One of the best movies I've ever seen. I guess I could just stop there with my thoughts, but I probably should say just a little more. So, I will.
It can be really tricky to evaluate a movie that many of us will or have seen for the first time years or decades after its release, especially when it is a 'futuristic' movie, made at a time when the 1980s and 1990s seemed far, far off. I think the way to look at this type of flick is not to 'judge' it in the sense of what we now know happened, but in the sense of the view of what people 40 years ago thought the near future might hold for us.
In that way, when I look at A Clockwork Orange, I see a time when people felt, or feared, that crime and violence would become pervasive in society and that society would find a way to fight back that, at some level, might be just as bad as the violent crime itself.
Now, the story is set in London, but to me, the only thing that makes this story different than one that could have been set in any large American city is the accents of the actors. We are never told precisely what year its supposed to be, but its obvious the film contemplates the not too distant future. The cinematography and feel of the flick are vintage 70s, bright and loud colors, garish wardrobes, the whole nine yards. When you couple that feel with the attempt to look futuristic, you get a flick that, visually at least, you won't soon forget.
Our protagonist and narrator is Alex (Malcolm McDowell The Book Of Eli Blue Thunder) , a ne'er do well youngster (you'll have to suspend disbelief here to buy McDowell, nearly 30 at the time of this movie, as being young enough to still be in school) who lives with his parents and pretty muich spends all of his waking hours-mostly at night-roaming the streets with his gang of hoodlums where they commit crimes, petty and violent, battle rival street gangs, and find time for a little fornication (referred to in passing by Alex as "the old in out, in out").
All is going along swimmingly until, as these things tend, there is dissension in the ranks. Alex is the leader of the gang but one of his underlings, Georgie, has designs on the job not least because of the way Alex picks on another member of the gang, the less than mentally astute Dim.(There is a fourth member but, in any version of the film I have ever seen, he does not have a speaking role...let me know if any of you have seen anything different) Alex manages to quell one attempted coup d'etat but its a hollow victory as the rest of the gang soon betrays Alex by assaulting him and leaving him helpless at the scene of their most horrific crime.
Well, betrayal is bad enough, but a long prison term is even worse and things do not look particularly sunny for Alex in prison, until he learns of a new scientific experiment which claims to "cure" the impulse for violent or criminal behavior. If Alex successfully completes the treatment, not only will he be cured of his violent hooliganism, he will be rewarded with early parole!
Now, that is just too good to be true so Alex jumps at the chance (who wouldn't). There is just one thing. While Alex is enduring the treatment by, among other things, being forced to look at constant loops of violent scenes with his eyes secured so he's unable to close them, he is inadvertently programmed to become sick when listening to Beethoven.
What makes this so cruel is that Beethoven, as we learn early in the film, is Alex's favorite, he listens to the glorious classical music from the early scenes of the film, sometimes almost to the point of seeming ecstasy.
Now that he is cured, Alex is released from prison, but the reality of his current situation soon hits him. You see, Alex becomes physically ill every time he has a violent urge or attempts a violent action, even in self defense. And, of course, you know about his favorite tunes.
It couldn't be worse for Alex because his first few days out of prison are the epitome of getting what's coming to you. See, Alex's parents not only reject him from coming home, but they have taken in a boarder, a figurative if not literal replacement son for the one who caused them so much pain. That would be difficult for any child to come to grips with, no matter how bad he or she had been, but poor Alex can't even bash the guy in the mouth, though he tries. And it gets worse.
As luck would have it, he soon runs into an old drunk who he and his buddies assaulted back in the good old days. Well, now is the time for revenge, and the old drunk has plenty of old drunken friends. Poor old Alex can't fight back so he does what any citizen in distress would do, he calls for the police. Two officers respond, but they are less than sympathetic because, well, Georgie and Dim have moved on since Alex has been away. And last, but not least, Alex-battered, bruised, cold, and wet-makes his way to a home...which happens to be one where he previously had participated in the sexual assault of the wife and physical assault of the husband.
Revenge will be sweet.
Listen, it is hard to describe this movie, as my poor attempt was only meant to give those of you who have not seen it a rough idea, but understand that there are so many levels to it. What it is ultimately saying is, of course, up to the viewer, but there are issues of violence in society that are still topical today, and probably will be decades from now.
You might think this is a curious statement about a movie featuring one onscreen murder, at least two rapes of females-not counting the depictions of attempted ones-and one brutal assault on two elderly people, but this film is, in many places, funny. This is primarily by McDowell's sardonic narration, but other characters, most notably the Adolph Hitler lookalike prison guard, provide some guilty laughs as well.
The dark humor is laced throughout the film. It might also be a little disconcerting to see scenes of violence with Beethoven or Gene Kelly's "Singin' In The Rain" as the score, but it does work. The only way this type of thing could work, in my opinion, is with the genius of a director like Kubrick. (Full Metal Jacket Eyes Wide Shut)
Some of you may know this film was originally released as an "X-rated" movie, before the X rating was co-opted totally by porno films. My research into it shows that the film was widely protested both here and in the U.K., but what is interesting is that the most of the protest here was based on the abundant nudity and sexual content, while over in Europe it was primarily the violence.
For you younger pups who cut your teeth on the Saw movies, you probably won't blink at the violence in the movie, as it is not as graphic as what you see today, but very casual, which likely makes it more disturbing for many.
Malcolm Mcdowell is wonderful as Alex and I can't help but think his performance was so indelible that is the primary reason he seems to have primarily only played characters with slightly unstable and/or violent tendencies (Caligula The Barber), you also will see an outstanding performance from Patrick Magee as the victim of Alex who takes out the most evil revenge. Just for fun, Julian(David Prowse)-the the big bodyguard of Magee's character-is the one who is actually in the Darth Vader costume in Star Wars, though the voice we all know is that of James Earl Jones.
I know not everyone will like or even understand this movie, but I just think all serious film buffs should make sure they see it once.
And I'll bet most will want to see it again.
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