Holly's Secret Garden

談「刺激1995」的主題: 救贖

「刺激1995」的英文片名是The Shawshank Redemption。中文應翻成「沙堡監獄救贖記」，Shawshank是一座監獄的名字，而Redemption是救贖，具宗教意涵，指的是透過耶穌基督的犧牲受難，讓罪人得以洗滌罪惡，得到新的生命。中文翻成「刺激1995」，是因為在台灣上映的時間是1995年，但這是不貼切的翻法。片名乍看之下會讓人誤以為是槍林彈雨的動作片，但實際上講的是一個銀行家Andy，被誣告殺妻而遭終身監禁的故事。根據Stephen King的短篇小說改編，全片以監牢為場景，不須任何美麗的女主角來襯托，就能深深感動觀眾，可見故事之張力及演員之功力。

主角Andy (Tim Robbins提姆羅賓斯飾演)對未來總是抱持著無限的希望，並堅持自己的信念，努力去達成它。他善用自己的專長來為牢友們爭取權益，包括在陽光下享受一瓶啤酒的滋味；讓莫札特的音樂在空氣中盪開，滋潤枯槁的心靈；以及不斷寫信陳情，讓監獄圖書館成立等。憑著信念與毅力，他得到了忠誠的友誼，也讓自己成功地越獄，以另一個新的身分重新過新的生活。所以本片的救贖(redemption)，包含了兩個層面，一來是指Andy就如同無罪的耶穌。他的入獄等同於耶穌的降臨人世；他在監獄所受的苦，相當於耶穌為莫須有的罪名背負十字架的苦；而他為牢友爭取人性的尊嚴，亦是呼應著耶穌利益眾生的慈悲善行。所以第一層面的救贖對象是Andy的獄友，他們的精神生活因他的慈悲心而受惠。以下列舉片之對白，印證Andy對獄友們所做的救贖。

首先觀察到他不凡的氣度與儀態的，是一位叫做Red(Morgan Freeman摩根弗里曼飾演)的資深受刑人，他後來成了Andy的摯友。在他眼裏，Andy 是一位高深莫測，從容鎮定的奇人，和監獄這樣的地方顯得格格不入:”He had a quiet way about him, a walk and a talk that just wasn't normal around here. He strolled like a man in a park without a care or worry. Like he had on an invisible coat that would shield him from this place.” 他在片尾對Andy的評論，和此處互相呼應，凸顯Andy是如此出類拔萃之人物，如羽翼絢爛的鳥兒，不能被拘禁在監獄這種狹小的籠中: “some birds aren't meant to be caged, that's all. Their feathers are just too bright...”Andy讓大家震驚的第一樁事蹟，就是冒險為獄友爭取喝啤酒，享受自由滋味的那一幕。他自願幫看守員填寫表格，免除遺產稅，開出的條件是讓每位獄友喝三瓶啤酒:

“I'll write down the forms you need ... nearly free of charge. I'd only ask three beers apiece for my co-workers, if that seems fair.””co-worker”這個字是耐人尋味的。它表示Andy並不歧視其他罪犯，不認為他們是下流的異類；相反地，他視他們為一般人，須要被尊重。就如Red的旁白所述，他做此事的目的不是想討好看守員或爭取獄中的友情，而是想讓大家感覺到自己是正常人，哪怕只有短暫的一刻! “You could argue he'd done it to curry favor with the guards. Or maybe make a few friends among us cons. Me, I think he did it just to feel normal again...if only for a short while.”

另外令人動容的一幕是Andy寧願被懲罰，也要讓優美的音樂傳送到牢房的每一角落。當他在捐贈的唱片中發現了莫札特的”費加洛婚禮”時，心中的狂喜，猶如朝聖者發現了聖杯一般，於是立刻抓住機會，利用廣播系統放送，讓大家享有片刻的心靈自由，這段從天而降的美妙樂音，像Red所述，「如美麗的鳥兒，展翅飛入死氣沉沉的的監獄中，剎那間圍牆瓦解了，而每個人都感受到了自由」: “like some beautiful bird flapped into our drab little cage and made these walls dissolve away...and for the briefest of moments – every last man at Shawshank felt free.” Andy為此付出的代價是被關入隔離室兩星期，但他無怨無悔，即使被抓，也還展露出勝利的微笑! 為了豐富受刑人的精神生活，他不斷寫信陳情，起初一星期一封信，歷時六年，參議院不勝其擾，只好寄來兩百元的支票及一批書籍，想就此了結他的煩擾。但他要的不只有零星的書籍及唱片而已，他要一坐圖書館，裏面能有豐富的藏書。所以他下定決心，從此一星期兩封信，年年陳情，終於實現了他的夢想。透過書籍，受刑人的心靈可獲得安慰，也可真正的懺悔過往所作的惡行，達到淨化自我的目的。Andy為獄友所付出的一切，像耶穌為世人所奉獻的一樣，非常高貴而神聖。

受刑人因Andy而得到救贖，他自己也靠著信念(faith)得到救贖。他和Red之間發人深省的對話，足以證明他是一位勇敢無懼的強者。Red感嘆自己經過長年的監禁後，已經成了體制化的人，無法在監獄外生存，Andy卻認為他低估了自己:

Red: “I couldn't hack it on the outside. Been in here too long.
I'm an institutional man now.”

Andy: You underestimate yourself.

當Andy談到未來想要在墨西哥海邊經營旅館，享受藍天、海水、遊艇的自由時，Red規勸他及早放棄這種不切實際的念頭。但他說了一句極富深意的話: 「人生到頭來只是一個很簡單的抉擇:不是忙著生就是忙著死。」 “I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy living or get busy dying.”他在逃獄成功後寫給Red的信中，強調希望(hope)的重要。「希望是美好的事物，也許可稱得上是世上最美好的事物。而美好的事物是不朽的!」 “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” 受到Andy的鼓舞， Red最後終於鼓起勇氣，越過邊界去尋找他的摯友，共創新的人生: “I hope I can make it across the
border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.” Red重覆說著希望(hope)一字，可見它是推動新生命的力量。Andy因抱持著希望，讓自己熬過二十年監牢的迫害。當他爬過一層層通道奔向自由，見到天日的那一刻，他的生命得到了救贖。這一幕拍的極為震撼而感人。在下著傾盆大雨的夜晚，他爬過糞坑汙池，拼命的匍匐向前。爬出地道之時，他跪在地上，張開雙臂，臉上淌滿著欣喜的淚水和雨水，迎接著自由時刻的到來。他脫掉沾滿汙穢的囚衣，正象徵著擺脫監獄的腐敗墮落。張開的雙臂，宣告著寬廣世界的到來。此時的雨水是甘露，是洗滌汙穢、滋潤心靈的良藥。Red的旁白，為此幕下了最好的註解，也為全劇的救贖主題劃下完美的句點: 為得到救贖，Andy必須爬越汙穢之河，才能來到乾淨的彼岸，太平洋!

“Andy Dufresne, who crawled through a river of shit and came out clean on the other side. Andy Dufresne, headed for the Pacific.”

Here are the two impressive scenes in this film:

Dear Red,

If you're reading this, you've gotten out. And if you've come this far, maybe you're willing to come a little further. You remember the name of the town, don't you? I could use a good man to help me get my project on wheels. I'll keep an eye out for you and the chessboard ready. Remember, Red. Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. I will be hoping that this letter finds you, and finds you well.

Your friend, Andy

Think you'll ever get out of here?
RED
Sure. When I got a long white beard
and about three marbles left
rolling around upstairs.

ANDY
Tell you where I'd go. Zihuatanejo.
RED
Zihuatanejo?
ANDY
much to want. To look at the stars
just after sunset. Touch the sand.
Wade in the water. Feel free.
RED
Goddamn it, Andy, stop! Don't do
that to yourself! Talking shitty

Mexico. Little place right on the
Pacific. You know what the Mexicans
say about the Pacific? They say it
has no memory. That's where I'd
like to finish out my life, Red. A
warm place with no memory. Open a
little hotel right on the beach.
Buy some worthless old boat and fix
it up like new. Take my guests out
charter fishing.
(beat)
You know, a place like that, I'd
need a man who can get things.
[Red stares at Andy, laughs. ]
RED
Jesus, Andy. I couldn't hack it on
the outside. Been in here too long.
I'm an institutional man now. Like
old Brooks Hatlen was.
ANDY
You underestimate yourself.
-
RED
Bullshit. In here I'm the guy who
can get it for you. Out there, all
you need are Yellow Pages. I
wouldn't know where to begin.
(derisive snort)
Pacific Ocean? Hell. Like to scare
me to death, somethin' that big.
ANDY
Not me. I didn't shoot my wife and
I didn't shoot her lover, and
whatever mistakes I made I've paid
for and then some. That hotel and
that boat...I don't think it's too

pipedreams! Mexico's down there,
and you're in here, and that's the
way it is!
ANDY
You're right. It's down there, and
I'm in here. I guess it comes down
to a simple choice, really. Get
busy living or get busy dying.