Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #298 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-09-01
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Limited Edition, PAL, Special Edition
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 136 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review

When The Shawshank Redemption was released in 1994, some critics complained that this popular prison drama was too long to sustain its plot. 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.

Tim Robbins plays a banker named Andy who is sent to Shawshank Prison on a murder charge, but as he gets to know a life-term prisoner named Red (Morgan Freeman), we soon realise his claims of innocence are credible. We also realise 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 (which movie lovers count among their all-time favourites) that signalled the arrival of a promising new filmmaker.

On the DVD: The Shawshank Redemption limited-edition release contains the complete 48-minute documentary "Shawshank: The Redeeming Feature", including interviews with all the principal cast and crew; plus more interview material and the theatrical trailer. --Jeff Shannon

Special Features

• Theatrical trailer
  
• Interviews with star cast
  
• Shawshank: The Redeeming Feature - includes interviews with Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman plus interviews with key crew members including Frank Darabont, the Producer, Production Designer and film critics

DVD Technical Information:

• Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  
• Audio: English, Stereo
  
• Subtitles: English for the Hard of Hearing
  
• Region Code: 2
  
• Colour
  
• Running time: 136 mins approx.

Synopsis

In writer-director Frank Darabont's The Shawshank Redemption, Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison for the alleged murders of his wife and her lover in the late 1940s. Sent to Shawshank Prison to do hard time, Andy is the only one who knows he didn't commit the crimes. A taciturn banker in the outside world, he is forced to learn how to get by in the brutal, cut-throat confines of a maximum security prison. His quiet strength slowly earns the respect of his fellow inmates--most notably, Red (Morgan Freeman)--and even much of the prison staff, but Andy's seemingly stoic acceptance of his unjust imprisonment hides a fierce determination for freedom. This beautifully crafted movie features touching and sincere performances from the entire cast, with an uplifting message about humanity's indomitable spirit and the redemptive value of hope. Based on the novella "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" by Stephen King, Darabont's intriguing adaptation is easily one of the finest films of the 1990s.

Customer Reviews

Fantastic!
The Shawshank Redemption is one of my all time favourite films. Based on a Stephen King short story, it follows the story of one man who is convicted of murdering his wife and her lover. The film follows him through the many years he spends in prison and the people he meets.

A heart-warming story with a fantastic ending. A film everyone should watch at least once

A film everyone should see
This is one of the greatest films of all time.

It is a gripping storyline that never leaves you feeling bored, the acting is superb with Freeman and Robbins on supereb form. The film has you really caring about the characters as if they were real people.

If you havent seen this film already you are missing out.

An excellent moving drama....
Based on a short story by Stphen King (but don't let that put you off-this is not a tacky horror film), which sees Tim Robbins and Morgan Freedman in top form. Robins stars as a man wrongly accused of the murder of his wife and her lover, and who is sent to Shawshank Prison to serve two life sentences. What follows is a moving story of life on the inside and the true meaning of liberty. O.K so this might not be everyone's idea of fun, but this film oozes from every frame and, although it may be a tad overlong it is one of the best films that I have ever seen.