‘Shawshank Redemption’ gets 25th-anniversary release

Known mostly for exploring themes of horror and the paranormal, Stephen King at times relates stories that have more to do with the simply human experience of existence.

His novella "The Body," for example, is part of the 1982 four-part collection "Different Seasons." It tells the story of four young boys who seek out the body of a young man who is missing and presumed dead. The novella, which was adapted into Rob Reiner's 1986 film "Stand By Me," explores the boys' reaction to various forms of abuse they have each endured … and to the ultimate specter of death.

Then there is his novella from the same collection, "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption," which director Frank Darabont adapted into the 1994 film "The Shawshank Redemption," which stars Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. Both the novella and movie deal with life in prison, with corruption in the legal system and with the notion of justice.

Now in its 25th year, "The Shawshank Redemption" is being re-released in a series of special screenings. The film will show at two area Regal Cinemas theaters, at Northtown Mall and Coeur d'Alene's Riverstone Stadium, beginning on Sunday.

Screening times: 4 p.m. on Sunday, 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.

New York Times critic Janet Maslin had this to say about Darabont's film (which was nominated for seven Academy Awards): "Without a single riot scene or horrific effect, it tells a slow, gentle story of camaraderie and growth, with an ending that abruptly finds poetic justice in what has come before."

King, as his many fans know, is all about poetic justice — whether in this world or any of the possible alternatives.