Similarity between Shawshank Redemption and Alcatraz

i jus watch escape from alcatraz after seein this discussion ...til dis date i thot SR was da bestt movie ever..but to my shock i felt every minute detail of it had been copied from some other movie...it lost da originallity which i thot it was good at ...tho it was not as entertainin as SR SR was wel made tho!)...it was surely da movie da director must hav had in mind while makin da muvie..sorry to say ...but didnt expect shawshank to b a copied one !

I have heard it said that there are only a limited number of stories to be told. Some movies have come through in so many forms, making the same movie story as a sci fi movie, and a western, and a fantasy. Changing it from modern times to the past. Changing it from one location to another. One book or one real life event can influence many stories or movies. Also just the fact of it being a prison escape movie makes it seem more similar then it really is. I saw Escaper from Alcatraz, but don't remember that the main character was innocent like in Shawshank. And if I recall correctly it was a group of prisoners not just the one, but I may be thinking of a different movie.