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1984

1984

Science Fiction · Drama · 1956

In a totalitarian future society, a man whose daily work is rewriting history tries to rebel by falling in love.

Movie details

1984

“Will ecstasy be a crime... in the terrifying world of the future? Amazing wonders of tomorrow! Nothing like it ever filmed! From the startling George Orwell novel!”

1956 Science Fiction · Drama 1h 30m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.5 / 10

Community rating

In a totalitarian future society, a man whose daily work is rewriting history tries to rebel by falling in love.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over 1984?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Nineteen Eighty-Four

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Sci-fi · 1995

"All men are not created equal. It is the purpose of the Government to make them so." This is the premise of the Showtime film adaption of Kurt Vonnegut's futuristic short story Harrison Bergeron. The film centers around a young man (Harrison) who is smarter than his peers, and is not affected by the usual "Handicapping" which is used to train all Americans so everyone is of equal intelligence.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Michael Anderson

Written by

William Templeton · Ralph Gilbert Bettison

Edmond O'Brien

Edmond O'Brien

Winston Smith of the Outer Party

Jan Sterling

Jan Sterling

Julia of the Outer Party

Michael Redgrave

Michael Redgrave

O'Connor of the Inner Party

David Kossoff

David Kossoff

Charrington the Junk Shop Owner

Mervyn Johns

Mervyn Johns

Jones

Donald Pleasence

Donald Pleasence

R. Parsons

C

Carol Wolveridge

Selina Parsons

Court is in session

Put 1984 on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.