1984

Michael Radford's film adaptation of George Orwell's dystopian classic—the second big screen version of the 1949 novel—was released, appropriately enough, in 1984. John Hurt stars as Winston Smith, a shuffling, almost lifeless proletariat rewriting history to serve the purposes of the totalitarian government ("Big Brother"), but he privately rebels in forbidden activities, such as keeping a secret diary and engaging in a tender affair with Julia (Suzanna Hamilton). Richard Burton (in his final screen role) is brilliant as the government interrogator O'Brien, who uses torture and terror to break Smith and make him betray his lover and his own free will. Faithful to both the story and spirit of the novel—a savage indictment of totalitarianism and Soviet Communism—the film presents a gray, grimy world in which dead-eyed, joyless citizens parrot the party line while enduring a life of propaganda broadcasts and privation. Winston's emaciated frame and hacking cough suggest malnutrition (not helped by the cold damp of his shabby room), while the retro-technology (dial phones and pneumatic tubes) suggests a future of creative stasis. Even if Radford never fully captures the devastating ordeal of mental and physical torture of Orwell's novel, this remains an admirable effort and its portrait of language and propaganda being used to manipulate citizens is as timely now as it was in 1949 and 1984. Presented in a new 4K transfer, extras include new interviews with Radford, cinematographer Roger Deakins, and author David Ryan (George Orwell on Screen), as well as behind-the-scenes footage, a choice between two soundtracks (the original orchestral score by Dominic Muldowney and a hybrid featuring electronic music and songs by the Eurythmics), and a booklet with an essay by writer A.L. Kennedy. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)