More Hate Than Fear Analysis

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A New Prisoner Experiences ‘More Hate Than Fear’
Adam New

‘More Hate Than Fear’ takes a dispiriting look at prison life, as well as the inequities of the law.

Over the years, prisons have served as great settings for movies. Beloved pictures like ‘The Shawshank Redemption,’ ‘Cool Hand Luke,’ and ‘The Green Mile’ tell the stories of inmates and their struggles of living in custody. Prisoners can make for compelling protagonists. By definition, they have (or are accused of) committing a crime. Therefore, it gives them a reason for finding redemption, setting up their character arc. Stories taking place in prisons can also shed light on interesting subjects, such as corruption of the criminal justice system, psychological issues, or forgiveness and atonement.

‘More Hate Than Fear’ is a 2015 British short film directed by Billy Boyd Cape and written by Molly Manning Walker. Lasting about fifteen minutes, this drama premiered at the British Film Institute and was an official selection at multiple festivals, including the London Short Film Festival. With its bleak tone and its poignant message, ‘More Hate Than Fear’ is a piece that will …show more content…

While he has a hard time at first, he starts creating an unlikely friendship with an older inmate (James Clossick) who has underlying secrets that eventually become known.

As you may expect from a prison drama, ‘More Hate Than Fear’ is a very somber affair. The colors are subdued, the movements are languid, and the background music is sullenly ambient. This is certainly not a feel-good movie. Cape does a tremendous job of conveying the melancholy of the main character and his plight. Viewers will empathize with the character, as he is forced to undergo a harsh punishment for a relatively trivial transgression. In essence, ‘More Hate Than Fear’ emulates the bleakness of prison life

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