25 Things You Didn't Know About The Shawshank Redemption

9. It Was Initially Released To Just 33 Cinemas

Giving an unassuming, lower-budget movie a limited initial release is nothing new, but considering that The Shawshank Redemption is now regarded as one of the best and most popular Hollywood movies of all time, its modest (if we're being kind) distribution is pretty laughable.

The film was released in September 1994 to a mere 33 cinemas across North America, and it wasn't for another three weeks that it expanded to another 910 cinemas.

Unfortunately, this was the very same day that Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction hit screens, which promptly steamrolled any chance it had of building a head of steam at the box office.

Worse still, Darabont and aforementioned executive producer Liz Glotzer visited a cinema on opening night and found it empty, even selling their own tickets to passers-by with the promise they could get a refund from Castle Rock if they didn't like it. Ouch.

Like the film's disappointing performance at the Oscars, its lackluster distribution and mediocre showing at the box office are proof perfect of how little these figures truly reflect quality cinema.