Analysis of movie I never watched

1. Shawshanck
Redemption Analysis
NIKOLA ANCIC

2.  Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins)
is sentenced to two
consecutive life terms in prison
for the murders of his wife and
her lover and is sentenced to a
tough prison. However, only
Andy knows he didn't commit
the crimes. While there, he
forms a friendship with Red
(Morgan Freeman),
experiences brutality of prison
life, adapts, helps the warden,
etc., all in 19 years.

3. Analysis
 The opening sequence
commences with a plain black
background with the white
text this represents the hope
shown throughout the
narrative of the film. The
white text seems to represent
alight in the dark showing
hope; the theme of hope is
shown extremely early in the
film to possibly give the
audience hints of the films
narrative.

4.  The scene then begins with an establishing shot
of a hut situated in dark woodland; this creates
suspense as the audience is curious about what’s
going on, Why this setting? This setting
additionally connotes mystery as it’s quite a
remote and strange setting. The camera then
mysteriously tracks towards the stationary car this
further creates tension as the audience doesn’t
know what they are about to see. Whilst these
shots are going on there is diegetic music which
is extremely jolly compared to the actor’s
confused and sad mood this creates an odd
juxtaposition.

5.  Next, the protagonist Andy (Tim
Robbins) reaches for a cloth, as he
does this a weird ambient
humming sound (non-diegetic)
begins. He then unwraps the cloth
and reveals a gun and drinks some
alcohol this gives the film action
(gun) and enigma (mystery) codes.
The lighting is extremely low key
this further added to the mystery
and hints towards the enigma
code.

6.  There is a range of shots to show the
development of the scene these
include medium shots to close ups
shots of the gun. This also gives the
audience hints of what is about to
happen (i.e. Him walking towards the
house with a gun). There is also this
cross cutting to a courtroom and the
event that takes place, this keeps the
audience hooked as it’s as if there is
a story being read to them and they
want to see what happens (follow the
story).

7.  In the courtroom scene, we find that
the camera shots of the judge are
closer up compared to Andy’ shots.
This shows that the judge is more
dominate in the scene this is further
shown when the judge’s voice is raised
louder than Andy’s, it also seems to be
quite patronizing. The dialect used by
the judge is also quite harsh. This
dominance against Andy makes us as
the audience fells sorry for him as we
are not sure whether he has
committed the crime and now he’s
being sentenced to two life sentences.

8.  The hook of the opening sequence is the
murder that takes place, is it who we
think it is? Or is that too simple for the
audience? The scene continues with the
discussion in the courtroom until it
reaches Andy’s sentence; this shots is
extremely cleaver as it seems to put the
audience in the judges position (as if we
are sentencing him, direct address), the
shot also has the main protagonist in the
center of the shot this really emphasizes
his worried expression.


9.  Finally the opening
sequence ends with a
blackout and a loud bang,
which sounds very much
like a door closing;
possibly a cell door, or
perhaps a gunshot
symbolizing the “end” of
the blonde handsome
guys life.