A Clockwork Orange

[Earl-Of-IMDb]

anyone seen it? i will never see it again, i bow that. whata crazy-ass film. so what was your reaction of your first view of it?

 

[Pearl]

I first saw this film when I was 17, a senior in high school. I found the rape scenes to be disturbing, and couldn't bear to watch them. But after Alex got his operation, I found the movie then to be interesting.

 

[Tiger Edge]

One of my favorite films, my little droog.
It's not for everyone, I must admit.

siiingin' in the rain, I'm siiiingin' in the rain...

 

[Saracene]

To be honest, I absolutely loathed it and thought it made a travesty out of a brilliant book,

It's very well shot of course, with great eye for composition and all, but dear god, that production design. Ridiculous, garish and so godawfully dated it's like watching an Austin Powers movie or something, only without a wink. And Malcolm McDowell is way too old to play a 14-year-old.

 

[Lancemc]

From what bits of the book I've read, and heard about from friends, the ending of the novel is pretty awful, and I think Kubrick made a fantastic choice in changing it for the film.

 

[MsPurrl]

I first saw it in 1972, and it was quite radical at the time. I do own it, but I must admit it has been a while since I watched it.

 

[Justin24]

One of my favorite films also. Kubrick is such a master at film. The reason it was so disturbingly violent is because that's how are society is and he is showing it and how we try to reform it, which of course hardly works.

 

[If you shout...]

One of my ten favorite films. Stunning from start to finish. I loved it as much after my first viewing as I do know, a decade later.

 

[hardyharhar]

The first half hour or so of this is like an amusement park thrill ride, all the way till the 2 devotchka's played to Beethoven and sped up. Great stuff

On the other hand, it is very disturbing

 

[monkeyskin]

I love and really enjoy this film, but I've never read the book so can't comment on that.

I like the way that even though we're disgusted by Alex's actions through the first part of the film we're still charmed by him and when he suffers at the hands of others (including those he had attacked without provocation) we feel distressed for him. This includes the climax when he's at the mercy of the scholar. Alex destroyed this man's life but somehow we view this man as the bad guy by the end. That dinner scene when everyone knows the situation but it goes unvoiced is brilliant.

The different ways that the violence is shown throughout the film is pulled off well too. For example we have some vicious, drugged up scenes of Alex and his droogs attacked innocents, but then we have the gang fight that's played out almost like a group of clowns at a circus, wacky sound effects and everything. Of course later on you get the drowning which is both shocking and stark. Is violence better when it's behind the face of the law?

 

[asr]

It's one of my favorite films of all time. Stanley Kubrick is my favorite director of all time. I quote from this movie often. It's got such memorable lines.

 

[IWasBored]

didn't like the book, liked the movie even less.

 

[vaz02]

Probs my favourite film of all time. Its such an education imo. I can see why it was banned at the time also.

 

[MrPryck2U]

The film is pretty insane, but I enjoy it anyway.

 

[Saracene]

I like the way that even though we're disgusted by Alex's actions through the first part of the film we're still charmed by him and when he suffers at the hands of others (including those he had attacked without provocation) we feel distressed for him.

That was one of my biggest problems with the film. Well, not the fact that it makes Alex sympathetic, as such, but rather the way it went about it - by making pretty much every other character an unlikeable, personality-free drone and Alex the only one who seems alive.

 

[Harry Vest]

 

[LMP]

Brilliant film. I haven't read the book either, but wouldn't if there wasn't a glossary in the back.

 

[monkeyskin]

That was one of my biggest problems with the film. Well, not the fact that it makes Alex sympathetic, as such, but rather the way it went about it - by making pretty much every other character an unlikeable, personality-free drone and Alex the only one who seems alive.

I see your point, his parents being weak-minded pushovers that any teenager would abuse the trust of and everybody else in an authority position just tries to use him for their own gains.

That said, as Alex is our narrator it could all be intentional and this is how he views everyone around him. He had a fairly big ego so I wouldn't be surprised if he saw others as less alive than himself. I think all but a couple of reaction shots to the wheelchair bound writer towards the end have Alex in the scene which would support this.

 

[discothequeLP]

the fight scene in the old theater is AMAZING one of those parts in movies that isn't supposed to be funny per se but is just so amazing that you end up laughing anyways. as for the rest of the movie, very disturbing, very loud, very entertaining. i don't think i really understand it but i do like it a lot.

 

[No spoken words]

Good book, better film, sorry Mr. Burgess you sour old fart.

 

[lazarus]

A. Burgess: Blow me, pal.