FLOP CULTURE

THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION

Frank Darabont’s Stephen King riff tanked 30 years ago. Did it lose in the name game, or did the competition pulp it?

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Why it was a good idea (on paper)

Stephen King flexed his writerly powers with his largely non-horror novellas collection Different Seasons. With Morgan Freeman and a post-Player Tim Robbins leading, could tyro writer/director Frank Darabont’s adaptation of prison story Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption do King proud?

What went wrong?

Freeman and Robbins loved the script. The title? Not so much. Even with ‘Rita Hayworth’ dropped to dodge expectations of a biopic, both claimed viewers were confused by the moniker. True or not, perhaps the decision to downplay King’s name in promo materials didn’t help -King’s brand name might have ignited curiosity even on a non-horror tip. Another King (Lion variety) was 1994’s big box-office winner, though Forrest Gump was Shawshank’s closer competitor and outright victor in the ‘grown-up drama’ stakes. Then came Pulp Fiction, cornering the adult market with the lure of illicit pleasures. Big Mac or porridge? Go figure. True, Shawshank had minor internal issues: Tom Cruise departed when Rob Reiner bequeathed the film to Darabont; DoP Roger Deakins argued with Darabont over external prison shots; Freeman wouldn’t do multiple takes. But the big challenge was how to sell Shawshank’s vintage pleasures in a game-changing year, a challenge perhaps compounded by a lack of female roles and the tricky-sell prison-pic genre. Despite healthy reviews, Andy’s great escape failed to chip out a clear route to box-office nirvana.

Redeeming feature

Like Red and Andy’s friendship, Shawshank burns slow and sure. Adjust to the old-lags rhythm and you’re in for life.

What happened next?

Multiple awards nominations confirmed Shawshank’s quality, while VHS and screenings on Ted Turner’s TNT proved the point. Prime spots in ‘best films ever’ lists followed, as did fan pilgrimages to the Ohio prison site and a redemptive King prison pic from Darabont: 1999’s The Green Mile.

Should it be remade?

No good thing ever dies… For pure cathartic uplift, just revisit the living, breathing original instead.