W12, #4: Going Back in Time

Speaking of movie versions of 1984 (see W10, #3), I'm curious what you think of the way Hollywood advertised the original film version of the novel back in the year 1956.

Certainly an interesting visual way to attract people to watch the film.

Challenge:  In 5+ sentences, analyze this film poster. 

Does it work? 

Does it surprise you? 

Why do you think this is the way they tried to advertise the film back in 1956, only 7 years after the novel was first published?

Comments

[Student #1]

I think the film poster has a typical Hollywood spin on it. The poster has bright colors, unlike the dark theme throughout the story. The love story of course is the central idea shown, like in most movies. They tried to advertise it as more as a love story when it is certainly not. They don't highlight the important themes that should be to your attention.

[Student #2]

For that tome period it works perfectly. People back then had wild imaginations. The technology in that picture plays immaculately to that time period. And the focus of antention in the fifties was how to enjoy the day. To be honest I am not suprised at all. Holley Wood useually does a good jobfilling up the horizons of our minds. I think the book was a little shoking to people and especially to those who couldn't get there facts right. I think that Hooley Wood had to get the important parts in the books and sum it up to help people understand the book.

[Student #3]

It doesnt surprise me at all actually. The telescreen with the "anti-sex league" was very literal and perfectly with the book. The image of Julia and Winston kissing was surprising because we are only just beginning of the book and we are just being introduced to how against sex and everything else that didnt follow BB's rules was.

[Student #4]

Surpisingly, I think the bright color scheme somehow works. However, the people in the picture have exaggerated expressions and the devices are whimsical. I feel that this movie was shown in a comic fashion. Also, it is obvious that the love story is played up. I think that is not anywhere close to the main theme. I get the impression that in 1956 the public liked romance movies. The illustrator obviously thought the book was amusing. Overall, the poster completely fails to show the themes of the book.

[Student #5]

I think that the poster certainly doesn't show a typical love story. At first sight, the kissing seems like the emphasis, but we have to notice the "anti-sex" badge the central guy wears. I think that the cover conveys a mysterious feeling, because the person who is watching the video is probably a police man, maybe from the thought police, and it seems that the lovers are in deep trouble because they have been discovered. The poster kind of relates to the story, but doesn't really portrait exactly the themes of the book because it focuses mainly on the sexual part, instead of the whole idea of a world void of thinking. The poster works in catching people's attention, but doesn't reflect on the main idea.

[Student #6]

I am not sure I agree with the way it was designed. For example the anti Sex league hovering over the couple. It gives the audience an idea, but it isn’t an accurate portrayal.
I would have suggested maybe B-B watching them, or the thought police.
It gives the audience a quick glimpse, however it keeps them wondering. The poster works, it just doesn’t completely relate to the novel. The reason why I would think they published it later is maybe to be closer to the date it represented, and be more surreal.

[Student #7]

Well, I think that the poster uses the bright colors to attract people than to show the actual dark depressing theme. You can see that the main idea to this version of 1984 is the love story idea. It shows some of the ideas, such as the telescreen and someone watching, and identifying the "impurity's" of the people. It doesn't really portray the themes that are established throughout the book. It only attracts what people want to see.

[Student #8]

This poster’s color scheme fails to match the prosaic and oppressed world of Oceania. It also centralizes on the love story between Julia and Winston even though they express different opinions on the same subject. While Winston delights in provoking a revolution with sexual tension, Julia only searches for momentary escape from the party and enjoys her cunning ability to stay away from the radar. This poster focuses too much on the oppression of sex while it should rather narrow in on the concept of thoughtcrime and the inability to be conscious in the future. It does however depict how the perpetual watching eyes of big brother, and that in the future, their shall be no such word in newspeak called Privacy.

[Student #9]

The perfect poster for a movie of 1984 would be Big Brother's face with the "War is Peace..." tagline at the top and "1984" in big letters at the bottom. It would be simple yet effective. There would be no bright colors, no sex, nothing but a face. It would make people who read the book excited and people who hadn't interested.

The poster above does nothing but make it seem like a movie all about sex, passion, and love. And while all of these are present in the book, none of them are the central theme and none of them capture the mood of the story like mimaginary poster would.

[Student #10]

I think the advertisement seen in the poster fits the capabilities of the time period. During the time the film industry was still inexperienced with portraying through a movie poster the "feeling" of a film. Because of this, and the knowledge that sex sells, they used the portrayal of a inevitably unprivate love affair and story to hook audiences, in order for them to come and watch the film. Although it is not surpring that Hollywood would use a love story to attract audiences it is surprising that they seemingly have left out the real circumstances comprised in the book; people live in fear of the government, and the government controls all aspects of life. However during this time period the advertising of a love story would generate buzz throughout the public and would attract audiences, therefore the advertisement I am guessing did work.

[Student #11]

I really don't like how this poster is showing the book. I don't feel as if it captures the feeling that the book is trying to portray. It seems focused on the romantic, sexual, side of the book, which isn't even that important, at least so far. It makes it seem as if the anti-sex league is the one controlling everyone which isn't true. The whole poster seems to revolve around this idea that romance is the issue focused on which I don't agree with at all.

[Student #12]

I believe this poster fits well for this time period, because it provides suspense to what the future will be like. Likely the viewers would have easily believed this poster due to their gullible invulnerability to any concepts of the future. It provides some closure, frightening, but still closure the same.
I believe that the poster was done seven years later because it is closer to 1984 and makes the content of the book seem possible.