A Clockwork Orange

Rating:
Summary: 8 o
Review: Eyelids held open

Young Alex loses his lunch

Can bad change to good?

Rating:
Summary: Terrifying, brillant, entertaining...
Review: I must admit, and no doubt to some scrunity, that Stanley films are not my cup of tea. Perhaps I don't have the 'intellect', but I always feel as though he is pushing through a obscured message that if you don't get, well than your precious time is wasted. I sometimes think he is not even pushing through a message, just relying on the fact that the audience assume there is one, hidden underneath all that art. Take 'Eyes Wide Shut' for example. We could talk for hours about the symbolism of red and sexuality in the film, but in all honesty, what portion of the population who has not taken psych, drugs or not is attempting to appear intellectual for the sheer sake of it, what portion is going to notice something for that. Cinematic masterpieces, undoubtedly, but certainly not fit for entertainment value.

That said and done, 'A Clockwork Orange' is by far his most brillant piece, and cinematically his most stunning. It would also have to be the most uncomfortable film ever made, for even the most exposed of viewers. There is films that match up to the level of violence displayed in this piece, for example Oliver Stone's ultra violent 'Natural Born Killers', or perhaps the recently made 'Fight Club', but one must ask themselves whether there is truly any formally made film as horrifying. I have seen many a violent and disturbing film, but I believe the backward panning opening image of the boys sitting in their disgustingly white bar, their feet on a table shaped like unnecessarily flexible women, that eyelash thing on Alex's eye, could anything be as confronting despite the fact that nothing confronting, no violence, no sex, no intravenous drug use, nothing is occuring? This goes with the image of concentration camps on big screens while Alex has drops fed into his unclosing eyes by a sterile looking doctor. The violence isn't really that bad when we consider that it is not Alex's violence or sex which comprises the most horrifying part of the film, but the treatment he recieves by the world when his defenses are lowered.

This film is no Kevin Smith movie, but is funning in that smirking 'Isn't that ironic' style. It is brillant, and by far Stanley's most fabulous achievement.

Rating:
Summary: A WORK OF ART
Review: After almost 30 years it still marvels and some what shocks anybody who views this masterpiece. I have seen this movie a zillion times and it seems as entertaining as the very first time. Not for everyone I must admit but given the chance to view it, you will not be able to get those images out of your head. Kick back and loose yourself in a bit of the old ultra-violence.

Rating:
Summary: Classic Flim Making
Review: Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange is one of the most controversial yet one of the most stunningly beautiful films to hit the box office. Masterfully directing and producing by Stanley Kubrick and Oscar deserving acting by Malcom McDowell. Recommended for mature minds.

Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: This movie was just great. The plot was very well written, great acting, and just plain realistic. Also the music was so vivid and excellent. I suggest you rent or buy this movie. You won't regret it baby.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful imagery, and stunning dark humour.
Review: Kubrick's take on the novel (even better than the movie) wins b/c of its imagery, score, and thought-provoking allegorical content. Aside from its brutality, Clockwork is also quite funny.

Rating:
Summary: Clockwork orange is widely misunderstood story...
Review: as many a viewer thinks is does nothing more than dramatize the obscene penchants of a lunatic. Upon reading the book and watching the film repeatedly, I have come to understand at least this much about this Anthony Burgess / Kubrick's satirical piece. The first part of the film is dedicated to bombarding the viewer with graphic images, ranging from rape, to murder, to gang fights. You are introduced to Alex Delarge, a young and spunky mishap who, with his gang of three "droogs", unleashes a world of hell into his neighborhood. In one scene, Alex appears in the house of a rich socialite wearing a top-hat, jock-strap, and a plastic penis fastened to his nose, surprising her and offering the excuse "to be perfectly honest with you madam, I'm taking part in an international student's contest to see how many points we can get for selling magazines", and we're then caught somewhere between shock and laughter while you witness Alex bludgeon her to death with a large phallic sculpture. The whole situation borders on slapstick humor. Contrary to what it seems, the film does not so much glorify the violence as it tries to portray Alex as truly thriving in his demented state. Enjoying it. And it's essential that we perceive Alex as a hopeless mishap who is utterly energized by violence because it sets the stage for the gist of the whole story to come; free will. The second part of the film focuses on the systematic breakdown of a criminal mind. After Alex is finally caught by authorities and sentenced to juvenile prison, he is offered the opportunity to submit himself to a psychological treatment based on a spin of "Pavlovian" conditioning. He accepts. The treatment, he discovers to his horror, is a two-part process. He is first administered medicines whose sole purpose is to produce feelings of widespread panic, nausea, paranoia, guilt, and fear. This is timed perfectly so that the symptoms occur while he is being subjected to a series of violent images, such that after repeated sessions, he is forced to make the association between the idea of violence and the horrific feeling that has overcome him. In a matter of months he can no longer stomach confrontations, and becomes ill at the mere hint of violence. The government applauds the therapy, deeming it a breakthrough treatment, while the prison priest is wise enough to call its bluff. The treatment is, in itself, a situational paradox. Hence the title "A Clockwork Orange", meaning, more or less; a living object whose natural contents have been removed in favor of mechanical components. Alex's ability to determine right from wrong are forced into him to the point where he really has no choice but to choose the correct course of action. His free will has been diminished. Erased. His is now nothing more than a physical human body with calculated and pre-programmed responses. The third part of the film shows how the new Alex, fresh from "reformation", is released back into the real world only to be physically and mentally tortured by both his former droog partners and his victims. You see him buckle under each end every confrontation; completely helpless and pathetic. You see him as incapable of choosing as course of action. You actually find yourself feeling bad for the guy. Is he really cured? The film uncovers powerful themes about the basic inalienable human right of choice, as well as some political sub-plots that appear toward the end. Kubrick, at the very least, is a fine craftsman. His use of angles and lenses is untouchable. A narrative weaves throughout the film, the dialogue being an unusual amalgamation of 19th century English and pop-culture slang done is Malcom Mcdowell's British twist. Kubrick's spin on the Burgess novel is notably different in the end, but still offers the same artistic direction and originality that Burgess set out to achieve. Overall, it is one of my cult classic faves.

Rating:
Summary: Kubrick is a genious
Review: I think my all of my favorite movies have been made by Mr. Stanley Kubrick. Some say that A Clockwork Orange is his greatest work ever. Okay. Its definetly amazing. It has inspired many people wether it be Tim Burton, or even musicians like Slipknot, and Mudvayne. I cant tell you a movie that never has been so masterfully done. Its the only confusing movie I know, were you only need to see it once. Stanley Kubrick is the only person who can do that. The thing I love about this movie is how it has that horror feel to a simple sci-fi/drama. It is more bizarre then most horror movies can be. That cold stare of Andy McDowell is just frightening. If you buy any movie in your entire life, make A Clockwork Orange be it.

Rating:
Summary: Ghastly! Simply Ghastly!
Review: I saw this picture on the big screen when it was first released. Just about all the people I knew kept telling me how great the movie was so I went to see it. Well, I disagreed with all the praise then, and still do. I thought it was ... (awful) to sit through, full of double standard cinematography, and chauvinistic attitudes going way beyond what the Burgess novel was about. About two years later I ventured to see it again to see if my attitude toward the picture had changed. It hadn't. I still felt that it was an extremely bad picture. I can't fault the acting or the art direction. What I could not stomach then and still can't stomach is the way Kubrick handled the material. I have enjoyed other Kubrick movies (notably "Dr. Strangelove", "2001", and "Spartacus") but "Clockwork" continues to leave me cold. The violence is sickening, the attitudes of the characters -- as well as Kubrick's attitudes! -- are appalling. No amount of Rossini and Wendy Carlos's music can save this movie from being the most overrated and most depressing movie anybody ever made. Ghastly! Absolutely Ghastly!

Rating:
Summary: A Channel for Kubricks Genius
Review: This movie is great not because its a cool movie but because of how it shows Kubrick's genius better than any of his other films. The very fact that Kubrick uses unknown young actors and still makes the film great speaks for itself. The fact that Kubrick has done it in just about all his films is proof. The movie itself is great and very worthy of being watched more than one time. I was swept away when i saw it and i realized that the torture that Alex was going through was alot like what our convicted criminals go through. After he was brainwashed, Alex was as good as dead in the outside world. It mimicked how our criminals are kept safe in their prisons which we furnish with our tax money whereas in the outside world they would not survive. Another aspect of the films greatness is the outlandish dress. It shows that our generations youth are dressing like adults in Derby hats and the adults are turning into kids with childish dress habits and colored hair. He was obviously trying to show how the youth have too much oppurtunity to act as if they were higher than adults. This film could also scare anyone out of being bad. If this is what punishment truly was then we probably wouldn't have too many people misbehaving anymore. So my point is: see the movi and you wll walk away more knowledgeable about why our present day society is the way it is. Kubrick forsaw the uture and told everyone aboput it in this film so pay attention when you watch it!