November. 2011. Poland. Bydgoszcz. Opening night of the festival. Mr Sean Bobbitt walked on stage to introduce 'Shame.' To quote, 'Steve McQueen belongs to me, I found him, he's mine', to a roomful of some of the world's greatest filmmakers and cinematographers he made his strong point to.
The lights dimmed. Bedsheets in disarray - a naked Mr Fassbender in bed. A ticking clock. The music starts. The film begins. After the closing credits, the film lingered in my mind. A month later after going home, I felt it creep up on me, I began watching the trailer again repeatedly like an obsession. The theme music staying with me, keeping me company, especially when I was on the underground, I found myself humming it constantly.
March. 2012. Poland. Lodz. My second screening of 'Shame' had arrived, I was so excited. I especially couldn't wait to see Mr Fassbender jog down the streets of New York and arrive at Madison Square Garden. My friend asked me how I felt after seeing the film again, (both of us fans) it was hard to put into words or even speak about it but the obsession that had been seeded months earlier was only beginning to grow further. Sometimes, a film, a piece of music, a painting, has such a profound effect on you that you think about it constantly and keep it as a reminder in your life repeatedly, well...I do anyway. It's like the old saying goes, 'to stop singing a song, you've got to listen to it.' The months went on and the arrival of 'Shame' on DVD brought yet even more viewings, which cemented the film for me as something really special. I'm not sure I can completely nail it into words why but a truly remarkable film it is.
'Hunger' a film I viewed twice, on TV and DVD, never engaged me like it did as when I watched in November. 2012. Poland. Bydgoszcz on the cinema screen at a midnight screening. A powerful film, unforgettable, strong, brutal, a cinematic piece of brilliance. I look forward to seeing it again.
The conclusion of this post...a friend told me once about his views on 'Hunger' and 'Shame' side by side. How one film is about poverty set in Northern Ireland, the other a wealthy man living in New York, both starring the same actor, the same cinematographer, it's almost as if it's the same character we're watching but at a different stage in their life.
Steve McQueen has proved himself to be a filmmaker with a particular vision, brave and brutal in his storytelling. Allowing the actors time to breathe within the frames and tackling strong themes in a unique way.
What will he do next?
