N.B. Since there were no new releases as straight-to-DVD this week, there will be no Thursday DVD Round up!

This week’s choice for The Ultimate Reflix Collection is The Shawshank Redemption.  I know that this is a fairly easy choice, but it is one of the most reflixable films I think I’ve ever seen. It was a film which shocked me at first because I didn’t expect it to be so good and as I saw it multiple times, on TV or DVD, its only gotten better with age. Its one of the few films which didn’t make much money at the box office, but gained speed on VHS and now DVD and is one of the most beloved films in a long time.  I don’t generally like Tim Robbins in many of his other films, but this one is a particularly great film which is absolutely infinitely reflixable.

 

One of the things that makes this film so reflixable is that it lends itself to reflixability based on the structure of the narrative. In Shawshank, the story is told by Red as a series of events which are told as discrete chunks but eventually end being interconnected.  This provides for an easy way for people to refer to different parts of the story, such as “The Book Drive Part” or “The Tax-man Scene” or “The Roofing Sequence”. Also, discrete sections of a movie tend to be easier to remember and relive so you don’t feel confused when you are trying to remember the order of the film or the best parts. I think if you look at a lot of Frank Darabont‘s scripts, you will see this sort of organization, such as in  which is easily broken down into discrete sequences. A lot of screenwriters could learn from this practice if they want to develop films which are as reflixable as this one.

But there is much more to the reflixability of the film than just the form of the narrative itself. As I said, there are just some really great, really memorable scenes which you’ll rewatch again and again. For example, there’s nothing like watching the hero triumph, such as when Andy wins beer for the roofing crew, or when he eventually gets the books he has been petitioning the state senate for. These little victories are huge rewards for someone who has been robbed of their freedom and they enrich the emotional bond the audience feels with the main character. But the other fact of the matter is that these are well told snippets of stories which you enjoy watching again because they are so well done – everything feels authentic and there is genuine emotion and investment from the actors. Each one is a small snippet of a grand story which, when all the pieces are put together, make an utterly enjoyable and reflixable experience.

One of the other thing about the story itself is that it is a veritable emotional rollercoaster that you are taken on and it is this upswing and downswing of emotions that keeps you coming back. Whether it is the disgust and repulsion you feel when Andy is attacked by The Sisters, or the joy at his victories, or the betrayal and anger that you feel when the truth about Andy’s crime comes out, or even the sadness at the death of some of the best characters in the film, you experience these emotions again and again, without fail. There is something about this film where the newness remains upon each viewing and you are able to relive your first experience over again with each viewing. It is a quality that is unique to this sort of film and gives it a reflixability that few films deserve.

And then there is the prison escape aspect of this film. As you see all the things that Andy ends up doing for the inmates, guards and warden, you consider them acts of integrity meant to be true to his personality even thought they do give him a measure of stature in the prison as a result. But the best thing about this film is that in the final flashback sequence, when you see how all the little tasks come together to reveal Andy’s escape and eventual retirement in Mexico, you are shocked and amazed – this alone will draw you to reflixing this film, just to pick up the subtle hints and nuances that allude to the finale. Its a masterful stroke at the end and is the major victory you’ll find yourself cheering for.

Finally, there is also a unique tale of friendship between Red and Andy which moves the story along nicely but is also a highlight in a film that is otherwise about the selfish nature of some of the inmates. The chemistry between Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins is palpable and you can see the amount of respect that is felt not only between their characters but between the actors themselves. Freeman is his charming self and when he’s on, he’s one to watch over and over again. I think the real emotional payoff is the final few scenes, when you see Red end up at the same hotel as Brooks (with Brooks’ last etching), having the same job as Brooks, and possibly ending up the same way as Brooks. But when he remembers his promise to Andy and fulfills it by meeting him on the beach in Mexico, you can see this film come full circle an experience a wonderful, fulfilling ending. A truly reflixable film has a deeply satisfying conclusion and this is one of the best in modern film.

All in all, I don’t think there is a single problem with this entire film. I can’t think of a single performance, scene or sequence which takes away from this film’s reflixability. Every aspect of this film is reflixable and well worth your time. I hope that this film continues to live on in popularity, especially with a slate of recent films which tend to have dreary, disappointing endings which do nothing but depress the audience. This is truly a one of a kind film and should be watched multiple times in order to truly appreciate its magnificence.