Search - 1984 on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Violence, Nudity, Not For Children Movie Release: 1984 DVD Release: 03/04/2003 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 50 mins Studio: MGM Members Wishing: 66 Genres: Science Fiction, Political Satire, Psychological Sci-Fi

Directed by British filmmaker Michael Radford, Nineteen Eighty-Four is the second film adaptation of the George Orwell novel. The film is set during April of 1984 in post-atomic war London, the capital city of the repressive totalitarian state of Oceania. Winston Smith (John Hurt) is a government bureaucrat whose job is rewriting history and erasing people from existence. While his co-worker Parsons (Gregor Fisher) seems content to follow the state's laws, Winston starts to write in a secret diary despite the fact the "Big Brother" is watching everyone at all times by way of monitors. He silently suffers and tries to comprehend his oppression, which forbids individual human behaviors such as free thinking and sex. He meets Julia (Suzanna Hamilton), who works for the Ministry of Truth, and they engage in a stoic love affair. They are soon found out, and Winston is interrogated and tortured by his former friend O'Brien (Richard Burton in his final film appearance). ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

John Hurt - Winston Smith
Richard Burton - O'Brien
Suzanna Hamilton - Julia
Cyril Cusack - Charrington
Gregor Fisher - Parsons

Michael Radford's bleak vision of George Orwell's 1984 is perfectly captured visually on DVD. The 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer is a sea of blues and grays, with outstanding detail and a near translucent quality. Skin tones stick out particularly against the drab backgrounds. Shocking is the limited but perfectly appropriate use of color, which drastically counterpoints the otherwise purposely bland landscape. The image is really the high point of this disc, as the two-channel soundtrack can only go so far. At times it comes across a bit distorted, and on occasion dialogue is recorded somewhat low. Fortunately, the disc does have subtitles in English, French, and Spanish. MGM is very selective on what titles are given significant supplemental materials, and this isn't one of them. Beyond a couple of promotional spots for their own products is a fairly effective theatrical trailer. Clearly so much more could have been done, from a commentary track to a documentary on the author, but that isn't the case with this title. ~ Trent Fordham, All Movie Guide