"The book was better" has been the complaint of many a reader since the invention of films. The Green Mile is Frank Darabont's second adaptation of a Stephen King prison drama (The Shawshank Redemption was the first) and is a very faithful adaptation of King's serial novel. In the middle of the Depression, Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) runs death row at Cold Mountain Penitentiary. Into this dreary world walks a mammoth prisoner, John Coffey (Michael Duncan) who, very slowly, reveals a special gift that will change the men working and dying (in the electric chair, masterfully and grippingly staged) on the mile.
As with King's book, Darabont takes plenty of time to show us Edgecomb's world before delving into John Coffey's mystery. With Darabont's superior storytelling abilities, his touch for perfect casting, and a leisurely 188-minute running time, his film brings to life nearly every character and scene from the novel. Darabont even improves the novel's two endings, creating a more emotionally satisfying experience. The running time may try patience, but those who want a story, as opposed to quick-fix entertainment, will be rewarded by this finely tailored tale. --Doug Thomas
|
Tom Hanks | Paul Edgecomb |
|
David Morse | Brutus 'Brutal' Howell |
|
Bonnie Hunt | Jan Edgecomb |
|
Michael Clarke Duncan | John Coffey |
|
James Cromwell | Warden Hal Moores |
|
Michael Jeter | Eduard Delacroix |
|
Graham Greene | Arlen Bitterbuck |
|
Doug Hutchison | Percy Wetmore |
|
Sam Rockwell | 'Wild Bill' Wharton |
|
Barry Pepper | Dean Stanton |
|
Jeffrey DeMunn | Harry Terwilliger |
|
Patricia Clarkson | Melinda Moores |
|
Harry Dean Stanton | Toot-Toot |
|
Dabbs Greer | Old Paul Edgecomb |
|
Eve Brent | Elaine Connelly |
|
William Sadler | Klaus Detterick |
|
Mack Miles | Orderly Hector |
|
Rai Tasco | Man in Nursing Home |
|
Edrie Warner | Lady in Nursing Home |
|
Paula Malcomson | Marjorie Detterick |
|
Christopher Joel Ives | Howie Detterick |
|
Evanne Drucker | Kathe Detterick |
|
Bailey Drucker | Cora Detterick |
|
Brian Libby | Sheriff McGee |
|
Brent Briscoe | Bill Dodge |
| Director | Frank Darabont |
|
| Writer | Stephen King, Frank Darabont | |
| Producer | Frank Darabont, David Valdes | |
| Musician | Thomas Newman | |
| Photography | David Tattersall | |
| Packaging | Snap Case |
|---|---|
| Nr Discs | 1 |
| Screen Ratios | Widescreen (1.85:1) |
| Audio Tracks | Dolby Digital 5.1 [English] Dolby Digital 5.1 [German] |
| Subtitles | Arabic | Danish | Dutch | English | English (Closed Captioned) | Finnish | German | Italian | Norwegian | Swedish |
| Distributor | Warner Home Video |
| Layers | Single side, Dual layer |
| Edition Release Date | 2000 |
| Regions | Region 2 |