Comparing Murder in the First and The Shawshank Redemption
Years ago, the worlds penal systems such as Alcatraz Penitentiary; were biased, corrupt and unjust. Today if such a system existed and was identified there would be immediate action. Murder in the First and The Shawshank Redemption are two similar yet equally engrossing pieces of film-making; both films are set in the 1930s and 1940s in American prisons and both convey the similar message.
The Shawshank Redemption was directed and written by Frank Darabont who adapted horror master Stephen King's 1982 novel Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. This films main characters consisted ofAndy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), Boyd Ellis Redding Red (Morgan Freeman), The Warden (Bill Gunton), Hadley (Clancy Brown) and Brooks played by James Whitmore.
The Warner Brothers film, Murder in the First was inspired by the true story of Alcatraz inmate Henry Young. The film is generally fiction, but portrays an example of some of the in-mates hardship. The key actors in this film are Kevin Bacon as Henry Young, Gary Oldman as the Warden and Christian Slater as James, the defending attorney.
Throughout both films the main issues are the corruption within the penitentiaries by a select number of guards and the wardens, the rehabilitation and redemption process which the in-mates had to encounter, the brutality of the prison system, and the friendships which were formed within the prisons.
The subject matter/plot and characters of both these movies are similar in many ways they both contribute the same message. The movie The Shawshank Redemption has excellent examples of the issues of corruption and brutality of the prison system. It is based upon a young banker (Andy Dufresne) who is sentenced two life imprisonments for the accusation of the murder of his wife and her lover. While in prison Dufresne
quickly befriends Ellis Boyd Redding Red is regularly ridiculed by the general prison population, is often assaulted by a gang of in-mates who rape and beat him, and also is hired by the warden of Shawshank prison as his personal accountant, and in exchange for his help with tax evasion, embezzlement, kickbacks and other legal activities, he receives a library job and privileges. As the plot of the film develops so does Dufresne and his intentions which are exposed at the end of the film.
The Shawshank Redemption is an inspiring story about Andy Dufreine and his efforts to maintain hope in horrible situations. The directors used many effective methods that displayed signs of hope in such a horrible place. Andy maintained hope by distracting his mind and always staying occupied. Andy was also inspired to survive by helping others find hope in life.
The movie Shawshank Redemption analyzing various aspects of prison life. These characteristics include prison culture specifically guard subculture and inmate subculture. The movie explores how prison is used as a punishment and can be seen as a form of machine. Argot roles, in prison as explained by Gresham Sykes, display the beliefs and attitudes of prisoners expressed in a rather distinctive manner (Lovell, 1998). They are exemplified through the inherit meanings generation by the prison environment and tied together through the prisoner social world. The language is a significant aspect of prison, and therefore it is essential to understanding the social worlds of prisoners. These argot roles represent a framework in which the social world can be further understood. There are several argot roles found in a prison. In specific, throughout the movie Shawshank Redemption, many of the characters are labelled and interpreted to be play such roles signifying how common these roles are in a prison.
The similarities are prolific in their presence in certain parts of the novel, the very context of both stories shows similarities, both are dealing with an oppressed factor that is set free by an outsider who teaches and challenges the system in which the oppressed are caught.
Stephen King published his novella “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption in 1982. In 1994 this novella was turned into a movie called The Shawshank Redemption. Frank Darabont wrote the screenplay. A good adaptation will capture the same overall essence of the written book or novella. Darabont did a wonderful job of adapting this novella into a movie. He captured the overall essence in a way that makes a heart rejoice in happiness and relief. The adaptation of The Shawshank Redemption is very well done.
The “pains of imprisonment” can be divided into five main conditions that attack the inmate’s personality and his feeling of self-worth. The deprivations are as follows: The deprivation of liberty, of goods and services, of heterosexual relationships, autonomy and of security.
The documentary, Hard Time: Worse of the Worse offered an eye-opening glimpse into the American prison system. The film showed the American prison system is one with strict rules to follow, ran with a zero tolerance policy. The documentary was an accurate portrayal of how prison life is that offered adequate information of how inmates behind bars live their lives day to day in a maximum-security prison. It was interesting to see a documentary on a maximum-security prison, since it is less common amongst the security types. The documentary depicted the American prison system to be ruthless, rule orientated, and militaristic with high security discipline, and its own prison subculture.
Darabot, Frank and Stephen King (1993) Rita Hayworth & Shawshank Redemption: Screenplay. Netflix.com Viewed 4/7/14
Within the film, prison culture illustrates the subculture within Shawshank State Prison. Prison culture and the Inmate Code dictate the typical rules and values that have emerged in prisons (Clear, 2006). The aggression of both prison guards and inmates, as well as the punishments and sanctions imposed for deviant behavior highlight the prison subculture. Throughout the film, the inmates showcase certain distinctive markers of the subculture that set the group apart from the dominant culture because they use cigarettes as currency, engage in violence, establish specific roles and identity, and share similar goals and values, such as
For decades, prison has been signified as an unspeakably horrifying place for those who have done harm to our society. Nevertheless, in today 's society, shows like Wentworth, orange is the new black and prison break illustrate prison in an entertaining way. A way that is so detached from reality. However, in the article "Norway 's Ideal Prison," by Piers Hernu, he clearly reveals and gives us a vivid picture of what prison life is like in Bastoy, the home of Norway only prison. On the other hand, "The Prisoners Dilemma," by Stephan Chapman argues how in Islamic countries criminals are being cruelly handled and how flawed the American penal system is and needs to be adjusted. Even though there are many similarities in both articles on what
One of the first differences I noticed was the way Roisman and her sisters were treated. For one, they got many letters from her brother, who was in the military. The letters were interesting in and of themselves. They had code words and secret messages encrypted within, when the word “headache” was used, it meant a selection had taken place. One other major difference was that the inmates were allowed to keep personal possessions through most of their experience, such as the letters
Knowing and understanding the author’s purpose, we see where he is coming from and what his “point of view” is. We see that the author is someone that does not agree with the activities that occur in the native prison. It makes the author feel uncomfortable with the establishment and its procedures.
In this critic, I will be analyzing and comparing two books. The first book is “A question of Freedom a Memoir of Learning, Survival, and Coming of Age in Prison” by R. Dwayne Betts. The second book is “Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing” by Ted Conover. In this comparison will first give a short summarization of both books. Second I will be answering the fallowing questions, what prisons are discussed? What types of prisoners are there- age, race, sex, level of crime? How current is the information? What are the conditions of the prisons? How are the prisoners treated? How are the guards and their viewpoints represented? How are the prisoners and their viewpoints represented? What forms of rehabilitation are there? What are the social relationships with other inmates? What opportunities are available to occupy prisoners? What point of view is the author taking – critical, Positive, does she/he write from the viewpoint of a guard, a prisoner? What evidence is/are the author’s points based on and how is the evidence presented - for example, first hand observations, Statistics? Also what changes, if any, are proposed or discussed by the author? How does the information in this book compare with what you’ve read in the text and articles and what you have observed on a class trip? Lastly what is your opinion of the information and viewpoint expressed in the book?
In the media, prisons have always been depicted as a horrible place. The film, The Shawshank Redemption, is a prime example that supports the media 's suggestions about prison life. In the film we are familiarized with Andy Dufresne, who is a banker that is wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife and her lover. While trying to both remain discreet and find his prison identity, he assists Ellis Boyd 'Red ' Redding, a peddler, and Brooks Hatlen. In his attempt to fit into the rough prison subculture, Andy strategically starts a business relationship with the captain Captain Bryon Hadley and Samuel Norton. The film gives an insider 's look at various aspects of prison life. These aspects include prison culture; explicitly, guard subculture and inmate subculture.
The way Shawshank Redemption is portrayed with similarities and differences between the novella and the movie is that the plot and climax are completely different. The novella is written by Stephen King and is titled: "Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption." The movie is directed by Frank Darabont and is called: The Shawshank Redemption. There are many things such as the way the warden 's punishment was incorporated differently in the movie that the novella did not give insight through towards the plot and the climax. The novella and the movie have completely different plot structures in which the movie does a fantastic job at displaying a better job in comparison to the novella. The way the director, Darabont, establishes a distinction
addresses the process of adaptation used when converting a literary hypotext to the film medium; The Shawshank Redemption (Darabont, Frank) is the film adaptation of Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption (King, Stephen). The story follows characters Red and Andy who serve life sentences in Shawshank Prison. Over many years a strong bond develops, and Andy, wrongly convicted, inspires many at the prison. After Andy escapes, Red decides to follow him upon being granted parole. The story privileges themes of hope, freedom, institutionalisation, friendship, time, and brutality. The film is similar to the novella, however, some aspects differ from the hypotext. Within the novella, Brooks is a minor character, Tommy Williams doesn’t die, and Warden Norton merely retires. Through altering the story, the film modifies the essence of Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption for film audiences and utilises film language to convey meaning. By adding certain scenes, the text takes on stronger themes of hope, institutionalisation and brutality. This draws attention to the themes within the hypotext and thus enhances the parallels between texts.