『壹』 英文影視賞析對於英語學習有哪些積極影響
（一）看英文電影有助於我們聽力水平的提高
根據很多英語學習者的反應，通過觀看原汁原味的英文電影，他們的英語聽力成績有了很好地提高，同時他們也在觀看電影中掌握了大量地道准確的英語表達方式。原聲英文電影中含有在聽力考試中經常出現的社會經濟文學等知識，更有來自不用種族，不同宗教信仰，不同性別，不同家庭背景和工作種類以及社會地位的人物之間的對話。這些對話源於生活所以顯得真實而自然，經過重新整合後更生動貼切的語言表達，再襯以對話的環境及會話人物的神情、姿態等便產生一種人身臨其境的效果。所以，通過原汁原味的英文電影來學習英語和練習英語聽力著實是一個有效和靈活的方式。
(二)看英文電影有助於我們地道的口語表達
任何一門語言的基礎和精髓在於它語音語調豐富的變化。只要在學習語言時發音正確才能更好的掌握一門語言。英語中的語音不單單只包括單詞發音，它還包括生活實際運用中所常用的表達以及習語的連續、失爆、弱化、重音等的許多的音變的形式。而語言的節奏則是英語表達的潤滑劑，如果你沒有很好地機會去接觸英語國家的人進行對話，那種語音語調在對話中帶來的思想和心靈的沖擊與震撼你就很難去體驗到了。語言是文化的載體，用詞和表達的正確可以體現你對異國文化的理解。那麼我們則可以說觀看英語電影是一個非常好的學習英語的方式。從生動地道的表達中，可以慢慢來模仿人物間的發音。通過長時間有效地模仿，會發現的單詞的發音將會得到大大的提高，以至於趨近標准地道的發音。通過模仿他們人物之間的對話，即便沒有機會跟老外練習口語，口語水平也能通過這一個途徑得到很好地提升。
英語電影有利於讓學習者掌握標準的、口語化的英語的表達。英語電影可以讓英語學習者有身臨其境的感覺，通過課堂上老師進一步的點評和強調，學習者就會很快地習得。通常來說，要表示某件事物很好，我們常用的表達是：「It』s very good.」但是通過觀看很大量的英文電影，我們掌握到他們常用「perfect」來表示做的非常好。這種表達既簡單又明確，從而達到了很好地表情達意的效果。對於英語學習者來說，在聲像並茂的情況下，注意力比較集中，就更容易地記住電影中出現的口語表達，從而使這一學習過程變得生動而高效。
(三)看英文電影有助於我們學習詞彙和語法知識
學生在課堂上接受的教 師教授的詞彙和語法知識是不靈活的、是比較呆板的傳統教學法，是強壓在學生的腦子里的，而通過看英文電影了解的詞彙和語法知識則是潛移默化的、深入人心的，我們都知道英文電影中含有大量的句子和詞彙，而我們中的大多數卻經常會在影片中遇到生詞和怪句。觀看英文電影不僅可以幫我們鞏固我們熟悉的詞，還幫我們記住一些怪詞，這就培養了我們的推理能力。但是如何進行推理呢？我們會依據當時的語言環境以及一系列的有機的邏輯推理及主觀判斷才得出與原文相近的意義。如影片《阿甘正傳》中的對白：『Forrest:
I thought I was going back to Vietnam， but instead they decided the best way for me to fight the communists was to play ping-pong. So I was in the special services, traveling around the country, cheering up those entire wounded veterans and showing how to play ping-pong.』中的「veterans」一詞是生詞，有些同學是這樣猜詞義的;首先結合當時的歷史背景，得知從越南戰爭中歸來的人又是wounded，所以大意應該是傷兵或者是退伍兵。這樣就不僅熟悉了詞彙還會鍛煉我們的推理能力。
在英文電影中，我們會遇到很多含有英語語法的句子，我們也不用刻意地去記憶語法點，一個句子就是一個語法。當我們看得多了，自然而然地記住了，比起在課堂上死記硬背語法點，在英文電影中學習句子掌握語法確實是一種更為有效地方法。總而言之，看英文電影有助於我們對詞彙、語法的學習。
(四)英文電影促進學生對中西方文化差異的理解
學習一種語言, 不僅要掌握一些語法知識, 培養基本的語言技能, 而且更重要的是要了解所學語言的文化背景。在跨文化交際過程中, 語法錯誤不是大問題, 但因文化差異而導致的文化沖突卻是大多數外國人難以容忍的, 往往會引起誤解, 阻礙了交際的順利進行。電影是一面鏡子, 是一個國家和民族的社會文化和生活的最直觀、最生動的反映。它包括了社會生活的方方面面, 反映了最突出的社會問題。電影故事本身和演員每一句台詞的設置都在展現和傳達著各種文化信息, 包括這些國家的生活方式、風俗習慣、價值取向和思維方式等。通過欣賞原版英文電影, 學生可以拓寬視野,更好地了解中西方文化的差異, 加深對英語語言的理解, 從而減少文化沖突。
『貳』 你喜歡英語電影賞析這門大學選修課嗎覺得怎麼樣（英文回答，150字左右）
I think this course is helpful.Firstly, as a movie fan, I can enjoy many awesome movies in this course. Besides seeing movies with classmates is also great, because we can discuss it together; secondly, I can some useful saying from this course. Our textboo is far from daily life, that makes us feel difficult when we communicate with the native speakers.I learn some cool expressions from the movies; thirdly, my listening skills are improved as well. Now I can guess what the actors are saying from their actions and facial expressions, meanwhile, i can understand them even they speak so fast;last but not the least, I know more about the western culture, including their traditions and customs.In my opinion, all these can help me to have more interest in English learning.
『叄』 英美電影賞析 答案
Pride and Prejudice's appreciation
Many people simply regard Pride and Prejudice as a love story, but in my opinion, this film is an illustration of the society at that time. She perfectly reflected the relation between money and marriage at her time and gave the people in her works vivid characters. The characters have their own personalities. Mrs. Bennet is a woman who makes great efforts to marry off her daughters. Mr. Bingley is a friendly young man, but his friend, Mr. Darcy, is a very proud man who seems to always feel superior. Even the five daughters in Bennet family are very different. Jane is simple, innocent and never speaks evil of others. Elizabeth is a clever girl who always has her own opinion. Mary likes reading classicfilms. (Actually she is a pedant.) Kitty doesn』t have her own opinion but likes to follow her sister, Lydia. Lydia is a girl who follows exotic things, handsome man, and is somehow a little profligate. When I read the film, I can always find the same personalities in the society now. That is why I think this film is indeed the representative of the society in Britain in the 18th century.
The family of gentleman in the countryside is Jane Austen』s favourite topic. But this little topic can reflect big problems. It concludes the stratum situation and economic relationships in Britain in her century. You can find these from the very beginning of this film.
The first sentence in this film is impressive. It reads: 「It is a truth well known to all the world that an unmarried man in possession of a large fortune must be in need of a wife」. The undertone is very clear: the foundation of the marriage at that time is not emotion but possession.
People always think that Austen was an expert at telling love stories. In fact, the marriage in her film is not the result of love, but the result of economic needs. After finishing seeing this film, I know the truth is that a poor woman must be in need of a husband, a wealthy man.
I couldn』t forget how eager Mrs. Bennet wants to marry off her daughters. If you want to know why she is so crazy about these things, I must mention the situation in Britain at that time. Only the eldest son had the privilege of inheriting his father』s possessions. Younger sons and daughters who are used to luxurious lives have no choice but marry a man or woman in possession of a large fortune to continue their comfortable lives. Thus, we can see that getting married is a way to become wealthier, particularly for women without many possessions. Jane Austen told us that money and possession determined everything, including marriage and love in her century.
In 「Pride and Prejudice」, the sister of Mr. Bingley strongly opposed his plan of marrying Jane because the Bennets don』t have many possessions and their social positions are much lower than them. From this, we can see there are a lot of obstacles for a not very rich woman to marry a wealthy husband. The society, the relatives would not allow them to get married.
In modern society, although the marriages of economic needs have decreased rapidly, the concept of 「money determines everything」 is still rooted in some people』s mind. A lot of parents try hard to interfere their children』s marriages. Ecation background, possessions, jobs remains the main reason that may influence one』s marriage. Marry for money is still a big problem in our society. We can』t help thinking: can money determine everything?
Austen left this problem for us to think. The genius of Jane Austen lies in this perfect simplicity, the simplicity that reflects big problems. Although Austen was only 21 when she wrote 「Pride and Prejudice」, her sharp observation of social lives makes the style of this film surprisingly mature and lively. The plots in her works are always very natural. The development of the plot is as inevitable as a problem in mathematics. I think the depth of Pride and Prejudice is the reason that makes this film prominent and classic. Today, her film still can be the guide telling us the economic relationships both at her time and in modern time.
『肆』 英文電影欣賞影評
The Pursuit of Happyness is a 2006 American biographical film directed by Gabriele Muccino about the on and off-homeless salesman-turned-stockbroker Chris Gardner. The screenplay by Steven Conrad is based on the best-selling memoir of the same name written by Chris Gardner with Quincy Troupe. The film was released on December 15, 2006 by Columbia Pictures.
Chris Gardner is a bright and talented, but marginally employed salesman. Struggling to make ends meet, Gardner finds himself and his five-year-old son evicted from their San Francisco apartment with nowhere to go. When Gardner lands an internship at a prestigious stock brokerage firm, he and his son enre many hardships, including living in shelters, in pursuit of his dream of a better life for the two of them.
『伍』 英語電影賞析，請教高手，急。。。。。。。。。。。
轉載別人的，4和10我做了改動，供你參考。
4. What did Joe Bradley decide to do when he recognized that Ann was a princess in F7?
when he recognized that，he decided to write a report, so he tracked Ann and took many valuable photos with his photogragher friend.
5. Do you think Captain Von Trap is a patriotic man in F5？
Yes, he is. V Trapp is a widowed ex-naval capt who lost his job when Austria lost its coast after the Treaty of Versailles. He is a proud nationalist and is worried about the rise of the far right in neighbouring Germany and talk of a union. V Trapp runs his household like a ship because he knows no other way and is in deep grieving for his wife. So he is a patriotic man.
6.Why didn』t Grace』s mother stay with Tom in F6?
she was Robert's wife. She was a hard woman with her family and with her job. She always did what she wanted to do. She tried to help Grace by searching Tom. But we think she was an evil woman with her family, an harpyTom was a very friendly and kind person, but he did some strange things. He tried to be loyal, but he fell in a deep love with Grace』s mother, the beautiful Annie. But when Annie wanted to leave Robert, he refused, so we think he wasn't too bad. He was a learned man about horses and about life
7 How did Joe stay one day with the princess in F7?
Bradley immediately realizes who he has in his apartment and gets the editor to agree to pay $5,000 if he can get a real interview with the princess. On the way out Bradley contacts a photographer friend, Irving Radovich (Albert) and arranges for him to met him later with his camera for a big scoop.
Returning to his apartment, Bradley picks up the princess for their planned tour of the city. Bradley's real aim is to get the pictures and story he promised his editor. But the innocent charm of the princess softens him and the two start to fall in love. They end up having a good time and some comical adventures. Bradley conceals the fact that he is a reporter who knows who she really is and she doesn't tell him that that she is a royal princess. But in the end the truth comes out and the princess realizes that her ty to her country and family come first and she reluctantly returns to her official role.
8. What is your impression of F8?
The story may sound simple, but the truth behind the words is remarkable. When I heard the name of the film first time, I considered the Shawshank to be a man』 name, but in face it is a jail——a hell in the world. Not only for the inhumanity of the jailors——they behaved brutally; but also for the jail gnawed at people』 heart by keeping them waiting and waiting as life passed. It seemed that only those utterly worthless people who gave up everything could survive. That』s where the story happened.
The part impressed me most is when Andy got out of the jai. He extended his arms in front of him in the heavy rain as if he were welcoming the fresh air and the freedom. At that moment, I saw the faith win the darkness, discharging light dazzling the eyes in the dark blue sky. Under the light, I could feel my recreant innermost being shivering as his voice said: 「Remember, Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies!」
That』s why I like this film: it encourages people to fight to preserve the dignity of human beings, to appreciate the beauty of life, and the most important is to keep hope forever. He once that is born, that is die. Everyone is the same. The only difference is whether busy living or busy dying. The film tells me even a man can live once, but if he keeps faith, keeps hope and works his life right, then once is enough. The faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark, the hope is the chief happiness that this world affords, and the life should be full of the singing of the bird and the happiness hope brings. " What』s that do you think? It』s the trembling of the heart, the singing of the mind, the flying of the soul and the hope to be free.」
9. Why did Maggie change her mind to cooperate with Ike (in F4)?
After Ike forces Maggie to face her fears, the two find themselves becoming more and more attracted to each other.
10. Why does Captain Von Trap treat his children like in an army (in F5)?
Because he is in deep grieving for his wife and he doesn't know how to show his love to his children. He believes to treat his children like in the army is the only right way to teach or discipline his chilren.
『陸』 評價《英語電影賞析》這門課程
本課程教學目的及主要要求：
通過對英文電影的分析與欣賞，讓學生能夠身入其境地了解電影中各種人物的對話，了解各國的風土人情、特有的文化背景、歷史與現狀、科學技術的發展、地理地貌等特點。 本課程藉助現代媒體手段，充分利用各種可能的途徑，獲得各種特點的素材和資料，在課堂上和學生一起分析其中所用語言和其使用的環境，
『柒』 英美電影賞析作文500字
午夜巴塞羅那：伍迪艾倫最性感電影
除了御用「伍女郎」斯嘉麗·約翰遜，在今年的新片《午夜巴塞羅那》（Vicky Cristina Barcelona）中，伍迪·艾倫還將有著「西班牙鬱金香」之稱的佩內洛普·克魯茲也召至麾下，兩大超級美女為演活過變態殺手的賈維爾·巴登爭風吃醋，再加上一個實力派的麗貝卡·豪爾，在熱情似火的巴塞羅那上演了一場糾纏不清的四角戀。影片曾在戛納影展引起轟動，更被譽為伍迪·艾倫迄今為止最為性感的一部電影，小老頭也被影迷戲稱為「無敵愛輪」。在《獨家新聞》、《卡桑德拉之夢》兩部片子連續敗北之後，伍迪·艾倫也終於憑該片重振聲威。
性感兩大美女撩人心弦
單憑斯嘉麗·約翰遜與佩內洛普·克魯茲兩大美女聯袂主演這一賣點，就足以吊起不少人胃口了。更何況，兩位美女在片中並非充當花瓶，而是你追我趕地賣力表現，甚至還獻出了火辣無比的同性初吻。
去年那個梳著「全球最丑發型」的奧斯卡最佳男配角賈維爾·巴登這次艷福不淺，變身一位豪放多情的拉丁畫家，左擁斯嘉麗，右抱克魯茲，一個是如膠似漆熱情奔放的新任女友，一個是若即若離激情飛揚的前妻。兩個同時愛上一個男人的女人不僅沒有為此大打出手，還相安無事地開始了一段「三人行」，甚至於曖昧起來，發生了彼此相擁激情熱吻這不可思議的一幕。
雖然「三人行」和雙性戀都足夠前衛有噱頭，但卻不是影片要探討的重點。克里斯蒂娜（斯嘉麗飾）和維姬（麗貝卡·豪爾飾）兩個美國女孩到巴塞羅那度假，兩人不約而同愛上了賈維爾·巴登。以理性見長並且已經訂婚的維姬也失去控制，從而陷入了兩難選擇。而潑辣隨性的克里斯蒂娜面對著畫家和他還愛著的前妻，同樣感到了無比迷惘……克魯茲扮演的前妻是伍迪·艾倫量身定做，這個神經質的女人不時聲嘶力竭地對著前夫大叫大罵，少有地展現了「鬱金香」野蠻甚至瘋狂的一面。
性感巴塞羅那撩人心弦
與伍迪·艾倫以往許多絮絮叨叨的風格不同，《午夜巴塞羅那》走的是徹頭徹尾的性感路線。影片雖然沒有多少激情戲，沒有露骨的情愛鏡頭，卻拍得唯美撩人，比李安的《色，戒》還要更讓人慾罷不能。難怪有影迷會稱這位小老頭為「無敵愛輪」，為他能夠駕御出這樣一部活色生香的影片所折服。
影片的性感唯美離不開一個元素，那就是巴塞羅那這座城市的化學效應。奧維耶多的古老青石小巷，情深款款的西班牙吉他，建築大師高迪的加泰隆現代主義傑作……呈現在鏡頭上的巴塞羅那唯美浪漫，簡直就是一座談情說愛的天堂。面對此情此景，怎能不令片中主人公心旌盪漾？
從紐約到倫敦再到巴塞羅那，伍迪·艾倫彷彿在旅途中找尋著對電影的感覺。早在1979年就在《曼哈頓》里展現了紐約這座大都市忙碌人群的生存狀態，而此前的「倫敦三部曲」皆涉及犯罪題材，並充滿了靈異色彩，也可以說與倫敦潮濕、陰郁的天氣不無關系。從城市的靈魂中捕捉靈感的同時，伍迪也用自己的電影為這座城市打上了烙印。
賈維爾&克魯茲因戲結緣
鴻運當頭的賈維爾·巴登不僅在影片中大享艷福，還因此與「前妻」克魯茲假戲真做，成就一段良緣。39歲的賈維爾與34歲的克魯茲堪稱當下西班牙影壇的一哥一姐，雖然沒有正面承認過戀人關系，卻經常出雙入對，多次被拍到一起出國度假，今年1月，克魯茲的好友親自證實了二人的情侶關系，而賈維爾的母親對這位未來媳婦也非常滿意，極力敦促兒子向她求婚。
佩內洛普·克魯茲一向以美貌和豪放著稱，在歷經馬特·達蒙、尼古拉斯·凱奇、湯姆·克魯斯、馬修·麥康納等一連串大名鼎鼎的好萊塢男友後，最終「回歸」西班牙本土。眼看舊愛阿湯哥的孩子都能打醬油了，她也很想早點當上媽媽，兩位大明星的婚期為時不遠。
電影成城市名片
隨著影視植入廣告成為新寵，越來越多的城市和旅遊景點也瞄上了電影這一全球性的宣傳渠道。此前就有已有澳大利亞政府開了先河，出資100萬美元支持史詩片《澳大利亞》拍攝。對於這部影片的拍攝，巴塞羅那還給予了種種優待和便利，劇組花費了數周時間將巴塞羅那的風景名勝一一收錄到片中，再配以原汁原味的西班牙音樂，最終才形成了伍迪·艾倫這篇「獻給巴塞羅那的情書」。
影片風格濃郁的巴塞羅那景觀令觀眾看得如痴如醉，贊嘆當年巴塞羅那的「申奧」片都未必拍得這么好看，更對這座熱情似火的城市有了嚮往。影片理所當然成為伍迪·艾倫1979年代表作《曼哈頓》的姐妹篇。
當幸福來敲門 :
中文片名：當幸福來敲門
原片名：The Pursuit of Happiness
更多中文片名：追求快樂/尋找快樂的故事
影片類型：劇情、勵志片
片長：117分鍾
幅面：35毫米膠片變形寬銀幕
混音：杜比數碼環繞聲 DTS SDDS
評級：Rated PG-13 for some language
拍攝日期：2005年9月12日
演職員表：
導演：加布里爾·穆奇諾 Gabriele Muccino
演員：
艾麗莎·安德瑞格 Alissa Anderegg
桑迪·牛頓 Thandie Newton .....Linda
威爾·史密斯 Will Smith .....Chris Gardner
安迪·阿尼斯 Andy Arness
賈登·史密斯 Jaden Smith .....Christopher
丹·卡斯泰蘭尼塔 Dan Castellaneta .....Alan Frakesh
上映日期：美國USA2006年12月15日、中國2008年1月17日
【劇情介紹】
已近而立之年的克里斯·加德納(威爾·史密斯)，一事無成,生活潦倒,偶然間結識了某股票經理人,並憑借自己的執著,得到一個實習的機會,但是實習生有20人,他們必須無薪工作六個月,最後只能有一個人錄用.這對克里斯·加德納來說實在是難上加難.這時,妻子因為不忍窮苦的生活,獨自去了紐約,克里斯·加德納和兒子亦因為極度的貧窮而輾轉反側,東奔西跑,他們一邊賣一種掃描儀,一邊作實習生,後來還必須去教堂排隊,爭取得到教堂救濟.但是克里斯·加德納一直很樂觀,並且教育兒子,不要灰心.因為極度的貧窮,克里斯·加德納甚至去賣血.功夫不負有心人,克里斯·加德納最終憑借自己的努力,脫穎而出,獲得了股票經紀人的工作.
【相關評論】
《當幸福來敲門》是威爾·史密斯一次嶄新的亮相，似乎暗示了他的某種轉型心態。
——《漢密爾頓報》
父子溫馨的勵志主題顯然能夠打動大部分受眾的心，兩位主演的表演由於顯而易見的原因非常的真實、可信。
——《USA周末》
【幕後製作】
改編自真實傳記，《當幸福來敲門》改編自美國著名黑人投資專家克里斯·迦納今年年初出版的同名自傳。這是一個典型的美國式勵志故事。作為一名單身父親，迦納一度面臨連自己的溫飽也無法解決的困境。在最困難的時期，迦納只能將自己僅有的財產背在背上，一手提著尿布，一手推著嬰兒車，與兒子一起前往無家可歸者收容所。實在無處容身時，父子倆只能到公園、地鐵衛生間這樣的地方過夜。
為了養活兒子，窮困潦倒、無家可歸的他從最底層的推銷員做起，最後成為全美知名的金融投資家。回憶起自己的這段過去，克里斯·迦納表示：「在我二十幾歲的時候，我經歷了人們可以想像到的各種艱難、黑暗、恐懼的時刻，不過我從來沒有放棄過。這本自傳還有一層深意，那就是即使在最最艱難的時刻，父親與兒子是不可分離的。」
20來歲的加德納讀書不多，任職醫療物資推銷員，還要照顧女友和年幼兒子。1981年，他在舊金山一個停車場，看到一名駕著紅色法拉利的男人正找車位，他回憶道：「我對他說：『你可用我的車位，但我要你答兩個問題：你做什麼工作和怎樣做？』」對方自稱是股票經紀，月薪達80000美元，比加德納年薪多一倍。
加德納於是辭職轉行，成功獲得證券公司聘請，但還未上班，請他的人被解僱，新工作泡湯了。應征新工作前，他和女友吵架，驚動警員上門調停，加德納被警方追討1200美元的違例停車罰款，因為無力還錢，他被判入獄10天。但噩夢還未完，出獄後他發現女友同兒子都消失了，他變得一無所有。幾個月後，女友再次現身，但不是想重修舊好，而是她不想帶著兒子了。加德納需要撫養孩子，不能再住單身宿舍，被迫流浪街頭……廉價旅館、公園、火車站廁所、辦公室枱底，都成了兩父子的棲身之所，一年後他才儲夠錢擁有自己的小窩。
加德納努力賺錢，當上股票經紀後，事業一帆風順。1987年他在芝加哥開設經紀公司做老闆，成為百萬富翁，近年致力在南非扶貧。他出版了自傳，就是《當幸福來敲門》(The Pursuit of Happyness)。
【精彩對白】
Chris Gardner：You have a dream, you got to protect it.
克里斯·加德納：如果你有夢想，就要守護它。
Chris Gardner：People cant do something by themselves; they wanna tell you you can not do it.
克里斯·加德納：當人們做不到一些事情的時候，他們就會對你說你也同樣不能。
Chris Gardner：You want something. Go get it！
克里斯·加德納：有了目標就要全力以赴。
Martin Frohm: What would you say if man walked in here with no shirt, and I hired him? What would you say?
馬丁：如果我僱傭了一個沒有穿著襯衫走進來的人，你會怎麼說?
Chris Gardner: He must have had on some really nice pants.
克里斯·加德納：他一定穿了一條很棒的褲子。
主題曲：A Fathers Way
『捌』 請問英文電影賞析課怎麼上呢
初中生進行英文電影賞析啊？會不會太難了？？估計台詞里的很多單詞他們都看不懂。
要不這樣吧，給他們看看一些時間比較簡短的適合初中生看的美劇，看完之後，可以讓他們復述劇情或者情景扮演等等等。
『玖』 求一篇英美影視欣賞觀後感
In its Oscar year, Shawshank Redemption (written and directed by Frank Darabont, after the novella Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, by Stephen King) was nominated for seven Academy Awards, and walked away with zero. Best Picture went to Forrest Gump, while Shawshank and Pulp Fiction were "just happy to be nominated." Of course hindsight is 20/20, but while history looks back on Gump as a good film, Pulp and Redemption are remembered as some of the all-time best. Pulp, however, was a success from the word "go," making a huge splash at Cannes and making its writer-director an American master after only two films. For Andy Dufresne and Co., success didn't come easy. Fortunately, failure wasn't a life sentence.
After opening on 33 screens with take of $727,327, the $25M film fell fast from theatres and finished with a mere $28.3M. The reasons for failure are many. Firstly, the title is a clunker. While iconic to fans today, in 1994, people knew not and cared not what a 'Shawshank' was. On the DVD, Tim Robbins laughs recounting fans congratulating him on "that 'Rickshaw' movie." Marketing-wise, the film's a nightmare, as 'prison drama' is a tough sell to women, and the story of love between two best friends doesn't spell winner to men. Worst of all, the movie is slow as molasses. As Desson Thomson writes for the Washington Post, "it wanders down subplots at every opportunity and ignores an abundance of narrative exit points before settling on its finale." But it is these same weaknesses that make the film so strong.
Firstly, its setting. The opening aerial shots of the prison are a total eye-opener. This is an amazing piece of architecture, strong and Gothic in design. Immediately, the prison becomes a character. It casts its shadow over most of the film, its tall stone walls stretching above every shot. It towers over the men it contains, blotting out all memories of the outside world. Only Andy (Robbins) holds onto hope. It's in music, it's in the sandy beaches of Zihuatanejo; "In here's where you need it most," he says. "You need it so you don't forget. Forget that there are places in the world that aren't made out of stone. That there's a - there's a - there's something inside that's yours, that they can't touch." Red (Morgan Freeman) doesn't think much of Andy at first, picking "that tall glass o' milk with the silver spoon up his ass" as the first new fish to crack. Andy says not a word, and losing his bet, Red resents him for it. But over time, as the two get to know each other, they quickly become the best of friends. This again, is one of the film's major strengths. Many movies are about love, many flicks have a side-kick to the hero, but Shawshank is the only one I can think of that looks honestly at the love between two best friends. It seems odd that Hollywood would skip this relationship time and again, when it's a feeling that weighs so much into everyone's day to day lives. Perhaps it's too sentimental to seem conventional, but Shawshank's core friendship hits all the right notes, and the film is much better for it.
It's pacing is deliberate as well. As we spend the film watching the same actors, it is easy to forget that the movie's timeline spans well over 20 years. Such a huge measure of time would pass slowly in reality, and would only be amplified in prison. And it's not as if the film lacks interest in these moments. It still knows where it's going, it merely intends on taking its sweet time getting there. It pays off as well, as the tedium of prison life makes the climax that much more exhilarating. For anyone who sees it, it is a moment never to be forgotten.
With themes of faith and hope, there is a definite religious subtext to be found here. Quiet, selfless and carefree, Andy is an obvious Christ figure. Warden Norton (Bob Gunton) is obviously modeled on Richard Nixon, who, in his day, was as close to a personified Satan as they come. But if you aren't looking for subtexts, the movie speaks to anyone in search of hope. It is a compelling drama, and a very moving film, perfectly written, acted and shot. They just don't come much better than this.
The Shawshank Redemption served as a message of hope to Hollywood as well. More than any film in memory, it proved there is life after box office. Besting Forrest and Fiction, it ran solely on strong word of mouth and became the hottest rented film of 1995. It currently sits at #2 in the IMDb's Top 250 Films, occasionally swapping spots with The Godfather as the top ranked film of all time -- redemption indeed. If you haven't seen it yet, what the hell are you waiting for? As Andy says, "It comes down a simple choice, really. Either get busy living, or get busy dying."