The Shawshank Redemption - wikipedia The Shawshank Redemption For other uses, see The Shawshank Redemption ( disambiguation ). The Shawshank Redemption Theatrical release poster Directed by Frank Darabont Produced by Niki Marvin Screenplay by Frank Darabont Based on Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King Starring Tim Robbins Morgan Freeman Bob Gunton William Sadler Clancy Brown Gil Bellows James Whitmore Music by Thomas Newman Cinematography Roger Deakins Edited by Richard Francis - Bruce Production company Castle Rock Entertainment Distributed by Columbia Pictures Release date September 10, 1994 ( 1994 - 09 - 10 ) ( Toronto ) September 23, 1994 ( 1994 - 09 - 23 ) ( United States ) Running time 142 minutes Country United States Language English Budget $25 million Box office $58.3 million The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 American drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont, and based on the Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. The film tells the story of banker Andy Dufresne ( Tim Robbins ), who is sentenced to life in Shawshank State Penitentiary for the murder of his wife and her lover, despite his claims of innocence. Over the following two decades, he befriends a fellow prisoner, contraband smuggler Ellis `` Red '' Redding ( Morgan Freeman ), and becomes instrumental in a money laundering operation led by the prison warden Samuel Norton ( Bob Gunton ). The film also stars William Sadler, Clancy Brown, Gil Bellows, and James Whitmore. While The Shawshank Redemption received positive reviews at release, it was a box office disappointment, owing to competition from other films such as Pulp Fiction. The film received multiple award nominations ( including seven Oscar nominations ) and highly positive reviews from critics for its acting, story, and realism. Through Ted Turner 's acquisition of Castle Rock Entertainment, the film started gaining more popularity in 1997 after it started near - daily airings on Turner 's TNT network. The film is now considered to be one of the greatest films of the 1990s. It has since been successful on cable television, VHS, DVD, and Blu - ray. The film was included in the American Film Institute 's 100 Years... 100 Movies ( 10th Anniversary Edition ). In 2015, the United States Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the National Film Registry, finding it `` culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant ''. Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 3.1 Casting 3.2 Filming 3.3 Post-production 3.4 Music 4 Release 4.1 Critical response 4.2 Accolades 5 Themes 6 Legacy 6.1 Post theatrical releases 6.2 Reception 6.3 Cultural impact 7 See also 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External links Plot In 1947 Portland, Maine, banker Andy Dufresne is convicted of murdering his wife and her lover, and he is sentenced to two consecutive life sentences at the Shawshank State Penitentiary. Andy is befriended by contraband smuggler, Ellis `` Red '' Redding, an inmate serving a life sentence. Red procures a rock hammer for Andy and later a large poster of Rita Hayworth for him. Working in the prison laundry, Andy is regularly assaulted by `` the Sisters '' and their leader, Bogs. In 1949, Andy overhears the captain of the guards, Byron Hadley, complaining about being taxed on an inheritance and offers to help Hadley legally shelter the money. After an assault by the Sisters nearly kills Andy, Hadley beats Bogs severely. Bogs is then transferred to another prison. Warden Samuel Norton meets Andy and reassigns him to the prison library to assist elderly inmate Brooks Hatlen. Andy 's new job is a pretext for him to begin managing financial matters for the prison employees. As time passes, the warden begins using Andy to handle matters for a variety of people, including guards from other prisons and the warden himself. Andy begins writing weekly letters to the state legislature, requesting funds to improve the prison 's decaying library. In 1954, Brooks is paroled after serving 50 years, but he can not adjust to the outside world, and he commits suicide, hanging himself. Andy receives a library donation that includes a recording of The Marriage of Figaro. He plays an excerpt over the public address system, resulting in him receiving solitary confinement. After his release from solitary, Andy explains that hope is what gets him through his time, a concept that Red dismisses. In 1963, Norton begins exploiting prison labor for public works, profiting by undercutting skilled labor costs and receiving bribes. Andy launders the money using the alias Randall Stephens. In 1965, Tommy Williams is incarcerated for burglary. He is befriended by Andy and Red, and Andy helps him pass his GED exam. In 1966, Tommy reveals to Red and Andy that an inmate at another prison claimed responsibility for the murders for which Andy was convicted. Andy approaches Norton with this information, but he refuses to listen and sends Andy back to solitary confinement when he mentions the money laundering. Norton has Hadley murder Tommy under the guise of an escape attempt. Andy declines to continue the laundering, but he relents after Norton threatens to burn the library, remove Andy 's protection from the guards, and move him to worse conditions. After two months, Andy is released from solitary confinement, and he tells Red of his dream of living in Zihuatanejo, a Mexican coastal town. Red feels Andy is being unrealistic, but promises Andy that if he is ever released, he will visit a specific hayfield near Buxton, Maine, and retrieve a package Andy buried there. He worries about Andy 's well - being, especially when he learns Andy asked another inmate to supply him with six feet ( 1.8 meters ) of rope. The next day at roll call, the guards find Andy 's cell empty. An irate Norton throws a rock at the poster of Raquel Welch hanging on the cell wall, revealing a tunnel that Andy dug with his rock hammer over the last 19 years. The previous night, Andy escaped through the tunnel and prison sewage pipe, using the rope to bring with him Norton 's suit, shoes, and the ledger containing details of the money laundering. While guards search for him, Andy poses as Randall Stephens and visits several banks to withdraw the laundered money, then mails the ledger and evidence of the corruption and murders at Shawshank to a local newspaper. State police arrive at Shawshank and take Hadley into custody, while Norton commits suicide to avoid his arrest. After serving 40 years, Red is paroled. He struggles to adapt to life outside prison and fears that he never will. Remembering his promise to Andy, he visits Buxton and finds a cache containing money and a letter asking him to come to Zihuatanejo. Red violates his parole and travels to Fort Hancock, Texas to cross the border to Mexico, admitting he finally feels hope. On a beach in Zihuatanejo he finds Andy, and the two friends are happily reunited. Cast Tim Robbins in 2012 ( left ) and Morgan Freeman in 2006 Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne : An investment banker sentenced to life in prison in 1947 for the murder of his wife and her lover Morgan Freeman as Ellis Boyd `` Red '' Redding : A prison contraband smuggler who befriends Andy Bob Gunton as Samuel Norton : The pious and strict warden of Shawshank penitentiary William Sadler as Heywood : A member of Red 's gang of long - serving convicts Clancy Brown as Byron Hadley : The brutal captain of the prison guards Gil Bellows as Tommy Williams : A young convict imprisoned for burglary in 1965 James Whitmore as Brooks Hatlen : The elderly prison librarian, imprisoned since 1905 The cast also includes : Mark Rolston as Bogs Diamond, the head of `` The Sisters '' gang and a prison rapist ; Jeffrey DeMunn as the prosecuting attorney in Dufresne 's trial ; Alfonso Freeman as Fresh Fish Con ; Ned Bellamy and Don McManus as, respectively, prison guards Youngblood and Wiley ; and Dion Anderson as Head Bull Haig. Renee Blaine portrays Andy 's wife, and Scott Mann portrays her golf - instructor lover Glenn Quentin. Frank Medrano plays Fat Ass, one of Andy 's fellow new - inmates who is beaten to death by Hadley, and Bill Bolender plays Elmo Blatch, a convict who may actually be responsible for the crimes of which Andy is accused. Production Director Frank Darabont in 2011. He bought the adaptation rights to The Shawshank Redemption for $5,000 in 1987. Director Frank Darabont first collaborated with author Stephen King in 1983, on the short film adaptation of `` The Woman in the Room '', buying the rights from King for $1 ; a Dollar Deal policy King used to help new directors build a resume by adapting his short stories. After receiving his first screenwriting credit in 1987 for A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 : Dream Warriors, Darabont returned to King with $5,000 to purchase the right to adapt Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, a 96 - page novella from King 's 1982 collection Different Seasons, written to explore genres outside of the horror stories for which he was commonly known. Although King did not understand how the story, largely focused on Red contemplating his fellow prisoner Andy, could be turned into a feature film, Darabont believed it was `` obvious ''. Five years later, Darabont wrote the script over an eight - week period. Darabont expanded on elements of King 's story. Brooks, who in the novella is a minor character who dies in a retirement home, became a tragic character who eventually hanged himself. Tommy, who in the novella trades his evidence exonerating Andy for transfer to a nicer prison, is instead in the screenplay murdered on the orders of warden Norton, who is himself an amalgamation of several warden characters in King 's story. Darabont opted to create a single warden character to serve as the primary antagonist. He also cited Goodfellas ( 1990 ) as an inspiration to use dialogue to illustrate the passage of time in the script. King never cashed the $5,000 cheque from Darabont for the rights to The Shawshank Redemption ; he later framed it and returned it to Darabont accompanied by a note which read `` In case you ever need bail money. Love, Steve ''. At the time, prison - based films were not considered reliable box - office successes, but Darabont 's script was read by then - Castle Rock Entertainment producer Liz Glotzer, whose interest in prison stories and reaction to the script led her to threaten to quit if Castle Rock did not produce The Shawshank Redemption. Director and Castle Rock co-founder Rob Reiner also liked the script, and offered Darabont between $2.4 million and $3 million to allow Reiner to direct it himself. Reiner, who had previously adapted King 's novella The Body into the 1986 film Stand by Me, planned to cast Tom Cruise as Andy and Harrison Ford as Red. Castle Rock offered to finance any other film Darabont wanted to develop. Darabont, citing growing up poor in Los Angeles, seriously considered the offer, considering it would elevate his standing in his industry and that Castle Rock could have contractually fired him and given the film to Reiner anyway. Darabont chose to remain director, saying in a 2014 Variety interview, `` you can continue to defer your dreams in exchange for money and, you know, die without ever having done the thing you set out to do. '' Reiner instead served as Darabont 's mentor on the project. Within two weeks of showing the script to Castle Rock, Darabont had a $25 million budget to make his film, taking a $750,000 screenwriting and directing salary plus a percentage of the net profits. Producer Niki Marvin spent five months scouting prisons across the United States and Canada, looking for a location that had a timeless aesthetic and was completely abandoned, hoping to avoid the complexity of filming the amount of footage that The Shawshank Redemption required, in an active prison that would require hours per day of additional security checks. Marvin eventually chose the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio to serve as the fictional Shawshank State Penitentiary in Maine, citing its Gothic - style stone and brick buildings. After nearly a century of use, the facility had been closed three years earlier on New Years Eve, 1990, due to inhumane living conditions. Casting Freeman was cast at Glotzer 's suggestion, who ignored the novella 's character description of a white Irishman, nicknamed `` Red ''. Darabont initially looked at some of his favorite actors like Gene Hackman and Robert Duvall, but they were unavailable, and Clint Eastwood and Paul Newman were also considered. Freeman 's character alludes to the choice when queried by Andy on why he is called Red, replying `` Maybe it 's because I 'm Irish. '' Freeman opted not to research his role, saying `` acting the part of someone who 's incarcerated does n't require any specific knowledge of incarceration... because men do n't change. Once you 're in that situation, you just toe whatever line you have to toe. '' Cruise, Tom Hanks and Kevin Costner were offered, and passed on the role of Andy Dufresne ; Hanks due to his starring role in Forrest Gump, and Costner for the lead in Waterworld. Johnny Depp, Nicolas Cage, and Charlie Sheen were also considered for the role at different stages. Cruise attended table readings of the script, but he refused to work for the inexperienced Darabont. Darabont said he cast Robbins after seeing his performance in the 1990 psychological horror Jacob 's Ladder. When Robbins was cast he insisted that Darabont use experienced cinematographer Roger Deakins, who had worked with Robbins on The Hudsucker Proxy. To prepare for the role, Robbins observed caged animals at a zoo, spent an afternoon in solitary confinement, spoke with prisoners and guards, and had his arms and legs shackled for a few hours. Cast initially as young convict Tommy, Brad Pitt dropped out following his success in Thelma & Louise ( the role went to a debuting Gil Bellows ), and James Gandolfini passed on portraying prison rapist Bogs. Gunton was filming Demolition Man ( 1993 ) when he went to audition for The Shawshank Redemption with Darabont and Marvin. To convince the studio that Gunton was right for the part, they arranged for him to record a screen test on a day off from Demolition Man, and even arranged for a wig to be made as Gunton had to shave his head for his Demolition Man role but wanted to portray warden Norton with hair as this could then be grayed to convey his on - screen aging throughout Shawshank. Gunton performed his screen test against Robbins and was filmed by Deakins, and after being confirmed for the role, used the wig in early scenes in the film until his hair naturally regrew. Gunton said that Marvin and Darabont saw that he understood the character and that, that went in his favor, as did his similar height to Robbins that allowed for Andy to believably use the warden 's suit. Portraying the head guard Byron Hadley, Clancy Brown was given the opportunity to speak with former guards by the production 's liaison officer, but declined believing it would not be a good thing to say that his brutal character was in any way inspired by Ohio state correctional officers. William Sadler, who portrays Heywood, said that Darabont had approached him in 1989, on the set of the Tales from the Crypt television series where Darabont was a writer, about starring in the adaptation he was intending to make. Morgan 's son Alfonso cameos as a young Red in mug shot photos, and as a prisoner shouting `` fresh fish '' as Andy arrives at Shawshank. Among the extras used in the film were the former warden and former inmates of the Reformatory, and active guards of a nearby incarceration facility. The original novella title drew several people to try and audition for the non-existent role of Rita Hayworth, including a man in drag clothing. Filming Ohio State Reformatory, also known as the Mansfield Reformatory, served as the fictional Shawshank prison. On a $25 million budget, principal photography took place over three months in 1993. Filming regularly required up to 18 - hour workdays, six days a week. Freeman described filming as tense, stating `` Most of the time, the tension was between the cast and director. I remember having a bad moment with the director, had a few of those ''. Freeman referred to Darabont requiring multiple takes of scenes, which Freeman considered had no discernible differences. He said that he would sometimes simply refuse to do the additional takes. Robbins said that the long days were difficult, while Darabont considered that making the film taught him a lot, `` A director really needs to have an internal barometer to measure what any given actor needs. '' He found his most frequent struggles were with Deakins, as Darabont favored more scenic shots, while Deakins considered that not showing the outside of the prison added a sense of claustrophobia, and it meant that when wide scenic shots were used, it made more impact. The 15 - acre reformatory, housing its own power plant and farm, was partially torn down shortly after filming completed, leaving the main administration building and two cell blocks. Several of the interior shots of the specialized prison facilities, such as the admittance rooms and the warden 's office, were shot in the reformatory. The interior of the boarding room used by Brooks and Red was actually located in the administration building ; exterior shots of the boarding house were taken elsewhere. Internal scenes in the prison cellblocks were actually filmed on a soundstage built inside the nearby shuttered Westinghouse factory. As Darabont wanted the inmate cells to face each other for the film, almost all of the cellblock scenes were shot on a purpose - built set housed in the Westinghouse Electric factory, Mansfield, except for the scene featuring Elmo Blatch 's admission of guilty in Andy 's crimes, which was filmed in the actual prison 's more confined cells. Scenes were also filmed in Mansfield, as well as neighboring Ashland, Ohio. The oak tree under which Andy buries his letter to Red was located near Malabar Farm State Park, in Lucas, Ohio ; it was destroyed by winds in 2016. Andy 's and Red 's reunion was filmed in Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge Just as a prison in Ohio stood in for a fictional one in Maine, the beach scene showing Red 's and Andy 's reunion in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, was actually shot in the Caribbean on the island of Saint Croix, one of the U.S. Virgin Islands. The beach at ' Zihuatanejo ' is Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge, a protected area for leatherback sea turtles. Scenes shot in Upper Sandusky included the prison wood shop scene where Red and his fellow inmates hear `` The Marriage of Figaro '' ( the woodshop is now called the Shawshank Woodshop ), and the opening court scene which was shot at the Wyandot County Courthouse. Other shooting locations included Pugh Cabin on Malabar Farm State Park, where Andy sits outside as his wife engages in an affair, Butler, Ohio which stood in for Buxton, Maine, and The Bissman Building in Mansfield, which served as the hotel where Brooks stays following his incarceration. The scene where Andy first approaches Red in order to procure a rock hammer took nine hours to film. The scene featured Freeman throwing and catching a baseball with another inmate throughout. The amount of times it took to film the scene resulted in Freeman turning up to filming the following day with his arm in a sling. While the film portrays Andy escaping to freedom through a sewer pipe described as a `` river of shit '', Robbins actually crawls through a mixture of water, chocolate syrup, and sawdust. The stream into which Andy emerges was actually certified toxic by a chemist according to production designer Terence Marsh. As for the scene were Andy rebelliously plays music over the prison announcement system, it was Robbins ' idea for Andy to turn the music up rather than shut it off. Post-production The first edit of the film ran for nearly two and a half hours, which Glotzer considered `` long '', and several scenes were cut including a longer sequence of Red adjusting to life post incarceration ; Darabont said that in test screenings the audience seemed to be getting impatient with the scene as they were already convinced that Red would not make it. Another scene cut for time showed a prison guard investigating Andy 's escape tunnel ; it was thought to slow down the action. Darabont 's original vision ended the film with Red riding a bus towards the Mexican border, leaving his fate ambiguous. Glotzer insisted on including the scene of Red and Andy reuniting in Zihuatanejo. She said Darabont felt this was a `` commercial, sappy '' ending, but Glotzer wanted the audience to see them together. The final cut of the theatrically released film runs for 142 minutes. Several alternative titles were posited before the film 's release as it was considered that The Shawshank Redemption was not a marketable title. The film was dedicated to Allen Greene, Darabont 's former agent who died during filming from AIDS. Music Composer Thomas Newman ( 2010 ) Main article : The Shawshank Redemption ( soundtrack ) The film score was composed by Thomas Newman. In scoring music for the film, Newman felt that it elicited such strong emotions already without music, that he found difficulty in creating music that would elevate scenes without distracting from them. The piece, `` Shawshank Redemption '', plays during Andy 's escape from Shawshank and originally had a three - note motif, but Darabont felt it had too much of a `` triumphal flourish '' and requested it be toned down to a single - note motif. `` So Was Red '', played following Red 's release from prison and leading to his discovery of Andy 's cache, became one of Newman 's favorite pieces. The piece was initially written for a solo oboe player, until Newman reluctantly agreed to add a harmonica player ; a reference to a gifted harmonica Red receives from Andy to continue his message of hope. According to Darabont, harmonica player Tommy Morgan `` casually delivered something dead - on perfect on the first take '', and this is heard in the finished film. Newman 's score was so successful that excerpts would be used in movie trailers for years afterwards. The score consists largely of faint piano music, and tremolo strings during more active or humorous moments in the film. The score 's two main themes only appear two to three times. The prison theme, first heard in the beginning, is a four - note ascending line in the bass, which is developed and reaches its climax when Andy is standing in the river in the rain. The second theme represents freedom, and is first heard when the inmates are sharing beer, feeling like `` free men ''. This theme does not reoccur until the final credits, and is then grander, with fuller orchestration. Like Hans Zimmer 's score for The Thin Red Line, the track is often played in trailers during their most dramatic moments. Zimmer himself has credited the score as the one `` that has influenced everything the most '', and stated that Newman expanded the harmonic palette of film scores. A central scene in the film features the soprano `` Letter Duet '' ( `` Canzonetta sull'aria '' ) from Mozart 's The Marriage of Figaro, also known in Italian as `` Sull'aria... che soave zeffiretto. '' In the duet, Countess Almaviva dictates to Susanna an invitation to a tryst addressed to the countess ' unfaithful husband. Ellis Boyd `` Red '' Redding ( Morgan Freeman ) remarks in his voice - over narration : `` I have no idea to this day what those two Italian ladies were singing about. (... ) I 'd like to think they were singing about something so beautiful it ca n't be expressed in words, and it makes your heart ache because of it. '' The music highlights the irony in the movie as the opera characters are only singing about a duplicitous love letter to expose infidelity. Release Leading up to its release, the film was subjected to public test screenings which were `` through the roof '', which Glotzer described as some of the best she had seen, and while other critics had praised the film, she believed that a lackluster review from the Los Angeles Times pushed crowds away. It was also decided to largely omit King 's name from any advertising, as the studio wanted to attract a more prestigious audience who may reject a film from a writer mostly known for pulp fiction stories like The Shining and Cujo. Following its premiere in early September at the Toronto International Film Festival, The Shawshank Redemption received a limited North American release on September 23, 1994. During its opening weekend, the film earned $727,000 from 33 theaters -- an average of $22,040 per theater. It received a wide release on October 14, 1994, expanding to a total of 944 theaters to earn $2.4 million -- an average of $2,545 per theater -- finishing as the number 9 film of the weekend, behind sex - comedy Exit to Eden ( $3 million ) and just ahead of Quiz Show ( $2.1 million ) which was in its fifth week at the cinemas. The film left theaters in late November 1994, after 10 weeks with an approximate total gross of $16 million. It was considered a box office bomb, failing to recoup its $25 million budget, not including marketing costs and the cinema exhibitors cuts. Following a Hollywood tradition of visiting different theaters on opening night to see the audiences view their film live, Darabont and Glotzer went to the Cinerama Dome, but found no one there, with Glotzer claiming that the pair actually sold two tickets outside the theater with the promise that if they did not like the film, they could ask Castle Rock for a refund. The film was also competing with similarly - themed movies, Pulp Fiction ( $108 million ) which also premiered October 14 following its Palme d'Or award win, and Forrest Gump ( $330 million ) which was in the middle of a successful 42 - week long theatrical run. Both films would become quotable cultural phenomenons, and a general audience trend towards action films starring the likes of Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger was also considered to work against The Shawshank Redemption. Freeman blamed the title, saying it was unmemorable, with Robbins recalling fans asking `` What was that Shinkshonk Reduction thing ? ''. The low box office was also blamed on a lack of female characters to broaden the audience demographic, and a general unpopularity of prison films. After being nominated for several Oscars in early 1995, the film received a re-release between February and March that year. In total, the film made about $28.3 million in North American theaters, making it the 51st - highest - grossing film of 1994 and the 21st - highest grossing R - rated film of 1994, and an approximate $30 million from markets elsewhere ; a worldwide total of $58.3 million. Critical response Roger Deakins cinematography was praised by critics, and his work led to him winning the American Society of Cinematographers award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography. Despite its poor box office returns, The Shawshank Redemption opened to generally positive reviews. Reviewers compared the film to other well - received imprisonment dramas, including Birdman of Alcatraz, One Flew Over the Cuckoo 's Nest, Cool Hand Luke, and Riot in Cell Block 11. Gene Siskel said that like One Flew Over the Cuckoo 's Nest, The Shawshank Redemption is an inspirational drama about overcoming overbearing authority. Freeman 's performance as Red was frequently praised. Entertainment Weekly 's Owen Gleiberman said that Freeman makes the Red character feel genuine and `` lived - in '', while Janet Maslin of The New York Times said that Freeman was quietly impressive, while lamenting that Red 's role in the film had limited range, restricted to observing Andy, while Maslin considered that Freeman 's commanding performance made him a much strong figure. Maslin said that Freeman 's performance was especially moving when describing how dependent Red had become on living within prison walls. Variety 's Leonard Klady suggested that Freeman had the `` showier '' role, allowing him `` a grace and dignity that come naturally '', without ever becoming banal, and The Washington Post 's Desson Howe called Freeman a `` master '' of comedic and poignant cadence. Even Kenneth Turan 's Los Angeles Times review, which Glotzer credited with derailing the film 's box office success, praised Freeman, saying his `` effortless screen presence lends Shawshank the closest thing to credibility it can manage. Robbins ' performance received more mixed reviews, with Gleiberman saying that in his `` laconic - good - guy, neo-Gary Cooper role, ( Robbins ) is unable to make Andy connect with the audience. '' Conversely, Maslin said that Andy has the more subdued role, but that Robbins portrays him intensely, and effectively portrays the character as he transitions from new prisoner to aged father figure, and Klady stated that his `` riveting, unfussy... precise, honest, and seamless '' performance anchors the film. Howe said that while the character is `` cheesily messianic '' for easily charming everyone to his side, comparing him to `` Forrest Gump goes to jail '', Robbins exudes the perfect kind of innocence to sell the story. The Hollywood Reporter stated that both Freeman and Robbins gave outstanding, layered performances that imbued their characters with indiviudality, and Rolling Stone 's Peter Travers that the pair create something `` undeniably powerful and moving ''. Gunton and Brown were cited as `` extremely credible '' as villains, Howe countered that Gunton 's warden was a cliched character who extols religious virtues while having people murdered. Darabont 's direction was well received, with Maslin calling the film an impressive directorial debut that tells a gentle tale with a surprising amount of loving care, and Klady saying the only failings came when Darabont focused for too long on supporting characters, or embellished a secondary story. The Hollywood Reporter saying that both the directing and writing were crisp, while criticizing the films long running time. Klady said that the length and tone, while tempered by humor and unexpected events, would dampen the film 's mainstream appeal, but the story offered a fascinating portrait of the innate humanity of the inmates. Gleiberman disliked that the prisoners ' crimes were overlooked to portray them more as good guys. Turan similarly objected to what he perceived as extreme violence and rape scenes, and making most of the prisoners seem like a `` bunch of swell and softhearted guys '' to cast the prison experience in a `` rosy glow ''. Klady summarized the film as estimable and haunting, comparing it to a rough diamond with small flaws, but Howe criticized it for deviating with multiple subplots, and pandering by choosing to resolve the story with Andys and Reds reunion, rather than leaving the mystery. Ebert noted that the story works because it is not about Andy as the hero, but how Red perceives him. Deakins cinematography was routinely praised, with The Hollywood Reporter calling it `` foreboding '' and `` well - crafted '', and Travers saying `` the everyday agonies of prison life are meticulously laid out... you can almost feel the frustration and rage seeping into the skin of the inmates. '' Gleiberman praised the choice of scenery, writing that the `` moss - dark, saturated images have a redolent sensuality '' that makes the film very realistic. The Hollywood Reporter said of Newman 's score, `` at its best moments, alights with radiant textures and sprightly grace notes, nicely emblematic of the film 's central them '', and Klady describing it as `` the right balance between the somber and the absurd ''. Accolades The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards in 1995, the most for a Stephen King film adaptation, without winning in any category : Best Picture, Best Actor for Freeman, Best Adapted Screenplay for Frank Darabont, Best Cinematography for Roger Deakins, Best Editing for Richard Francis - Bruce, Best Sound Mixing for Robert J. Litt, Elliot Tyson, Michael Herbick, and Willie D. Burton, and Best Original Score for Thomas Newman ( his first Academy Award nomination ). It received two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture for Freeman, and Best Screenplay for Darabont. Robbins and Freeman were both nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role at the inaugural Screen Actors Guild Awards in 1995. Darabont was nominated for a Directors Guild of America award in 1994 for Best Director of a feature film, and a Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Deakins won the American Society of Cinematographers award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography, while producer Niki Marvin was nominated for a 1994 Golden Laurel Award by the Producers Guild of America. Themes Chicago Sun - Times film reviewer Roger Ebert argued that The Shawshank Redemption is an allegory for maintaining one 's feeling of self - worth when placed in a hopeless position. Andy Dufresne 's integrity is an important theme in the story line, especially in prison, where integrity is lacking. Isaac M. Morehouse suggests that the film provides a great illustration of how characters can be free, even in prison, or unfree, even in freedom, based on their outlooks on life. During a cast reunion q&a, moderator Max Brooks noted that the story is unique in depicting a nonsexual love story between two men. Philosopher Alexander Hooke has argued that the film succeeds in depicting Jean - Paul Sartre 's ideas about existentialism more fully than any other contemporary movie. Legacy Darabont later adapted and directed two other King stories, The Green Mile ( 1999 ) The Mist ( 2007 ). In a 2016 interview, King said that The Shawshank Redemption was his favorite adaptation of his work, alongside Stand by Me. The film was adapted into a 2015 stage play in the United Kingdom. Post theatrical releases In what at the time was considered a risky move, despite its disappointing box - office return, Warner Bros shipped 320,000 rental video copies throughout the United States. However, it went on to become one of the top rented films of 1995. The film 's home viewing success was considered to be based on positive recommendations and repeat customers, and was being received well by male and female audiences. Ted Turner 's Turner Broadcasting System had acquired Castle Rock in 1993, which enabled his TV channel, TNT, to obtain the cable - broadcast rights to the film. According to Glotzer, because of the low box office numbers, TNT could air the movie with very low costs but still charge premium advertising space, and the film started airing on the network beginning in June 1997. The film was the first feature in TNT 's Saturday Night New Classics, and would air nearly daily. TV airings of the film accrued record - breaking numbers, and its repeated airing was considered essential for turning the film 's original poor box - office performance into being a cultural phenomenon. Darabont felt the turning point for the film 's success was the Academy Award nominations, saying `` nobody had heard of the movie, and that year on the Oscar broadcast, they were mentioning this movie seven times. '' By 2013, The Shawshank Redemption had aired on 15 basic cable networks, and in that year occupied 151 hours of airtime, rivaling Scarface ( 1983 ) and behind only Mrs. Doubtfire ( 1993 ), it was in the top 15 % of movies among adults between the ages of 18 and 49 on the Spike, Up, SundanceTV, and Lifetime channels. Despite its male - centric cast it was the most watched movie on the female - targeted OWN network. In a 2014 Wall Street Journal article, it was estimated that based on the margins studios take from box office returns, home media sales, and television licensing, The Shawshank Redemption had made $100 million. Jeff Baker, then - executive vice president and general manager of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, said that the home video sales had earned approximately $80 million. While Warner Bros. does not report what it earns in licensing the film for TV, in 2014 former and current executives at the studio confirmed that it was one of the highest valued assets in Warner Bros. $1.5 billion library. That same year, Gunton said that by its 10th anniversary in 2004 he was still earning six - figure residual payments, and was still earning a `` substantial income '' from it, which was considered unusual so many years after its release. Reception Contemporary review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes offers a 91 % approval rating from 66 critics -- an average rating of 8.2 out of 10, which provides the consensus, `` The Shawshank Redemption is an uplifting, deeply satisfying prison drama with sensitive direction and fine performances. '' The film also has a score of 80 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 20 critics indicating `` generally favorable reviews ''. It has been # 1 on IMDb 's user - generated Top 250 since 2008, when it surpassed The Godfather, having remained at or near the top since the late 1990s. The film has been nominated or appeared on the American Film Institute 's lists celebrating the top 100 film or film - related topics. In 1998, it was nominated for 100 Movies list, and was number 72 on the 2007 revised list, outranking Forrest Gump ( number 76 ) and Pulp Fiction ( number 94 ). It was also number 23 on AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Cheers ( 2006 ) charting inspiring films. It also received nominations in the 100 Heroes & Villains for Andy and warden Norton respectively, 100 Movie Quotes for `` Get busy livin ', or get busy dyin ' '', 100 Songs for Duettino -- Sull'Aria ( from The Marriage of Figaro ), and AFI 's 100 Years of Film Scores for Newman 's work. In 2013, Complex magazine listed it as the 9th best film of the 1990s. In 1999, film critic Roger Ebert listed Shawshank on his list of The Great Movies, and in 2005 the Writers Guild of America listed Darabont 's screenplay at number 22 on its list of the 101 Greatest Screenplays. The film has remained popular in various countries around the world. In the United Kingdom, readers of Empire magazine voted the film as the best film of the 1990s, and it placed number 4 on Empire 's list of `` The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time '' in 2008. In March 2011, the film was voted by BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra listeners as their favorite film of all time. It regularly appears in Empire 's top 100 films, and ranked as Britain 's favorite film in a 2015 YouGov poll. When the British Film Institute analysed the demographic breakdown of the YouGov poll, it noted that The Shawshank Redemption was not the top ranked film in any group, but was the only film to appear in the top 15 of every age group, suggesting it is able to connect with every polled age group, unlike Pulp Fiction which fared better with younger voters, and Gone with the Wind ( 1939 ) with older voters. When film critic Mark Kermode interviews United States fans, they described it as a `` religious experience ''. A poll conducted by Gatwick Airport also identified the film as the fourth - best to watch while in flight. It was also voted as New Zealand 's favorite film in a 2015 poll. Cultural impact In November 2014, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences celebrated the film 's 20th anniversary with a special one - night screening at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California. In 2015, the film was selected by the United States Library of Congress to be preserved in the National Film Registry for being `` culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant ''. Darabont responded `` I can think of no greater honor than for The Shawshank Redemption to be considered part of our country 's cinematic legacy ''. Variety said that the term `` Shawshank '' could be used to instantly convey images of a prison. Critics have sometimes struggled to define the immense public appreciation for the film. In an interview, Freeman quotes, `` About everywhere you go, people say, ' The Shawshank Redemption -- greatest movie I ever saw ' '' and that such praise `` Just comes out of them ''. Robbins states, `` I swear to God, all over the world -- all over the world -- wherever I go, there are people who say, ' That movie changed my life ' ``. In a separate interview, Stephen King said, `` If that is n't the best ( adaptation of my works ), it 's one of the two or three best, and certainly, in moviegoers ' minds, it 's probably the best because it generally rates at the top of these surveys they have of movies... I never expected anything to happen with it. '' In a 2014 Variety article, Robbins claimed that South African politician Nelson Mandela told him about his love for the film, while Gunton said he had encountered fans in Morocco, Australia, South America, Germany, France, and Bora Bora. Director Steven Spielberg said that the film was `` a chewing - gum movie -- if you step on it, it sticks to your shoe. '' The oak tree, under which Andy leaves a note for Red directing him to Zihuatanejo, became a symbol of hope for its role in the film. It was split by lightning on July 29, 2011 ; officials were unsure if the tree would survive. However, due to rally groups and inspections by forestry organizations, the tree was found to be alive and well. The tree was completely felled by strong winds on or around July 22, 2016. The prison site became a tourist attraction, with many of the rooms and props remaining including the false pipe through which Andy escapes, and a portion of the oak tree from the finale, following it being damaged in 2011. The surrounding area is also visited by fans, while local businesses market `` Shawshanwiches '' and Bundt cakes in the shape of the prison. The prison itself was to be torn down completely following filming, but was eventually sold to enthusiasts for $1. According to the Mansfield / Richland County Convention and Visitors Bureau ( later renamed Destination Mansfield ), tourism in the area had increased every year since The Shawshank Redemption premiered, and in 2013 drew in 18,000 visitors and over $3 million to the local economy. As of 2017, Destination Mansfield operates the Shawshank Trail, a series of 15 marked stops around locations related to the film across Mansfield, Ashland, Upper Sandusky, and St. Croix. From August 29 to September 1, 2013, a series of events were held in Mansfield, Ohio, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the film. The events included a screening of the film at the Renaissance Theatre, where it originally premiered, tours of some of the filming locations, and a cocktail at the Ohio State Reformatory which posed as Shawshank State Penitentiary for the film. The cocktail was attended by Gunton, Scott Mann and James Kisicki, who signed autographs and shared stories with the fans. Darabont sent a video greeting the fans who celebrated the anniversary. More than 6,000 fans of the film attended the events. See also List of films considered the best List of number - one DVDs of 2002 ( UK ) List of number - one DVDs of 2006 ( UK ) Shawshank tree Maine portal Film in the United States portal 1990s portal Criminal justice portal References Jump up ^ `` Box Office Disappointment ''. tasteofcinema.com. Retrieved September 24, 2017. Jump up ^ Gilbey, Ryan ( 2004 - 09 - 26 ). `` Film : Why are we still so captivated ? ''. The Sunday Times. London. Archived from the original on 2010 - 04 - 13. Retrieved 2010 - 04 - 13. Jump up ^ Barnes, Mike ( December 16, 2015 ). `` ' Ghostbusters, ' ' Top Gun, ' ' Shawshank ' Enter National Film Registry ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 16, 2015. ^ Jump up to : Heiderny, Margaret ( September 22, 2014 ). `` The Little - Known Story of How The Shawshank Redemption Became One of the Most Beloved Films of All Time ''. Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on September 10, 2017. 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External links Wikiquote has quotations related to : The Shawshank Redemption The Shawshank Redemption on IMDb The Shawshank Redemption at the American Film Institute Catalog The Shawshank Redemption at the TCM Movie Database The Shawshank Redemption at Box Office Mojo The Shawshank Redemption at Rotten Tomatoes The Shawshank Redemption at Metacritic Frank Darabont Feature films Buried Alive ( 1990 ) The Shawshank Redemption ( 1994 ) The Green Mile ( 1999 ) The Majestic ( 2001 ) The Mist ( 2007 ) TV series developed or created The Walking Dead ( 2010 -- 2011 ) Mob City ( 2013 ) Adaptations of works by Stephen King Films The Shining ( 1980 ) Cujo ( 1983 ) The Dead Zone ( 1983 ) Christine ( 1983 ) Cat 's Eye ( 1985 ) Silver Bullet ( 1985 ) The Running Man ( 1987 ) Tales from the Darkside : The Movie ( 1990 ) Graveyard Shift ( 1990 ) Misery ( 1990 ) Sleepwalkers ( 1992 ) Needful Things ( 1993 ) The Dark Half ( 1993 ) Dolores Claiborne ( 1995 ) Thinner ( 1996 ) The Night Flier ( 1997 ) The Green Mile ( 1999 ) Hearts in Atlantis ( 2001 ) Dreamcatcher ( 2003 ) Secret Window ( 2004 ) Riding the Bullet ( 2004 ) 1408 ( 2007 ) The Mist ( 2007 ) Dolan 's Cadillac ( 2009 ) A Good Marriage ( 2014 ) Mercy ( 2014 ) Cell ( 2016 ) The Dark Tower ( 2017 ) It ( 2017 ) Gerald 's Game ( 2017 ) 1922 ( 2017 ) Carrie Carrie ( 1976 ) The Rage : Carrie 2 ( 1999 ) Carrie ( 2002 ) Carrie ( 2013 ) Creepshow Creepshow ( 1982 ) Creepshow 2 ( 1987 ) Creepshow 3 ( 2007 ) Children of the Corn Disciples of the Crow ( 1983 ) Children of the Corn ( 1984 ) The Final Sacrifice ( 1992 ) Urban Harvest ( 1995 ) The Gathering ( 1996 ) Fields of Terror ( 1998 ) Isaac 's Return ( 1999 ) Revelation ( 2001 ) Children of the Corn ( 2009 ) Genesis ( 2011 ) Different Seasons Stand by Me ( 1986 ) The Shawshank Redemption ( 1994 ) Apt Pupil ( 1998 ) Firestarter Firestarter ( 1984 ) Rekindled ( 2002 ) Trucks Maximum Overdrive ( 1986 ) Trucks ( 1997 ) Pet Sematary Pet Sematary ( 1989 ) Pet Sematary Two ( 1992 ) The Mangler The Mangler ( 1995 ) The Mangler 2 ( 2002 ) The Mangler Reborn ( 2005 ) The Lawnmower Man The Lawnmower Man ( 1992 ) Beyond Cyberspace ( 1996 ) TV films, episodes, and miniseries `` Gramma '' ( 1986 ) `` Sorry, Right Number '' ( 1987 ) It ( 1990 ) The Tommyknockers ( 1993 ) The Stand ( 1994 ) The Langoliers ( 1995 ) The Shining ( 1997 ) Quicksilver Highway ( 1997 ) `` The Revelations of Becka Paulson '' ( 1997 ) Storm of the Century ( 1999 ) Stephen King 's Desperation ( 2006 ) Nightmares & Dreamscapes : From the Stories of Stephen King ( 2006 ) Bag of Bones ( 2011 ) Big Driver ( 2014 ) Salem 's Lot Salem 's Lot ( 1979 ) A Return to Salem 's Lot ( 1987 ) Salem 's Lot ( 2004 ) Sometimes They Come Back Sometimes They Come Back ( 1991 ) Sometimes They Come Back... 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Question: where did andy go at the end of shawshank redemption
Answer: Zihuatanejo