NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR (1954): (film comments by Evelyn C. Leeper)

[Philip De Parto]

The following commentary is reprinted with permission from 

THE MT VOID
10/24/25 -- Vol. 44, No. 17, Whole Number 2403

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NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR (1954):  (film comments by Evelyn C. Leeper)

Terry Frost recommended a film written by Nigel Kneale, THE
ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN, but rather than commenting on that film, I
will talk about three of Nigel Kneale's television plays for the
BBC.

NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR (1954): This starred Peter Cushing (as
Winston Smith) before he became a big Hammer star. One bit that
resonated with current events is when Winston Smith is re-writing
old news reports to say that Big Brother claimed the enemy would
take place where it actually did rather than where he originally
(and incorrectly) claimed he would, and when the reduction of the
chocolate ration was described as an increase.

Actually, there are a lot of bits that resonate with current
events. Alas.

The show was considered so horrifying and graphic at the time that
questions were raised in Parliament about it. By today's
standards, of course, it would probably get a PG-13.

It is available at archive.org. (Avoid the colorized version.)
Released televised 12 December 1954.

Film Credits:
<https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14473100/reference>