ADAPTED & ILLUSTRATED BY - MATYAS NAMAI
Any new adaptation of “Nineteen Eighty-Four” is to be welcomed, and Matyas Namai’s graphic novel, rechristened “1984”, is a glorious addition to English literature’s dystopian library. It’s obvious from the lavish production values of this volume that this is a major adaptation of George Orwell’s timeless classic.
Like most people I know the story well, so there’s no need to recap it here. Originally a commentary on Stalinism, it has become an eternal warning against the horrors of totalitarianism. The omnipresent Big Brother resembles a faded 1930s matinee idol, with a touch of Oswald Mosley, which is appropriate, and Winston Smith is aptly depicted as a downtrodden slave of the system. With the art mostly in harsh monochrome, Julia’s red sash is a vivid splash of colour, and she is drawn as a loyal party member, but she softens later on whilst remaining a strong character. O’Brien, the main antagonist, for want of a better word, is perfectly rendered as a ruthless and barbaric Party member.
The lettering throughout is small and not as bold as is usually the case with comics; this story demands your close attention-this isn’t a Marvel comic to be read in five minutes and discarded. The speech-bubbles are often densely packed with words, necessary to properly convey Orwell’s work. The script is rigorously faithful to the source material, even including prose extracts from Emmanuel Goldstein’s forbidden book.
Namai’s art throughout is emotive and effective, spare and economical; reminiscent of the best artists of 70s. The panels depicting Winston Smith’s world are dark, cramped and dirty, while the scenes of Winston & Julia’s furtive trysts in the outside world are wildly free and refreshing. Later scenes of interrogation are forensically brutal and utterly haunting. And beyond all that is Room 101…
The book is rounded off with galleries, original character sketches, rough drafts of the excellent propaganda posters used throughout, etc. The amount of work that went into this graphic novel is staggering.
Matyas Namai’s adaptation both respects and maybe even improves on Orwell’s original story. It brings “1984” to visceral, vivid life, kicking and screaming, and is doubleplusgood.
No comments:
Post a Comment