Shawshank Redemption, The
Andy Dufresne, a former big shot at a large bank, gets sent to jail for having killed his wife and her lover with a double lifetime sentence. Once there he starts making friends with Red, an old guy who was sent to prison years ago and is known for being able to get things done. As time passes by, Andy gets to know his way around prison and his skills as banker make him popular amongst the guards and the prison warden. However, what they don’t know is that he’s got more on his mind that filling in tax returns for the rest of his life…
Sound and Vision:
The movie seems to have been copied onto Blu-ray straight from the same source of the DVD release without anything being changed. The image quality is mediocre for a Blu-ray release and the sound isn’t anything special either.
Extras:
According to the box there’s an audio commentary track by Frank Darabont but we didn’t find it. Still, even if it’s present the extras are downright meagre for a Blu-ray.
Conclusion:
The Shawshank Redemption is based on a story by Stephen King and although King is mostly know for horror, this is pure drama about characters that get in situations they didn’t choose for. The movie is excellent and it comes as no surprise that it got nominated for seven Oscars. The cast does a terrific job and the storyline is portrayed in a great way so that the viewer can easily understand the feelings of the characters.
When it comes to this Blu-ray release I can only say that unless you don’t have the DVD, there’s no reason to get this one. The image and sound aren’t better and also in the “extras” department it’s pure “misery” (get it?)
9.0