A Clockwork Orange ---- ***** (out of 5) (1971)
Cast: Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, James Marcus, Warren Clarke, Aubrey Morris
Director(s): Stanley Kubrick
Screenwriter(s): Stanley Kubrick
Released on: December 20, 1971
Reviewed on: January 30, 2005
Rated: R - for sex, rape, pervasive nudity, and intense violence
At the time of its release and years to follow, lots of controversy has surrounded Stanley Kubrick's cinematic adaptation of Anthony Burgess's novel, A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. Though some still find it one of the hardest films to sit through because of some explicit scenes and a perverse, pornographic viewpoint on the fabric of society, that can be easily argued. You can probably find lots of people, like myself, who regard this film as a classic because of its presentation of a fictionalized, yet real message that depicts the deterioration of morality. On the other hand, you can also find many who consider the film tasteless and disgusting and its director misguided and self-indulgent. If the plot intrigues you and high quantities of nudity and violence don't faze you, then you may be in the former category.
Alexander DeLarge is our primary character and most every scene in the film revolves around his daily routines, whether you're fond of his activites or not. The setting is some sort of British city but not in the 1970's like when the film was made. It seems to be a few decades into the future where morals and values have become a thing of the past, law and order has diminished, and the crime rate has soared to uncontrollable new heights. Amidst all of the criminals prowling the streets, young Alexander only runs a small gang with he and his three companions, whom he calls "droogs." He leads the small foursome with power and authority and, every night, takes his droogs into exciting new territory, involving lots of "ultra-violence" and raping of young women for their own thrill-driven gratification. His naive parents seem to know nothing of his nightly behavior outside of the house, and his schoolwork constantly suffers as a result of his evening capers. Finally, two of Alex's droogs decide that they're fed up with obeying his strict orders and want to create a new regime. After Alex beats them back into submission, the two take revenge on their leader by clubbing him over the head and leaving him on the ground, injured, at the scene of a murder. When he is found to be the only one there other than the dead woman, he is tried, convicted, and sent off to prison.
While in custody, Alex has no trouble getting along with the hierarchy and meets all of the standards that the other prisoners are put up to. In order to avoid serving such a harsh sentence, Alex agrees to sign up for a new and effective treatment that can cure a wicked and troubled mind in a matter of weeks. After being accepted, he is forced to sit through a plethora of disturbing films presenting relentless violence and rape all while having his eyes clipped open and nausea-inducing drugs being pumped into his system. Once the healing process is completed, Alex is released back into the world after only a short two years, and when faced with the decision of being a good citizen and going back to his old ways, thoughts of the latter will leave him immediately stricken with physically crippling feelings of pain and sickness. With Alex's name becoming publicized, an enormous debate ensues on whether this treatment is a moral and ethical thing to do or if it eliminates free will.
If you pick CLOCKWORK ORANGE apart piece by piece, you'll see that it has amazing depth and lots of sociological and political issues addressed in its plot. The experience is a tough one to swallow, but a film that can make several lasting impressions on timeless arguments is never going to be a kind endeavor. Consider that the scenes of sexual encounters and ultra-violence are frequently made to seem like everyday occurrences in this corrupt society. Alex and his droogs engage in these things on a disturbingly regular basis, almost like masturbation. Every person masturbates at some time or another, but hardly anyone publicly discusses it. That's how the bad activities in A CLOCKWORK ORANGE are presented. Kubrick obviously knew what he was doing when he established the futuristic United Kingdom and created his twisted version of a criminally-polluted society.
I'm glad that I managed to fully understand A CLOCKWORK ORANGE because, otherwise, I can imagine what a confusing, disorienting, and unpleasant view it would have been. I can compromise no less than to give this proclaimed classic and wildly debated motion picture a full five stars. Kubrick's prediction of the future continues to prove to be accurate. Morals in this day and age are becoming less and less important, and are discarded in favor of the careless search for pleasure and satisfaction. Even if you don't feel that you want to see someone's brutal perspective of reality, A CLOCKWORK ORANGE still deserves one viewing for judgmental purposes... especially if you're one who likes to "vidi the old films now and again."
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