The film adaptation of Stephen King's story "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" from the collection "Seasons of the Year" became one of the most significant films in the history of cinema. This film, directed by Frank Darabont, went through a thorny path from box office failure to world recognition.
Stephen King, seeking to support young filmmakers and help them create a portfolio, offered the rights to film his stories for a symbolic sum of $ 1. In exchange, he asked for a copy of the finished material on cassette and a ban on commercial use without his permission.
However, Frank Darabont, sensing the potential of "The Shawshank Redemption", decided to purchase the full rights to the film for $ 5,000. King never cashed this check. Instead, he framed it and returned it to Darabont with a humorous note: "In case you ever need bail money. Love, Steve." This gesture demonstrates not only the friendship between the writer and director, but also King's faith in the project. Casting for the lead roles was difficult. Stars such as Gene Hackman and Robert Duvall were considered for the role of Andy Dufresne, but neither was available. Tom Cruise refused to work with the "inexperienced" director Darabont. Tom Hanks, although interested, was already busy filming Forrest Gump (however, four years later he played the lead in another King film adaptation, The Green Mile). Kevin Costner, who was then filming Waterworld, later regretted his refusal. In the end, the role went to Tim Robbins, and the role of Red was brilliantly played by Morgan Freeman. Interestingly, the young prisoner Tommy was supposed to be played by Brad Pitt, but he also refused.
The film starred real people: men from a local rehabilitation center were recruited as extras, many of whom had experience in prison. Morgan Freeman's son also took part in the filming, appearing in a photo of young Red and shouting "fresh fish" in the scene where the prisoners arrive.
The film's budget was $ 25 million, and the shooting lasted three months, in an intensive mode of 18 hours a day, six days a week. The famous cinematographer Roger Deakins was responsible for the visual component, and the music was written by Thomas Newman.
Even after the completion of production, the film faced difficulties. Producer Liz Glotzer decided not to include Stephen King's name in the advertising campaign, fearing that it might scare off "prestigious" audiences who might be prejudiced against the best-selling horror author.
The premiere screening in the cinema where Darabont arrived did not attract any viewers, which was a painful disappointment. When the film was released in wide release on October 14, 1994, it grossed only $16 million against a budget of $25 million, becoming a real box office failure. This was due to fierce competition: at that time, the box office was dominated by blockbusters "Pulp Fiction" (which grossed $108 million on a budget of $8.5 million) and "Forrest Gump" (with a budget of $55 million, which has already grossed $330 million).
Despite its financial failure, The Shawshank Redemption received seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. However, that year Forrest Gump was unbeatable, winning six awards, including the main one.
The film received real recognition only in 1995, after its release on VHS. It was then that The Shawshank Redemption became the most popular film of the year among home viewings, bringing its creators an additional $ 80 million.
In 2014, Warner Bros. Pictures management confirmed that The Shawshank Redemption is one of the most valuable assets in the studio's library, worth $ 1.5 billion, and continues to generate profits for the company. This film became a vivid example of how the real quality and depth of the story can turn an initial failure into an unfading success and a cult classic of world cinema.
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