Top Three Totalitarinism Movies

1. 1984, actually released in 1984. It is about a man named Winston Smith (played by John Hurt) whose job day by day is to rewrite history for the fascist government(party). Personality's have been wiped clean, lives stricken from the history books, even love is not allowed. A language is invented (newspeak) which eliminates all words that relate to rebellion, to even think a rebellious thought is to go against Big Brother, the omniscient leader. The people are watched through teleprompters as they go through their daily lives, there is never a moment where they are not being watched. Children will turn you in to the Thought Police, (those who punish thought crime) if you do anything out of the ordinary. Eventually Winston rebels by writing his thoughts down, something fiercely forbidden. He even falls in love with a younger woman named Julia. Julia is pragmatic and optimistic and disobeys the party's rules and laws with great enthusiasm which in turn brings about his and her down fall. As far as movies based on books go, this one is better than most and stays true to the characters in the book. The look and feel of the movie are that right out of a nightmare. Moves slowly but I think the reason for that is to let you take in wholly the total despair of such a world gone completely wrong. It is fantastic and a must watch for fan of fascist government run movies.

2. Brazil released in 1985. this is more of a dark comedy, quite a lot like 1984 but with a little humour added in. Stars Jonathan Pryce as the main character Sam Lowry. Sam works a boring low level government job who transfers out of it to another government job in information retrieval to get information on the woman he has been having dreams of. Just as in 1984 this woman will lead to his downfall as well; however the journey on the way will be filled with odd ball characters one of whom is played by Robert Deniro. He plays Tuttle a renegade air conditioning specialist who the government perceives as a terrorist which will actually lead to the death of the wrong man. Then there is Katherine Helmond, who plays Sam's mom. She like all the well to do woman in the movie is obsessed with plastic surgery and is constantly trying to out do the rest of the other woman in latest the surgical trend. The setting of this film is spectaculer almost over the top a very dream like state most of the time. Throughout the film you will root for Sam and laugh along the way with the almost absurd like day to day happenings. Although there is slightly more freedom, you can talk and smile and laugh together, the government still runs supreme over all else. This movie will not leave you with a happy feeling inside, however it remains a cult classic worth seeing at least once.

3.THX-1138 filmed in 1971 and directed by George Lucas and stars Robert Duvall as THX1138. This movie is again set in a very Orwellian like type society where the government. No individual freedom exists, no sexuality permitted everyone sports shaved heads. The population is kept sedated so that they may go about their daily lives without fighting for their freedoms. Robots chant to the population that "everything will be all right" . This is a world with no souls, no hope, they are completely alone and know it. His roomate LUH3417 has slowly reduced their meds which results in them finding love being imprisoned and THX running to find the pregnant LUH and escape for freedom. Fugitive pursuits are on a strict budget once ran out they will not chase after you anymore. It all takes place underground if you can find your way out and evade the police long enough for the budget to run out you gain your freedom. Very bleak outlook on what could happen if we don't watch ourselves. Well worth seeing, especially to see if he makes it out or not.

Other good ones not mentioned but deserving are Logans Run, The Island, and 12 Monkeys.