Review of A Clockwork Orange (1971) by Jeffrey N — 08 Oct 2014

I turn 40 next month and it took me, a huge film lover, this long to see "A Clockwork Orange." In fact, I still haven't seen "Dr. Strangelove." Some film lover, huh? Well, I'd like to think that waiting this long has made me appreciate the genius behind Kubrick's style a lot more than I would have 20 years ago.

Anyone who would read this has probably already seen the film, so there is no need to rehash the plot. Instead, I want to specifically point out that Kubrick's consistent way of taking whatever twisted source material he is using to tell the story his way, no matter how much it may differ from the original, shows how incredible he was at not just choosing the right material, but filtering it literally and figuratively through lenses that show the viewer a little about what made him tick. Yes, it may come across as intentionally shocking, but he does it without seeming like he is intentionally doing it. He truly conveys a sense of artistic intent around his effort. It's not just trying to tell the viewer a story, but showing, via film, the grittiest, most impactful way to experience that story to get the most not just out of the plot, but every nugget of crisp detail.

By now I've read numerous articles about how Kubrick made his individual films. A common message I get is that his genius and his end product is always thought of as top rate, but that those with whom he worked, even the original writers of the source material, conflicted with him. He demands a lot of his talent, reduces them to their barest art and brings out the best in them. This process isn't entirely enjoyed or appreciated by those with whom he worked, but I've seen a lot of films with the actors he uses and I cannot point to many, if any, efforts those actors do away from Kubrick that are better than the one they did with him. Malcolm McDowell is as perfect in "A Clockwork Orange" as I have ever seen him. His performance was raw, real, demented and just perfect. I was astounded to learn that one of the creepiest, most disturbing element of the film was him singing "Singin in the Rain" while beating the writer and meticulously preparing to brutally rape his wife, was improved by McDowell and not originally called for in the scene. The dichotomy of the brutal scene and the uplifting song amplified the creepiness of it all the more, proving that Kubrick had his actors right where he needed them to be.