Shawshank Redemption was a box-office flop
It is difficult to imagine that what is routinely rated as one of the best films ever made (IMDB has it at #1 based on user reviews) failed to even get close to recouping its budget but this is a fact.
Over the years it has, no doubt, gotten that money back many times over but I was shocked to find out that the total box office numbers were $9 million under the overall film budget and some other sites rate it as having just barely broken even.
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If you somehow managed to have not seen this movie by now you need to do so ASAP. I know I recommend a LOT of movies on here, but if there was a category above "Wowsers!" there would only be a handful of films on it and this would be one of them.
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This film is so abundantly awesome that I can say that everything about it is just perfect. The choice in actors, the story, how the story stays interesting and keeps moving, the musical score, and the twists are absolutely spot on. I think that this film might be perfect.
It was nominated for a bunch of awards and didn't win any of them. I believe this press enabled the studios to make a bunch of their money back but even after DVD sales and what not the film only grossed around $90 million, and this was years later.
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In Shawshank, Morgan Freeman established himself as the perfect narrator as well. Unless I am mistaken, I don't think this happened before this film. He is continually asked to do narration work, but he declines a vast majority of it unless it is done in jest such as on a late-night variety show.
I started thinking about this because I have become a bit frustrated about what it is that ends up being a box-office hit these days. It seems that every film that makes a crap-ton of money is almost exclusively a superhero film that is all-but-completely devoid of actual substance. Shawshank is filled with beautiful cinematography, a compelling story about the human condition, as well as perfectly cast villains and heroes and I wonder if such a wonderful film would also be generally ignored in today's entertainment times.
This isn't really a review so much as it was a real shock to me to learn that what is largely considered to be one of the best movies ever made, actually lost money initially. To be fair The Wizard of Oz was a box office flop also. :)
One of my top 5 all time movies.
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This old film is GOLD :) .... this days we not get more good films.
I’ve seen this film many times it’s a great film, I didn’t know it was a flop at the box office that surprises me. Thanks mike
Wow! Hard to believe. Such a good movie. Over the years I've found it playing on TV in random hotel rooms in random countries. Almost every time I find myself drawn in and end up watching it again.
So, my steemit SEA living friend. My time in this part of the world is quickly coming to an end. Two months in Bali come May 8th and they are kicking my out! So on my own will I bought a ticket for 350 dollars from Bali to Athens via Singapore and scoot airline. I think the cheapest ticket I found way to get back over to Europe! and Eastern Europe is where I want to be.
So in budget traveler "Travel Pro" fashion I was able to negotiate eight nights on airbnb with my own private apartment in Athen for only $150 total. Which is a hell of deal for Greece, then I got a Ryanair flight for 17 dollars!..... to Sofia Bulgaria!
Bulgaria, north into Ukraine is where things get once again SEA cheap, along with cheap (but good) red wine and cheese! Something I've been missing for a while. From there I can head north to Romania, then Kiev Ukraine, where I'll spend the majority of the summer dating beautiful Eastern European women. Hope to find a good one who I can travel with. Fingers crossed!
As much as I love Thailand for so many reasons. Ukraine is about same living expense, and you get 90 days of 180 days visa free, then can skip down to Bulgaria, or Georgia, equally cheap and good living. The small country of Georgia give you a free 360 days in the country, no visa, nothing, just fly in! Probably the best offer in the world. And it's cheap good eastern European style living.
So just letting you know if you are looking for a change this part of the world offers high quality food and standard of living, with little to no visa fuss, and about the same price tag as where you currently are.
However, the weather is only nice from about May to September. Why I'm heading there now. I actually almost pulled the trigger to head back to Thailand. But the high quality Eastern European food and ummmmm girls, were calling my name! haha
Thanks for supporting my blog too by the way. Means a lot to me, especially when earning here at 35 cent steem often feels like getting water from rock. So thank you and have a great day! -Dan
Another film on my waiting list, I have to watch it. I love Morgan Freeman, I believe he's a legend and deserves recognition.
About budgets and IMDb ratings ... that is something you can't control or predict. I don't know what's happened here, maybe it was overspending or the viewers had other preferences at that time. Either way, I'm watching the movie 🙂
WOW ... you have not seen it ? :)
Seent it many times and would gladly watch it again
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Same here ... And this night I go look it ;)
No, not yet.
This very old film... so far I have heard all have seen it some 3 or4 time :)
I agree with you. This is an amazing and iconic picture. She talks about so many things at once and in such a simple, non-metaphoric, sometimes even cruel language. I can not believe that you can put so much in one picture. Unfortunately, the picture did not receive any Oscar statuettes, although there were as many as seven nominations. Most likely, this was due to the complex prison themes of both the original story and the film. But who needs highbrow academics, when 'Shawshank Escape' won such a love of sincere, impartial, ordinary viewers, that for a year now it has held a leading position in all sorts of movie lists.
Undoubtedly one of my favorite movies, although I did not know it was a box office failure. Anyway, it's a great movie, well directed, with an excellent script, and magnificent interpretations.
I’m ashamed to say I have not watched this yet and I have a DVD.
Unpardonable :)
I will watch it this week
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I watched this a few times before my imprisonment and it never closed my mind that I'd one day think about it while behind bars for an entire year. One of the most RELATABLE movies ever!
Definitely could be people's favourite and still be a box office failure, I remember some African folks telling me how much they loved this movie , there was this whole new side to Morgan Freeman