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Similarities between this and The Green Mile

posted 3 years ago by CaptainCrozier (599)
4 replies | jump to latest

Prison movies written by Stephen King and directed by Frank Darabont, with music composed by Thomas Newman.

Period dramas set in the early-to-mid 20th century.

Each film has a main character who is revealed late in the movie to be wrongly convicted.

Each film is narrated by a character whose life is profoundly affected by the seemingly magical qualities of the innocent prisoner.

Each has two main villains--one a guard, the other an inmate.

In each film the inmate villain is punished by the sadistic guard, who is himself later punished by being lawfully detained in some way.
*For that matter, in each movie the sadistic guard kills two prisoners.

Each film has at least one sympathetic(though presumably guilty)prisoner who meets with a tragic end--i.e. Del in The Green Mile and both Brooks and Tommy in Shawshank.

Each film ends with the narrator making some reference to how his life now feels like a journey and not knowing how or when it will end.

[–] strntz (10925) 3 years ago

Each film has a main character who is revealed late in the movie to be wrongly convicted.

Andy not only wasn't proven to be innocent, I think he was written as guilty.

Blatch was written to be a "twitchy" MFer. A guy who would jump if someone farted. Why would that be written in? Someone as nervous as Blatch wouldn't be a home invasion type. He said he was bussing tables in order to case the rich MFers who worked there. If he cased the place, why would he rob it if anyone was home? If he broke into a home without knowing anyone was home, he would most likely turn and run. The couple was in bed when shot. The crime doesn't make any sense.

The prosecutor also pointed out that the murderer stopped and reloaded his revolver, then put one more bullet in each victim. That sure did seem personal. For what? Giving him "shit"? Maybe if the golf pro previously had Blatch fired from the club where he worked he might be motivated for a personal vendetta. But what did the golf pro do? He didn't even get out of bed. He likely yelled something like "what are doing here?".

Does any of this matter for the story? I don't think so. Even if he did kill the couple, he spent 20 years in prison and suffered violence and rape for many of them. He did his time. I'm glad he escaped.

[–] redban (5271) 3 years ago

Shawshank depicts the injustices and brutality inside the prison system; the prison staff in this movie are the villains

Green Mile has a favorable portrayal of the prison system. The protagonist is a gentle, caring correctional officer

Green Mile also has fantasy elements

[–] prometheus1816 (1053) 3 years ago

Each film had William Sadler in it. Heywood in Shawshank and Klaus Detterick in Green Mile.

[–] CaptainCrozier (599) 3 years ago

Each film had William Sadler in it.

And Jeffrey DeMunn.

As the prosecutor at the beginning of Shawshank and one of the guards in Green Mile.