Classic Crap

People say I have stopped appreciating good movies and that's what happened when I declared the oft-celebrated prison drama 'The Shawshank Redemption' a classic crap. I may have walked out of the theater but I was not watching it on DVD, I registered my protest by yawning every now and then.

Now the question may be why I hated it but the more interesting question is why everyone (well almost) like it. There are many theories. Lets go one by one:

SOLUTION 1: If you like one man army destroying hundreds of men, you will like it.

SOLUTION 2: If you like the concept of hope in its most cliched form, you will endear it.

SOLUTION 3: If you have ever liked a movie where a woman is raped and she takes revenge, you are going to enjoy it fully.

SOLUTION 4: If you like zero-sum games, bad must be punished and the good must prevail at any cost, you will appreciate it.

SOLUTION 5: If you are strongly religious and believe in Jesus Philosophy, you will revere it.

SOLUTION 6: If you haven't seen wide range of cinematic art, you will fall for its mediocrity.

SOLUTION 7: If you like whatever others like, you will have to like it anyway.

It may look I am going too far to detest this reformist testimonial on pink-colored prison life, let me say I liked some of the sub-plots of movie but Shawshank Redemption never give enough space to the potential topics like the trauma of being falsely accused, the problems of prison, adapting to hostile environments and the bonding at such times. But this movie concentrates on the overtly optimistic journey of Andy from accusation to redemption. He changes the prison to a tax filling office, he punishes 'The Sisters' for their mean act, he makes everyone respect him, forces everyone to listen to Mr. Mozart, he often finds time to eat baked cakes and run a school and a library and above all dig a tunnel and what not just like a GOD in midst of stupid followers. Yes, that where I want to reach, he behaves like a god and shows all the patience in book, and emerges from the ashes somewhere near the beaches of Mexico and his followers are saved to see him there, very godlike. very hopeful, very unrealistic, a classic crap. And in the end, all what he set for has been done and he emerges as a scented lotus from a hole of shit. If this is redemption, it stinks.