Ashland University has been lucky enough to have a very special guest this coming Friday, who is not only a fan of the movie filmed on Mansfield “The Shawshank Redemption” he also is world renown writer and educator, Dr. Tony Magistrale.

Magistrale is a professor of English at the University of Vermont and has written several books including critical analysis of several movies. 

His interest in “The Shawshank Redemption” was sparked while writing one of his books. 

“I was writing a book called “Hollywood Stephen King.” It is the first critical analysis that I made about Stephen King narratives. There is a chapter that I was going to talk about the prison films,” said Magistrale. 

“I put “Misery” in that category, “Shawshank Redemption,” “Green Mile” had  just came out so I was including that and I included “The Mist” too.”

What makes interesting the thought of Magistrale about the movie is the different point of view and focus that he has towards it.

 “I kind have a radical thinking about this film. It is a prison movie, we know that focuses primarily on men in prison for various felonies but what I am going to argue and I always argue when I looked at this film, what it attract me is that I think is a film about women,” said Magistrale.

He explains that even though there are just three or four female characters, they are the ones that cause the most important characters that change the point-of-view of the main character. 

Magistrale also pointed out other details of the movie that for most of the viewers may not seem very important.

“What it makes it interesting since my point of view is that the women, the women with the most important women character in “The Shawshank Redemption” are images of women and recordings of women” Magistrale said. “Remember in Andy`s wall there are various photographs, it starts off with Rita Hayworth, goes to include Marylyn Monroe. All of these women cover the hole. The opening. That is going to be Andy`s exist from prison and entrance into freedom.” 

Another thing that captured the attention of Magistrale is that this movie shows how art has the power to change things and ideas and bring something positive to different communities. 

“What have always interested me about the film are some of the details, the way in which they found the Reformatory. The fact is that it was schedule for demolition and now it`s become  a national landmark  because of this film,” said Magistrale. “This is the power of art, to avoid the wrecking ball.”

If you are interested in hearing more about Magistrale, he will give a lecture titled “Redemption through the Feminine in ‘The Shawshank Redemption,’ or Why Rita Hayworth Belongs in the Title.” 

This lecture is sponsored by The English Department and co-sponsored by the Journalism and Digital Media Department and Hospitality Management Department, as well as the Ashland Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and The Shawshank Trail. 

This lecture will be in the Ronk Lecture Hall in the Schar College of Education at 9 am.