As we've gone over previously, everyone has 1984 fever...for uh, for some reason. There are discussion groups dedicated to the book at the library, for a book you can't even get at the dang library. There's a theater adaption of the book coming to America after a few successful runs in jolly old England. And now, the movie will be playing in theaters across the country, including here in New York City.
On April 4th, the same day that Orwell's novel opens on protagonist Winston Smith jotting down thoughts in a forbidden diary, 90 art house movie theaters (89 in the U.S. and one in Canada) will each screen the cinematic adaptation of 1984 from the year 1984, starring John Hurt.
In a statement announcing the mass screening, the movie theater group calling itself the United State of Cinema wrote that they're showing the film because:
Less than one month into the new presidential administration, theater owners collectively believe the clock is already striking thirteen. Orwell's portrait of a government that manufactures their own facts, demands total obedience, and demonizes foreign enemies, has never been timelier. The endeavor encourages theaters to take a stand for our most basic values: freedom of speech, respect for our fellow human beings, and the simple truth that there are no such things as 'alternative facts.'
In the statement, the theaters also said that a portion of the proceeds from the shows will either go towards local charities or organizations, or to underwrite "future educational and community-related programming."
In New York City, the participating theaters on April 4th will be the Alamo Drafthouse, Nitehawk Cinema, Anthology Film Archives, The Film Society of Lincoln Center and the IFC Center. For information on what time each showing is, and what charities your money will go to, check in with each individual theater. And remember, Big Brother is watching you (unless his security apparatus is too busy to do that because it's in a fight with him).
