Nineteen Eighty Four

This is the first recording of 1984 on film, made for the BBC in the 1950's, a brilliant set of performances, with sinister overtones for today's emerging information centered ploice states, or as one might say 1984 by stealth. Peter Cushing plays a great part, the settings are dark and the feeling of hopelessness and yet immense course and human fortitude. The ideas are derived from Stalin's pathological police state which like no other devoured its own's children, Goya perfectly captured the essence of this over 100 years earlier in his portrayal of Saturnus devouring his chidren. The film quality is not so good, but I think we are very lucky it survived so I for one would never complain. Buy it its very cheap and read the book and animal farm.

This 1954 BBC production is amazing to watch. Orwell's tale of a futuristic society actually caused a great deal of controversy when it first aired due to the scenes of torture, most of which is implied rather than shown. Peter Cushing's portrayal of Winston Smith may just be his best work, his performance carries the story. The rest of the cast is also good, though only Andre Morell and Donald Pleasance are known to American viewers. Morell is much better here than he was as Watson in Hammer's "Hound of the Baskervilles", while Pleasance has less to do before his character no longer exists. The black and white photography helps to convey the dreary atmosphere necessary to the story. It starts out slow, but soon draws the viewer into the story and refuses to let go until the credits roll.

I ordered this because we wanted to see the first-ever production of the Orwell novel. This is a great BBC production of the novel - the screenplay was written by Nigel Kneale (who did "Quatermass" for BBC). Peter Cushing is, of course, wonderful. HOWEVER: when we received the disc, we noted that the frame grab photos on the back cover are from the 1956 film version of the novel starring Edmund O'Brien! IGNORE THE GRABS - the film IS the BBC tv version with Peter Cushing.

1984, the classical 1954 BBC television version is full of great stars and wonderful images. They do a great job of following the story and trying to keep the feel of the novel. Peter Cushing plays Winston Smith and of course can be seen in such great films as Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope (1977 & 2004 Versions, 2-Disc Widescreen Edition) and he is also known to me as the big screen Dr. Who as in The Doctor Who Collection . His thin, tired looking body and his skills as an actor make him a perfect Smith. Andre Morell who played O'Brien is also known for playing Professor Bernard Quatermass in Quatermass And The Pit . Of course, this version was adapted for the BBC by Nigel Kneale, who invented Quatermass. Andre's manners, his calm demeanor, his appearance all screams power. Wonderful! Yvonne Mitchell is lovely to look at and seems to be a good actress. Her down fall is made all the more terrible in the end by the change in her appearance - she goes from pretty to ugly. I thought they had replaced her! Donald Pleasence who plays Syme in this version also plays Parsons in the later version of 1984 and does a wonderful job of being a loyal party member who, frankly, knows just a little too much on how the system works. Campbell Gray who plays Parsons in this version is perfect for the part. Kind of reminds me of Aubrey Morris but they are two different people. If you are a fan of the BBC or 1984, get this DVD.

At one time students read Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm in high school. This is no longer the case in many public schools. Both serve as a warning that the dangers of totalitarianism is alive and well and the consequences for humanity devastating. A good companion book for college age young people would be Christopher Hitchens work "Why Orwell Still Matters." Language and thought are the most fundamental defenses of human freedom and human rights. Hitchens makes a strong case in favor of resisting current trends in political speech and thought.

I've seen the color version of "1984" with John Hurt & Richard Burton, and this B/W version is just as good as the color version with Hurt & Burton. Peter Cushing is Winston who lives in a totalitarian system in 1984, dominated by "Big Brother", where even the thoughts of people are controlled by the government. There are some minor flaws with the visual playback, but other than that, it's very good.

Avoid this terrible "Collector's Edition". If you compare the quality of this DVD-R with the one of the Adam Curtis Documentals, "The Century of the Self", this one is garbage. The latter has a beautiful presentation on the box and on the discs. I have just opened the box of this 1984 version and the image of the Dvd is fading in my hands. As one of the other reviewers said: "the image quality of the movie is the same as youtube". Maybe this Company is making the transfer from youtube version to DVD (it looks awfull). If this Dvd is remastered I'm The Big Brother. I know it is an excellent movie, but I have paid $25.49 for this terrible DVD transfer. Come on, I have just bought all the Sherlock Holmes Collection, with Jeff Brett (16 dvds), in Amazon UK for 30 pounds = $46 dollars. I feel cheated, what a shame. Avoid it, believe me!!!!!

Not as harrowing as the theatrical motion picture adaptation of George Orwell's "1984" that was actually made in the year 1984 (starrgin William Hurt, Suzanna Hamilton, and the late, great Sir Richard Burton in his last role), but a decent adaptation, given the limitations of live 1950s TV. From a historical nostalgia standpoint, it's fascinating to see Peter Cushing and Donald Pleasance in their younger days.

I’m still trying to comprehend exactly HOW it was presented on BBC. A mixture of ‘Live Acting’ and ‘Pre-Recorded Scenes’? The Apocryphal ‘First Broadcast’; and the attendant Myth & Hyperbole. At present (December 2022); I think the ‘Live Broadcast Episode’ by 30 Rock is the closest in my Experience, not having had a ‘Television’ in decades. Eagerly awaiting the “Year Of The Sex Olympics” Release; which seems to be the correct Companion Piece to this historical treasure. The commentary is superbly entertaining and informative; with it’s own ‘COVID Distancing’ Time-Stamp. The anti-intellectual vitriol heaped upon this Broadcast hasn’t dissipated at all.

1984 adapted by Nigel Kneale in the late 1950’s and broadcast on the BBC is great drama . A resounding cast of classical actors from Peter Cushing to Andre Morell . Big brother is watching you and we’re watching him . A single party state formed after a 3 rd world war in Great Britain and its former Empire . Called Air strip One . The party gives out Fake News as facts just to maintain total dominance over its citizens . It even created its own opposition to entrap good citizens like Winston Smith . Well worth watching rarely repeated by the BBC . Still , in my view relevant today as it was then way back in the 1950’s . A must for my classic tv dvd library .

As the man who invented Orwell film studies (I wrote the book George Orwell on Screen), I've always held this adaptation in the highest regard. How wonderful to see it restored so lovingly.

EXCELLENT Blu Ray DVD And EXCELLENT Service From William Osborne And BUSHES. Many Thanks.

Item was delivered quicker than advertised and in perfect condition. Thank you. A much better version than the 1984 we all mainly know. This version is more accurate to the book