The Shawshank Redemption (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Amazon.com essential video

When this popular prison drama was released in 1994, some critics complained that the movie was too long (142 minutes) to sustain its story. Those complaints miss the point, because the passage of time is crucial to this story about patience, the squeaky wheels of justice, and the growth of a life-long friendship. Only when the film reaches its final, emotionally satisfying scene do you fully understand why writer-director Frank Darabont (adapting a novella by Stephen King) allows the story to unfold at its necessary pace, and the effect is dramatically rewarding. Tim Robbins plays a banker named Andy who's sent to Shawshank Prison on a murder charge, but as he gets to know a life-term prisoner named Red (Morgan Freeman), we realize there's reason to believe the banker's crime was justifiable. We also realize that Andy's calm, quiet exterior hides a great reserve of patience and fortitude, and Red comes to admire this mild-mannered man who first struck him as weak and unfit for prison life. So it is that The Shawshank Redemption builds considerable impact as a prison drama that defies the conventions of the genre (violence, brutality, riots) to illustrate its theme of faith, friendship, and survival. Nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, Actor, and Screenplay, it's a remarkable film that signaled the arrival of a promising new filmmaker--a film that many movie lovers count among their all-time favorites. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Perfect in every way.......2007-09-13

Every so often comes a movie that just works on all levels. The Shawshank redemption is one of these movies - deservedly ranking right up there with The Godfather, Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Citizen Kane, etc.

The story, as everyone knows, is based on a Stephen King novella (the same collection of stories that brought "Stand By Me" to the world). While Steven King is known mostly for his gore and horror stories, these are his two best works ever.

Although Andy Dufresne (played by Tim Robbins) is the hero and main character in the story, Red (Morgan Freeman) really steals the show. What an incredible performance! The rest of the cast is excellent of course.

One of the true measures of a movie is how it looks ten years after it's released. The Shawshank Redemption has not dated one second - it's as fresh and enjoyable to watch as the day it came out of the edit suite!

user.......2007-09-04

excellent movie! It is a great movie and should be an Oscar winner in any year except the one with Forest Gump. It includes no woman---the story between only men. It's not only about escape from the prison, but about human life in all kinds of conditions.

Outstanding script and performances.......2007-09-03

this is one of those films where, unless you know the story, you have no idea where it is going. the redemption of these two men (robbins and freeman)is basically the redemption of innocent mankind. and their performances are a true testament to their art. i have watched this film many times over and continue to be impressed by the amazing nuances and performances. i would recommend this film to anyone who loves film.

A man for all seasons........2007-08-17

Our world is a parable, a metaphorical prison. All men suffer and many feel this is unjust. Our better selves remain mostly jailed within. The best of us uplift ourselves, our companions, and our surroundings. It's a Jewish principle -- Wherever you are, be a kodosh (a holy person).
Tim Robbins's character in "The Shawshank Redemption" pulls it off -- in more ways than one. The viewer is slow to warm to this soft-spoken prisoner (unsure if he killed his wife and her lover). But that how it is with truly great people. A person ahead of his time or standing outside of time is sentenced to be misunderstood and abused.
Marvel at Andy Dufrense's (Robbins) triumph in this first-rate movie. It's a tad condescending toward the Bible through the character of Warden Norton but remains an excellent movie (based on a Stephen King short story). The truth that one has to slog through much feces to find redemption vividly comes to life.

BEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME - PERIOD........2007-08-11

This movie is THE BEST - and I am not some screwball that says that about just anything. A profoundly moving epic in the tradition of Frank Capra's masterwork "It's A Wonderful Life". The story is tight and believable; the acting - top notch. Even if you aren't compelled to buy this movie you HAVE to see it at least once. Citizen Kane is OVER-RATED; it is ALL ABOUT Shawshank - see it today!

Average customer rating:

Perfect in every way
user
Outstanding script and performances
A man for all seasons.
BEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME - PERIOD.

The Shawshank Redemption
Starring: Tim Robbins , Morgan Freeman , Bob Gunton , William Sadler , and Clancy Brown
Director: Frank Darabont
Manufacturer: Castle Rock
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B0000399WI
Release Date: 1999-12-21

Amazon.com essential video

Description

A prominent banker unjustly convicted of murder spends many years in the Shawshank prison. He is befriended by a convict who knows the ropes and helps him to cope with the frightning realities of prison life.

Customer Reviews:

Perfect in every way.......2007-09-13

user.......2007-09-04

Outstanding script and performances.......2007-09-03

A man for all seasons........2007-08-17

BEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME - PERIOD........2007-08-11

The Shawshank Redemption (Single Disc Edition)

Average customer rating:

The Shawshank Redemption (Single Disc Edition)
Starring: Dion Anderson , Ned Bellamy , Bill Bolender , Larry Brandenburg , and Brian Brophy
Director: Frank Darabont
Manufacturer: Castle Rock
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000P0J0EW
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Description

Stephen King Thriller Collection: Dreamcatcher/The Shawshank Redemption/The Shining

Average customer rating:

pretty good box set
Great Films, slight disappointment

Stephen King Thriller Collection: Dreamcatcher/The Shawshank Redemption/The Shining
Starring: Stephen King
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Horror | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

ASIN: B000H4JH7Q
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Customer Reviews:

pretty good box set.......2006-09-27

there are only a few flaws with this boxset 1st not all the films are widescreen 2nd its a cheap boxset by that i mean the dvd boxes are the slim boxes like the friday the 13th collection i might take a pic of it and post it so you know what i mean. i hope this help you!

Great Films, slight disappointment.......2006-09-23

Good price for 3 decent Stephen King films. One catch: DREAMCATCHER is not in Widescreen so I will have to purchase a Widescreen version other than that I shall enjoy this set for years to come.

CAP

The Green Mile / The Shawshank Redemption

Average customer rating:

Nice Teaming
2 excellent movies based on 2 excellent stories
Book or Movie?
Two of the most moving, powerful films ever made

The Green Mile / The Shawshank Redemption
Starring: Tom Hanks , David Morse , Bonnie Hunt , Michael Clarke Duncan , and James Cromwell
Director: Frank Darabont
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B0000E6FR5
Release Date: 2003-11-18

Customer Reviews:

Nice Teaming.......2006-03-13

This two pack actually makes sense. Both movies are based on Stephen King short stories, and both take place primarily in prisons. Green Mile has a lot of the King supernatural in it, while Shawshank is a straight drama. Stellar casts for both films. Shawshank is 6 stars in my book, with Mile being a 4 1/2 to 5. You can't go wrong with this for the price if you want to own the movies. There is a fantastic 2 disc special edition of Shawshank if you love the movie and want a lot of extras.

2 excellent movies based on 2 excellent stories.......2005-06-22

These movies are a masterpiece and are some of the best movies ever. In the Green Mile, John Coffey played by Michael Clark Duncan is accused of killing two young girls. He is then sent to a penitentiary with Paul Edgecombe played by Tom Hanks as the boss of it. Edgecombe knows though that Coffey is special and unique and after Coffey starts doing miracles, Edgecombe doesn't know what to do.
In the Shawnshank Redemption, Tim Robbins plays a man who is wrongfully accused of murdering his wife. While then he encounters Morgan Freeman's character, and learns the atrocities of life in prison. He gets abused there and desperately tries to find a way to escape.
Both are excellent movies and both will touch your heart. But the green mile has to be my favorite and it really touched my heart. These movies will make you cry, laugh, and will be some of the greatest movies that you have seen.

Book or Movie?.......2004-05-20

I haven't actually experienced the DVDs, so I can't comment on it specifically, but hear me out. Also, these two are *always* thought of together, so here goes: I've watched both The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile more than once before reading the books. If I *have to* pick one movie as my all-time favourite, it would be The Shawshank Redemption. The book is really brilliant, but I'm of the opinion that the movie did the unthinkable and actually improved on it. In my mind, the situation is reversed when it comes to The Green Mile. Although the movie is really brilliant, the book is better. Maybe the reason is that The Green Mile doesn't get the words and ideas as Stephen King uses them into the movie as exceptionally successful as The Shawshank Redemption. Still, both of them are worth every dollar and every minute (and I'm able to say this even after seeing Shawshank about 8 times and Green Mile more than 3)!

Two of the most moving, powerful films ever made.......2003-11-30

Well, you can hardly beat this duo: two of the most impressive, critically acclaimed motion pictures based on the work of Stephen King. These two films, more than any others, have done much to remove the stigma that has burdened Stephen King movies in the past (many of which are, frankly, weak versions of terrific stories). Many viewers were probably surprised to learn that these movies actually were based on Stephen King novels, as the movies were wisely promoted without mentioning the dean of horror at all. After all, these are not horror movies; both are movies that touch the soul and work emotional magic on the human heart.

The Shawshank Redemption, based on King's novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption from Different Seasons, is a moving story of an innocent man jailed for the murder of his wife. The main character's fellow cellmates are depicted not as criminals but as human beings with hopes, fears, dreams, and goodness within their souls. Perhaps the most tear-inducing subdrama involves an old man who has been in prison so long that he cannot adapt to life as a free man. Tim Robbins shines in the role of Andy Dufresne, an innocent man determined to escape and make a new life for himself far away from Shawshank Prison, while Morgan Freeman, for my money the best actor in Hollywood, is brilliant as Red, the long-timer who ultimately becomes a true and trusted friend to Andy, whom he first dismisses as a hopeless case.

The Green Mile of course offers brilliant performances of its own: the always-impressive Tom Hanks is absolutely stellar as Paul Edgecomb, the head of a depression-era Death Row cellblock, but even Hanks is almost overshadowed by the performance of Michael Clarke Duncan, a talented actor who finally got a chance to show the depth and passion of his abilities in this breakthrough role of John Coffey. If ever there were a giant of a man with a giant heart, it is this poor black man who is wrongly convicted and sentenced to death for killing two white girls. Coffey has a remarkable gift, one which touches the heart of Edgecomb, his fellow jailers (with one notable, despicable exception), and anyone who watches the movie.

In one sense, the true star of both of these films is Frank Darabont. Darabont does the impossible not once but twice, actually improving upon already powerful stories from the mind of Stephen King. Both movies are rather lengthy, but Darabont uses every second to create two viewing experiences that are almost perfect from start to finish. These are movies even the most virulent Stephen King critic can enjoy, and both films will touch your heart and remain in your memory for some time to come.

Average customer rating:
Charlie Rose with Catherine Deneuve; with Charlotte Rampling; with Liv Ullman. (August 30, 2001)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose, Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
All Titles | Charlie Rose Store | Television | Genres | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000N6UHJK
Release Date: 2007-02-05

Description

In this rebroadcast of an interview from September 9, 2000, actress Catherine Deneuve talks about her 40 year career as a cultural icon for her native France and her latest film Dancer in the Dark, which teams her up with controversial director Lars von Trier.||Then, actress Charlotte Rampling talks about her role in the new film Signs and Wonders in a rebroadcast of a conversation from January 25, 2001.||Also, a rebroadcast of an interview from February 22, 2001, with the actress and director Liv Ullman on her relationship with Ingmar Bergman and new film, Faithless.

The Shawshank Redemption (Deluxe Limited Two-Disc Special Edition With Book and CD)

Average customer rating:

Perfect in every way
user
Outstanding script and performances
A man for all seasons.
BEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME - PERIOD.

The Shawshank Redemption (Deluxe Limited Two-Disc Special Edition With Book and CD)
Starring: Tim Robbins , Morgan Freeman , Bob Gunton , William Sadler , and Clancy Brown
Director: Frank Darabont , and Andrew Abbott
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

Two-Disc Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B0002L592Q
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

Perfect in every way.......2007-09-13

user.......2007-09-04

Outstanding script and performances.......2007-09-03

A man for all seasons........2007-08-17

BEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME - PERIOD........2007-08-11

Average customer rating:

The Shawshank Redemption [Region 2]
Starring: Tim Robbins , Morgan Freeman , Bob Gunton , William Sadler , and Clancy Brown
Director: Frank Darabont
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B0000C88L7

Charlie Rose with Tim Robbins (February 8, 1996)

Average customer rating:

Charlie Rose with Tim Robbins (February 8, 1996)

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Description

Charlie spends the hour with Tim Robbins to talk about his new project. Best known for his acting roles in films such as The Shawshank Redemption and Bull Durham, Robbins takes a turn as director for this latest film, Dead Man Walking, which stars Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon.It tells the story of a New Orleans nun who comes to the spiritual aid of a prisoner on Death Row.

Average customer rating:

The Shawshank Redemption [Region 2]
Starring: Tim Robbins , Morgan Freeman , Bob Gunton , William Sadler , and Clancy Brown
Director: Frank Darabont
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00004RYAE

DVD:

DVD

DVD