Friday, September 21, 2007

I suppose one of the most brilliant movies I've watched is Shawshank Redemption. There's something in the way Morgan Freeman narrates the story, the simplicity that Tim Robbins seems to polish, and a plot that turns Stephen King truly a genius in front of my eyes. I've watched the movie several time, read the story as well -- and all thanks to the Dude, who eventually got me into watching flicks a whole deal, introduced it first to me.
It's the beauty of the end. The sheer perfectness, the simple accomplishment -- where nothing but a good story can find good rest.
I mentioned it to Dead Flowers once, some while ago, and he told me to follow Prison Break and Oz. Somehow being a hack, I've never able to follow TV like that. But the movie: I mean there's somethings to that film, something really wonderful.
I've passed on this film to a whole lot of people, everyone seems to enjoy it. Some of them aren't great movie watchers. I agree that the movie is actually better than the novella. I even agree with why it's touted as one of the 100 best films of all time.
I'm not very good with tragedy. There's nothing like watching Barry Lyndon, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, or even Chinatown. But the end just doesn't do me right. I'm not saying that I want perfect endings, but A Clockwork Orange works fine in the end (although I never liked the original Burgess' ending), doesn't it? I just don't see any catharsis, it only makes me grieve for the character, sometimes loathe it for it's flaw.
If you've watched Allen's Melinda and Melinda, you would know what I mean. The two famous playwrights are questioning the traditional argument: is it tragedy or comedy? Which art is more superior?

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9 Comments:

Blogger Spider42 said...

get busy living, or get busy dying...
hey jerry man, good to see you seem to be sounding better.
cheers..

1:51 AM, September 23, 2007  
Blogger Renovatio said...

That's definitely an excellent film man, Darabont did the book justice just as he did with The Green Mile. I'm really looking forward to his version of Fahrenheit 451 now.

If you haven't seen Citizen Kane or Rules of the Game yet, now's the time. You're missing out.

4:51 PM, September 25, 2007  
Blogger Spider42 said...

citizen kane is rightfully one of the greatest films of all time, orson welles created a masterpiece of celluloid with that one!
"rosebud"... brilliant...

theres a film version of fahrenheit 451 being made?! seriously? thats like my favourite bradbury book of all time!
now im excited!
woohoo!!

5:12 PM, September 25, 2007  
Blogger Renovatio said...

You made me download and watch it again. Like it more each time :D

I've decided to actually own a copy of all 100 of the greatest films. I've accumulated 13 so far.

3:56 PM, September 26, 2007  
Blogger catmiester said...

Honestly... amongst the best movies... ever. Seen it about 6-7 times... and can see it again.

Think the mark of a good movie, is also when the one cant seem to get enough of it.

Thanks for the reminder... so watching it again!

p.s. Check out 'The Hours', is another good one. Beautifully executed and insightful.

12:07 PM, September 27, 2007  
Blogger jairaj said...

The Dude: Hey man, cheers!

Renovatio: Me too man, think it'll be good. I've seen Citizen Kane man, it's a sheer master's work. Not seen the Renoir, but I believe it's very good.

the dude: i dont know if i told you. but right in the beginning of the film, Shawshank, you can see Tim Robbins taking swigs from a bottle in the car. The name of the glass drink bottle is Rosebud. A reference man.

catmeister: The Hours is wonderful. But more so for a Woolf fan. I have had a complicated relationship with Virginia Woolf. But the movie is brilliant.

4:05 PM, September 28, 2007  
Blogger Renovatio said...

I must've seen the film five times and I never noticed that.

9:09 PM, September 28, 2007  
Blogger Albert said...

I know, I’m writing this in spite of the fear of being labeled an absurd. But then, isn’t the moniker I have, was an absurd.

Jerry, tell me, don’t you think - hope is an idea formulated by a person who is weak enough not to accept reality? Isn’t hope a feel-good idea?

Hope brings the fear of failure and the fear of succeeding. Hope brings fear of living and fear of dying. In short Hope enslaves you, and instills fear in you. And when you fear you can’t live, you have killed your present moment.

I read The Shaw Shank Redemption few years back, but never saw the movie, as I thought the story emphasized too much on Hope. And for me hope is such a worthless word. Moreover, what I found ironic in the story was that Andy the main protagonist wanted to be free, but still be chained by the idea of hope. Can a man, ever be free (not in the abstract form as portrayed in the story) if he has hope of tomorrow?

12:15 PM, October 01, 2007  
Blogger . said...

Thank you for saying Kubrick's version is better. I hate it when the so called purists say "oh the book is better". But then again its Burgess. Sigh.

9:26 AM, October 07, 2007  

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