MovieChat Forums > Hunger (2008) Discussion > Prisoners trashed the new rooms. Why?

Prisoners trashed the new rooms. Why?

posted 11 years ago by linda10989
8 replies | jump to latest

When the prisoners were waiting for their cells to be cleaned, why did they destroy the new rooms?

[–] Hayley7 11 years ago

I thought the same in the beginning about the poo on the walls... I mean, they're the ones who have to live in those rooms, not the guards, so why do that to yourself?

I don't know an "official" answer... but my guess is that it was all just part of the protest and rejection of everything around them... trying to disrupt anything they could in an effort to have some control... any annoyance or anarchy they could cause (even if only tiny) was a victory for them

[–] philipk2012 10 years ago

Prisoners refused to wear the uniforms in protest as they felt they were prisoners of war not criminals. The British government refused to back down and prison guards soon refused to let the blanket protesters use the toilets without putting on uniforms. The prisoners refused, and instead began to defecate within their own cells, smearing excrement on the walls. This began the "dirty protest".

[–] shewasmyrushmore 11 years ago

i think you are talking about when they were given 'civilian style' clothes to wear? - they were told a deal had been reached and they could wear civilian clothes, which was one of the five points they had been protesting about.

they were then not given their clothes, and realised they had been fooled regarding the deal.

so they returned to the protest - which was to not muck out, hence the dirty protest started again.

[–] linda10989 11 years ago

I only saw the movie once (probably won't watch it again as it was too intense) but weren't there clothes on the beds for them to wear?

[–] shewasmyrushmore 11 years ago

yes there were clothes - but they were basically just another uniform in another guise. 'civilian style clothes' provided by the prison service.

they were fighting to wear their own clothes as they were arguing that they were prisoners of war, not criminals.

the english pretended to reach a deal with them, but in reality just gave them another prison provided uniform.

this was one of five points they were protesting about.

[–] iretos 11 years ago

I wonder if you (and others) actually watched the movie. It was even written at the beginning. Before arriving at the hunger strike, the IRA prisoners put into action a "dirty strike", refusing to wash, to shave and 'painting' their cells with their extrements. And then they did a "blanket strike", refusing to wear the prison uniform and also the dresses provided in a second time. They didn't "destroy the new rooms", they were protesting again because their requests were not fulfilled.

[–] dcarolcole 10 years ago

One of those movies you need to read the history its based on or at least watch the extras to fully understand what your watching if you're not already familiar with the events that took place.

[–] bigmal (93) 7 years ago

The clothes were a trick played on them by the officers, they gave the prisoners golfing clothes so they would look ridiculous, you can hear the laughter from the guards as they were handed out. Sands realizes this is a piss take and starts to trash his cell which was a sign for the others to do the same as well.