Underplayed Gems

Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)

Nineteen Eighty-Four poster
Directed by
Michael Radford
Genre
drama film, independent film, science fiction film, political drama, dystopian film, political thriller film
Country
United Kingdom
Runtime
1h 53m
Rated
R
Rating
6.8 of 10 from 1,659 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
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How it feels

A low-ranking civil servant in a totalitarian state struggles to keep his mind and identity intact. The regime crushes individual thought and personal freedom through constant surveillance and control.

bleaktenseoppressiveslow-burnmelancholiccerebralunsettling

What happens

Nineteen Eighty-Four (stylized as 1984) is a 1984 British dystopian film written and directed by Michael Radford, based on George Orwell's 1949 novel. Starring John Hurt, Richard Burton, Suzanna Hamilton and Cyril Cusack, it follows the life of Winston Smith (Hurt), a low-ranking civil servant in a war-torn London in Oceania, a totalitarian superstate ruled by Ingsoc and its leader Big Brother. Smith struggles to maintain his sanity and his grip on reality as the regime's overwhelming power and influence persecute individualism and individual thinking on both a political and a personal level. Nineteen Eighty-Four was Burton's last screen appearance; it was released two months after his death and is dedicated to him. It was released in the United Kingdom on 10 October 1984 by Virgin Films. It received positive reviews from critics, with many highlighted Deakins' cinematography and use of bleach bypass. It was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Art Direction, and won two Evening Standard British Film Awards for Best Film and Best Actor. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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