1984
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Movie Reviews of 1984
Movie Review: Dark and Grim Story
Summary: 5 Stars
I read the powerful and compelling novel "1984" in the late 1970s and I eagerly welcomed the film adaptation of the book. Watching the movie in 1984, I was thrilled by the way it brought to life the dark and grim story of life in Oceania.
The movie relates the story of Winston Smith (wonderfully played by John Hurt) who is unfortunate enough to live in the London of Oceania. For convinience, he is a member of the ruling party. He has to go through the motions to survive in a country where the party has total monopoly of power. He is daily exposed (and unwillingly participates) to the lies that are the daily bread for the people. His job at the Ministry of Information involves tampering with history and changing facts to fit the will of the party with absolutely no regard to reality.
This is a deeply disturbing film especially in view of the fact that there are people to this very day who live in circumstances not too far removed from that depicted in the movie, where Big Brother is always watching and where people are not expected to think for themselves and the umwritten party slogan is "Ignorance is Strength; Freedom is Slavery".
The atmosphere in the film is stiff to reflect the dark story in a stinky and dingy London. One sees bombed out builbings creating a desolate and hopeless atmosphere. The constant shortages of basic necessities of life and endless propaganda seal the misery and doom for the hapless people of Oceania.
In summary, an outstanding film with excellent acting and powerful and compelling message about the evils of communism and fascism.
Movie Review: The truth shall enslave you.....
Summary: 5 Stars
I was finally able to find this for rental and gave it a look with great enthusiasm as this is one of my favorite novels. As this is a most talked about and studied novel what I say may not be news to anyone. This is a great story about the evils of controlled media, the consequences of chaos in society, and the defiance of enforced solidarity. Everyone knows the story of Winston Smith, a clerk serving in the Ministry of Truth whose function is the fabrication of propaganda that is broadcast throughout the land of Oceania. Ironically, as Winston weaves the yarns of the ever refining past, he remembers that the facts were quite different at one time. This is thought-crime, a newspeak term for remembering past events. One must overide thought-crime with doublethink, to forget the past and accept the facts being told, but Winston struggles with this concept. Winston also realizes that his struggle is not only known to himself as the dread thought police and citezenry are quick to pick up on the unorthodox actions one perpetuates in thought-crime. Even his visits to the prole quarters would furrow the brow of any thought-police agent. His suspicions become paramount when a young woman keeps appearing in his wayward whereabouts. One day she "trips" and he helps her up. When he takes her hand she slyly slips a love note into his hand. This begins a secret relationship between the two that Oceanic society is working hard to abolish through the anti-sex league and community meetings. This is the crime of "own-life", or the act of forming personal relationships outside of the solidarity of society. After many lusty and secretive meetings above a junk shop in the prole area, the two are busted by means of a hidden telescreen behind an engraved picture on the wall. A trip to the Ministry of Love, where all concept of time is dissolved and a cure rate of clients is boasted at a 100% rate, brutally dissolves their relationship of one another and re-establishes their devotion to society and the love of "Big Brother" (the benevolent leader wich no one is sure lives, but worship him anyway!). All throughout the film you will understand the super media saturation in Oceania as nobody is not within earshot of the increasing lies broadcast via telescreen. You almost feel the oppression of it all as the scenarios are all filthy and delapitated, save for the beutiful meadows of the forests of Oceania that constantly find their way into Winstons dreams and imaginations. This film encompassed all the good points of the book but it's still wise to read the novel first. As contradictary as 2+2=5 and that four fingers is five, this movie will definetely leave an impression (as a boot stamping on a human face forever) that the truth shall enslave you....... Movie Review: The Truth Suppressed - Again
Summary: 5 Stars
Yeah, a masterpiece. As noted by many, 1984 is a brilliant screen adaptation of a seminal text. Most impressive is its incisive attention to detail (the film exhibits some of most masterfully created sets and costuming ever - Winston's coveralls say it all - soundtrack, editing, et al.). Further, the film is devoutly faithful to its terrifyingly prescient source. No paltry feat. Further, the acting is not merely uniformly excellent, but notable. Richard Burton's swan song performance as O'Brien was worthy of a posthumous Oscar - capturing the duplicitous depths - and Hurt is perfectly cast as Winston.
Well, then? How many people actually have seen the film - which - in my opinion was the best of the crop that year (I actually saw it within weeks of its release in Los Angeles on the big screen, on an evening where it played to a half-empty theatre). I thought it was great. But then, again, I voted against Reagan.
I was amazed how short 1984's actual run in the theatres was. The loud and brassy Terminator was a much bigger hit. I am as yet amazed at the overwhelming price tag on the DVD. But . . . I am since better educated. No mistake why the film was made in 1984 . . . it simply happened to coincide with the period when John Poindexter and other extremists in the American intelligence community were laying the foundations for the controversial programs of the NSA and CIA as they are today. My claim is that the film has been supressed - on the assumption that most Americans who haven't read the book - and actually, unfortunately that is most - won't.
But, none should feel deprived - we're experiencing the whole story right now.
Movie Review: DoublePlus Good!
Summary: 5 Stars
I have "The Book", the audio cd and recently got the DVD. The movie is a great adaptation of the book and puts good faces and settings in your mind when you re-visit the book. You can tell that the movie was inspired by a person who really has the feel of the story. You can actually feel the chill in the air when you watch this. It's a little spendy but the DVD is rare and well worth the money, especially for any die hard Orwell fan.Movie Review: Grimly authentic adaptation
Summary: 5 Stars
I found this to be an excellent adaptation of Orwell's classic dystopian novel - mainly due to superb performances from John Hurt as Winston and Richard Burton as O'Brien. The film succeeds in capturing the bleak vision of the novel, a society in which the 20th century developments in technology and mass media lead to the extinction of every value, including love, loyalty and even the very idea of objective truth. A nightmarish world where the will to power triumphs over the human spirit, perfectly played out by a coldly evil Burton (in his last role) and a (literally) tortured John Hurt.