Amazon.com essential video: Stanley Kubrick's striking visual interpretation of Anthony Burgess's famous novel is a masterpiece. Malcolm McDowell delivers a clever, tongue-in-cheek performance as Alex, the leader of a quartet of droogs, a vicious group of young hoodlums who spend their nights stealing cars, fighting rival gangs, breaking into people's homes, and raping women. While other directors would simply exploit the violent elements of such a film without subtext, Kubrick maintains Burgess's dark, satirical social commentary. We watch Alex transform from a free-roaming miscreant into a convict used in a government experiment that attempts to reform criminals through an unorthodox new medical treatment. The catch, of course, is that this therapy may be nothing better than a quick cure-all for a society plagued by rampant crime. A Clockwork Orange works on many levels--visual, social, political, and sexual--and is one of the few films that hold up under repeated viewings. Kubrick not only presents colorfully arresting images, he also stylizes the film by utilizing classical music (and Wendy Carlos's electronic classical work) to underscore the violent scenes, which even today are disturbing in their display of sheer nihilism. Ironically, many fans of the film have missed that point, sadly being entertained by its brutality rather than being repulsed by it. --Bryan Reesman
Amazon.com: Stanley Kubrick's striking visual interpretation of Anthony Burgess's famous novel is a masterpiece. Malcolm McDowell delivers a clever, tongue-in-cheek performance as Alex, the leader of a quartet of droogs, a vicious group of young hoodlums who spend their nights stealing cars, fighting rival gangs, breaking into people's homes, and raping women. While other directors would simply exploit the violent elements of such a film without subtext, Kubrick maintains Burgess's dark, satirical social commentary. We watch Alex transform from a free-roaming miscreant into a convict used in a government experiment that attempts to reform criminals through an unorthodox new medical treatment. The catch, of course, is that this therapy may be nothing better than a quick cure-all for a society plagued by rampant crime. A Clockwork Orange works on many levels--visual, social, political, and sexual--and is one of the few films that hold up under repeated viewings. Kubrick not only presents colorfully arresting images, he also stylizes the film by utilizing classical music (and Wendy Carlos's electronic classical work) to underscore the violent scenes, which even today are disturbing in their display of sheer nihilism. Ironically, many fans of the film have missed that point, sadly being entertained by its brutality rather than being repulsed by it. --Bryan Reesman
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Horrendous!
This movie represents 2 hours of my life that I wish I had back! Two hours that I could have been dusting my house or listening to Kenny G! If zero stars were an option, that's what I'd give it. I just kept wishing it were over, but out of sheer stubborness I finished watching the entire thing (not a prudent move)! Thank God I checked it out from the library and didn't waste 4 dollars to rent it! Maybe in 1972 it would have been something to rave about (cinematography, score, blah, blah, blah) but it is terribly dated and I can think of a dozen classier ways to get the moral of the story across than this! Maybe if you're in film school you may get a shred of something worthwhile out of it (maybe not), but for the majority of us who aren't, it's a complete waste of time!
Rating: - First time to see it.
Honestly I had been told several things about this movie and went into it with expectations. I am happy to say my expectations were exceeded by this film. It was fabulous, disturbing, frightening, darkly funny, and more plot driven than I was led to believe. It's a great flick!
Rating: - Interesting take on the pshyche of a deviant
I saw this film several years ago for the first time on DVD. To hear it was coming out on Blu-Ray was nice. However the Blu-Ray edition is not all it's cracked up to be. The picture is not as great as other Blu-Ray titles that have been retored and given special treatment. Unfoutunatly it look like this film did not undergo any restoration teqniques at all. It is just a slight touch better than DVD as far as film quality ect...
Thus my 4 star rating. As far as the fil goes- hey it's Kubrik and it's good!.
Rating: - 3 stars out of 4
The Bottom Line:
A somewhat incohesive picture, A Clockwork Orange never takes time to illustrate what it really means (case in point: the title remains entirely ambiguous); that being said, however, it's interesting and daring enough to be consistently engaging even if the director skips over the message.
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- Horrendous!
- First time to see it.
