Summary

• One infamous Shawshank Redemption "plot hole" questions how Andy pinned up the Raquel Welch poster behind him as he escaped.
• According to Tim Robbins, the "easy" solution is that Andy pinned only the top half of the poster before crawling underneath.
• The Shawshank Redemption is one of the best Stephen King adaptations ever due to its exploration of friendship, freedom, and incarceration.

The Shawshank Redemption star Tim Robbins addresses the movie's infamous plot hole 30 years later. Directed by Frank Darabont and based on a novel by Stephen King, The Shawshank Redemption stars Robbins as Andy Dufresne, a man serving two life sentences in Shawshank prison after being falsely accused of killing his wife and her lover. The film, which also stars Morgan Freeman as fellow inmate Red, is widely celebrated today for its strong performances and themes, but one aspect of the film involving Andy's Raquel Welch poster has long been deemed a "plot hole."

During a recent interview at the Turner Classic Movies Festival in celebration of the film's 30th anniversary, Freeman asks Robbins about the Welch poster plot hole that happens towards The Shawshank Redemption's ending.

The plot hole accusation is predicated on the idea that Andy, as he stages his epic escape from Shawshank, would not have been able to secure the poster in place behind him after crawling through the hole in the wall. According to Robbins, however, there's a very clear solution. "This is so easy," he says. "Pinned up here. Pull up here. Go underneath, go in," he reasons, acting out Andy securing only the top half of the poster and then crawling underneath it.

How Much Does The Shawshank Redemption's Poster Plot Hole Actually Matter?

Why It Might Not Be A Big Deal

The following section features a mention of sexual assault, a plot point in The Shawshank Redemption.

Robbins' explanation for how Andy was able to fasten the Welch poster is a logical one and does seemingly solve the matter, but, even if some aren't satisfied by the solution, it might not be that big of a deal in the grand scheme of the movie. The Shawshank Redemption tells a very grounded tale by King standards, with no supernatural elements, no scares, and relatively little violence. This is a story about one man who never loses sight of the freedom he strives for and the extreme resilience he shows to achieve this.

The fact The Shawshank Redemption features a questionable moment involving a poster is ultimately easily forgivable because the catharsis of Andy's eventual escape is so powerful.

The film goes to great lengths to show the ups and downs of Andy's prison experience. A highlight, for example, is his mission to build a library within Shawshank Prison, something that he eventually achieves after a years' long letter-writing campaign. As is his friendship with Freeman's Ellis "Red" Redding. But his time in prison, which totals more than 20 years, is also, unsurprisingly, filled with extreme hardships. Andy is repeatedly raped by a gang known as The Sisters, and the warden and his head guard are sadistic and tyrannical, and they kill a witness who could prove Andy's innocence.

The Shawshank Redemption was filmed largely in Mansfield, Ohio, with the State Reformatory standing in for Shawshank prison.

All of this is to say that the film makes the viewer want Andy to escape just as much as Andy himself does. The Shawshank Redemption is really a story of hope, and Andy never loses his, despite the suffering he endures. He's so committed to achieving his freedom that he crawls through half a mile of human waste to achieve it, resulting in one of the movie's most powerful moments. The fact The Shawshank Redemption features a questionable moment involving a poster is ultimately easily forgivable because the catharsis of Andy's eventual escape is so powerful.

Is The Shawshank Redemption The Best Stephen King Adaptation?

The Frank Darabont Film Is An Undeniable Classic

King is one of the most adapted authors in history, and new takes on his books continue to be released today. Although there are now a great number of King movie adaptations, the number of these adaptations that are critically acclaimed is relatively small. The Shawshank Redemption earned mostly positive reviews in 1994, but it was an infamous disappointment at the box office, only earning the reputation it has today upon being discovered by viewers years after the movie's release.

It now sits among movies like The Green Mile, The Shining, Carrie, Stand By Me, and Misery as one of the best King adaptations of all time. Interestingly, as shown by movies like The Shawshank Redemption, Stand By Me and The Green Mile, the best King adaptations tend not to be horror movies, despite the author being best known for his work in the genre. The Shawshank Redemption trades scares for a thoughtful exploration of friendship, freedom, and exactly what it means to be imprisoned.

Three upcoming King adaptations include: Salem's Lot, The Life of Chuck, and The Monkey.

The Shawshank Redemption's Rotten Tomatoes score is an impressive 89%, beaten only by Stand By Me (92%) and Carrie (93%). Whether Carrie truly is the best King adaptation will, however, be a matter of personal preference. Clearly, though, The Shawshank Redemption has struck a chord with viewers, and the fact that questions still linger about the Welch poster scene only reinforces what a profound cultural impact the movie has had.

Source: Turner Classic Movies