ANDY PLAYS MOZART IN SHAWSHANK

This my favorite clip from the classic film 'Shawshank Redemption'. Andy discovers a record of Mozart and playing it causes his spirit to soar out of the confines of the prison he's in. He also can not keep it to himself, but must share this sublime music with the other prisoners,and in doing so, sets them free for a few short moments. This is of course in direct defiance of the powers that be, who try to stop him, and so continue to oppress the prisoners, keeping them in a state of hopelessness. The authorities of course are not truly free themselves, nor do they appreciate the sublime quality of the music.

This reminded me of how Peter and John, having been so captivated by God's Spirit, were prepared to risk punishment, even death, for sharing with others the hope that they had in Christ - saying to the authorities who forbade them: 'Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God.For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.' So it was with Andy in prison, who felt the price of this freedom was worth the punishment he was to receive for both listening to it, as well as sharing it with the others- for the authorities could not ultimately take it away from him.

Quotes from the film

Red: I have no idea to this day what those two Italian ladies were singing about. Truth is, I don't want to know. Some things are better left unsaid. I'd like to think they were singing about something so beautiful, it can't expressed in words, and it makes your heart ache because of it. I tell you, those voices soared higher and farther than anybody in a grey place dares to dream. It was as if some beautiful bird had flapped into our drab little cage and made these walls dissolve away, and for the briefest of moments, every last man in Shawshank felt free.

Andy: Here's where it makes the most sense. You need it so you don't forget. Forget that there are places in the world that aren't made out of stone. That there's a - there's a - there's something inside that's yours, that they can't touch.


Andy: That's the beauty of music. They can't take that away from you.