Movies in Print: The Shawshank Redemption

Movies serve as artistic invitations to a film. They serve as effective marketing tools that can help promote interest in the film. Serving as the movie's first trailer or teaser, the movie poster can significantly contribute to the film's success at the box office. In order to do this, posters must have effective designs that generate attraction, memorable impression, anticipation, and eventual viewing of the film. Whether they feature artistic graphics, haunting imagery, vivid photography or catchy tag lines, poster prints should be able to capture the market's attention. Some poster prints have been singled out for their iconic designs. Many view these poster prints online and often print them using online poster printing services.


An iconic example would be the poster for the 1994 film, the Shawshank Redemption. Directed by Frank Darabont and written as a short story by Stephen King, the film tells the tale of Andy Dufresne, a man mistakenly convicted for the murder of his wife and her lover. Dufresne is sentenced two life imprisonment terms at the notorious Shawshank Prison. Here Andy experiences the harshness of prison life and the savagery of the human condition. Despite this, Andy emerges victorious and redeems himself at the end of the film, even gaining a fortune and a true friend along the way.


The film's poster is a powerful and effective representation of the film's message of hope that can triumph over life's hardships. It features a back view of Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne, arms outstretched in the pouring rain in a symbolic act of redemption. The symbolism is made even more dramatic by the way of the evening light, coming from the upper portion of the poster that bathes Dufresne in gold, another symbol of hope and salvation. This poster successfully exudes that ability of the human spirit to triumph over adversity.