Both have their strengths and weaknesses. Most of the reviewers here and on imdb compare the 1956 version unfavorably to the later 1984 version with John Hurt & Richard Burton but it’s another apples to oranges comparison. The other reason is that Columbia allowed the copyright to lapse and 1984 and its companion release, THE GAMMA PEOPLE, disappeared for many years. They had the film withdrawn from circulation shortly after it opened in the U.K although the USA version has the original book ending. Part of this is due to the estate of George Orwell who hated the altered ending SPOILER ALERT wherein Winston & Julia overcome their brainwashing and are killed rather than becoming mindless followers of Big Brother. That should not be the case with the 1956 film but unfortunately, for the present, all we have are public domain copies with some better than others but none of them great. However that version was taken from a live BBC broadcast so the quality is understandable. ![]() It is now available on DVD and on You Tube although the quality is certainly not up to today’s standards. Although billed as “The Original 1984”, that distinction belongs to the 1954 BBC-TV version that starred Peter Cushing and Andre Morell and was adapted by Nigel Kneale of QUATERMASS fame.
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