Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)

Director:

Michael Radford

Writers:

George Orwell (novel)
Michael Radford (written by)

Release Date:

14 December 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

George Orwell's Terrifying Vision Comes To The Screen.

Plot:

George Orwell's novel of a totalitarian future society in which a man whose daily work is rewriting history tries to rebel by falling in love.

Plot Keywords:

Future | 1984 | Propaganda | Big Brother | Sex

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 6 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

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 (as Roger Lloyd Pack)
Rupert Baderman	...	Winston as a Boy
Corinna Seddon	...	Winston's Mother
Martha Parsey	...	Winston's Sister
Merelina Kendall	...	Mrs. Parsons
P.J. Nicholas	...	William Parsons
Lynne Radford	...	Susan Parsons
Pip Donaghy	...	Inner Party Speaker
Shirley Stelfox	...	Whore
Janet Key	...	Instructress
Hugh Walters	...	Artsem Lecturer
John Hughes	...	Man in White Coat
Robert Putt	...	Shouting Prole
Christine Hargreaves	...	Soup Lady
Garry Cooper	...	Guard
Matthew Scurfield	...	Guard
John Golightly	...	Patrolman
Rolf Saxon	...	Patrolman
Ole Oldendorp	...	Eurasian Soldier
Eddie Stacey	...	Executioner
Norman Bacon	...	Man on Station
John Foss	...	Youth Leader
Carey Wilson	...	Party Member
Mitzi McKenzie	...	Party Member
Phyllis Logan	...	The Telescreen Announcer
Pam Gems	...	The Washerwoman
Joscik Barbarossa	...	Aaronson
John Boswall	...	Goldstein
Bob Flag	...	Big Brother
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Annie Lennox	...	Cameo (uncredited)
Michael Munn	...	Interrogation Room Soldier (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Radford

Writing credits
George Orwell		(novel 1984)
Michael Radford		(written by)

Produced by
Al Clark	....	co-producer
John Davis	....	associate producer
Robert Devereux	....	co-producer
Simon Perry	....	producer
Marvin J. Rosenblum	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Dominic Muldowney

Cinematography by
Roger Deakins

Film Editing by
Tom Priestley

Casting by
Rebecca Howard

Production Design by
Allan Cameron

Art Direction by
Martyn Hebert		(as Martin Hebert)
Grant Hicks

Costume Design by
Emma Porteus		(as Emma Porteous)

Makeup Department
Anna Dryhurst	....	makeup artist
Paula Gillespie	....	hairdressing supervisor
Mary Hillman	....	makeup supervisor
Stephanie Kaye	....	hairdresser
Debbie Scragg	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Tony Hopkins	....	production supervisor: Wiltshire
Gladys Pearce	....	production manager
Paul Shersby	....	unit manager
Paul Sparrow	....	production manager: second unit

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Stephen Brown	....	assistant director: Wiltshire locations
John Dodds	....	second assistant director
David Keating	....	assistant director (as Dave Keating)
Patrick Kinney	....	third assistant director
Crispin Reece	....	assistant director: Wiltshire locations
Chris Rose	....	first assistant director
Kevin Westley	....	additional third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
John Allenby	....	property master
Eddie Andres	....	art department assistant
Royce Baxter	....	draughtsman
Mark Fruin	....	propman
John Godfrey	....	construction manager
Amanda Grenville	....	art department assistant
Harry Harrison	....	stand-by crew
Jeff Khan	....	stand-by crew
Pat Lynch	....	stand-by crew
Kieron Mcnamara	....	chargehand propman (as Kieron Macnamara)
Simon Murton	....	sketch artist
Mark Raggett	....	assistant art director
Peter Rutherford	....	production buyer
Tony Strong	....	scenic artist
Sid Sutton	....	graphic designer
Bill Wolohan	....	stand-by crew

Sound Department
Bill Barringer	....	assistant sound editor
Gerry Bates	....	sound assistant
Joe Gallagher	....	assistant sound editor
Derek Holding	....	dialogue editor
Gerry Humphreys	....	dubbing mixer: Twickenham Film Studios
Colin Miller	....	sound editor
Robin O'Donoghue	....	dubbing mixer: Twickenham Film Studios
Trevor Pyke	....	re-recording mixer
Guido Reidy	....	boom operator
Bryan Tilling	....	effects editor
Bruce White	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
David Scholefield	....	special effects assistant
Ian Scoones	....	special effects supervisor
Andrew Thompson	....	special effects technician
Chris Verner	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Ray Caple	....	matte artist
Tony Willis	....	effects cameraman (uncredited)

Stunts
Eddie Stacey	....	stunt coordinator
Terry Walsh	....	stunt coordinator
Bill Weston	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
James Ainslie	....	focus puller
Mike Andrews	....	camera grip
Roger Deakins	....	camera operator
John Haylen	....	chargehand electrician
John Higgins	....	chief electrician
Michael James	....	chargehand electrician
Dick Pope	....	camera operator: second unit
Sarah Quill	....	still photographer
Andrew Speller	....	camera operator: second unit
Andrew Speller	....	senior focus puller
Phil St. John	....	supervising rigger
Fraser Taggert	....	clapper loader (as Fraser Taggart)

Casting Department
Jane Arnell	....	assistant casting director

Costume and Wardrobe Department
John Brady	....	wardrobe supervisor
Cynthea Dowling	....	wardrobe assistant
Philippe Pickford	....	wardrobe supervisor
Noel Radford	....	wardrobe assistant
Colin Wilson	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Nicolette Bolgar	....	assistant editor
Neil Farrell	....	assistant editor
Nicolas Gaster	....	associate editor
Simon Harris	....	assistant editor
Éva Martin	....	assistant editor (as Eva Martin)
Polly Moseley	....	associate editor

Music Department
Dick Lewzey	....	mixer: CTS Studios

Other crew
Beryl Brown	....	assistant accountant
Lynne Buckley	....	unit nurse
Simon Cellan Jones	....	production runner (as Simon Cellan-Jones)
Paul Collard	....	original research: Kay Laboratories
David Corke	....	rat handler
Richard Craven	....	location manager
Robin Dalton	....	project development
Mary Davies	....	assistant to producer
Jonathan Gems	....	additional script material
John Hemmings	....	laboratory executive: Kay Laboratories
Sandra Nixon	....	cashier
Sarah O'Brien	....	production assistant
Sarah Rains	....	cutting room runner
Jack Ross	....	crowd coordinator
Jack Smith	....	production accountant
Charles Staffell	....	technical supervisor
Rebecca Starr	....	accounts secretary
Sue Sudbury	....	film researcher
Ann Tasker	....	unit publicist
Margaret Waldie	....	continuity: second unit
Margaret Waldie	....	production coordinator
Gerard Wall	....	floor runner
Ene Watts	....	continuity

Thanks
Richard Burton	....	acknowledgment: with love and admiration
Burton W. Kanter	....	special thanks
Gina Rosenblum	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Umbrella-Rosenblum Films Production
• Virgin

Distributors

• Atlantic Releasing Corporation (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• Senator Film (1984) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Norstar Releasing (1985) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (1985) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MCA Distributing Corp. (1985) (USA) (VHS) (In conjunction with I.V.E.)
• USA Home Video (II) (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• USA Home Video (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• USA IVE (1985) (USA) (VHS) (in conjunction with MCA)
• International Video Entertainment (IVE) (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Lume Filmes (2009) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Roadshow Home Video
• Top Tape (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Airstrip One Company, The  soundtrack album (1999)

Also Known As:

1984 (UK) (alternative spelling)
1984 (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
1984 (Finland) [fi]
1984 (Spain) [es]
1984 (Brazil) [pt]
1984 (Greece) [el]
1984 (West Germany) [de]
Neunzehnhundertvierundachtzig (West Germany) [de]
Orwell 1984 (Italy) [it]
Premonición 1984 (Argentina) [es]

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:18 (1984) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 (f) | Canada:13+ (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

Alexandra Palace Way, London, England, UK

Company:

Umbrella-Rosenblum Films Production

Trivia:

The actors who play the roles of Parsons (Gregor Fisher) and the Telescreen Announcer (Phyllis Logan) also appeared in Michael Radford's first feature film, Another Time, Another Place (1983).

Goofs:

Continuity: After the rack torture scene, O'Brien removes Winston's front tooth. Later, in the rat mask torture scene, his tooth is back again. (However, in the book, Winston given dentures after O'Brien pulled the tooth, but this was not explained in the movie.)

Quotes:

[first lines]
Big Brother: [voiceover] 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?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Soundtrack:

Oceania,'Tis For Thee

A labor of love

I am frankly mystified by the comments of those who seem to find this film disappointing or inadequate, and even more by those who claim to prefer the 1956 version, which I consider to be inferior in every respect to the later version, except for some top quality performances by Donald Pleasence and Michael Redgrave in supporting roles. In my opinion, this later version of "Nineteen Eighty Four" is one of the best literary adaptations I've seen.

The film was obviously a labor of love for director Michael Radford, who also co-wrote the screenplay. As noted in the end credits, the film "was photographed in and around London during the period April-June 1984, the exact time and setting imagined by the author". If this were a big-budget Hollywood bomb, I might consider that a publicity stunt, but in the case of this little-known, little-seen British film, it's fairly obviously a form of homage.

The look of the film is extraordinary in its evocation of the world Orwell created, down to the tiniest detail. Although that world was obviously very different from the real world of 1984, a deliberate choice was made to stick with the Orwellian vision in every way, anachronistic technology and all, and I firmly believe it was the right choice, as opposed to the "updating" we sometimes see in adaptations of classic "futuristic" stories. Thus, we are treated to the baroque and slightly disorienting sight of black rotary-dial telephones, pneumatic document-delivery systems, old-fashioned "safety razors", tube radios, etc., all of which were already obsolete at the time of filming. And of course, the omnipresent black-and-white "telescreens" with rounded picture tubes.

As Winston Smith, the story's protagonist, John Hurt is an inspired piece of casting; absolutely the perfect choice. Not only does he fit the author's description of Smith to a "T", but with the haircut he's given, he even bears a striking resemblance to Orwell himself. And there is no actor alive better than Hurt at evoking victimization in all its infinite gradations and variations. Suzanna Hamilton, relatively little-known here in the US, also does a fine job as Julia. The film also contains the final film appearance of Richard Burton, in one of his most fascinating and disturbing performances as O'Brien. And the great Cyril Cusack does a classic turn as Charrington, the pawnshop proprietor.

Right from the opening scene, in which we look in on a screening of a short propaganda film, brilliantly conceived and executed by Radford, during the daily "two minutes hate", climaxing in Dominic Muldowney's memorable, genuinely stirring national anthem of Oceania played behind the gigantic image of Big Brother, we are catapulted headlong into Orwell's nightmare vision. While not a particularly long novel (my copy is 256 pages), it is nevertheless dense with ideas, and it would be impossible for a standard-length film to include them all, even if the audience could stand all the endless talking heads it would require. Given the inherent limitations, I think the film largely succeeds in preserving a good portion of the ideological "meat" of the novel. It is certainly extremely faithful in the material it does include. Even the incidental music by Eurythmics feels entirely appropriate, and doesn't in any way break the mood. In fact, it even enhances it.

While I thought the 1956 version did a fairly good job for the time, it had a number of flaws in my estimation that made it far less successful an adaptation. For one thing, although the world it portrays is grim, it's not nearly grim enough. Also, Edmond O'Brien may have done a creditable job as Smith, but physically he's all wrong for the part. The portly, even chubby O'Brien bears little resemblance to the slight, emaciated, chronically exhausted, varicose-ulcerated Smith described in the novel. Neither is the 1956 version as faithful to the book; some of the material is softened, and there are odd, unexplainable alterations: O'Brien becomes O'Connor, and I don't think that Goldstein, the possibly imaginary leader of the possibly fictitious "Resistance", is even mentioned. At 90 minutes, it runs a good 23 minutes shorter than the later version, which necessitates the trimming of even more of the novel, for all you literary purists. In all, for me, the 1984 version of "Nineteen Eighty Four" is the definitive version; a remarkably vivid and memorable film.