Cast and Crew:  Tom Stoppard (Screenplay); Michael Kamen (Score); Robert De Niro, Katherine Helmond, Ian Holm, Bob Hoskins, Michael Palin, Ian Richardson, Jim Broadbent, Peter Vaughn, Kim Greist

What It’s About: In a bleak future, bureaucrat Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce) makes the mistake of attempting to fix an error, a mistake that eventually marks him as an enemy of the state.

Why Watch it Today?: George Orwell’s 1984 was first published today in 1949.  Although the work itself has been adapted multiple times, today’s film, a brilliant but very, very black comedy/satire from writer/director Terry Gilliam, is the best film inspired by Orwell’s vision.

Where to Get It: Your local library; Netflix (DVD)