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This is a very faithful adaptation of the book as far as it goes. The oppressive, dreary, monotone darkness of Oceania is palpable, as are Winston's emotional swings from dull resignation to vague unfocused rumblings of revolt, to abject terror. The problem is that the movie is just too short and moves too fast. There is insufficient plot and character development for the viewer to really establish a connection with Winston and his mindset, or to truly appreciate the depth of oppression party members experience in Oceania - right down to continually re-writing history and eviscerating the language in efforts to make "thoughtcrime" impossible. Viewers who have read the book recently will have no problem following the movie, but will likely come away feeling that somehow the movie "missed" something. Viewers who read the book years ago will come away feeling that the movie must have left something out altogether. Viewers who have not read (and appreciated) the book will find it pretty rough going. Nonetheless, for true fans of the book, the movie provides a very satisfying visualization of Orwell's story.Read full review
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN... AND MIGHT STILL BE. -- SUPERB PERFORMANCES BY HURT AND BURTON, BOTH ROLES IN OPPOSITION, BOTH STAGGERINGLY COMPELLING. A WAKE-UP FILM FOR EVERY GENERATION WHO THINKS IT COULD NEVER HAPPEN....
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Merely a few days after finishing my read of George Orwell's fantastic 1948 novel "Nineteen Eighty-Four", I was immediately keen on looking to rent the modern film version, "1984" - filmed, appropriately enough, not only during the actual YEAR of 1984, but also during the exact same short span of months that the story took place in. This, to me, is a prime example of perfect, and unbelievably well-timed, brilliance. A picture based on such complex, prophetic, and well-known material could have turned out to be a complete disaster (which it certainly had potential for, judging from the horrendous-looking DVD cover); thankfully, however, I was not disappointed. "1984" is probably one of the most, if not THE most, masterful transitions from book to movie I have ever seen. Easily, its most impressive aspect was its phenomenal accuracy, attention to detail, etc. In other words, this film was FAITHFUL, in every sense of the word, to its source material. One can't give such a statement about films these days. Amazing casting, terrific musical score, and mind-blowing sets, cinematography, and direction, "1984" is surely a unique treasure, and one that still retains the same timeless messages even decades since its release. It is also noteworthy that the lesser known 1956 version of Nineteen Eighty-Four (Directed by Michael Anderson and staring Edmond O'Brien) is also available. This version was well-cast, and the art direction was also competent. Edmund O'Brien turned in a great performance as Winston Smith. I think that he brought a great quality of desperation to the role; which seemed to run contrary to John Hurt's performance. Additionally, some of you may (or may not) be happy to know that there are plans for a 2009 remake of 1984, but not much is known about it other than a short blurb on imbd.Read full review
This purchase went very well. No problems at all ! A well acted nightmare situation ! Many similarities to the current administration, ie closing opportunities for citizens, creating biased laws so that law abiding citizens automatically become criminals... Hmmm scary !
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I truly respect Eric Blair's masterpiece "1984". Although I enjoyed more reading the book, this movie is a well respected adaptation of it. My biggest complain (if you could say so) was that the dystopian future depicted in the story felt more miserable in the book than the one presented in the film. I also fear that some memorable quotes were lost in the movie script. Nevertheless, the whole essence of the novel is portrayed correctly, causing the viewer to be interested in reading the book, or re-read it, as in my case. I wonder if there is a movie of "We" from by Yevgeny Zamyatin...
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