Customer Reviews

A Clockwork Orange (Widescreen)

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A Clockwork Orange is a magnificent movie. Malcolm McDowell brilliantly portrays Alex, a young man who leads a gang of hooligans ("droogs"). They spend their spare time beating people up and raping women. Then Alex is arrested, goes to prison, and is released after volunteering to undergo a revolutionary treatment for deviant behaviour. I disliked this movie the first time I saw it. There seemed to be no point to the movie, and I found it boring and REALLY weird. How is it weird? All you need to do is watch the opening scene at the milk bar to realize how strange this movie is - the way people dress, the way Alex talks, and so on. Probably the strangest thing about A Clockwork Orange is the interior design of rooms and buildings. The record store, the milk bar, and so on have a very bizarre and futuristic look. For instance, the milk bar has tables and milk dispensers that look like statues of naked women. This movie is so strange, that most people who watch this movie will hate it for that factor alone. But it's important not to let the weirdness or the violence distract you from the point of this movie.

This movie is infamous for its violence. Even if you aren't bothered by the sight of people getting shot in an action movie or stabbed in a horror movie, you might not be able to stomach the violence in this movie. In one scene, the droogs surround and beat up an old drunkard. I'm guessing it's because A Clockwork Orange puts a human face on Alex's victims, whereas the victims in a typical horror movie don't seem like real people - they seem more like caricatures of human beings rather than real people, so we don't care what happens to them. Even though the drunkard isn't killed, it doesn't change the way the viewer feels about the scene, because of the way the camera captures the brutality of the beating. There's also a violent scene that isn't unsettling - it's intentionally hilarious. I refer to the scene when the two gangs have a brawl that looks so unreal it looks like a professional wrestling match - the background music makes this scene even more enjoyable. So it's obvious that Kubrick tried to be silly rather than realisitc with regard to some aspects of the movie - like the way Alex runs into his former victims, one after another. I never read Anthony Burgess' book, so I am unsure if there's any silliness in his story.

This movie is also infamous for scenes of rape. We may consider murder to be a worse crime than rape, but ask anyone and they'll say they would prefer to see a character in a movie be murdered rather than raped. In one nasty scene, a woman is about to be gang-raped, but she manages to escape before it happens. But viewers aren't let off the hook in the scene at the writer's house. The close-up of the woman's face is more than enough to leave viewers shaken. In addition to showing the anguish of the victim, this movie shows that the victims of rape are scarred for life. That becomes apparent in a later scene when the writer describes the fate of his wife. At face value, these graphic scenes will seem exploitive. But they aren't. Kubrick should be commended for not allowing this movie to sink to the level of exploitation.

One of the most horrifying scenes is when the naked woman appears onstage before Alex. The sight of Alex on his knees, in a state of incredible agony while the audience applauds, is terrifying. It's as if mankind is applauding the complete destruction of the human spirit. It's like they are endorsing the means to turn us all into mindless robots, too afraid to think or feel anything, and spending every moment of our waking lives in dread of triggering the next bout of incredible physical pain. The thought of living under a totalitarian government that conditions everyone to behave the same way is terrifying - this method of conditioning certainly wouldn't be limited to murderers and rapists. I don't know if it's possible to condition people the way Alex was conditioned, but the thought that such a technique might be possible is very unsettling.

I like how this movie makes us hate Alex and pity his victims, and then it makes us pity Alex himself. Alex is such an interesting and captivating character that we are fascinated by his every act and every thought, even though he's a detestable character. Since the movie completely revolves around Alex, no one would bother watching the movie if he was boring or annoying. You'll probably find Alex's jargon annoying at first (like "malchick", "viddy", "eggy-waygs", and so on) but you'll get used to it. Interestingly, we enjoy seeing Alex suffer UNTIL he returns home after his release from prison. And we pity him for the rest of the movie - UNTIL the movie's final scene. When Alex runs into his former victims, they each exact a measure of revenge on him. Even though we can understand why his victims are hurting him, we can't help but feel that they have no right to hurt him. It almost makes you appreciate our justice system, even though we always scream for harsher punishments. And did anyone notice how long McDowell's head was held underwater? You'd think Kubrick wanted to drown him.

What's the point of A Clockwork Orange? By now you should be thinking about how to balance the rights of criminals with society's right to protect itself from criminals. In order to guarantee the security of the vast majority, is it acceptable to force a tiny minority to live their lives devoid of joy, even if they become suicidal? No one wants a convicted murderer or child molester in their neighbourhood - but what's the proper way to deal with that situation? We may never know.

Although there are some notable differences between the novella and the film version, Kubrick's classic does preserve the main part of Burgess' message, though does so in a more tragic manner. Because of the unique dialogue used by Alex and his "droogis" (from the Russian drugi for "friends in violence"), an understanding of Nadsat (the "teen language" of the teen anti-hero and his friends), or multiple viewings can help in the understanding of the dialogue.
In essence, Clockwork Orange is a criticism of the emerging behaviourist and conditioning practices as a means of reforming troubled youths and so-called "criminals." Though both Kubrick and Burgess do maintain this as their main message, Kubrick does not preserve Alex's "self-reformation" which occurs in the 21st chapter of Burgess' book.
Still though, the dialogue, the soundtrack and the costumes are relatively consistent with the book version and Clockwork Orange costumes are still quite popular at Halloween and other costume parties.

Perhaps the greatest irony in "A Clockwork Orange" occurs in the scene where Alex is reading the Bible in prison. He informs the viewer that he loves the violence and sex contained in the first part, but really has no use for the preaching in the latter half. I've come across a lot of folks who have seen this flick and it never fails- there are many out there who, like Alex and the Bible, love the brutality of the first hour of the film, and cannot abide the preachy second half. If you are one of those, stop reading this review.

"A Clockwork Orange" is an ingenious comparison of two theories of punishment- retributivism and utilitarianism. Debate has raged over the proper role of a criminal justice system. Is the goal to punish the criminal according to the old eye for an eye standard (retributivism) or to reform the criminal into a useful, law abiding citizen (utilitarianism)? At the outset, many people dismiss utilitarian values as a lot of liberal silliness: soft on crime. A more important question is whether we should reform criminals whether they desire to be reformed or not for the good of society. One of the more interesting aspects of this film is that is shows utilitarianism can be a far more brutal method than retributivism, contrary to popular thought.

Here we have the debate crystallized as if the proponents of both, Kant and Bentham, were debating the merits before our very eyes through the characters on screen. Alex is unquestionably rotten to the core; he maims and rapes helpless victims for laughs. The first hour of the film is dedicated to underscoring this point. When Alex is apprehended by the authorities, he is dealt with in the old fashioned Kantian way- punishment.

Alex then volunteers for a special treatment that will "cure" him, in exchange for freedom. The cure is a form of conditioning that causes Alex to become terribly ill whenever any inclination towards sex or violence surfaces- he now has a reflexive aversion toward evil, and "ceases to be a being capable of moral choice". The final act of the film deals with the consequences of being "cured" in such a way.

By now you probably get the idea- go see this film (but not as a "date"). To further entice you, it's one of the most visually exciting movies ever made, with vibrant images that will burn themselves into your mind. If you've never seen it on DVD, the transfer is great, and you will see things you've missed before. And as a final bonus, look for the guy who plays Darth Vader as a bodyguard.

"A Clockwork Orange" is screenplay writer/director/producer Stanley Kubrick's interpretation of the book of the same name by Anthony Burgess. The dialog includes some of Burgess' made-up language from the book.

The plot revolves around Alex de Large and his group of friends who are very violent, and get their kicks by raping and assaulting people. After Alex and friends commit various crimes, Alex is finally arrested and put in prison with a sentence of 14 years. Eventually, his sentence is commuted in exchange for him undergoing experimental aversion therapy which makes him physically ill at the thought of sex or violence. However, it also makes him hate Beethoven's 9th Symphony which was played as background music to some aversion films during treatment. After an attempted suicide, Alex is re-treated with apologies by the government for inhuman treatment, and Alex appears he will resume his old ways.

This movie is highly stylized, including wardrobe, hairdo's (mom has purple hair, another woman had dark blue hair), set dressing, location and props. There is a fair amount of full frontal nudity of both sexes, and some stylized and slow-motion violence. Kubrick has made some good and bad movies, but this is his most stylized and over-the-top effort. Not for everyone.

DVD has chapters, English or French spoken language, several subtitle languages, a trailer and list of awards.

Amazing portrayal of the effects of a violent youth on society, and the effects of society on the violent youth in turn. Not enough can be said for Malcom McDowell's genious, artistic performance as the lead character "Alex". This character would be despised if played by any other actor, but Mr Mcdowell's rendition somehow finds us leaving the film with an almost endearing "fondness" for the boy.Fabulous must see art film, but definitely not for sissies!

With this provocative, amusing and beautiful tour-de-force Stanley Kubrick established himself as the most audacious and original directors of his time. Though the are thoses who despise it, no one can deny the power of this film to spark impassioned discussions on the film's sudject matter. And I for one feel this is an achievement all on its own. This stirring classic, I hope, will endure and inspire generations of young film enthusiasts like myself.

It is a fantastic film with great Mcdowell acting and cineamatogrpahy but where is the story line.. it is out to prove nothing except that this is the ultimate future. Yes i have read the novel incase you nay-sayers get pissed off and beilve me to be closed minded with it well i've read it and i own a ton of Burgess novels and like Burgess said he wishes they would have done anohter one of this books becasue this one isn't his greatest and in the version of the book I have Burgess was dissapointed with Kubrick and his New York publisher. The book is much much better and has more of a story line but this is a great movie don't get me wrong but i don't think(seeing a review while typing this) that you're not a true "punker" if you dont see this..i guess punk rock isnt about ideas anymore if you have to see a movie to be one.

I have recently gotten into punk music. Im not talking the new wave, fake pop punk, i mean the old 70-80s punk, when the songs actually had a statement. Obviously, i ran into the Adicts, and i loved them. I heard that they are loosely based on Alex's "droogs" in this movie, in how they dress in boiler suits, so i thought i would check it out. Right from the out start of the movie, Alex begins to beat a homeless person, simply because he doesn't like the homeless. From that point on, you can't help but get the feeling that you shouldn't be watching the movie, yet you can't keep your eyes off of it. The movie throws you into a whirlwind of emotions, what with the hate that grows in you towards Alex for his truly hanous acts of rape and violence (or "the old in out," and "a bit of the old ultra-violence," as Alex puts it.) Kubrick does a great job of truly making you think that Alex deserves all he has coming to him.

Alex and his droogs are out one night, ready to take their next female victim, and the group agrees, without alex of course, that they are tired of him being the boss. Alex goes into the womans house, and after killing her with a giant ciramic male organ (if you know what i mean), runs out the front door, only to meet a milk bottle directly to his face from one of his droog buddies. his friends make a clean getaway and Alex is taken by the police and put into a catholic prison of sorts. While their he learns about the bible, and begins thinking things quite disturbing, such as being the one whip Christ on the way to his death (like i said disturbing.)

Eventually Alex gets in the good graces of the pastor and is sent to a program which is basically a complete brainwash. By giving Alex a drug before forcing him to view films of group raping and ultra-violence, he becomes physically sick at the very thought of commiting a violent act, or raping another woman. Through all of the violence and rapings that run rampent in this film, kubrick is delivering a very strong message on politics. Through this movies eyes, the government is making all of the decisions, and subjecting Alex to a life of torture.

In conclusion, this is no happy-go-lucky flick. The high amounts of violence and rape will be enough to make you feel uncomfortable. It really is best to push past all of that, because after Alex finishes his treatment, the film really begins to shine and deliver its message. Believe me, take the time to sit through it, or at least come back to it and wathc it and hour at a time, you will feel like a changed person afterword.

PS
To dan who wrote the comment about punks in the last line of the review above me, you dont understand what im saying. I never insisted that you must see this movie to be a punk, you might just enjoy it if you are a fan of the Adicts like i am, since much of their music is loosely based on the film (such as the song "smart Alex"). To say that being a punk means seeing a certain movie is foolish, you have to feel punk and the ideas that it carries inside, and i know that!

When I was little and first heard of "A Clockwork Orange" I asked my mother what it was about. She simply responded "Some Scottish kids who go around raping and killing all night." What an indecent synopsis. While on the surface I guess one could concoct a view of the film/book this way. However, if really watched-casting aside the relentless sex and violence, which some see as gratuitous but I see as essential-you can see it is much more. Watching such a film is even more disturbing then initially thought. Reason being, the world formulated in fifty years ago isn't that far away from ours today. That's what Bradbury did and I fear with my interiority that it is beginning to happen with Burgess's forecast. The government is starting to clench the citizens by the neck and the crime is despicable. I can only hope that we couldn't reach limits of rehabilitation that is conjured up in the film/book. The fact that Burgess could write a novel that so depicts our current society caricatured is a disturbing thought; ten fold that of the images presented by Kubrick's beautiful cinematography, even the scene of Alex viewing the films. I think most the controversy based off of the film/book is based off of fear rather than thoughts of gratuity, fear that our society has reached such horrible points.

There's something huge in this film that goes beyond any sort of rational explanation. If you can force yourself to watch the film past the first 15 minutes (and believe me, the big starting sequence of that one night that is NOT for the squeamish), then you'll see the utter sadist nature of little Alex, a Tom Sawyer-type who likes to play hooky and constantly get laid. However, though his wild behavior may not be completely distant of real life juvenile delinquency, he takes it too far, and his three-man gang betrays him and leaves him for the cops. Then through the next few years of Alex's life, he is shoved around by the society that he so happily kicked and "malchocked".

Even though this was, and perhaps still is, the most shockingly sadistic film ever made, that only seems to accentuate the character's horrible treatments in "The Ludovico Technique" and his family's abandonment afterwards. While he's portrayed as the class punk who went down a terrible road, you may actually feel pity for Alex as he's surrounded by fellow inmates of the adult world (he does go to prison) and abused just as badly as he abused people. He is the ultimate creation of the political Frankenstein: a brainwashed human being treated like an animal. He's the bad guy, and in society's eyes he will always be the bad guy, so revenge is taken by even the people that once loved him the most. I haven't read the book, though I'm sure at one point I will, but the story can be even thought of as being Shakespearean, which you'll see why in the very first lines of dialouge. The language of Alex is so profoundly bASs-awKArDs in a thick Welsh dialect that you may need to watch it a few times with the subtitles to understand just what the hell everyone's saying!

The title of this review is made in reference to Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction", because if you want to make a modern day connection then it would certainly be the best one to make. Both films were nominated for numerous Academy Awards but instead got the shaft, both were extremely controversial when released, and both deal with the morality of the choices we make. Any way you look at it, this is a DEEP film.

As for the DVD itself, there's a nice 5.1 remastered soundtrack, but a disappointing 1.66:1 widescreen ratio that's okay but could've been better.

Even though this is a strong drama, there's also some comedic relief that can be taken as funny, in a slightly twisted way. Some other good recommendations would be Martin Scorsese's "Taxi Driver" made a few years after this, or the more recent "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas". I've always liked to see movies that go beyond the boundaries of safety and Hollywood crap (like the Matrix sequels, for example), because that means that there's still some people left in Tinseltown with some b**** left to make shockingly real films. While there's real and there's just mindless barbarics, at least Stanley gave this one a little thought and used the questionalable ethics as a tool for accentuation of the story (because in all honesty, he could've cut that choice scene differently but probably felt the story needed that emotional jolt) R.I.P., Stanley Kubrick. None will ever match you.