Shawshank Redemption

1.) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

Much of the class discussion focused on the behind the scenes of Shawshank Redemption. One interesting bit of trivia discussed in class is the fact that in order to show a mug shot of a young Morgan Freeman a photograph of Freeman's son, Alfonso Freeman, was used. Alfonso Freeman also appears in a minor role as a young convict. Using an image of Freeman's son as a substitute for his own shows the resourcefulness of Hollywood directors before it was possible to digitally de-age an image of Freeman himself to create the effect. In class it was also discussed that the interiors of Shawshank State Prison were constructed entirely from the ground up. While it is not uncommon for a set to be constructed specifically for one movie, Shawshank Prison is an impressively complex set that shows the level of craftsmanship used in Hollywood films before green screens and digital sets were more commonplace.

2.) Find a related article and summarize the content.

http://www.moviemistakes.com/film1146

The website Moviemistakes.com reveals many continuity, editing, and factual errors in famous movies, including Shawshank Redemption. Among the more interesting mistakes in the film is the factual error from Andy's escape scene. According to the website the sewage pipe that Andy breaks in order to make his escape would not spew its contents like a geyser as it depicted in the movie. In order for the contents of a pipe to shoot from an opening the pipe would need to have built up pressure. Since, in the next scene, Andy is shown crawling through the pipe to an open air egress there obviously would be no pressure in the pipe. The website also points out a minor plot hole also associated with Andy's escape. When inspecting Andy's empty room it is shown that a poster Andy used to cover a hole he burrowed is taped to the wall on all four sides. The website claims that this would be impossible to accomplish after climbing into the small hole. According to the website the film's director claims that the mistake is a "movie cheat."

3.) Apply the article to the film screened in class.

It is entirely possible that the filmmakers neither knew or cared about the factual error presented in Andy's escape scene. Perhaps the filmmakers were more concerned with showing Andy's struggle in his journey to freedom. Additionally, having the contents of the sewage pipe spray out of its breech adds more drama to the scene. While the mistake regarding the poster in Andy's room is interesting, it is ultimately negligible. It is not the type of mistake that most moviegoers would notice and does not affect the continuity of the film whatsoever. It was most likely caused by a inattentive set designer. The film's director most likely did not notice the error until production was too far along and did not consider it worthwhile to re-shoot the scene.

4.) Write a critical analysis of the film.

It is almost hard to believe that The Shawshank Redemption is a Stephen King story. The film contains no child characters and does not involve the supernatural. Even King's perennial reference to Maine is subtle in the overall context of the movie. It is King's departure from his normal format that makes Shawshank Redemption so unique. But aside from Stephen King, the film is notable for its depiction of prison life. Shawhank State Prison is not the romanticized institution of Jailhouse Rock, nor is it a stereotype. While it is not necessarily the setting that makes the film memorable, it does add a unique change of pace and shows a realm of humanity not often tread in Hollywood. Additionally the film has been the subject of parody in many films and television shows such as Family Guy and Robot Chicken. Because of its location and notoriety Shawshank Redemption is perhaps one of the most recognizable movies ever made.

CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM 
1) (X) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class. 

2) (X) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper. 

3) (X) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text. 

4) (X) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper. 

5) (X) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read. 

6) (X) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography. 

7) (X) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality. 

8) (X) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper. 

Name: ______Alex Wisniewski______________  Date: _______4/8/14_________________