Stills

A few weeks ago I was recommended to watch the film ‘Hunger’, directed by Steve McQueen. Set during the 1981 IRA hunger strikes, it portrays life within prisons during these times. This film study captures the sickening environment in which prisoners were forced to live in. Steve McQueen uses very little music within the film, using the human gestures and body movements to portray the story, emphasising the simplest of noises. The lack of dialogue throughout the first half of the film is effective, allowing the audience to understand what’s happening through other ways. At one point there is continuous dialogue for just over 15minutes, with no cuts or edits, simple furniture and lighting, allowing the audience to focus solely on the dialogue (which is what McQueen clearly wanted). The use of space is reflected really well through the different camera angles; for example when the camera lunges in and out of the characters body in time with his breathing and body movements, it made me feel like I was struggling to breath like he was in the scene. Above are some stills from the film. It’s awesome and I definitely advise watching it.