Letterboxd, Hiddleston was asked about his four favorite films, and coincidentally, one of them was a King adaptation. The actor, who is playing the lead role in Mike Flanagan’s Stephen King adaptation “The Life of Chuck,” mentioned a film that is sure to evoke some tears from audience members (not me, though — I’m tough as nails). It’s a movie that features warm beer, Rita Hayworth, and a rock that has no earthly business in a Maine hayfield.
Hiddleston’s last entry was Frank Darabont’s 1994 film, “The Shawshank Redemption.” He admitted, “I have thought about that film. It has inspired me so many times. It’s a film I return to. It made a big dent in my heart and soul when I was young, and it’s continued to do that.”
He’s not alone. Even after over 30 years, the emotional draw of “The Shawshank Redemption” is the reason it still holds the number one spot among the greatest movies of all time according to IMDb, despite its initial reception when it first bombed in theaters. Of course, it gained a second life upon video release and is guaranteed to be found on at least one TV channel on Earth at any time (well, it feels like it). But what is it about Darabont’s masterpiece that Hiddleston loves? Coincidentally, it’s the same core elements that “The Life of Chuck” possesses.
