# Why is The Shawshank Redemption rated so high? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 19, 2009, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310 "2009-10-19T09:29:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Piranha\_Brothers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@The\_Piranha\_Brothers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Piranha_Brothers)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310/1 "2009-10-19T09:29:07Z")
Why is The Shawshank Redemption rated so high? ([The Shawshank Redemption (1994) - Ratings - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111161/ratings)) Just wondering. The IMDB top 3 is currently The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather and The Godfather 2. I’m not trying to discuss any single opinion, its succes in the chart just surprises me. Almost 60 % of its voters give it a 10. There doesn’t seem to be a difference US-rest of the world. I can see that the movie “works”, it is an engaging story and all. But I just don’t understand why it rates so high. Your thoughts please. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310/2 "2009-10-19T09:32:43Z")
> [@](#): > > I can see that the movie “works” I think this is quite rare. Not many movies “work” for many people. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310/3 "2009-10-19T09:58:39Z")
Since the question is about movies, the Arts, etc. let’s move it to our forum for the Arts, Cafe Society. **samclem** Moderator, General Questions ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310/4 "2009-10-19T10:20:45Z")
> [@The\_Librarian](#): > > I think this is quite rare. Not many movies “work” for many people. I’d say this is it. That sort of poll is not about one or two datapoints of quality etc. but about the greatest number of points that are liked by the most people. And I can’t think of another movie that ticks so many boxes for so many people: it’s a great and unusual story, containing violence, suspense, humor, pathos, irony, dramatic satisfaction, and a great ending. It’s reasonably well scripted and directed, and has an excellent cast. The only thing it lacks is romance, but the friendship element could be seen as a substitute for that. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Piranha\_Brothers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@The\_Piranha\_Brothers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Piranha_Brothers)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310/5 "2009-10-19T10:23:50Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Since the question is about movies, the Arts, etc. let’s move it to our forum for the Arts, Cafe Society. > > **samclem** Moderator, General Questions It was really about why it was popular, which is a fact. But never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310/6 "2009-10-19T10:26:04Z")
The factual answer is that it’s popular because a lot of people like it. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310/7 "2009-10-19T10:26:26Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > I’d say this is it. That sort of poll is not about one or two datapoints of quality etc. but about the greatest number of points that are liked by the most people. And I can’t think of another movie that ticks so many boxes for so many people: it’s a great and unusual story, containing violence, suspense, humor, pathos, irony, dramatic satisfaction, and a great ending. It’s reasonably well scripted and directed, and has an excellent cast. The only thing it lacks is romance, but the friendship element could be seen as a substitute for that. For many people, the lack of a romance could also be seen as a positive- it’s something a bit different from the usual Hollywood formula. Otherwise, I think **jjimm** has nailed the reasons why _The Shawshank Redemption_ is such a great and highly rated film. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Piranha\_Brothers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@The\_Piranha\_Brothers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Piranha_Brothers)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310/8 "2009-10-19T10:32:50Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > I’d say this is it. That sort of poll is not about one or two datapoints of quality etc. but about the greatest number of points that are liked by the most people. And I can’t think of another movie that ticks so many boxes for so many people: it’s a great and unusual story, containing violence, suspense, humor, pathos, irony, dramatic satisfaction, and a great ending. It’s reasonably well scripted and directed, and has an excellent cast. The only thing it lacks is romance, but the friendship element could be seen as a substitute for that. But my point is, so are many other movies. Therefore I wouldn’t call it unusual. But I agree that of all the movies in the top 10, this one is probably the most overall balanced (whereas the other movies seem to be more “specifically excellent” if you know what I mean). ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310/9 "2009-10-19T11:16:26Z")
I wonder what the results would be if IMDB voters were asked to name just one film as their favourite. I bet The Shawshank Redemption would be nowhere near the top of the list. It’s a very good, low-key film that hardly anyone dislikes, rather than being a towering masterpiece. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310/10 "2009-10-19T11:29:16Z")
> [@The\_Piranha\_Brothers](#): > > It was really about why it was popular, which is a fact. But never mind. This here is the most cromulent statement to ever skate the line between copacetic and Fahrvergnügen. Kinda like when my kid asked me why chocolate ice cream tastes so much better than strawberry. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Piranha\_Brothers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@The\_Piranha\_Brothers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Piranha_Brothers)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310/11 "2009-10-19T12:20:07Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > The factual answer is that it’s popular because a lot of people like it. Oh thanks. Now I get it. > [@Biggirl](#): > > This here is the most cromulent statement to ever skate the line between copacetic and Fahrvergnügen. Kinda like when my kid asked me why chocolate ice cream tastes so much better than strawberry. What does that mean? Do you expect me to fetch a dictionary to understand what you are saying? Anyway, I’m not arguing about taste. I’m merely trying to analyse it. Where does this popularity come from? > [@Ximenean](#): > > I wonder what the results would be if IMDB voters were asked to name just one film as their favourite. I bet The Shawshank Redemption would be nowhere near the top of the list. It’s a very good, low-key film that hardly anyone dislikes, rather than being a towering masterpiece. I suppose that’s the basis of it. And perhaps that once it’s up, it will get a momentum of its own because people will go see it because it is number 1 and will probably not be disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310/12 "2009-10-19T12:20:33Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s a very good, low-key film that hardly anyone dislikes, rather than being a towering masterpiece. I think this is a big factor. While _The Shawshank Redemption_ is popular it has never been perceived as overwhelmingly popular so there’s no backlash against it. Movies like _Star Wars_ or _Titanic_ or _Forrest Gump_ can become so big that some people begin to hate them for their popularity. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310/13 "2009-10-19T12:31:02Z")
> [@The\_Piranha\_Brothers](#): > > Anyway, I’m not arguing about taste. I’m merely trying to analyse it. Where does this popularity come from? Well kid Andy Dufresne didn’t argue about taste either. Rumor has it that all 198,991 guys who gave it a 10 were voting after Andy gave them a blow job. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310/14 "2009-10-19T12:31:46Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > The factual answer is that it’s popular because a lot of people like it. To add a little meat to this… I think that Shawshank was one of the first VHS tapes a lot of people owned, as it came out right as the medium was becoming affordable and readily available everywhere (you didn’t have to go to the rental place or an electronics store to buy it). Additionally, it received a huge groundswell of support come Oscar time - a lot of people hadn’t seen it in the theaters, and it was the home movie market that really pushed it forward (of course saying that, someone is bound to show me its box office receipts… 🙂 ). And finally, it’s on cable right now. You can point to any one moment since 1997 and there has been a major cable network airing _The Shawshank Redemption_. You have to have had deliberately avoided seeing this movie while flipping through the channels for the past 12 years. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310/15 "2009-10-19T12:37:42Z")
> [@The\_Piranha\_Brothers](#): > > What does that mean? Do you expect me to fetch a dictionary to understand what you are saying? Lighten up, Francis. > [@](#): > > Anyway, I’m not arguing about taste. I’m merely trying to analyse it. Where does this popularity come from? Please allow me to introduce you to an old concept: beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It’s not always subject to ready analysis. Have you tried reading the comments section on IMDb to see what the people who love the movie so much have to say about it? ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310/16 "2009-10-19T13:15:16Z")
> [@The\_Piranha\_Brothers](#): > > What does that mean? Do you expect me to fetch a dictionary to understand what you are saying? Anyway, I’m not arguing about taste. I’m merely trying to analyse it. Where does this popularity come from? You need a dictionary to parse nonsense? Of course you are arguing taste, how else is anyone supposed to explain the fact that The Shawshank Redemption is so popular? Do you think something besides taste is a factor here? Like they put LSD on the tickets when people purchased them? Or that the imdb voters were bribed? Seriously, what ‘fact’ are you in search of here? ---
**Author:** ![BKReporter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@BKReporter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BKReporter)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310/17 "2009-10-19T13:25:17Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > To add a little meat to this… I think that Shawshank was one of the first VHS tapes a lot of people owned, as it came out right as the medium was becoming affordable and readily available everywhere (you didn’t have to go to the rental place or an electronics store to buy it). > > Additionally, it received a huge groundswell of support come Oscar time - a lot of people hadn’t seen it in the theaters, and it was the home movie market that really pushed it forward (of course saying that, someone is bound to show me its box office receipts… 🙂 ). > > And finally, it’s on cable right now. You can point to any one moment since 1997 and there has been a major cable network airing _The Shawshank Redemption_. You have to have had deliberately avoided seeing this movie while flipping through the channels for the past 12 years. VHS tapes, except for kids’ movie and blockbusters, were never really affordable until almost the very end of the format’s run. If you look through video catalogs from the 1990s, most of the movies are still hovering around $100. But you nailed all the other points. IIRC this movie was actually a box flop. I remember a lot of critics saying people were turned off the name. But then it got great word of mouth once it hit video. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310/18 "2009-10-19T13:27:56Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Have you tried reading the comments section on IMDb to see what the people who love the movie so much have to say about it? I tried. I learned that two people were FIRST, one person thought that the pin up posters were so frickin hawt and that not liking this moving makes me a gay homo. Or at least that’s what I assume I’d learn. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310/19 "2009-10-19T13:29:32Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > I tried. I learned that two people were FIRST, one person thought that the pin up posters were so frickin hawt and that not liking this moving makes me a gay homo. Or at least that’s what I assume I’d learn. 😃 I sit corrected, then. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310/20 "2009-10-19T13:43:39Z")
Actually, some of the “good but overrated” comments on the IMDB are quite thoughtful and well-stated. Even the director of Shawshank thinks its performance in these types of polls is ridiculous: > [@](#): > > Frank Darabont, the director of The Shawshank Redemption, has words for the millions of people who believe his 1994 prison drama is the greatest film of all time. “I think that’s a little crackers, to be honest, especially when you think of the other films on the list.” > **[TLS](https://www.the-tls.com/)** > > Times Literary Supplement [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-shawshank-redemption-rated-so-high/514310.md?page=2)