Dreamcasting Adaptations #16: BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU

[bluebeast]

Rules

1. The winner of the last round becomes the moderator of the round, and thus gets to choose the property or story in question to be adapted. Winner may also declare whether this property is an animated film, or a live-action one. He must also name the core characters to be cast, which should be at least 4, but no more than 9.

2. Participants may not use actors who have played the role before in the same medium before. Voice talents may not reprise their role, nor can film/TV ones.

3. After the time period set by the moderator, the round is declared closed. People will vote via PM and send it to the moderator, who will count the votes and declare winner. Like the Ultimatization Game, you CANNOT vote for yourself.

4. The winner declared gets to choose the property in the next round

In a dystopian future one ideological man chooses to stand against the oppressive regime of Big Brother. This is George Orwell's:

Nineteen Eighty-Four​

You must cast:

Winston Smith: A minor member of the ruling Party in near-future London, Winston Smith is a thin, frail, contemplative, intellectual, and fatalistic thirty-nine-year-old. Winston hates the totalitarian control and enforced repression that are characteristic of his government. He harbors revolutionary dreams.

Julia: Winston’s lover, a beautiful dark-haired girl working in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. Julia enjoys sex, and claims to have had affairs with many Party members. Julia is pragmatic and optimistic. Her rebellion against the Party is small and personal, for her own enjoyment, in contrast to Winston’s ideological motivation.

O’Brien: A mysterious, powerful, and sophisticated member of the Inner Party whom Winston believes is also a member of the Brotherhood, the legendary group of anti-Party rebels.

Big Brother: Though he never appears in the novel, and though he may not actually exist, Big Brother, the perceived ruler of Oceania, is an extremely important figure. Everywhere Winston looks he sees posters of Big Brother’s face bearing the message “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.” Big Brother’s image is stamped on coins and broadcast on the unavoidable telescreens; it haunts Winston’s life and fills him with hatred and fascination.

Refrences-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen_Eighty_Four

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/1984/

Begin.

 

[Planet-man]

YEAH!

I'll have my cast up this weekend. Warning: It's awesome.

 

[Langsta]

I've heard of this movie. I've never seen it though.

 

[Planet-man]

I've heard of this movie. I've never seen it though.

IT'S A BOOK! ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL AND REFERENCED BOOKS OF THE 20TH CENTURY!:arrgh:

 

[Langsta]

IT'S A BOOK! ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL AND REFERENCED BOOKS OF THE 20TH CENTURY!:arrgh:

Settle down. I never said it wasn't a book.

 

[marvelman]

As I understand it, all these people are supposed to be British, so I tried to reflect that.

Winston: Simon Pegg

In a more serious role, Pegg brings an edge of paranoia and rebellion. Plus he's an everyman, bored with everyday life and yearning for something more.

Julia: Emily Blunt

I find her ridiculously attractive. She is beautiful, but she is also a real person- i.e. she seems normal enough and not like a huge hollywood diva-star. i mean, look at this picture for instance:

She doesn't look AMAZING all the time, but she is still attractive.
more pics, cuz she rocks:

Yeah, she could be the woman with the red sash.

O'Brien: Clive Owen
(The pic has since turned into boobs. so i deleted it.)
Doesn't even have to speak much, but his presence needs to be imposing, and inspiring to the pedestrian Winston.
And he has to get mean.

Big Brother: Ian McKellan (John Hurt woulda been great if he didn't play a Big Brother character in V for Vendetta already)

 

[Planet-man]

Anyway, I'm too anxious to do this so here's my cast now:

My idea for the opening credits of the film would involve someone in the Ministry of Truth writing/typing names on pieces of paper, just for the first half-minute of pre-title credits, and finally having a close up of them dating the page 04/...04/... (extreme close-up, each digit stamped in by a thundering typewriter) 1 9 8 4. The paper would then be placed into a nearby Memory Hole. The rest of the sequence would follow falling slips of paper, each with actual credits on them, as they slowly float downwards through the darkness, meeting other slips along the way as more and more shafts intertwine until finally they all reach the gargantuan fires deep beneath the surface and are incinerated. The camera then briefly follows a twist of smoke and ash, which CGI-fades into a "swirl of gritty dust"(quote from the book) that blows past Winston as he squeezes through the door to the Victory Apartments building and the movie begins.

(oldpic source links unsite. newpic quicksub)
Gary Oldman as Winston Smith
One of the best actors in the world, looks about the right age(even though he's much older), and as scruffy and weathered as Winston is. I pictured him looking a bit different facially, but Gary's definitely who I'd want to play him in a movie of the book.

Natalie Portman as Julia
I'm not dead-set on this, and I pictured Julia quite differently, but imagining this movie in itself I think it's obvious she would work fine. We already know from V For Vendetta that she can easily Brit it up, too.

David Prowse as O'Brien

I might change this because I've never really seen him act, I considered Anthony Hopkins briefly just because he's such a good actor in general, but when casting O'Brien I thought, in keeping with the actual character, "well, who's a really big, old British guy"? David Prowse came to mind, but I didn't know what he looks like now, so I did and image search, and good God..... he looks so much like how I pictured O'Brien it's unbelievable.

Michael Gambon as my much more plausible and probably better choice for O'Brien
He's a brilliant actor, around the right age, and still looks a fair amount like how I pictured O'Brien. Not identical like Prowse, but quite close. He's also pretty physically imposing which I think is a must.

Joseph Stalin as Big Brother

In my mind when reading the book, Big Brother really is just a picture of Stalin, and the whole Nineteen Eighty-Four world was triggered by him and his comrades. Simple as that.

Leon Trotsky as Emmanuel Goldstein
Same logic as Stalin, except the name change wouldn't really make sense here, but feh.

Michael Emerson as Syme
Based on the description they gave in the book, I pictured Syme looking like Emerson. Hope he can do a British accent.

Cast for Charington to come.

Also, Emily Blunt is a very good choice, Marvelman. I pictured her in the book looking exactly like this girl I know, and that fourth picture of Emily Blunt actually looks a bit like her. Just not as gorgeous.

 

[Langsta]

**** it, I'm just going to cast this blindly.

1984

Winston Smith - Gary Oldman
A minor member of the ruling Party in near-future London, Winston Smith is a thin, frail, contemplative, intellectual, and fatalistic thirty-nine-year-old. Winston hates the totalitarian control and enforced repression that are characteristic of his government. He harbors revolutionary dreams. I originally considered David Tennant for the role, but he looks a bit too young....and besides, Oldman is one of the greatest living actors.

Julia - Eva Green
Winston’s lover, a beautiful dark-haired girl working in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. Julia enjoys sex, and claims to have had affairs with many Party members. Julia is pragmatic and optimistic. Her rebellion against the Party is small and personal, for her own enjoyment, in contrast to Winston’s ideological motivation.

O’Brien - Chiwetel Ejiofor
A mysterious, powerful, and sophisticated member of the Inner Party whom Winston believes is also a member of the Brotherhood, the legendary group of anti-Party rebels.

Big Brother - Orson ****ing Welles
Though he never appears in the novel, and though he may not actually exist, Big Brother, the perceived ruler of Oceania, is an extremely important figure. Everywhere Winston looks he sees posters of Big Brother’s face bearing the message “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.” Big Brother’s image is stamped on coins and broadcast on the unavoidable telescreens; it haunts Winston’s life and fills him with hatred and fascination.

 

[Langsta]

But why would you mention the movie rather than the book?:?

Because we're casting the movie.

Gary Oldman as Winston Smith
One of the best actors in the world, looks about the right age(even though he's much older), and as scruffy and weathered as Winston is. I pictured him looking a bit different facially, but Gary's definitely who I'd want to play him in a movie of the book.

****! I just got done posting my cast!

 

[Planet-man]

Because we're casting the movie.

But it's not a remake, ah.... forget it.

****! I just got done posting my cast!

Yeah, take that you book-ignornat miscreant!

Eva Green as Julia isn't bad at all. Surprised I didn't think of her. I've got someone else strongly in mind, but Green's a great and accurate choice.

 

[marvelman]

wow, gary oldman and eva green are both brilliant choices. and they were both on the tip of my tongue but i didnt come up with them.

nuts.

 

[Bass]

Great choices and GREAT idea for a round, Bluebeast!

 

[TwilightEL]

Nice choice.

I don't participate in these things, but I've already cast Big Brother.

 

[Bass]

BWAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

 

[SSJmole]

I know I wont win as I think a couple of picks some people may not have heard of but here it goes

Mole presents :​

Nineteen Eighty-Four​

Winston Smith – Christopher Eccleston – after seeing him in Dr Who I think he could honestly play the main lead in this film and be someone the audience could really get behind during his doubts and fears.


Julia – Martine McCutcheon – She’s a pretty good actress , She’s dark haired and beautiful as description said plus she has an innocence to her that I think would really help to make the character seem more real.


O’Brien - Billy Murray – I don’t know how many people watch the bill , but as Beech he was this slimy , double crossing , crooked cop , I think if he played the character like that it would work on so many levels as you wouldn’t really know what side he was on


Big Brother – Kelsey Grammar – I wanted Big Brother to have the psychotic voice of sideshow bob that’s pretty much the only reason for this as I don’t think big brother would be shown in the film but the voice is recognisable enough as well as has the right quality to work.

 

[Planet-man]

Big Brother – Kelsey Grammar – I wanted Big Brother to have the psychotic voice of sideshow bob that’s pretty much the only reason for this as I don’t think big brother would be shown in the film but the voice is recognisable enough as well as has the right quality to work.

Actually, he's shown, but never speaks.:lol:

But Eccleston is quite a good Winston.

I think it's kind of funny people keep casting actual actors as Big Brother. You never see more than a photo of him throughout the story. Shouldn't it be either Stalin or a complete unknown?

 

[SSJmole]

Actually, he's shown, but never speaks.:lol:

But Eccleston is quite a good Winston.

I think it's kind of funny people keep casting actual actors as Big Brother. You never see more than a photo of him throughout the story. Shouldn't it be either Stalin or a complete unknown?

Never read the book so I wouldn't know I just figured he might have a line or two :lol: of well his face will work too as it's not intimidating and thus is more threatening as it's easy to see him a cult leader or something

 

[bluebeast]

Never read the book so I wouldn't know I just figured he might have a line or two :lol: of well his face will work too as it's not intimidating and thus is more threatening as it's easy to see him a cult leader or something

Mole you seriously need to read the book. In my opinion it's one of the top ten greatest books of the 20th century. And for those of you adapting the movie you are wrong. This is the book I'm going off of.

And Planet Man your reasoning behind picking Big Brother is absolutly spot on.

 

[ProjectX2]

I really want to cast this but I can't until I've read the book and I can't read the book because my library is taking forever to get me a copy.

Sigh.

Some good choices so far though.

 

[bluebeast]

I would hope that no one spoils this for any of the members who haven't yet read this masterpiece. The ending is truly astonishing and darkly perfect.