Hunger is about Bobby Sands (who spoke fluent Irish language and gaeilge) and the hunger strikes of the early 1980’s. You must see this film if you are interested in the political situation in Ireland.
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Yet another Steve McQueen biopic is headed to the big screen. The second one is based on a memo
ir by McQueen’s first wife of 15 years, Neile McQueen Toffel.
The book, “My Husband, My Friend” follows the chronological relationship between McQueen and Toffel, which started in 1956 while Toffel was a Broadway star and on contract at MGM. They had two children and four grandchildren together.
The writing team, Roderick and Bruce Taylor, for the script have complete access to the McQueen estate that is controlled by Toffel, Chad McQueen (son) and Molly Flattery (granddaughter).
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Michael Cerenzie and Christine Peters have secured the cooperation of Steve McQueen’s widow, Barbara Minty and are very close to attaching a director for a big screen biopic of Steve McQueen.
According to Variety, the pair has acquired the rights to Marshall Terrill’s biography “Steve McQueen: Portrait of an American Rebel.” Project will for the most part recount McQueen’s Hollywood career, which began in 1956 when the Indiana native got his break in the movie Somebody Up There Likes Me.
The book was published in paperback in October and delves into McQueen’s love for motorcycles and fast cars. Project will examine his three marriages as well as his battle against lung cancer.
Popularity: 1% [?]
If there is one thing war has produced that is in any way commendable it’s cinema. Indeed, it’s a testament to the poignancy of setting (and lack of imagination of Academy members), that films concern WWII and concentration camps feature heavily in yearly Oscar nominations. For Ireland, it was our own war that has constituted the staple of our recognised national identity. Last year saw The Wind that Shakes the Barley win the Palm D’Or in Cannes, Michael Collins was the country’s largest production, and everything in between has made references to “the Troubles” at some stage. The latest is Hunger, another film that has been receiving plenty of film festival awards. But, like all films set during wars, the question must be asked: is it the context that is affecting, or the film itself?
Hunger tells the tale of the “dirty protests” and hunger strikes that occurred in Northern Ireland’s Maze prison during the 70’s and 80’s. Members of the IRA who were arrested for crimes were protesting for political status, as opposed to being treated as mere criminals, and the British Government were refusing to recognise them. Plot-wise, Hunger is misleading. The film starts with one of the prison’s wardens, attending to his bruised knuckles before starting another day at work in the violent conditions of his prison. But the film turns to a new prisoner, Davey, who shares his cell with another non-conformist, as they smuggles messages to their fellow IRA members and assault the wardens with protests using bodily fluids. But then the film turns to its protagonist, Bobby Sands, the man who died in a hunger strike for his rights.
Directed by Steve (not THE) McQueen, this directorial debut has all the hallmarks of an artist’s installation and all the problems of a visual artist unable to handle cinematic narrative. Read the rest of this entry »
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