A Clockwork Orange Movie Review

Droogs don't run and neither does Stanley Kubrick with his head-on punch-you-in-the-face direction of this incredible adaptation of the controversial Anthony Burgess novel. In Britain's near future, a sadistic punk (Malcolm McDowell, fiercely funny and over-the-top throughout), who loves music almost as much as he loves his violence, leads his gang on a nightly spree of rape and “ultra violence.” After being caught he is the subject in a grim government experiment to eradicate his violent tendencies using behavior modification (the subject of the classic punk song by Cinecyde). Hard to decide who's the real victim. Many memorable, disturbing sequences, including a rape/beating conducted while assailant McDowell “kicks” out a version of “Singing in the Rain.” The language Burgess created for the novel (he did the same for the prehistoric flick Quest for Fire) is used in the film, so having the book's glossary handy isn't a bad idea. The score is made up of both classical music and electronic compositions by then-Walter now-Wendy Carlos (get a hold of the album featuring Carlos’ renditions of the whole score for the best effect). Originally given an X rating, the film continues to be provocative years later. Sick but fun eye candy for the thinkers among us.

1971 (R) 137m/C GB Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Adrienne Corri, Michael Bates, Warren Clarke, Aubrey Morris, James Marcus, Steven Berkoff, David Prowse, Miriam Karlin, John Clive, Carl Duering; D: Stanley Kubrick; W: Stanley Kubrick; C: John Alcott. Hugos ‘72: Dramatic Presentation; New York Film Critics Awards ‘71: Best Director (Kubrick), Best Film; Nominations: Academy Awards ‘71: Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director (Kubrick), Best Film Editing, Best Picture. VHS, Beta, LV WAR, FCT, FUS