Nineteen Eighty-Four [DVD] [1984]

George Orwell wrote the prophetic words "Freedom is the right to say two plus two equals four" in his novel 1984, a right denied to the people by the fictional government of his book. Many readers drew parallels between the Ingsoc dominated Oceania to Soviet Russia, an analog that remained true until the collapse of the Eastern Bloc. Today, however, the right to state a simple truth is also threatened and a number of precepts from 1984 appear to apply. Consider "Who controls the past controls the future", the function of the Ministry of Truth where the main protagonist Winston Smith works editing the documented past to support the will of the government in the name of democracy and freedom. Ring any bells?

This movie version (and there've been a few) is in my opinion the most complete version painting an horrific picture of an oppressed distrusted people dominated by a brutal self-serving government. Richard Burton in his last role portrays an Ingsoc inner-party member, the inside man to John Hurt's "Winston Smith". Both excel in their roles, they're believable, real, and in Burton's case truly terrifying. Suzanna Hamilton plays the part of Julia, Winston's lover and ultimately the tool of his demise. There are some specifically disturbing scenes in this portrayal, notably the torture of Winston Smith - if ever John Hurt deserved an Oscar, it should have been for 1984.

The movie is one of those pictures that you just can't stop, but are unsure that you can bear to see what happens next. The performances were stunning, the production dark and consistent, the movie a dreadful vision of what could have been, and as every right we enjoy is eroded, could still be.

1984 still stands as important literature for the 21st century and this movie version stands as the definitive version, standing as both an education and a warning.

And remember, if there is hope, it lies with the proles, the real people.

George Orwell’s unforgettable vision of the future written in 1949 is one of the great 20th century masterpieces, and this film does a superb job of realising it on the screen.

John Hurt brilliantly portrays Winstone Smith’s silent inner rebellion against the Big Brother regime and its stated goals to destroy human feelings by destroying the family, to destroy communication by the destruction of the language, so people become little more than automatons, all overseen by the thought police. His forbidden love affair with Smith’s Julia (Suzanna Hamilton) encapsulates their rebellion beautifully.

Then there is Richard Burton as the inquisitor O’Brien who brain washes Winstone, giving one of the performances of his life. After "1984" Burton filmed “Wagner” (another magnificent performance) two isolated instances of him achieving on film his true potential, ironically just before dying by the end of the year.

The settings are exactly as described in the book, dark, stark, dirty and oppressive. Watching the film one can well believe O’Brien when he says to Winstone “if you want a vision of the future imagine a boot forever stamping on a human face”.

The more arcane aspect of the destruction of language and the development of “Newspeak” is given as much prominence as is commensurate with dramatic necessity.

This production sets a definitive standard for filming “1984” and is a must for all lovers of the book.

Naturally any film media can not place the entire book on the screen with maybe the exception of "Hamlet" (1996). With anything less than a mini-series. Second is it the story or the philosophy that needs to be transmitted? If you are lucky you get both.

In this case we are lucky because both the basic story and the basic philosophy were transmitted in this movie. An added plus, you could say double plus good, was the portraying the environment as a period piece as described in the book and not as some modern version. The story "1984" was envisioned in 1948.

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In a society that has eliminated many imbalances, surplus goods, and even class struggle, there are bound to be deviates; Winston Smith (John Hurt) is one of those. He starts out, due to his inability to doublethink, with thoughtcrime. This is in a society that believes a thought is as real as the deed. Eventually he graduates through a series of misdemeanors to illicit sex (Suzanna Hamilton) and with the help of an encouraging inter party member (Richard Burton) even plans to overthrow the very government that took him in as an orphan.

If he gets caught, he will be sent to the "Ministry of Love" where they have a record of 100% cures for this sort of insanity. They will even forgive his past indiscretions.

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This version is a little more graphic than the other two earlier commercial movies. However each movie version brings a different emphasis on this classic story. There is a 2007 version in the works

Read a review of the book "1984" by George Orwell. The movie can stand on its own merit, but knowledge of the book will help fill in the gaps and explain the inferences. Better actors could not have been picked. Richard Burton is in his element.

Many people think this is happening today.