1984 (1984)

In a totalitarian future society, a man, whose daily work is re-writing history, tries to rebel by falling in love.

Director:

Michael Radford

Writers:

George Orwell (novel), Michael Radford

Stars:

John Hurt, Richard Burton, Suzanna Hamilton

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 5 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Hurt	...	Winston Smith
Richard Burton	...	O'Brien
Suzanna Hamilton	...	Julia
Cyril Cusack	...	Charrington
Gregor Fisher	...	Parsons
James Walker	...	Syme
Andrew Wilde	...	Tillotson
David Trevena	...	Tillotson's Friend
David Cann	...	Martin
Anthony Benson	...	Jones
Peter Frye	...	Rutherford
Roger Lloyd Pack	...	Waiter
Rupert Baderman	...	Winston Smith as a Boy
Corinna Seddon	...	Winston's Mother
Martha Parsey	...	Winston's Sister

Storyline

In the year 1984, rocket bombs and rats prey on the inhabitants of the crumbling metropolis of London. Far away on the Malabar Front, a seemingly interminable war rages against Eastasia. The Ministry of Truth broadcasts ceaselessly to the population via its inescapable network of telescreens. These devices, which pervade all aspects of peoples' lives, are also capable of monitoring their every word and action. They form part of an elaborate surveillance system used by the Ministry of Love, and its dreaded Agents, the "Thought Police", to serve their singular goal: the elimination of "thoughtcrime". Winston Smith is a Party worker, part of the vast social caste known as the "Outer Party", the rank and file of the sprawling apparatus of government. Winston works in the Records Department of the Ministry of Truth, the section charged with modifying historical news archives for consistency. When by chance, Winston uncovers incontrovertible proof that the Party is lying, he embarks on a ...

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Plot Keywords:

dystopia | totalitarianism | invented language | year in title | politics | 

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Taglines:

The year of the movie. The movie of the year.

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Genres:

Drama | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 March 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

1984

Filming Locations:

RAF Hullavington, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

GBP3,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$29,897, 16 December 1984

Gross USA:

$8,430,492

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$8,430,492

Company Credits

Production Co:

Umbrella-Rosenblum Films Production, Virgin Benelux, Virgin Schallplatten

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Alexandra Palace, London, was built in 1873 as a "pleasure palace of the people", and named after the Princess of Wales. It was destroyed by a fire two weeks after opening. The present building was built in 1875, and lasted a bit longer. It was gutted by fire in 1980, and the roofless shell provided the structure for the rallies in Victory Square.

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Goofs

At the end of the movie, Winston is sitting in the Chestnut Tree Café (acute accent over the e). In the book (before there were accent marks), it was Cafe. Also, given what society was like in movie, Café feels wrong.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Big Brother: [voice-over] This is our land. A land of peace and of plenty. A land of harmony and hope. This is our land. Oceania. These are our people. The workers, the strivers, the builders. These are our people. The builders of our world, struggling, fighting, bleeding, dying. On the streets of our cities and on the far-flung battlefields. Fighting against the mutilation of our hopes and dreams. Who are they?

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Crazy Credits

After the end credits finish and the screen goes black, the monotonous end-title music keeps droning on for nine more minutes.

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Alternate Versions

The original theatrical release was shown in desaturated color, enhancing the dystopian tone of the film. Later video and TV versions have been shown in truer, "natural" color.

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Connections

Referenced in Rifftrax Shorts: Kitty Cleans Up (2008)

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Soundtracks

Oceania,'Tis For Thee
Music by Dominic Muldowney
Lyrics by Jonathan Gems
Sung by the London Voices, directed by Terry Edwards
Soprano soloist: Sally Mates
Contralto soloist: Linda Hirst
Conducted by Dominic Muldowney

User Reviews

Trust no government.

So you feel like renting a movie. After a slow drive to the video store in which you try to avoid the police from extorting you, you enter a video store with enough security cameras to see parts of you that you've never seen. You would rent some porno but today you'll be paying in credit card and you sure don't want that census taker knowing you've seen all 50 volumes of clamlappers. So instead you rent 1984. The zit face behind the counter scan your card and instantly your personal information and spending history is all over the internet. When you get back home you pop in the tape, you would have a joint, but the government has decided that pot isn't in your best intrest. Neither is beer, cigarettes, fatty foods, caffine, red meat, abortions, pornography,flag burning, sex in general or any of the other things you use to enjoy. You sit down to watch your movie and relax the rest of the night when storm trooper-like police bust down your door and carry you away. Seems renting 1984 set off an alarm in all local police computers and got you on the thought police's wanted list. You should know better then to oppose your government in any way, shape, or form. You would fight back but all those gun laws eventually equled up to a ban on the second amendment. Sound like an impossible world? Sounds fictional? Watch it then take a look at the world around you. Your half way there. Enjoy what freedoms you have left before they're gone. I'm sure one day this movie will be considered illegal.