I'm giving this a 2 because it was shot by the great Roger Deakins. And even when working with a crappy script like this one, Deakins can't help but elevate the project with his genius lighting and camera-work.
And of course, John Hurt is one of our great actors. So nothing against him. And Richard Burton a legend, as we all know.
The problem with this film is the script and director.
Apparently, Michael Radford, an otherwise intelligent filmmaker, figured EVERYONE knows the book SO well, that NOTHING really needs to be explained. The audience will just naturally connect all the dots and fill in all the plot holes and figure out this complex story on their own.
Big mistake.
This is a confusing, tediously slow-moving and nearly incomprehensible film. All the great craftsmanship that went into it was wasted.
And I don't think Orwell wanted his readers to slit their wrists after reading the book, he wanted them to think. With this insanely bleak and depressing version, you might as well buy a gun before watching. That is, if you don't fall asleep first -- which is extremely likely.
Radford's version can't hold a candle to the 1956 version. But without question, the greatest "1984" of all time is Ridley Scott's Apple Computer commercial. In my view, he's the only one so far who has perfectly captured the look, sound, and spirit of the novel.
If only he'd been hired instead of Radford. Wow! Then maybe we'd have a classic film instead of this disastrous box office bomb that was barely even released. I saw in New York in '85, and I think there were about three people in the theater -- including me.
What n terrible -- almost sinful -- wasted opportunity.
And of course, John Hurt is one of our great actors. So nothing against him. And Richard Burton a legend, as we all know.
The problem with this film is the script and director.
Apparently, Michael Radford, an otherwise intelligent filmmaker, figured EVERYONE knows the book SO well, that NOTHING really needs to be explained. The audience will just naturally connect all the dots and fill in all the plot holes and figure out this complex story on their own.
Big mistake.
This is a confusing, tediously slow-moving and nearly incomprehensible film. All the great craftsmanship that went into it was wasted.
And I don't think Orwell wanted his readers to slit their wrists after reading the book, he wanted them to think. With this insanely bleak and depressing version, you might as well buy a gun before watching. That is, if you don't fall asleep first -- which is extremely likely.
Radford's version can't hold a candle to the 1956 version. But without question, the greatest "1984" of all time is Ridley Scott's Apple Computer commercial. In my view, he's the only one so far who has perfectly captured the look, sound, and spirit of the novel.
If only he'd been hired instead of Radford. Wow! Then maybe we'd have a classic film instead of this disastrous box office bomb that was barely even released. I saw in New York in '85, and I think there were about three people in the theater -- including me.
What n terrible -- almost sinful -- wasted opportunity.