Viddy well, little brother. Viddy well. (Clockwork Orange (DVD))

Member Name: wastingtime

Product:	Clockwork Orange (DVD)
Date:	23/03/09 (218 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Classic film

Disadvantages: Violent as hell

Clockwork Orange is, and has been for a long time one of my favourite films ever made. I watched it years ago, and went on to watch it on stage (although trying to get through the book is proving a little bit more difficult), however, flicking through my DVD collection last night it occurred to me that I hadn't seen it in an awfully long time, it was time to get reacquainted.

Released in 1972 is was a very controversial film at the time, and even now, with people much more desensitised to the topics that run riot through the first half an hour it can still evoke powerful emotions. Such was the controversy surrounding this film, both in content and the actions that followed by the public later that Kubric withdrew his own film until his death and it was only re-released in 1999.

Plot

The film is centred around Alex (Malcolm McDowell), Alex is a good looking lad who has major perversions towards rape and violence but also adores the music of Beethoven, a charismatic young chap he is the leader of his own gang 'The Drooges', together they go round in the evenings committing crimes which seem to be more driven by the enjoyment than the financial gain.

The film sets out with a number of these pieces of violence which have made some people I know turn the film off and never understand the true brilliance that is conveyed. At the beginning you have 'The Drooges' beat a drunken singing man to a pulp in an alley way and also gain entry into a Writers home in the Countryside where they proceed to beat the writer and rape his wife in front of him.

However, Alex's gang seem to believe that they should be focusing their attentions on bigger fish and be reaping the more financial rewards that these can offer, following a fight between them Alex shows his authority once more and power is restored. However on a copy raid on another house Alex is betrayed, having gained entry into the house he murders the female inhabitant in the heat of the moment, only to be floored by his gang and left for the Police to pick up.

The rest of the film is Alex's run through the system, new treatment to stop violent criminals like him from re-offending and the repercussions of such lines of treatment.

The Message

The film is set in futuristic Britain and so it is not having a crack at the way society was being lived at a certain time, it may show some of the fears that existed by the general public at the time but many of the fears are still rife today. Lets start with the basic ones.

Alex's parents take almost no responsibility for him, while he is meant to be in a correctional school his mother simply allows him to spend the day in bed on the premise that he has a headache, there is also a conversation at the breakfast table between his mother and father where they ponder what he gets up to at night. We still have thugs on the streets now, and will have for years to come, these can be pre-teens who are allowed out after school and can be seen at any set of village shops around the country smoking and drinking, the question remains, what are the parents doing, and I believe that is a question that is directed in the film.

Alex, for all his charisma is pure evil, this is a man that given free choice will always be led by violence and rape, the idea of the film is to withdraw free will, force him to not be able to perform such actions and effectively make him into a mindless drone or as is stated later in the film 'a perfect Christian', but is this really the way forward, is the way to control society to simply remove free will from doing something that the state finds wrong, and hypothetically, where would it end?

The problem being as I believe Kubrick was trying to achieve, is that the mindless few who will be set on reaping terror, pain and anguish are unforgivable, the pain they cause by their actions you wonder if they will ever comprehend, but for the state it is a case of the men with the power can do and get away with what they like, often giving no regard for the individual and often doing more socially immoral things when viewing on the larger scale and the position of the power they are in.

Acting

The film from start to finish is based around Alex, and because of this I don't think it is relevant to type mindless pages about each cast member. Malcolm McDowell is inspirational from start to finish, performing both the crazed psychopath to the scared little boy who is in way over his depth.

He didn't receive wide recognition in terms of awards, however, taking what is a very difficult form of language to read and putting it across on film in a way that the audience understands is wonderful. Even in times of misery you sometimes feel yourself chuckling away to the personal actions and movements of Alex.

Overall

Still one of my favourite films of all time, IMDB has it as number 51 in their all time top 250, but compared to some of the other pieces in their I think that's wrong. This film will not cater for every type of audience though, and I can see why people would be offended by the opening scenes and not bother too much about the rest of the film, it is worth sticking with as a film and does turn into a truly fantastic movie.

Please do not let under 18's watch this, it was a controversial movie at the time, and still is today.

The fact that it is set in a futuristic Britain loses its edge a bit nowadays, nothing about the film looks futuristic, but more like a cross between 1960's decor and modern day slums. Apart from that because of the fact that it wasn't set at any particular date I think it holds its age quite well. In my humble opinion I would say this is a must see for anyone who considers themselves a film fan.


Buy new on blu-ray for £17.48 or on DVD for £4.18 (do it)

Summary: Must see