Review of A Clockwork Orange (1971) by Dave M — 28 Dec 2012

Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece is undoubtedly one of the most difficult films to review and to understand. Roger Ebert naively descibed it as "an ideollogical mess" and a film that "glorifies the actions of its nasty hero". Thou valid interpretations, they actually don't reach the cunning and evil substance of this work of art. "A Clockwork Orange" is actually a sad deep journey into the structure of the State, and how it is actually never better than the young rappist who narrates.

The film is an intellectual examination and critique of totalitarianism, the reasons for which the latter is risen, and a ruthless and comical exaggeration of society's most hypocritically accepted and at the same time repressed inner fears, and how the State seeks to punish them. "Orange" is an extremely bizarre, sardonic, satirical and merciless tale of colossal poetry that mocks society, the State, and the insecurities of the human being.

The characters are all alegorical, and so are the situations on which they get involved. The "Ludovico technique" is a procedure that clearly reflects on the generally prefered, but difficult to achieve, conductist repair of society's castaways. The criminal pariah Alex (Malcolm McDowell) is submitted to the treatment, and forced to revive his worst attrocities everytime he tries to commit them. The Beethoven fan also finds his most beloved music terrifying when the Ninth Symphony serves as the background score for Nazi concentration camps in a film tape he is so awfully forced to see. When he is released from prison, not only is he oblidged to confront a world that has not forgotten his horrendous deeds, but also one that doesn't forgive, and that submits him to face his actions with the same profound wound he had caused on other people before.

Alex is a terrible person. A Renaissance man that leads a gang of petty thieves, thriving on the allowing judgement of weaker people, and taking advantage of them based on his vast culture and knowledge. And yet, McDowell's performance is so brilliant that there wasn't a moment, not one in the entire film, that I didn't sympathize and care for him. Even if that moment was the brilliant scene on which he sings "Singin' in the Rain" while raping a writer's wife. Or the also brilliant "William Thel Threesome" moment. The ending scene is an obvious ridicule of political goals, with Alex being served his entire meal by a minister who is looking forward to become president.

Kubrick's film is quite messy, with a powerful premise and core, but with a story filled with unclear and distinct voids that weren't meant to be there. However, the filmmaker is such a genius that the voids are, though not intended, abdobted by the audience and filled with suspense and embraced with intrigue. Certain moments of contemplation, and cold emptiness serve for intellectual reflection and preparation for the greater finale.

Along with the political and sociological satire, I'd say that sexuality is also a very impotan theme in "A Clockwork Orange". The world, or better stated, the society wears the masquerade of sexual acceptance, but that quickly turns into a nasty altar of pervertness. How else can you describe a film that has a scene on which the main character kills a woman crushing her with a giant penis statue?

The bizarreness and extravaganza of this film is something that I loved to the point of danzing just like Alex and singing his theme.

"A Clockwork Orange" is simply put, a symphony. A brilliant work of art that combines cinematic, political, literature and musical elements, and one that doesn't limit in any way to the boundaries of film, which are only known to the filmmaker. After watching it, the amazement and wonder I felt was almost insulting. It is showing the hypocresy that moves the world like, indeed, a clockwork, but at the same time to feel the gratefulness of being aware of the fact. I don't know, but it is almost like being spit in the face by someone that later tells you that she loves you.

"I woke up. The pain and sickness all over me like an animal. Then I realized what it was. The music coming up from the floor was our old friend, Ludwig Van, and the dreaded Ninth Symphony.".