Introduction:
     
  How did a low-key prison movie which was considered a box-office flop on its original release become one of the most popular movies of all time? Mark Kermode traces the history of this unexpected audience favourite from the pages of Stephen King's novella "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption", through the icy corridors of Ohio's Mansfield Reformatory (whose imposing gothic architecture dominates the film), to the television and video screens on which "The Shawshank Redemption" became a phenomenon. This study traces the history of "The Shawshank Redemption" and draws on interviews with writer/director Frank Darabont and leading players Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. The book also explores the near-religious fervour that the film inspires in a huge number of devoted fans.