1984

1984, Sci-fi, 1h 55m

27 Reviews 50,000+ Ratings

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critics consensus

1984 doesn't fully emerge from the shadow of its source material, but still proves a solid, suitably discomfiting adaptation of a classic dystopian tale. Read critic reviews

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1984 Videos

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1984 Photos

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Movie Info

A man loses his identity while living under a repressive regime. In a story based on George Orwell's classic novel, Winston Smith (John Hurt) is a government employee whose job involves the rewriting of history in a manner that casts his fictional country's leaders in a charitable light. His trysts with Julia (Suzanna Hamilton) provide his only measure of enjoyment, but lawmakers frown on the relationship -- and in this closely monitored society, there is no escape from Big Brother.
  • Rating:
    R
  • Genre:
    Sci-fi
  • Original Language:
    English
  • Director:
    Michael Radford
  • Producer:
    Simon Perry
  • Writer:
    George Orwell, Michael Radford
  • Release Date (Theaters):
     limited
  • Release Date (Streaming):
  • Runtime:
  • Distributor:
    Atlantic Releasing Corp.

Cast & Crew

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
Michael Radford
Director
George Orwell
Writer
Michael Radford
Screenwriter
Simon Perry
Producer
Roger Deakins
Cinematography
Dominic Muldowney
Music
Tom Priestley
Film Editor
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Critic Reviews for 1984

All Critics (27) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (20) | Rotten (7)
Full Review… Paul Attanasio Washington Post Full Review… Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times Full Review… Mike Massie Gone With The Twins Full Review… Leigh Paatsch Herald Sun (Australia) Full Review… Molly Haskell Vogue Full Review… James Kendrick Q Network Film Desk Full Review… Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Full Review… Jeff Beck The Blu Spot Full Review… Nathanael Hood The Retro Set Full Review… Robert Martin Starburst Full Review… Rob Vaux Cinema-stache Full Review… Barbara Shulgasser Common Sense Media
View All Critic Reviews (27)

Audience Reviews for 1984

  • Aug 28, 2021
    It is the likely the perfect realization of Orwell's novel on a purely visual level. I have minor quibbles with the screenplay but at least it is a total downer. Also Hurt is the only conceivable choice to play Winston
    Alec B Super Reviewer
  • Aug 06, 2017
    2 + 2 = 22. new math!
    Sanity Assassin ! Super Reviewer
  • Nov 02, 2015
    Straightforward adaptation. Reasonably compelling. Between a 3.5 and a 4. Bumping it to a 4.
    Kyle M Super Reviewer
  • Sep 10, 2013
    It's got great costumes, amazing set design, atmospheric and masterfully displayed. Although there were some small changes from the book, I still enjoyed the adaptation greatly. I didn't like how explicit the film treated with nudity and sex, it shouldn't be so graphic, it doesn't really match the depressing theme running throughout. One thing that really stood was the change of calling each other comrades to calling each other brothers or sisters, it made sense to the use of Big Brother. The lunacy and frantic of the Two Minutes Hate were badly done I reckon, it wasn't really that heated, people were able to control themselves straight after kinda didn't make sense and seemed flimsy. But overall, Nineteen Eighty Four was quite well done, but not great.
    Sylvester K Super Reviewer
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