Watched: Netflix (on 12/31/15 since removed)
Review: I firmly believe ‘A Clockwork Orange’ has gained status as a classic film not on merit but because it is the work of master auteur Stanley Kubrick. All of Kubrick's hallmarks are present his eye for composition, his use of cutting edge techniques (it is the first film to make use of Dolby sound), and of course the Kubrick grimace. But ‘A Clockwork Orange’ is missing the cerebral and philosophical musings that made films like ‘2001: a Space Odyssey’ so great. This is a shame considering the subject matter.
I have a fascination with violence on film. Why filmmakers show what they show, how violence is a reflection of changing societal norms and mores, and violence’s relationship to power or lack of it. To me ‘A Clockwork Orange’ had more in common with a grindhouse production than with the art house standards Kubrick is known for.
Throughout the film we follow foibles of man-child and chav Alex DeLarge. A character imbued with all the privileges of race and class he is our guide to this future society. If Alex is our everyman regarding institutional vs individual violence he’s most certainly an unsympathetic one, and this is not taking into account his crimes.
Alex DeLarge is a rapist and murderer who feels no remorse and takes great pleasure in his behavior. Throughout the film we are meant empathise with Alex’s plight. I did not. In fact I felt this did more to glorify his crimes. Something that I found detestable as the crimes themselves.
I know this review has been scathing but there were some things I did enjoy. I loved the use of language in the film. Called Nadsat and taken from the novel it is a combination of Russian and English slang. And the score by Wendy Carlos is very fitting. But neither were enough to save this film for me.
Watch it if you must, but bring along your Ludovico eye grippers. As you may need some help getting through this one.
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