The gradual rise of “The Shawshank Redemption” to the top spot of IMDb’s Top 250 list mirrors the film’s journey to becoming a beloved classic. Its release in September 1994 was met with disappointing box office returns, making a little over $16 million against its $25 million budget. Similarly, while met with outstanding critical response, the movie failed to take home a single golden statuette from its seven Oscar nominations.
Time was kind to the Stephen King adaptation, as subsequent home media and television releases earned it a newfound appreciation. Even so, the film’s director, Frank Darabont, isn’t sure how to feel about the situation. In an interview with Paste Magazine (via Independent), the filmmaker shared, “[It] is a very surreal thing for me. I look at that list, and of course, I see ‘The Godfather,’ and ‘Citizen Kane,’ and you can’t help but think, ‘Is ‘Shawshank’ really better than ‘The Godfather?'” I find that a little hard to believe.” Nevertheless, the filmmaker said it’s “tremendously gratifying” that fans voted for his movie.
Whether aided by “The Dark Knight” or not, “The Shawshank Redemption” remaining No. 1 on IMDb’s Top 250 list is much like Andy Dufresne’s (Tim Robbins) own odyssey to freedom — beating all odds to achieve greatness.
