1984
The book
First published 8 June 1949 by Secker and Warburg, London. Edition of 25,575 copies. The imprint states: “First published 1949”. Binding: green calico-textured cloth on boards, purple top edge. Dustjackets printed in both red and green versions.
The first American edition was published by Harcourt, Brace and Company, New York, on 13 June 1949. Edition of 20,000 copies. The imprint states: “First American Edition”. Binding: grey calico cloth on boards. Followed by a “Book of the Month Club” edition which sold 190,000 copies by March 1952.
Also see a scan of the first page of the manuscript.
The movies
In 1954 the BBC made an adaptation for television with Peter Cushing playing Winston Smith. The watchful eyes of Big Brother were portrayed by the design department's Roy Oxley. The programme caused a stir, and questions were asked in Parliament.
But at around the time and location the author had in mind, a major blockbuster movie was shot, starring John Hurt as Smith and Richard Burton as O'Brien, his last role, with music by the Eurythmics. The film was released in Europe 14 November 1984 and the US 17 February the following year—or so we are told. What is certain the tagline “Big Brother is watching you” has grown into popular culture, a common household name and far beyond.
See a thoughtful trailer (02:13), check out some audioclips from the movie, or hear singer Annie Lennox convincingly imitating an exchange of fire by machine guns in a sample (00:16 but very stereo) from the soundtrack with these suggestive titles, again leading to bans in various countries and other disruptions of public and local order:
- Doubleplusgood
- For the Love of Big Brother
- Greeting's from a Dead Man
- I Did It Just the Same
- Julia
- Ministry of Love
- Room 101
- Sex Crime (1984)
- Winston's Diary
