An essential work of science fiction, which was brought to the big screen with good finishing and became a classic adaptation.
Dune’s recent success with its second installment has more merit than we might believe. Not just because of the complexity of the original novel, but because it attempts to transfer a unique character to an adaptation of a seminal science fiction text. There are many films featuring essential works of this style, even if they do not literally convey the story.
And, in the end, many of these “derivative” works end up having more impact on other media like cinema than direct adaptations. Therefore, these have to fulfill a double function, not only maintaining fidelity to the powerful original ideas and stories, but also making them transcend other science fiction films that do the same. The 1984 case can be considered one of the best examples in this regard.
Total mind control in 1984
There have been several adaptations of George Orwell’s important work, but not all of them have achieved the same classic status as the original or other films influenced by its powerful dystopia. Yes, the version released in 1984 was close, with John Hurt as the protagonist and Michael Radford as screenwriter and director, which now celebrates 40 years since its release and can be seen streaming in the Prime Video catalog.
The film, like the novel, presents us with an authoritarian and hypervigilant world where Oceania exercises its power over its population. Through meticulously prepared propaganda, the aim is to convey a sense of a strong nation, especially in the face of the Eurasian enemy. A world where it is forbidden to step out of line and even feel passion, something that poor Winston Smith ends up falling into.
Michael Raford makes interesting decisions when it comes to bringing Orwell’s text to the big screen exactly in the year in which “the action takes place”. The first is to focus precisely on the dehumanizing aspects of this totalitarian nation, on the refusal to be able to feel or think something that is not pre-designed by the party, which will somehow imprint it on the mind.
1984: a remarkable dystopia
The second is purely aesthetic. Having Roger Deakins in the photography allows a sense of grandeur to this dystopian world, although most of Deakins’ work has excelled in more limited spaces and highlighting emotions on a smaller, more human scale. Here, with fabulous production design, we get an imposing and fitting visualization of the world that Orwell proposed.
Although you may feel that 1984 has some derivative work from other science fiction films, such as the decaying technology seen in Andrei Tarkovsky’s genre films. It also doesn’t express as many ideas as other dystopia or cyberpunk stories ended up doing, having to stand out for unquestionable visual craftsmanship and Hurt being completely successful in his role as Winston Smith. It remains one of the best 1984 adaptations to watch, even if it’s not the definitive one.
Tags: years scifi classic visually extraordinary dystopia watch streaming Cinema News
