Featured Actress: Suzanna Hamilton - This 1984 retelling of George Orwell's classic Sci-Fi is not just a drama, it's almost a documentary. Orwell imagined in 1948 what could happen, and guess what, it's starting to happen. He was a few years early, but he was right on target.
This version, filmed in 1984 with some events actually filmed on the same dates used in the book, is better than the 1956 version, although maybe not perfect. The book itself is something every person on earth should read (if you can, while you still can). Even so, the movie is a pretty good effort that will (hopefully) make you think.
It tells of a future (at the time of writing) society where everyone is controlled by the government, under constant surveillance, constantly brainwashed, not allowed free thought, and not allowed to fall in love. The country, Oceania, is at war against the "evil" Eurasia (until suddenly, Eurasia is an ally, and East Asia is now the evil enemy), so citizens are constantly implored to spy on and turn in their neighbors. When a man whose job is to rewrite history to match government propaganda falls in love, he finds out just how effective the government can be at keeping it's citizens in line.
Whether or not you think the movie's events are similar to actual events, this movie is worth seeing just to put things into perspective, and also to see Richard Burton in his last movie. The book is a must-read as well. Better hurry, because remember what the book says: "Big Brother is watching".
