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'The Shawshank Redemption’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Bill’s Dad

September 25, 2019 · The Shawshank Redemption (1994) · Drama · 1:50:44

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 24:54Presented multiple nominees including Andy and Red's first scene, the rooftop scene with Hadley, and Red's institutionalized speech, but didn't give a single definitive pick
Chris Ryan▶ 27:11The rooftop scene where Andy convinces Hadley about the inheritance and they get beers afterwards

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 56:43Morgan Freeman as the narrator - it's amazing more sponsors don't have him narrate their products and commercials because you hear his voice and it's just... Morgan Freeman
Chris Ryan▶ 55:19Freeman's whole performance throughout the movie - Tim Robbins has some low moments but Freeman never sounds a wrong note the entire time
William Simmons▶ 56:36The music and the overhead shot of the prison scene

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 59:12The lack of variety in Andy stories - questioning how they could sit around telling Andy stories when they seemingly only had one story (the bears on the roof)
Chris Ryan▶ 1:00:01Agrees with the Andy stories issue - the implausibility that they'd keep retelling the same stories for decades and wondering if they'd eventually want to sit with someone else for lunch
William Simmons▶ 59:51Supports the Andy stories critique - agrees it's a valid point when thinking about what other funny things Andy did during that dining hall scene

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:06:49Jon Favreau — John Favreau auditioned for Fat Ass role but did poorly, which motivated him to lose weight for Swingers. Bob Gunton was cast as the warden because he's 6'2" and could fit Tim Robbins' suit (Tim is 6'5")
William Simmons▶ 1:07:36Found it interesting that they planned ahead for the warden's suit fitting for a scene that comes at the end of the movie

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:09:03Discussed multiple options including Bob Gunton (the warden), William Sadler (Heywood), David Proval (Richie Aprile from Sopranos), and Brian Libby (Floyd), but didn't give a definitive final pick
Chris Ryan▶ 1:11:13David Proval — David Proval (the Sopranos guy/Richie Aprile character)
William Simmons▶ 1:11:21Bob Gunton — Bob Gunton (the warden) because he didn't jump out as being in many other movies

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:13:46Boggs the rapist
Chris Ryan▶ 1:13:28Clancy Brown — Clancy Brown as Hadley
William Simmons▶ 1:13:56James Whitmore — Brooks (scene with knife against Hayward's neck)

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 1:14:15Presents extensive trivia including filming location in Ohio, Stephen King framing the check, Roger Deakins' Oscar nominations, Andy's prison ID number 37927, stolen money of $370,000, only two women with speaking roles, beach scenes shot in Saint Croix, sewage pipe made of chocolate syrup and sawdust, dedication to agent Alan Green, and deleted scenes
Chris Ryan▶ 1:15:20Contributes details about tense filming conditions with 15-hour days, Freeman's experience coming from Clint Eastwood's efficient sets, movie being a box office dud initially, and producer Liz Glatzar insisting on the reunion ending
William Simmons▶ 1:16:20Participates by guessing trivia answers (incorrectly guessing $35,000 for stolen money), noting additional women in the movie, asking about the sewage pipe scene logistics, and commenting on not knowing who Alan Green was until multiple viewings

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:22:22Morgan Freeman — Morgan Freeman - yes, this is his apex mountain due to Unforgiven and Seven combination
Chris Ryan▶ 1:24:13Frank Darabont — Frank Darabont - yes, this is his apex mountain (though mentions Walking Dead as potential contender)

Picking Nits

Bill Simmons▶ 1:27:07Multiple pipe-related issues: Why doesn't Andy break the pipe further down to reduce crawling distance? How does he know which direction to go? The smell would be unbearable for 500 yards and he'd likely pass out
Bill Simmons▶ 1:32:55The miraculous Ziploc bag that survives 500 yards of sewage pipe perfectly intact with suit, documents, and chess pieces - no bag could work that well
Bill Simmons▶ 1:34:00How does the poster stay perfectly stuck to the wall for years without corners falling down, and how does Andy reattach it from inside the hole each time?
Chris Ryan▶ 1:26:11What's the plan if there's not a thunderstorm that night? Andy's entire escape depends on the storm for cover but 1960s weather forecasting wasn't reliable enough to guarantee it
William Simmons▶ 1:27:22Agrees with the pipe direction logic and questions about bed checks during Andy's nightly digging sessions

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 1:41:29Multiple quotes including 'I'm gonna go pinch a loaf', 'How much do you trust your wife', and Red's parole speech ('There's not a day goes by I don't feel regret...')
Chris Ryan▶ 1:41:09Maybe it's because I'm Irish

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:46:16Morgan Freeman — Freeman - surprised how easy the Freeman answer was for the movie
Chris Ryan▶ 1:46:22Morgan Freeman — Freeman - he's the perfect narrator and avatar for the balance between sentimentality and cynicism
William Simmons▶ 1:46:51Morgan Freeman — Freeman - references the last parole board scene as epitomizing Chris's point

Movies Referenced (31)

Forrest Gump (1994)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 14:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Terms of Endearment (1983)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 48:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Unforgiven (1992)

5 mentions · William Simmons, Bill Simmons▶ 1:15:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ed Wood (1994)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 19:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Goodfellas (1990)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 47:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Escape from Alcatraz (1979)

3 mentions · William Simmons, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 14:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Heat (1995)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 17:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Arlington Road (1999)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:23:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Boogie Nights (1997)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 23:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jaws (1975)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 17:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Miller's Crossing (1990)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 48:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Patch Adams (1998)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:11:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (4)

Ben Affleck

5 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Argo, Gone Girl, The Town▶ 33:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Randall Stevens

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 37:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Costner

1 mentions · William Simmons · Known for Dances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves▶ 1:02:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rob Reiner

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for This Is Spinal Tap, The Wolf of Wall Street▶ 13:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (27)

Andy Harrison

33 mentions · Bill Simmons, William Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 3:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Morgan Freeman

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, William Simmons · Known for Se7en, Driving Miss Daisy, Million Dollar Baby▶ 8:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tim Robbins

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Mystic River, The Player, Howard the Duck▶ 14:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Castle Rock

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 13:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jimmy Kimmel

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 22:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Martin Landau

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Ed Wood, Crimes and Misdemeanors, North by Northwest▶ 19:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Raquel Welch

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Fantastic Voyage▶ 44:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Glenn Ford

2 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 13:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rita Hayworth

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, William Simmons▶ 12:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Hanks

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Cast Away, Big, Forrest Gump▶ 18:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

A. Ross De St. Croix

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Nightmare Alley▶ 10:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bob Gunton

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Shawshank Redemption▶ 21:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (4)

Frank Darabont

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, The Mist▶ 8:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Stephen King

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Maximum Overdrive▶ 12:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 17:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Nelson Mandela

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Malcolm X▶ 23:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Roger Deakins

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Blade Runner 2049, Skyfall, No Country for Old Men▶ 33:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗