There are so many Stephen King stories that have been turned into films and TV series that focus on the horror side of his writings, but for me it’s those others that work the best. In 1994 director Frank Darabont brought King’s novella Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption to the big screen starring Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, William Sadler, and Clancy Brown. Does this classic hold up or should it have stayed behind bards?

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The Shawshank Redemption follows Andy Dufresne, a prominent banker unjustly convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment at Maine’s Shawshank Prison.  He is befriended by longtime convict Red who’s been in long enough to know the ropes and helps him cope with the frightening realities of prison life.  As the two men grow closer, so does the sense of hope that can truly set them free.

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I loved this movie when it originally came out, but haven’t revisited it in years. I am so glad for this release if for no other reason than to force me to watch this movie again because it is pure brilliance. This is one of those films that not only offers up a great story, but also a masterclass in acting. The story is perfectly crafted to not only take you on this journey, but also make you feel the time they have been locked up and does just that.

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While Morgan Freeman had already been working for years prior to this film I have always felt that this film cemented his legacy as not only a brilliant actor, but his voiceover work made him the go to guy for people to want to narrate their lives. His role is fairly subtle most of the time but there is pain and frustrating behind those eyes. On the flip side is Tim Robbins who has the run the gamete of emotions and physicality. He has moments of pure pain, fear, happiness and cleverness that is fully fleshed out to perfection to make you fully feel for his characters journey.

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I could go on and on about this movie, but it is one that you should experience of yourself if you haven’t already. This new 4K edition is the