On This Day

The Shawshank Redemption released

September 23rd 1994

14:51 23 September 2024

'The Shawshank Redemption' opened in theaters in the US on this day in 1994. The prison drama based on the 1982 novella 'Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption' by Stephen King and starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman was a box-office bomb on its initial release despite positive reviews. Among the factors believed to have contributed to its failure to draw an audience were having to compete with 'Pulp Fiction' and 'Forrest Gump', a title that was not considered memorable, a lack of female characters and a general disinterest in prison films with cinemagoers. After being nominated for several Oscars the following year the movie was re-released and began to gain wider attention.

In a move deemed a gamble, Warner Home Video distributed over 300,000 video rental copies throughout the United States where it went on to become one of the top rented films of the year. This and regular TV showings led to 'The Shawshank Redemption' slowly building a large fanbase where 30 years later it continues to gain new fans, regularly tops all time favourite lists and is regarded with huge affection as one of the best films ever made.