Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 11/13/2007 Run time: 169 minutes Rating: R

"The book was better" has been the complaint of many a reader since the invention of movies. Frank Darabont's second adaptation of a Stephen King prison drama (The Shawshank Redemption was the first) 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 movie 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

On the DVD

Listen to our interview with Frank Darabont.

This is my favorite movie and I was so disappointed that disc two was the same as disc one only the cover was labeled as disc two

I can't believe people are saying horrible things about this movie. I guess it's because they don't want to uh...what's that word? oh yeah, THINK! And this movie is worth putting a lot of thought into. For all you people who didn't know, John Coffey was trying to bring back the little girls to life, ["I tried to take it back"] he probably was wandering out in the woods and he saw them. And he had to do that locust/bug thing with his mouth to show you what he does to the bad stuff he takes out. If you actually take the time and UNDERSTAND the movie, you wouldn't think it sucks so much. In fact, it has now become one of my favorite movies to watch over and over. You might even learn something from it.

This is a classic movie and I just had to get it on DVD, I already have it video and they wear out. A must own movie!!!

The "Green Mile" is a triumph as an incredible story and an incredible movie that tells that story. The actors all share equally in the strength and emotional impact of the storytelling. Tom Hanks is ostensibly the lead character, but you feel that all of the characters are critical to the story; even one tiny mouse. I won't go into the plot or setting of the story because the movie needs to be seen to do either of them justice. I will say that I have seen this movie in the theater, on VHS several times and now on DVD. Each time it has delivered a deep and emotional experience. I originally read the serial presentation of the "Green Mile" in the six little mini-books that Stephen King decided to write. They were outstanding and the movie is just as good. This cannot be said for most of Stephen King's book to movie translations. (Exceptions; "Shawshank Redemption", "Hearts in Atlantis" and "Stand By Me")

This DVD is a worthy purchase because of the great picture, sound and extra features the VHS never had.

That it should've been, at least. But let's start at the beginning, which is, I might add, terribly slow. A lot of time passes before something actually happens. King & Darabont use this time to carefully put their chess pieces in place before making their move in the last 60 minutes or so. There's a host of details during the first 2/3s that later become significant. And since I'm not one of those who need to see fireworks of action and suspense from the first instant of a movie, that's fine with me. After all, the pace increases considerably during the course of the movie. Some of these aforementioned details are so predictable that I could guess the next turn of events half an hour in advance. And that's never a good thing. The last hour, however, makes up for a lot of the film's former trappings. There's no arguing that the solution is quite touching. So finally, a movie worth watching, but there were still a few things that bugged me. First, I would've liked to know more about the inmates as murderers, which I guess they were supposed to be. (You never notice, though.) In the way they're portrayed, these are good, righteous people that are good friends with the wardens, love a cute mouse and are generally lovable. So- why are they in death row anyway? I understand the novel shed some light on this, and the film could've certainly needed some of this other side of the story to avoid some of the schmaltz. Second, isn't this prison just lovely? I mean, it seems like a camping tour at some points. If death row is like that, I want to be in it! If The Green Mile was supposed to make any statement about the right or wrong of the death sentence, you'd better watch Dead Man Walking to form your own opinion instead of being manipulated into believing that all killers ultimately become nice people once they're in Our Favorite Death Row. It works for tearjerking, but not for discussion of that subject. But, mind you, I couldn't help being manipulated myself- and it worked. I was genuinely moved at the end and, despite the occasional predictability, the story had its clever moments. So, it was an OK movie, at times even a bit more, but it sure didn't deserve its Best Picture nomination at the Oscars, and it sure can't hold a candle to King's and Darabont's first joint venture, the brilliant The Shawshank Redemption.