Way back when

1968 to be precise, Footscray Tech set 1984 as one of the novels to be read by Form 3 students. God knows what they expected, given that it was a trade school meant to turn out apprentices, of which I was one. I've always been a voracious reader; I could already read by the age of 4 or so; but I couldn't make head or tail of that book when I was 14! But never mind, in 1968, to a 14 year old boy, the year 1984 was unimaginably far into the future!

In 1976 I found the four volume set of the Collected Essays, Journalism and Letters of George Orwell and devoured the lot! For about a year those four volumes were always on my bedside table and read cover to cover umpteen times. (Alas I've long since lost the original Penguin volumes - a danger in lending them to friends. I now have a bound single (very thick) volume of his essays and columns but it lacks the letters). Which of course lead to my reading 1984 again in 1976. After reading his essays about James Burnham's 'Managerial Revolution' etc 1984 clicked. I was even moved to write a movie screenplay in 1977 on a similar subject greatly influenced by reading Solzhenitsyns 'Gulag Archipelago' (a sin of my youth best swept under the carpet - though we did start shooting - enough to convince me I'm no director!).

So in 1984 out came the remake of 1984. Remake? Of course. There was a film made, in the US, in 1956[^]. I saw that version sometime in the very late 70's and thought it was pretty good. But everyone who even knows about the book will remember the 1984 version[^].

Tonight I borrowed the DVD from the Phoenix public library. I haven't seen it since its 1984 theatrical release in Australia. Aeiiii what a mess of a movie! It does kind of stick to the story but it would confuse the hell out of anyone who hadn't read the book beforehand. Room 101 appears symbolically about 10 minutes in with nary a hint of what room 101 might actually mean. Having read the book years ago I of course knew what room 101 was and it's difficult to place myself in the position of someone who sees the movie without prior knowledge. But I imagine considerable bewilderment.

On the other hand, casting John Hurt as Winston Smith was inspired. Back in 1978 when I read the novel for the second time I had images of what Winston looked like and John Hurt matches em to a tee. Of course, I could also see Tom Courtenay playing the role - his Ivan Denisovich felt right to me. And seeing John Hurt as Winston Smith might have been influenced by his role as Timothy Evans in 10 Rillington Place.

Should I confess that the opening scenes bring a lump into my throat? It's partly the music (I'm a sucker for lush Post-Romantic music) and partly the way the movie takes me back 36 years).

As to just why I borrowed the movie tonight? Firstly it was on the shelf. It was also a vague remembrance of the soundtrack. But I've also been reading Annie Applebaums 'Gulag' and 'Gulag Archipelago' (the latter for about the fourth time). It seemed right that I should watch a movie on a related subject.