1984 Movie Review

A timely (note the release date) and very impressive adaptation of George Orwell's famous novel. This version differs from the overly simplistic and cautionary 1954 film in its fine casting and production design. John Hurt delivers an excellent performance as Winston Smith, a government official in an ultra-totalitarian future who falls into an illegal love affair that inspires him to defy the crushing inhumanity of his world. Filmed in London, it skillfully visualizes our time's most central prophetic nightmare. Bleak but haunt-ingly beautiful, this is a film you won't soon forget.

1984 (R) 117m/C GB John Hurt, Richard Burton, Suzanna Hamilton, Cyril Cusack, Gregory Fisher, Andrew Wilde, Rupert Baderman; D: Michael Radford; C: Roger Deakins. VHS, Beta, LV LIV