Monday 19 October 2009

Deeply powerful film

I watched Hunger last night for the first time. In hindsight, it was probably not a Sunday night film. But then, I'm not sure what night of the week it would fit into.

Unfortunately I had no previous knowledge of the 1981 IRA prison hunger strike and have very little general knowledge of the plight in Northern Ireland during the time. So getting into the film was a bit difficult in that aspect.

Also, the film is more about art and cinematography than exciting script and history. With long shots and very little dialogue, it's extremely difficult to get into. However, if you make it past the 30 minute mark you should be proud of yourself and in for a real treat.

The film is heartbreaking and moving. It's difficult not to feel empathy for both the inmates and the prison guards - which is interesting as most story-lines will show the viewer a good guy and a bad guy. This movie is about human strength and belief, and the extreme situations people can be placed in and how they cope.

After the no-wash protest at Maze Prison has lasted for four years with no avail (the inmates want to wear civilian clothes rather than prison uniforms and end up naked with blankets) Bobby Sands leads the inmates in a hunger strike. The actor, Michael Fassbender, actually starved himself to portray the character in a real light. Now that's dedication.

The director of this film is the young British artist, Steve McQueen. He has done a beautiful, albeit slow, job with this film. It truly is art and he has a great eye for detail and poignant shots.

I would probably never get myself to watch this film again (the imagery can really burn into your brain) however I've now discovered a keen interest in the IRA in the 70s/80s and want to follow-up with a book about the subject. If a movie can do that for you, it's got to mean something good. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in film noire.

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