lunes, 17 de enero de 2022

The Shawshank Redemption - Cadena perpetua

A HYMN TO FRIENDSHIP AND FREEDOM... MASTERPIECE PAR EXCELLENCE.

'The Shawshank Redemption', the perennial number one on IMDb's list of best films of all time. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdU_2vZq3Ww

Released in the fall of 1994, this adaptation of a short novel by Stephen King was a box office disappointment and received none of the Oscars for which it was nominated.

Yes, the critics loved it almost unconditionally from the first moment, but the feeling for director Frank Darabont and the rest of those involved in it was of sweet failure.

And then came the Internet Movie Database website and its arch-popular Top 250, generated from the votes of its users.

The film occupied the noblest positions from the beginning, but in 2008 the unexpected happened: 

'The Shawshank Redemption' overtook 'The Godfather' as the highest rated film in history.

UN CANTO A LA AMISTAD Y A LA LIBERTAD... OBRA MAESTRA POR EXCELENCIA.

 'Cadena perpetua', la perenne número uno en la lista IMDb de mejores obras cinematográficas de todos los tiempos.

Estrenada en otoño de 1994, esta adaptación de una novela corta de Stephen King fue una decepción en taquilla y no recibió ninguno de los Oscar a los que fue nominada.

Sí, la crítica la amó casi incondicionalmente desde el primer momento, pero la sensación para el director Frank Darabont y el resto de implicados en ella era de dulce fracaso.

Y entonces llegó la web Internet Movie Database y su archipopular Top 250, generado a partir de las votaciones de sus usuarios.

La película ocupó las posiciones más nobles desde el principio, pero en 2008 ocurrió lo inesperado: 

'Cadena perpetua' superó a 'El padrino' como la película mejor valorada de la historia.

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Plot

In 1947, Andrew "Andy" Dufresne (Tim Robbins), vice president of a major bank in Portland, Maine, is on trial for the murder of his wife and a man with whom she was having an affair. Although he insists he is innocent, the evidence is enough reason for the judge to sentence him to serve two life sentences in Shawshank State Prison.

When he arrives at the prison he realizes how harsh the environment is, the guards spare no effort in disciplining the inmates with the cruelest methods, especially the boss, Byron Hadley (Clancy Brown). This regime of terror meets with the approval of the prison warden, Samuel Norton (Bob Gunton).

During the first few months, Dufresne befriends the prison's smuggling kingpin, Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding (Morgan Freeman) and commissions a hammer to carve stones. He occupies his time and strength defending himself from the constant harassment of a gang of rapists known as "The Sisters," led by Bogs Diamond (Mark Rolston). Two years later, Dufresne is selected along with Red and other inmates to repair the roof of one of the prison buildings.

While doing his job, he overhears Captain Hadley complaining about a tax mess caused by an inheritance received from his brother. Dufresne offers to help him and thus begins to gain the trust of the prison staff, including the warden. This helps him to get rid of the pressure of "The Sisters", as Bogs is crippled after being beaten by the captain. Eventually, Dufresne is transferred to the prison library to assist librarian Brooks Hatlen (James Whitmore), until he is paroled. However, Brooks commits suicide some time later due to depression caused by the thought of having wasted his life.

After a few years, in response to his repeated requests, Dufresne receives from the State Senate a check for $200 and a consignment of books and records to equip the library. For making the prisoners listen to the opera Le nozze de Figaro through the loudspeakers, he was punished with two weeks of confinement in a narrow cell known as "the hole".

Dufresne is not satisfied with the books received and insists on his requests until the Senate arranges an annual payment of $500 for him. With his business skills, and the invaluable help of his friends, he manages to organize the best prison library in New England. Warden Norton inaugurates a work program for prisoners, whereby they work at various jobs (such as logging) under the guise of community service. Many contractors in the area, fearing that this program will put them out of work because of the prisoners' advantage as free labor, pay bribes to the warden to win contracts for major projects. Dufresne is in charge of processing every penny of those shady deals, opening bank accounts in the name of a Randall Stevens, who he says "exists only on paper."

In 1965, a new inmate named Tommy Williams (Gil Bellows) arrives at the prison. With Dufresne's help he manages to graduate from high school, and upon learning why Andy is in prison, he reveals that the real killer is someone else named Elmo Blatch (Bill Bolender), who shared a cell with Tommy in another prison during a conviction prior to his arrival at Shawshank. Upon learning this, Dufresne asks the warden to reopen his case, but the warden refuses, fearing he will be without his services, and in a fit of rage sends him to the hole for a month.

Days later, Norton asks Tommy if he is willing to testify in favor of Dufresne's innocence, and upon receiving an affirmative answer, he is killed by Hadley after receiving the warden's order. A month later, Dufresne tells Red that he considers his sentence served, tells him of his plans to settle in Zihuatanejo, a small Mexican town on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, and asks him to accompany him once he is released from prison. Red refuses, claiming that it would be very difficult for him to adapt to life outside prison, but Dufresne asks him to find a specific place where he would hide a gift for him when he gets out.

That night, after finishing his work with the warden's finances, Dufresne returns to his cell, but the next day during the morning count, the guards discover that Dufresne has disappeared. The warden believes his escape is the result of a plot against him, but then discovers a tunnel hidden behind a poster of Raquel Welch on the wall, built by Dufresne during his 19-year stay in prison with the hammer he had borrowed from Red.

After his escape through his tunnel and a sewer drain (via Red's findings through a voice-over), Dufresne impersonates Randall Stevens with the documents used to open the bank accounts and makes off with $370,000. Before leaving for Mexico, he sends the evidence of the money laundering (which he had taken with him when he escaped) to a Portland newspaper. The story makes the front page, Hadley is arrested for Tommy's murder, and Norton commits suicide before being arrested.

A year later, Red is paroled and stays for a few days at the hotel where Brooks committed suicide. True to his promise, he leaves the hotel and looks for the place Dufresne told him about and upon arriving there, he finds a small tin can with some money and a letter. Following his instructions, he travels to Fort Hancock to cross the border into Mexico and reach the town of Zihuatanejo, where he is reunited with his friend.

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Descarga - Download  "THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION - CADENA PERPETUA"

(2.2 GB duración 2:21 horas) Cadena perpetua

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Sesión doble

LA CORTE DEL FARAÓN

enlace película

Se podría definir como una parodia de la sociedad española en los cuarenta o cincuenta a partir de la zarzuela La corte de Faraón, de 1910, muy popular en España.

La película empieza y acaba con la detención de un grupo de actores aficionados que están representando esta zarzuela y son arrestados por la censura. A partir de este comienzo se retrata cómo empezó todo y por qué ha terminado de esta forma.

Película protagonizada por la gran Ana Belén acompañados por el jovencísimo Antonio Banderas y un reparto de lujo como el gran Luis Ciges y el gran Juan Diego, Agustín González y el gran Willy Montesinos que hacía del empresario en un secundario estelar.

Basada en la comedia musical "La corte del Faraón" que permitía ver a una exuberante y sexy Ana Belén donde compaginaba por primera vez sus dotes de actriz y cantante y la participación especial de Millán Salcedo.

Película de 1985 dirigida por José Luis Sánchez, fue la última zarzuela llevada al cine que completó el género de la revista española.

Concha de Plata del Festival de San Sebastián (1985). 

Descarga - Download "La corte del Faraón"

YouTube - Hay Babilonio que mareo

(2.96 GB duración 1:37 horas) La corte del Faraón 

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CORONAVIRUS

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