Category: Arts

1984 is a beautiful and thought-provoking film that asks necessary questions about the role that government plays in people’s personal lives. Based on the 1949 book by George Orwell, the film was directed by Michael Radford and stars John Hurt, Richard Burton, Suzanna Hamilton, and Cyril Cusack.

The screening that took place Tuesday night was free to all University of Michigan students, but there were also tickets available for non-students, and the crowd was made up of a surprisingly wide array of people. There were college students and adults of all ages, couples and family groups, and altogether the theater was filled almost completely, which made the experience particularly exciting.

The event was put on by U of M’s Film & Video Student Association. Before the screening, they explained that they were going to have an introductory clip of Radford speaking a little about the film, and that after the film they would show a segment of an interview done with Radford. Due to a mislabeling of the tapes, they ended up showing a clip of the interview first instead, which was actually really interesting to see.

Radford talked a lot about how quickly the film had been put together – apparently he decided to make it at the end of 1983, since he realized it was almost 1984 and it would be great for a film adaptation of the book to be released then, and it was released in September of 1984. He also talked about the film’s terrific leading cast: Burton, who had a reputation for alcoholism at the time but who didn’t touch a drink during the making of the film; Hamilton, who stood out among hundreds of women who auditioned for the role of Julia; and Hurt, whom Radford actually approached first and told him that if he wouldn’t take the role of Winston Smith, then Radford wouldn’t make the movie. According to Radford, Hurt responded by saying, “Well, I’m not going to stop you from making this movie.”

It’s a good thing Hurt was on board, because the movie was terrific. I had never seen it before this screening, and I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to remember enough from the book for it to make sense, but the reality of the film was perfectly clear to anyone who had or hadn’t read the book beforehand. 1984 tells the story of Winston Smith, who lives in a dystopian country called Oceania, which is forever at war with one of two other countries (Eurasia and Eastasia). Under the political regime of the powerful Inner Party, citizens are controlled in every aspect by the government, and are expected to obey the government wholeheartedly and without question. The extent of censorship is so great that even “thoughtcrime” is severely punishable, which comes into play for Winston when he falls in love with a girl named Julia, even though the only love he is supposed to truly feel is his love for the party.

1984 is not a happy story by any means, and the story in the film was told in a way that was beautiful, terrifying, and devastating. Hurt in particular was amazing to watch because he so fully captured the last vestige of humanity that Winston clings to in spite of the government – the love in his heart, the “spirit of man” – which made it shattering to see the twisted ways in which the government worked to undermine his identity, to the point where even he himself came to question it. These are themes that resonated with audiences years before 1984, and they continue to resonate with us now. Although the film was made many years ago, this is a story that we should never stop telling.

Tonight at Lorch Hall, the Film & Video Student Association will be hosting a screening of classic film 1984. 1984 is based on the 1949 novel of the same name by George Orwell, which narrated the story of Winston Smith, a man living in a dystopian future in which everything and everyone is subject to extreme censorship and surveillance by the government. 1984 realizes many fears that the public has regarding suppressive political parties and government interference in the lives of the people, and it gives its audience many interesting things to think about, especially during a time when these issues are at the forefront of so many people’s minds.

I read the book 1984 a few years ago, but I have yet to see the movie, so I’m very excited about the screening. The movie was made a long time ago, and the book upon which it is based is even older, but I have a feeling that there will still be plenty of thoughts and ideas in the film that are all too relevant. It will be showing from 9:00 to 11:30 PM tonight at 140 Lorch Hall, and the event will be free to all students.

Award-winning tenor and UM alum Michael Fabiano was joined by Collaborative Piano Professor Martin Katz in Hill Auditorium on Saturday to present a concert of art songs composed in the 19th and 20th centuries. As both artists have received numerous accolades for their work separately, it was a true delight to witness them come together for this intimate evening.

The program was separated into four groups of related works. The first group was four Victor Hugo poems that were set by Franz Liszt. The second was a collection of six pieces from the small yet significant collection of seventeen art songs by Henri Duparc. The second half opened with a selection of Italian songs from Giacomo Puccini and Arturo Toscanini, with Samuel Barber’s Three Songs of James Joyce, Op. 10 ending the program. The songs encompassed themes of love, death, and everything in between.

Fabiano established his prowess as both singer and actor by engaging with the audience through the difficult repertoire he sang. He was clearly comfortable onstage, no doubt owing to his operatic experience, and moved freely about the stage, adding unspoken meaning to the songs. He was able to capture the myriad of emotions that transpired over the course of the program by making use of different vocal colors and embodying the drama of the music.

The musicianship of Martin Katz was so clearly present during the concert that at times one might have forgotten that he was playing. He demonstrated his mastery over every unique style of the program’s composers, painting a breathtaking backdrop for Fabiano to explore and revel in.

Although the translations of the French and Italian songs were readily available in the program book, I decided not to follow along. I found the experience of imagining the story based on the emotions portrayed by the composer and the performers to be far more engaging and enjoyable.

At the conclusion of the written program, Fabiano proceeded to perform five encores for the highly receptive audience. Each one was more demanding than the last, and the concluding performance of the famous “Nessun Dorma” from Puccini’s Turandot was absolutely stunning.  The evening was a beautiful reminder of the incredible talent Ann Arbor has been blessed with through the University of Michigan.

This Saturday, two of the University of Michigan’s finest musicians will present an evening of art songs by Liszt, Puccini, Duparc, Toscanini, and Barber. Award-winning Tenor Michael Fabiano is a University of Michigan alum who has performed on such significant stages as the Metropolitan Opera, the San Francisco Opera, and the Paris Opera.

Fabiano will be joined by University of Michigan Collaborative Piano Professor Martin Katz, a phenomenal accompanist who has worked with some of the world’s greatest singers.

The concert, which will be on April 1st in Hill Auditorium at 8pm, promises to be an intimate evening full of beautiful song. Buy your tickets here!