Watch Hunger

Hunger is a powerful and intense Swedish film from 1966, directed by Henning Carlsen, and based on the famous novel of the same name by Norwegian author Knut Hamsun. The movie tells the story of a young and starving writer living in Christiania (now Oslo) at the end of the 19th century, struggling to survive and preserve his artistic integrity in a society that doesn't care about him.

Per Oscarsson gives a superb performance in the lead role of the writer, whose name is not revealed, but who represents Hamsun's own experiences of poverty and humiliation before he became a renowned author. Oscarsson's face and eyes convey a wide range of emotions, from desperation and anger to joy and madness, as he wanders the streets, eats scraps of food, and dreams of being published. He speaks in a monologue, sharing his thoughts on literature, society, and himself, and sometimes has hallucinations and fantasies that blur the line between reality and imagination.

Gunnel Lindblom and Birgitte Federspiel complete the cast as two of the few women who interact with the writer, both with different attitudes towards him. Lindblom plays a lady with whom he has a brief affair, but who ultimately rejects him for being too poor and needy. Federspiel plays a gentle and sympathetic landlady who tries to help him as much as she can, but who also has her limits and prejudices.

The movie is shot in black and white, with a realistic and gritty style that portrays the poverty and decay of Christiania in detail. Carlsen and his cinematographer Henning Kristiansen use handheld cameras, natural light, and long takes to create a sense of immediacy and intimacy, as if we were following the writer in his everyday struggles. The sound design is also remarkable, with a minimalistic and haunting score by Krzysztof Komeda, and a mix of diegetic and non-diegetic sounds that enhance the surrealism and tension of some scenes.

Hunger is a bleak and uncompromising movie, without easy answers or happy endings. It exposes the harsh reality of being an artist in a society that values money and conformity above all, and that expects individuals to obey its rules and conventions. The writer's hunger is not only physical, but also spiritual and intellectual, as he craves recognition, love, and freedom, but is constantly denied them by his own weaknesses and the injustices of the world. However, the movie is also a testimony of resilience and creativity, as the writer never gives up his passion for writing, even when he is at his lowest point. His hunger becomes a metaphor for the human condition itself, as we all strive for meaning and identity in a world that often dehumanizes us.

In conclusion, Hunger is a masterpiece of Scandinavian cinema, a film that challenges us to empathize with the struggles of the outsider and the artist, and that reminds us of the importance of compassion and imagination in our lives. It may not be an easy or enjoyable movie to watch, but it is a necessary and rewarding one, that leaves a lasting impression on its viewers.

Hunger is a 1966 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 51 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.7.