This blog is a response to a task assigned by Dilip Barad sir, Department of English (MKBU). This blog is about the novel "Nineteen Eighty-four" by George Orwell. For more information click here.
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Nineteen Eighty-four, also published as 1984, novel by English author George Orwell published in 1949 as a warning against totalitarianism. The chilling dystopia made a deep impression on readers, and his ideas entered mainstream culture in a way achieved by very few books. The book’s title and many of its concepts, such as Big Brother and the Thought Police, are instantly recognized and understood, often as bywords for modern social and political abuses.
Orwell wrote Nineteen Eighty-four as a warning after years of brooding on the twin menaces of Nazism and Stalinism. Its depiction of a state where daring to think differently is rewarded with torture, where people are monitored every second of the day, and where party propaganda trumps free speech and thought is a sobering reminder of the evils of unaccountable governments. Winston is the symbol of the values of civilised life, and his defeat is a poignant reminder of the vulnerability of such values in the midst of all-powerful states. (Lowne)
Nineteen Eighty-Four, also known as 1984, is a 1984 dystopian drama film written and directed by Michael Radford, based upon George Orwell's 1949 novel of the same name. Starring John Hurt, Richard Burton, Suzanna Hamilton, and Cyril Cusack, the film follows the life of Winston Smith (Hurt), a low-ranking civil servant in a war-torn London ruled by Oceania, a totalitarian superstate.[6] Smith struggles to maintain his sanity and his grip on reality as the regime's overwhelming power and influence persecutes individualism and individual thinking on both a political and personal level.
Part 1: Pre-Screening
1. Have you read the novel "1984" by George Orwell? If yes, what did you think of it? If no,What do you know about the story?
Answer:
No, I haven't read the novel “1984”. I know the basic story of the novel is that there is a protagonist of the novel Wilston, who lives in the dystopian world and he finds the problem in that world, he meets a girl named Julia. She is also against the idea of the dystopian world. They commit certain so-called crimes in that world and when they are tortured until again they become the lover of that dystopian world.
2. Have you watched any adaptations of "1984" before? If yes, which ones and what did you think of them? If not, what do you expect from this adaptation?
Answer:
No, I haven't watched any adaptation of that novel. I expect that through the movie I can understand the major idea that George Orwell tried to convey through the novel.
3. What themes or ideas do you think are central to "1984"? Why?
Answer:
George Orwell is a good critic of political parties and ideology. I think in “1984” the central themes or ideas are : the dystopian world, totalitarianism, politics, fascism, dictatorialism etc.
Part 2: Screening
1. As you watch the film, take note of any major differences from the novel. How do these changes affect the story?
Answer:
There are several things that are changed in the movie compared to the novel.
The beginning: The novel starts with the description of the novel that begins with the description of the world and Wilston walking through the street and movie stars in the theatre.
Novel:
"It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. Winston Smith, his chin nuzzled into his breast in an effort to escape the vile wind, slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory Mansions, though not quickly enough to prevent a swirl of gritty dust from entering along with him."
There is a scene where O’Brien and Winston meet in the chamber of O’Brien and he gets a new dictionary there but in the novel, Jolia, Winston and O’Brien meet at the home of O’Brien.
In the novel, the son of Parsons hits Winston when he visits them and in the movie, he just stares at him.
2. How does the film's visual style and cinematography contribute to the story? What mood or the tone does it create?
Answer:
From the very beginning there is a sad tone. People look pale like they are half alive, that gives us the major idea people are not that happy or lively. It creates a very destructive and pale tone. We feel a prison type of feeling there.
3. Compare the portrayal of the main characters in the film to your mental image of them from the novel. How are they similar or different?
Answer:
I haven't read the novel so don't have a deep insight of the story of the characters but when I read the summary I have assumed that the character would be the same as we saa in the movie. A very strange character I found that is O’Broan when i read about him It looked kike a dangerous look but seemingly and in dialogue he looks very calm and serene.
4. What elements from the novel did the film adaptation include or exclude? Were there any major plot points that were left out?
Answer:
Inclusion:
- The oppressive totalitarian regime of Oceania, led by Big Brother.
- The protagonist, Winston Smith, and his rebellion against the Party.
- The character of Julia, Winston's love interest and fellow rebel.
- The concept of Newspeak, the language created by the Party to limit free thought.
- The Thought Police and their surveillance methods, including telescreens.
- The theme of propaganda and the manipulation of truth by the Party.
- The torture and brainwashing of Winston in the Ministry of Love.
- The ending, which reflects the ultimate victory of the Party over Winston's rebellious spirit.
Excluded or altered:
- Some subplots and characters are condensed or removed for the sake of brevity and pacing.
- The film focuses more on Winston and Julia's relationship, sometimes at the expense of other elements of the novel.
- The film may simplify some of the more complex philosophical and political themes explored in the novel.
- While the film captures the overall oppressive atmosphere of the novel, some viewers may feel that it doesn't fully convey the psychological depth of Winston's inner rebellion and torment. (ChatGPT)
Part 3: Post-Screening
1. What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of this film adaptation? How does it compared to other adaptations of "1984"?
Answer:
Film takes the main gist of the novel. All the major aspects of the novel are included in this movie adaptation. There is more focus on the relationship of Winston and Julia in the movie whereas the novel covers other aspects of the dystopian world. The director and writer could have shown the more dull image of the dystopian if they wanted. There are too many explicit scenes in the movie that seem unnecessary at a time but as we know in the movie industry that is needed for a movie to work at the box office.
2. How successful was the film in conveying the central themes and ideas of the novel? Were there any aspects that the film failed to capture?
Answer:
The movie successfully got the major idea of the novel. There are many descriptions of the dystopian world and most of the novel portrays the same story line. And through visual and audio in the movie the ideas can be conveyed more easily. For example, the torture scene we can feel te pain of the protagonist more effectively. And through the facial expression and the scene so many descriptions of the novel can be portrayed in just one scene. There are several aspects that the movie is not able to capture are: Inner monologue and psychological depth of Winston’s character. Due to the short period in the movie there is very little space for subplots of the novel and the background stories that keep going on in the novel.
3. What is your overall impression of the film? Would you recommend it to others? Why or why not?
I think the movie is good, I think it’s quite different then what we watch nowadays, because of strange ideas like dystopian world and totalitarianism. It’s quite hard to watch, but when we watch the movie we find some dark and dull tone. In the major movies we find at the end there is victory of good over evil but this movie ends differently, that makes it darker. Through this type of movie we get a message that stays forever with us. When we find a movie or any artistic work that has a happy ending we forget that art but the movies with bad endings make a room in our mind that makes us ask questions all our life. I would recommend watching the movie for the above reasons.
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Images: 04
References:
"Elements Included and Excluded in Michael Radford's Film Adaptation of George Orwell's '1984.'" ChatGPT: OpenAI, 20 Mar. 2024.
Lowne, Cathy. "Nineteen Eighty-four". Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Mar. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nineteen-Eighty-four. Accessed 20 March 2024.
Orwell, George. “Nineteen Eighty-Four.” Project Gutenberg Australia, 1949, https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks01/0100021.txt. Accessed 20 March 2024.
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