. Complained about it all the time. She was beautiful. God, I loved her. I just didn't know how to show it, that's all. [pause] I killed her Red. I didn't pull the trigger. But I drove her away. That's why she died, because of me. The way I am.
Red: [pause] That don't make you a murderer. A bad husband, maybe. Feel bad about it if you want to, but you didn't pull the trigger.
Andy: No, I didn't. Somebody else did. And I wound up in here. [laughs] Bad luck, I guess.
Red: [sighs] Yeah
Andy: It floats around. It's got to land on somebody. It was my turn, that's all. I was in the path of the tornado. [sighs] I just didn't expect the storm would last as long as it has. [pause] You think you'll ever get out of here?
Red: I don't think you ought to be doing this to yourself, Andy. This is just shitty pipedreams. I mean, Mexico is way the hell down there and you're in here, and that's the way it is.
Andy: Yeah, right. That's the way it is. It's down there and I'm in here. I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy livin' or get busy dyin.'
Rehabilitation Officer: Ellis Boyd Redding: your file says you've served 40 years of a life sentence. Do you feel you've been rehabilitated?
Red: Rehabilitated?... Well, now, let me see. You know, I don't have any idea what that means.
Rehabilitation Officer: Well, it means that you're ready to rejoin society, to—
Red: I know what you think it means, sonny. To me it's just a made-up word. A politician's word, so that young fellas like yourself can wear a suit and a tie and have a job. What do you really wanna know? Am I sorry for what I did?
Rehabilitation Officer: Well, are you?
Red: There's not a day goes by that I don't feel regret. Not because I'm in here, or because you think I should. I look back on the way I was then: a young, stupid kid who committed that terrible crime. I want to talk to him. I want to try to talk some sense to him, tell him the way things are. But I can't. That kid's long gone and this old man is all that's left. I gotta live with that. Rehabilitated? It's just a bullshit word. So go ahead and stamp your forms, sonny, and stop wasting my time. Because to tell you the truth, I don't give a shit.