There is something about Stanley Kubrick's style that is so different to any other film maker. That his films become instant classics, that they are so darkly humorous you have to think twice before laughing is understandable given the subject matter he delves into. In Dr Strangelove, Kubrick made a mockery out of the defence forces, out of Government and had a very deep message to offer. In Full Metal Jacket, the opening was disturbingly funny. Some people would sit through the opening and not find it funny at all (Not because it isn't, but because it's so brutal, because there's danger underlying every minute). Clockwork Orange, based on the book by Anthony Burgess and released in 1971 is not only another masterpiece, but is shocking in certain parts, and unbelievably relevant to the world today. The movie's visual structure is well and truly set in the seventies, however the themes are the same, and the lingering effects of the book and the movie can be seen in pop culture and current speech (the use of the word "like". For example : "like you know how I got that").
Clockwork Orange delves into the mind of a person turned on by violence, violent sex and drugs. However, the gag here is that he is also a fanatic classical music lover, particularly of Ludwig van Beethoven (don't mis spell it) and his great ninth symphony. The choice of the ninth symphony is not without reason. The "Ode to Joy" or "Ode an die Freude" is really an "Ode to Freedom inspired by liberation hymns of the period." (From the Deutsche Grammophon recording of the complete set of Beethoven Symphonies... the same recording Alex listens to in the film). The film is to a large extent about liberation and freedom, and hence the important choice in selecting the piece of music. For when he goes through the therapy the significance of such a choice is an excellent example of how well thought out this script is (more like the novel itself). The doorbell of one of the houses they go to consist of the first four notes of Beethoven's fifth symphony. The whole musical structure basically consists of Beethoven (using wierdly synthesised electrical instruments) as well as the recurring opening music, which is something I'm very familiar with, but can't point out. The crescendo drumming at the end of that opening music piece is familiar in style to the crescendo drumming in brilliant Hermann score to Taxi driver (was Hermann influenced by this film? And I think there are similarities in Scorsese's style and Kubrick's... ie camera movements). Thematically, the film is amazingly most modern on the subject of Law and Order. This has more to do with the novel of Anthony Burgess, who seemed to pick up quite early on the trend of using Law and Order as an election issue, particularly when the issue delved into the realm of juvenile 'criminality'. Juveniles being a disenfranchised group, unable to vote, but able to have rights taken away from them. The passing of the Parental Responsibility Act in parliament a few years ago, is a prime example of the thematic relevance. Anthony Burgess wrote this about his novel:
"It is not, in my view, a very good novel... but it sincerely presented my abhorrence of the view that some people were criminal and others not. A denial of the universal inheritance of sin is characteristic of Pelagian societies like that of Britain, and it was in Britain, about 1960, that respectable people began to murmur about the growth of juvenile delinquency and suggest that the young criminals were a somehow inhuman breed and required inhuman treatment... There were irresponsible people who spoke of aversion therapy... Society, as ever, was put first. The delinquents were, of course, not quite human beings: they were minors, and they had no vote; they were very much them as opposed to us, who represented society."
Mr. Distinction in video production (for good reason too) Mason pointed out that the therapy sessions showing films of Hitler's tests on the jews was just a narrative parrallel to what was going on in the film. Things like this, that are very brief, show that every scene counts in this film (well, almost!). Moving onto the visual style of this film: The colour orange obviously is very important in this movie. The character drinks Orange Juice, there are oranges around the place, his prison package is orange, the clothes the now wheelchair bound man wears is orange. If only I had noticed the colour design from the beginning (where I was trying to make sense of the whole drug induced opening), I could've seen if Orange is also fully utilised in the opening scenes (certainly not in the milkbar) as well as the latter half. There are also phallic references, which makes a continuity with his previous films, such as "Dr Strangelove" (the cigar chomping general). There are also "in jokes", with links to his previous film 2001: a space oddyssee (2001 is amazing... it still looks so modern even though it came out before CLOCKWORK) while Alex is in the record shop. The use of the camera here is clinically perfect. Is it any wonder his films take so long to make when they are framed with such perfection. There was one scene where he used the lights on the roof to make rings around the screen as we passed each one. Kubrick also uses a claustrophobic framing device by showing us the roof (prominently) of a place, by often using lower camera angles. He doesn't use the close up that often, especially in establishing scenes (though the opening contradicts what I have just said). His use of a wide camera lens allows us to choose on what we want to focus on. The way he dollies is done very cleanly and slowly... you can almost picture the camera moving on tracks across ways. What this does too, is makes us watch with anticipation, bringing us the whole scene gradually. The way people walk through corridors has been expertly done... look at Full Metal Jacket to see how this technique has been put to use.
There is much that can be drawn from this film, and one viewing probably just scratches on the surface (this review might be more coherent if I see the film again). The film is disturbing and uncomfortable in parts, proving that we have not become "desensitised" to everything. No doubt many would have had trouble accepting this film if they misunderstand what it is about. Feminists might not take kindly to the film but the depictions of exploitation are usually done through the point of view of the aggressors. That the humble narrator ends up being a character we empathise or at least, relate to, may cause people to believe that others may do the same. But then again, that is a hypothetical situation and shouldn't detract from the great work we have seen. Given the subject matter of the film, it is ultimately ironic that life immitates art. This movie was banned in Britain (for release on video) because Kubrick refused to censor it (note : after just reading the interview with Kubrick, you'll see his views on censorship towards the end) note his views. To conclude Clockwork Orange is so different to any of the mainstream stuff on offer (and even "art house") that it's great to see it. While it's showing in Cinema 1 at village city (probably for not much longer), go see it!
96/100