Sci-Fi A Clockwork Orange

droog1

synthemesc addict
To me, at least, one of the best movies ever made. Ranks right up there with Blade Runner, the first two Godfather's, and Apocalypse Now.

The moral questions this movies asks, the character of Alex Delarge performed superbly by Malcom McDowall, the minor characters, from the prison guard to P.R. Deltoid (Alex's probation officer) all add up to make this movie, imho, an absolute classic of sci-fi.

I've had people tell me they believe it glorifies violence, or they can't handle the rape scenes and nudity, but to me this flick of a very possible dystopic society and the ways a desperate leadership may try to change it asks questions that can be answered and debated for years.

Book was very good also, although I am one of those who read the so called "American" version first and can't stand the 21 st chapter that was added later to the books that were released over here.

I would imagine just about all of you have seen this at least once before, and I would love to hear your opinions of this movie.......
 
When I watched this film for the first time I wasn't sure what to think of it. I enjoyed it but thought it would be a film I would most likely never want to watch again. But there is something about it that makes you think long after you have watched it. I suppose for me it was the psychological aspect of what makes a person be so morally corrupt & devoid of remorse. I have this film on a disc, I may have to watch it again very soon.
 
Actually the movie is very toned down from the book. In the scene where he picks up the girls in the record store in the book they were prepubescent ( I think 10 years old).
 
Actually the movie is very toned down from the book. In the scene where he picks up the girls in the record store in the book they were prepubescent ( I think 10 years old).

Agreed, our friend Alex also drugged them pretty badly before he had his way with them, but the scene in the movie, in fast motion, with the William Tell Overture in the background, was one of the best scenes in the flick. Kubrick did a great job with that one.

On a separate note, one of the things I absolutely despise publishers doing is changing or omitting certain parts of a novel that the author desires to leave in. I've always believed that the author should have his way with his art, and the publisher should leave them well enough alone.

Except this time.

The publishers were correct to omit the 21st chapter from the american release of this novel, because it just wasn't plausible, imho. I wish I'd kept my earlier editions of the "American version" (so called because the European publications had the additional 21st chapter in all of it's releases) of this book. It ended at the same place the movie ended, with Alex changed back to normal and, insinuated, going to seek revenge.

*****spoilers*****

If you've read the omitted chapter, which can be found on line or in all the newer publications, you'll find an alex who is slowly beginning to crave adulthood and family, which as I said earlier, just isn't plausible to me. A person like Alex just doesn't "grow out of" the violence and sadism that was such a big part of his life. In the book he carried a picture of a child with them towards the end, as though he really wanted to have kids of his own.
The only reason the Alex DeLarge that I know would be carrying a pic of an infant would be because that would be his next victim.

This classic movie ended in the right place for me, and this is a rare example of a movie being better than the original book.
 
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When I was a kid, this was one of the first issues of Mad Magazine I purchased with my little allowance money. I can still remember walking up to a newspaper stand by myself on a sunny afternoon with my mom watching me make my selection and transaction with an elderly gentleman working behind the counter. "A Crockwork Lemon" was a strange story, I knew that it was spoofing an adult movie, but when VHS emerged a few years later I finally saw the film. I had seen many other uncut, nightmarish and violent movies before "A Clockwork Orange" on Horror Movie television shows when there wasn't any rating system. Those old monster movie and horror shows from the early seventies had all of the gore and only edited the nudity along with the language.

So this freaky futuristic flick fit right in for me with the rest of the human monster films I had seen, I like the directing by Kubrick, the music of Rossini and all of the dark characters in the movie. I even dressed up like Alex for Halloween back in the 1980's (I made an exact copy of his outfit), but at the time, no one noticed me. "But I knew who I was alright......"
 
I like horror and I like comedy. Call me sick, but I found a happy medium with Clockwork Orange.
The trailer for the new Underground Comedy 2010 looks really dark and twisted also. It is more geared toward humor, but the scenes look really dark and offensive to your average comedy fan. Definitely want to check this one out droogs.
 
mad-aco.jpg




When I was a kid, this was one of the first issues of Mad Magazine I purchased with my little allowance money.

So this freaky futuristic flick fit right in for me with the rest of the human monster films I had seen, I like the directing by Kubrick, the music of Rossini and all of the dark characters in the movie. I even dressed up like Alex for Halloween back in the 1980's (I made an exact copy of his outfit), but at the time, no one noticed me. "But I knew who I was alright......"

Starbeast, my God man you brought back memories with your above post. I also used to purchase Mad Mag every chance I got as a pre teen and absoluteley loved it. i remember well the "Crockwork Lemon" issue like it was yesterday. My parents could never understand why I believed that Mad was the only thing in our house that made sense.
I still have a ton of respect for William M. Gaines. I don't know about these days, but in the past the mag absolutely refused to take advertising. Last of the true "quality before money" trains of thought.

I also enjoyed the dark characters in this movie, besides alex. The prison charlie (preacher), the guard, the politician ( minister of something, I can't remember just now), Alex's parents, P.R Deltoid, Dim and Georgie, even Billy Boy and his droogs.

Haven't seen this movie yet this year, but that may change this evening. I'm due for another viddy.

Scifichic! No, I don't call you sick at all for finding a medium of darkness and comedy in Clockwork Orange. Malcom McDowell brought a very intelligent, smartass and sophisticated spin to Alex that I didn't see in the book. This movie would amuse the viewer with the "Singin' in the Rain" scenes, the prison scenes, the "William Tell Overture" scene (described in previous post) and then darken my mood intensely with what would come after.

Very well done by Kubrick. Thanks also for the link, scifichic. I checked it out and found it very interesting.

Anyone have any comments about the differences from the book to the movie?
 
This is something I've never heard of before. A Clockwork Orange, the stage play:

Brad Mays - Reviews

This is news to me. Are you guys familiar with this at all, or have I just been living as a hermit too long......
 
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