Alex's Bed | Alex's Cane | Alex's Hat | Alex's Turntable | Durango 95 | Georgie's Boots | The Korova | Newspapers | Paintings | Retreat Pods | Sculptures
I am often asked what happened to the film props. The answer is that Kubrick kept many of the props from his later films. Except for the record player and the original artwork for the poster were stolen, lost or never found. The only thing Kubrick didn't wind up with was a bowler hat Malcolm kept and another bowler sent to artist Philip Castle who kept it because Kubrick never asked for it back. Castle also has a Korova milk dispenser since he designed them. Many paintings seen in the film were done by Kubrick's wife so she still has them. Note that many of the items in the traveling Kubrick exhibit are repros like the record player and droog outfit.
People are always looking for info about the puffy cone quilt on Alex's bed. I was told there was one you could buy in the stores just like it in the 70s, but I have no info about it.
This prop was supposedly kept by the Kubrick estate and lent to the 2004
Frankfurt exhibition of Kubrick's works.
Map
of the ACO part of the exhibit
Kubrick's family has one. Malcolm had one that he gave to a local charity in CA who sold it and the Hard Rock Cafe bought it and one was sent to Philip castle, the artist who designed the poster to get the brim right. Kubrick never asked for it back, so he still has it.
Alex's Hat from Philip Castle's ACO Art Exhibit UK 2000
Small scan
Medium Scan
Wallpaper
The one in the Kubrick exhibit is not the exact one from the film.
High
quality large scan of the Hydraulic 13
Small scan of the Transcriptors Hydraulic 13
Later model from Michel
Alex and the turntable in his room
Notes on the turntable.
My father designed the Hydraulic Reference turntable in 1964. Prior
to filming of A Clockwork Orange, the late Stanley Kubrick visited my father at
his Borehamwood factory and asked him if he could purchase a Hydraulic Reference
turntable for the film. My father gave it to him for free. The turntable can be
seen in Alex's room and at the end of the film. (When the Minister surprised
Alex by playing the 9th).
In 1973 Transcriptors was relocated to Ireland, my father issued John
A Michell a
license to produce the table under the Michell logo. Michell was to have paid my
father for each turntable he made. Up to this day, he has never paid a thing. An
interesting note is that the turntable that was used in the film went missing.
At the beginning of 2002 I was in contact with the WB film studio regarding using a photo from
ACO. I told them about when Stanley Kubrick came to the factory and asked for one of
our turntables. I also said that a picture would look nice on the web site as part of our company’s history. They turned
around, said no, and hung up on me.
My father gave a turntable to the Museum of Modern Art in NY during the early seventies as a gift. It is also in various museums
through out the world. It is not on display at the moment, as they are
expanding, but hopefully will be back on display in 2003.
Michael Gammon
www.transcriptors.co.uk
Movie
Alex
driving the Durango 95
Cut Scene of the Droogs driving at dawn
Memorabilia
Exclusive - The ACO Probe 16 in 2004 in pieces
Probe 16 Brochure - Cover
Probe 16 Brochure - Interior
Corgi
Toys Whizzwheels #384 1:64 Red - in box
It is a real car called the 'M-505 Adams Brothers Probe 16' made by Dennis Adams in 1969. Only three were produced.
Dennis Adams, together with his brother Peter and Jem Marsh were responsible for the initial design of the classic lines if the Marcos Coupe way back in 1964. Though Dennis stayed with the factory working on various projects, on and off for many years, he also went on to design and produce a number of other cars.
The Chasis is made out of wood, and the engine 1900 CC in-line four came out
of an Austin, body is fiberglass. It stands a very low 34 inches high. It was
featured on the BBC program Top Gear 11/3/04 on the restoration rip-off segment.
Cars:
#1 AB/2 - In California - burned, in very bad shape - First bought by Jim Webb,
plate MJO 145H.
#2 AB/3 - In Canada - intact - First bought by Jack Bruce who sold it to car
designer Dr. Clyde Kwok. In 1983 he sold it to Phil Karam. It is orange outside,
black interior, plate PWV 222H.
#3 AB/4 - In England - THE ACO car - in boxes - First bought by Mr. Lybdon-Dyke
in London who sold it to Mr. Pollock of the Pollock Auto Showcase in Pottstown,
PA because hey saw him driving it and had to have it. In 1987 Mr. Pollack sold
it to Colin Feyerabend. Ever since then he has been trying to get it restored
for the road, but each time it came back in a worse state. Finally it came back
in boxes!! Plate JFB 220H.
The car has been reproduced as a 1:64 & l:43 scale toy by Corgi size in Europe in red, gold, maroon, purple and green.
This came up for auction at Christie's London in 2001. I bid,
but didn't win.
Georgie Boys' Boots
"Part of it was. I had seen an exhibition of sculpture which displayed female figures as furniture. From this came the idea for the fiberglass nude figures which were used as tables in the Milk Bar. The late John Barry, who was the film's Production Designer, designed the set. To get the poses right for the sculptress who modeled the figures, John photographed a nude model in as many positions as he could imagine would make a table. There are fewer positions than you might think." - Stanley Kubrick
To create the Korova’s ambiance of sublime debauchery, Kubrick hired sculptor Liz Moore (who had built the Star Child for 2001) to create a series of tables and milk dispensers in the form of provocatively posed nude women. Kubrick’s plan was inspired by a gallery exhibition he’d attended which had featured furniture composed of life-sized fiberglass female figures. The exhibition was by British pop artist Allen Jones produced a series of sculptures in 1970 called Women as Furniture in which "life-size effigies of women, slave-like and sexually provocative, double as hat-stands, tables and chairs." - American Cinematographer
Kubrick had authentic looking newspapers made to announce the release of Alex from prison after being cured.
Group of prop papers in a London Exhibit 4/08
Daily Mirror - (Mirror is a sticker which can be seen
peeling off in person) Cat-Woman Killer Alex Freed - Ludovico
Technique brings liberty. Revolutionary
technique for ridding criminals of their instinct to kill. What will he do now?
Also "Veg thief complains", "John wins car by working."
Daily Sketch - 14 Day Wonder Cure for Killer Alex - a life sentence.
Other headlines "Britain's new wonder jet scoops up millions in
exports", "£3 for a driving license?"
Daily Telegraph - 'Crime Cure' will strengthen law & order policy by
Loretta Alcott - A new approach in conforming criminals known as the Ludovico
Technique has resulted in a convicted murderer being set free, it was disclosed
yesterday. The government is giving the technique a high priority in the
policies it will put to the electorate. Also 1,393,287 million copies daily.
Daily Times - Murderer freed: 'Science has cure. Also "What
happened when the trick cyclist lost a wheel?"
Evening Standard (London Latest) - Scientists have Cure for Crime
The Times - Government accused of inhuman means in crime reform
Note: the name Loretta Alcott is a nod to John Alcott, cinematographer on the film.
I have bought original copies each of the four paintings from Alex's house to show closeups.
Christiane Kubrick's "Seedboxes" is on the living
room wall of Mr. Alexanders' house right near where Mrs. Alexander was stripped.
It is in the possession of the Kubrick family.
Behind the scenes picture
The painting in Alex's house on the left side by the door is
by J.H. Lynch and is his first and most famous work called "Tina" from 1961.
Screen shot and prop close up
Exclusive - on 7/12/09 I had a friend model the picture because I've never seen anyone do anything like it before to make it 3D style. Tina comes to life.
On the right hand side in the same shot is another Lynch print
called "Nymph" AKA Zomernacht from 1964. This is first seen
when Em talks through Alex through his door, but is clearer when Alex returns
from prison.
Screen
shot and prop close up
In the living room are two more prints.
Above the couch is "Autumn
Leaves" also by J.H. Lynch undated from the 1960s.
Screen shot and prop close up
Joseph Henry (J.H.) Lynch was a British artist who lived from 1920 to 1/16/89. From a 1961 newspaper article, "Orders hit the £1,000,000 mark when the second day of the 15th International Gifts Fair ended at Blackpool (England) last night. The organizers of the world's biggest exhibition of gifts and fancy goods confidently predicted that by Thursday - the final day - business would have exceeded £10,000,000 - a record. One of yesterday's sensations was the fantastic demand for a painting of a raven-haired mystery girl. In 24 hours, John Goldsmith, director of Patrician Arts Products Ltd., Ramsgate, sold 6,000 portraits of "Tina". But last night Mr. Goldsmith said, smiling: "Actually, there's no such girl as Tina. She's only a figment of the imagination of the artists, J.A. (sic) Lynch. He comes from somewhere in the West Country, but I will not reveal his address in case other dealers start clamoring after him for the picture."
Above the bar is
"Gypsy Girl" or Gypsy Gal by Gerritt Vandersyde or sometimes
wrongly called Van der Syde from the 1960s. He is usually mistaken for Lynch
because of the similar style, but his name can be seen when you remove a print
from the frame.
Screen shot and prop close up
Gerritt's second wife was my father's twin sister. Although his name is Dutch (always spelled by him as a single word Vandersyde and pronounced in the English way "van-da-side") it would be difficult to have found anyone more English - he was born in London in 1898 and lived there until his death in November 1970. I believe the original painting is still in the possession of his first wife's family. - Roger Wood 11/08
There are 3 unknown paintings in Alex's bedroom that all look like landscapes.
Malcolm has said the paintings in the Catlady house were all flea market stuff. There might be some by Liz Moore.
The retreat pod chair were invented and sold by Roger and Martin Dean. This is the inspiration for the chair Mrs. Alexander is seen sitting in. Their pod was sound and light proof and has a soft fur interior, There is adequate air-conditioning with ventilation "feelers" - two-inch tubes to give psychological reassurance to people that they are actually breathing. To counter possible claustrophobia the door stays shut by its own weight, so no catches are needed. The interior of the Pod is lit by hundreds of tiny orange neon bulbs.
Dancing
Christs (AKA Christ Unlimited)
Rocking Machine
The large phallic sculpture in the Cat Lady's house is called the "Rocking Machine" and the Dancing Christs in Alex's bedroom are called "Christ Unlimited" and were sculpted by Herman Makkink.
What exactly did Cornelius Makkink do for ACO?
Obviously he is related to Herman Makkink who made the Christ Unlimited and Rocking Machine. The only screen credit Cornelius ever has had is ACO and to the best of my research all I can gather is he probably painted the sculptures Herman made.
Notes on the sculptures.
"The Rocking Machine and the Christ Unlimited figures were not designed especially for A Clockwork Orange. They formed part of my studio work at the time, and, after seeing them there, Kubrick wanted to use them for the film because they probably had the futuristic look he and his wife wanted. In the late sixties and early seventies, we, London based artists, felt terribly hip. We didn't want to fight the establishment so much as shock them. Pop Art was in full swing and so was the sexual revolution, so I combined a penis with a beautifully shaped female rear in fibre glass. I thought this would be really shocking. I thought I could make the object move by constructing a heavy pendulum swing inside. To my surprise I found that it made an irregular movement, so I exaggerated that by adding extra weights in various places. That resulted in Rocking Machine's specific, jerky motion." - Herman Makkink (© 2000 Drencrom V.O.F.)
This page © 2001-09 Alex D. Thrawn for www.MalcolmMcDowell.net