Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)

Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)

6/10

Starring

John Hurt

Richard Burton

Suzanna Hamilton

Directed by Michael Radford

Nineteen Eighty-Four (or 1984), which was fittingly released in 1984, is a British dystopian science fiction film. Michael Radford wrote the screenplay and directed it, based on George Orwell’s novel of the same name.
Before diving into the movie’s plot, I want to appreciate how Michael Radford adapted this story. If you’ve read the book, the differences are clear, and you might not fully appreciate how the two rebels were caught. Still, Radford pieced it together well. The conspiracy that leads to the two leads being apprehended for their thoughtcrime is deeper in the book than in the movie, but the film still captures the essence.

The movie does a great job depicting Orwell’s world. The relationship between Smith (John Hurt) and Julia (Suzanna Hamilton) is well-portrayed. As we watch Smith dive into his diary, writing down his doubts about the system, you’re left wondering how your own system might be holding you captive.

Set in the future year of 1984 (the book was written in 1949, when Orwell envisioned a world divided into regions), the world has been split into territories. This division leads to constant conflict as each region vies for dominance.
By this point, most of the world’s population has fallen victim to perpetual war, omnipresent government surveillance, and heavy propaganda.

To maintain control over Oceania, the region where the movie is set, history is constantly rewritten. Oceania is under a totalitarian regime, with the Thought Police keeping everyone under constant surveillance. The capital of Oceania is London, where Winston Smith works in a small office cubicle at the Ministry of Truth. His job is to rewrite history to align with the Party’s narrative and its supreme leader, Big Brother.

Smith’s job gives him insight into what’s really going on, and he begins to have doubts. He starts writing his thoughts in a diary. He also notices the attention of a woman named Julia. Love relationships are forbidden in Oceania, but somehow, the two begin a secret affair in a place they believe is safe from prying eyes.

If you’ve read the book, you already know how things unfold. If you haven’t, I recommend watching the movie to see how it all unravels.

The book introduced terms like Big Brother (which has since become a cultural phenomenon), thoughtcrime, Room 101, and 2 + 2 = 5. The movie opens your mind to how the world as we know it can be redefined. The book is incredibly deep, and I highly recommend giving it a read.
I haven’t seen any other adaptations of this book, but I imagine adapting it is no easy task. For that, I applaud Michael Radford for his effort.