The Shawshank Redemption, directed by Frank Darabont, is a story of a man named Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) who is wrongly accused of murder. He is placed in Shawshank prison and meets Ellis "Red" Redding (Morgan Freeman), who he became good friends with. Dufresne retains hope of escape, and tunnels out of his cell over many years. Red is released years later, and joins Andy in Zihuatanejo.
The setting of The Shawshank Redemption, a dismal prison in a city in Maine, is iconic of the entire movie. It takes place in the 1950s through the 1960s. Accordingly, the setting has aspects that reflect this -- prisoners have posters of models from the time period, the clothing in the scene is rugged and of older style, cars outside the prison are from the time period, technology like record players are of older times, and haircuts of the characters are of older fashion. These are part of the setting for verisimilitude; everything is as we would expect from this time period, which lends the setting credibility. Prisoners at Shawshank also follow specific codes of behavior: they always maintain innocence, keep to themselves while remaining deferential to powerful gangs (the sisters) and guards, and are generally cynical of each other, as seen in the scene. A prison member is scornful of Red's ideas for no reason than being scornful. This serves as a microcosm to human behavior -- similarly, people tend to absolve themselves of all negative acts, and keep out of each others way while distrusting others. Furthermore, people tend to fear the powerful and accept their decisions. Perhaps the most powerful aspect of the setting is the social structure of the prison and outside of it, as explained by Red. Inside, people find positions of importance or respect; they can make themselves useful or well-liked, and gain good social status. Outside, they are simply old criminals with no reputation. This serves as a symbol of institutionalism -- prison leaves people useless on the outside world, even when they are intelligent and well-meaning, moral individuals. Moreover, this is a symbol of hope despite unjust acts against oneself. Andy demonstrates his refusal to be the next result of the prison system, and escapes the fate that the rest of the prisoners are held to.
The color palette of The Shawshank Redemption is interesting as well: mostly muted greys and browns pervade the movie. The prison holds no color at all in the scene, with gray courtyards, brown buildings, dark cell corridors, and dark or bland clothes worn by all. This creates a dismal, dreary tone that reflects all the members of the prison. Everyone -- from the prisoners to the guards to the warden -- is not happy. They are stuck in a routine of constant conflict, frustration, and boredom. The colors accentuate their cycle in order to make the audience understand their position. Notably, colors return outside the prison and at Zihuatanejo especially, showing the happier of lives of the free.
In this scene, the lighting is evenly lit, with no significant contrasts. Although technically this is high-key lighting, it is not used to bring happier ideas. The lighting, although bright, does not feel bright; it is dull and stormy.The fact that even the light is bland and evenly distributed, with no interesting darkness or differences throughout the courtyard, reinforces yet again to the reader that Shawshank is dreary and boring. Almost nothing breaks the monotonous routines that the prisoners fall into during their many years. This scene also contrasts with the darkness and shadows of the cell area, which shows the depression and despair of the inmates during their many nights in their small cells.
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