A Clockwork Orange - 1971

Quick Summary

In the 21st century, where violence and sex reign, Alex, a young gang leader, sadistically exercises blind terror. After his imprisonment, psychoanalysts use him as a guinea pig in experiments intended to curb crime...

My Thoughts

Considered the most violent film of all time at the time of its release, Stanley Kubrick's eighth feature film, has long been controversial and was accused of trivializing gratuitous and juvenile violence. But it is now considered a major work of the director because of its performer, its soundtrack and its unusual satirical character.

Alex DeLarge is a young man who is mainly interested in rape, ultra violence and Beethoven. When we read this, we think it's impossible to get attached to the character? This proves to be true during the first part of the film, but the direction is such that the spectator even manages to get attached to the main character.

As for the film itself, it is divided into two or three more or less distinct parts. The first one plunges us into the world of this young Alex and his Droogs where an obsession on violence, sex and delinquency reigns. The second part reveals his stay in prison and then comes the denouement; what has been done with Alex, the new Alex, what he has become.

Under these very "hard" aspects of the film, Kubrick created this unique aesthetic and opted for a simple but terribly effective staging.

And it is through the innocent eyes of Malcolm McDowell, his mischievous humor, and his worrying look that the spectator attends an incredible social satire and of his time.

The symbolism of the title "Clockwork Orange" or "Clockwork Man" in Nadsat, the language in which Alex and his gang express themselves, clearly represents the result of Ludovico's experiment on Alex's character. It is also a satirical result of the government and the medical and psychological science of today.

What was considered ultra-violence in 1971 is interpreted as pure unhealthy violence today. Indeed, we live in a world where, today, violence is present everywhere. Mechanical Orange does not have the same impact on today's generations as it did on those it was aimed at in 1971.

Ultra-sick, ultra-satirical, ultra-cult: an unforgettable cinematographic work that hardly suffers the effects of time and this for our greatest pleasure.

To Watch or Not to Watch

You already know the answer if you read my review. This movie is a must see!

A Clockwork Orange - 1971

Quick Summary

My Thoughts

To Watch or Not to Watch

META