Clockwork Orange

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ScaredyRAT	Clockwork Orange	Lead	[-]
(08/24/06 11:14 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	From the very first time that I saw this film it has fascinated me, Alex as played by Malcolm McDowell makes for a nauseating yet strangely compelling protagonist, and the movie touches on many important issues. Just how much blame can we place on humans who may simply be wicked by nature? Can said persons be cured, and if they can, do we the "healthy" people have a right to? Without the choice to do "evil", can their even be such a thing as "good"? These and other questions are raised, all in a beautiful, if sometimes brutal landscape of a near-future anti-utopia. Though flawed, Id say that this is one of Kubricks greatest achievements.
Gil Ray	Re: Clockwork Orange	#1	[-]
(08/25/06 12:18 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	I love this movie, too! Beautifully shot, stunning performances, and great music. It was the first X-rated movie I ever saw. But...certainly not the last...but probably the best! ;-) Gil
TidesOfWerewolves	Re: Clockwork Orange	#2	[-]
(08/25/06 1:53 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	It is a fascinating movie about removing the element of choice so that civic duty becomes the only option left to follow. The moral compass always points north because that's the only direction left. In keeping with the theme, my English teacher put the novel on the list for potential essay options, but my high school wouldn't carry the book and the administration wasn't too keen on kids being exposed to the subject matter. I asked if I could substitute American Psycho or Myra Breckinridge instead. That didn't go over well either. Tell me where the Blood Red River runs/ From my back door to the rising sun/ On again away till dawn/ Never straight and way too long
Doc Savage	Re: Clockwork Orange	#3	[-]
(08/25/06 4:45 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	*Quote:* I asked if I could substitute American Psycho or Myra Breckinridge instead. I wish I went to school with you! I remember asking my high school psychology teaching if I could write my term paper on the Jack the Ripper murders. To my amazement, he said yes!
Domenick Fraumeni	Re: Clockwork Orange	#4	[-]
(08/29/06 12:04 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	I actually got my A in Honors English during my Senior year in high school thanks to A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. I did an essay on the book, which was in our school library, and no one understood what the term "Clockwork Orange". My teacher was very impressed, and I got to actually educate my classmates. Definitely made it worth the major argument that ensued a while before when I snuck behind my parents back and watched the movie against their express wishes.
Bill Warren	Re: Clockwork Orange	#5	[-]
(08/29/06 12:06 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	I think the movie is about free will--that even if someone is a human monster, forcing them to be nice is worse than allowing them a choice.
DonM435	Re: Clockwork Orange	#6	[-]
(08/29/06 7:01 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	I think that A Clockwork Orange is in many ways the ultimate sf film, in the manner in which it explores alternate futures and the impact of technology on society. However, I think it could have been improved. It's a bad flaw that the lone voice in opposition to the brain-cleansing is that idiot prison preacher. It's a legitimate point of view that should have been presented by a stronger character.
ScaredyRAT	Re: Clockwork Orange	#7	[-]
(08/29/06 11:22 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Has the song "Singin' In the Rain" never quite seemed the same to anyone else after viewing this film? Maybe Kubrick had his own little experiment with the Ludavico technique. Hmm I wonder... ----------------- "...K0KW-Calling, I'm on international frequency, come-in..."
borisandbelarule	Clockwork Orange	#8	[-]
(08/30/06 12:30 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	I guess I probably haven't seen too many rape scenes in movies in my life, but that situation in Clockwork with the "Singin' in the Rain" in the background really disturbed me. Actually, that whole movie really disturbed me. It's been many, many years since I've seen it (I do have it on tape, though) and I don't know if I'd want to see it again. It's pretty much the same with "I Spit on Your Grave.'' It's funny (actually, not). I can watch eyeballs get gouged out, people's heads cut off (I just watched that in Drive-In Massacre the other night), hair pulled from scalps and limbs pulled from everywhere, and I can handle it OK. Maybe this was just too real-looking. I guess I just find nothing entertaining about rape, especially when it's as graphic as it is in "Spit" or "Clockwork."
Domenick Fraumeni	Re: Clockwork Orange	#9	[-]
(08/31/06 10:47 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Singing In The Rain was never the same for me after A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. Though I it did get better over the years.
DrCaligari666	Re: Clockwork Orange	#10	[-]
(09/01/06 2:37 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	I'm a big Kubrick fan (I enjoyed pointing out Dave Prouse to the kids)... "viddy well, my brothers..."
HalLane	Re: Clockwork Orange	#11	[-]
(09/02/06 8:40 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	*Quote:* Has the song "Singin' In the Rain" never quite seemed the same to anyone else after viewing this film? Maybe Kubrick had his own little experiment with the Ludavico technique. Hmm I wonder... It's my understanding that 'Singin' In The Rain' was partially Malcolm McDowall's idea. He just happened to be humming it while rehearsing or something, and Kubrick liked what he heard.
ScaredyRAT	Re: Clockwork Orange	#12	[-]
(09/04/06 8:29 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	*Quote:* It's my understanding that 'Singin' In The Rain' was partially Malcolm McDowall's idea. He just happened to be humming it while rehearsing or something, and Kubrick liked what he heard. I heard that to, while thumbing through the book "Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange" I Stumbled on McDowall's words which (I'm quoting from memory) said: "We were shooting and Stanley comes up to me and says " hey Malcolm can you sing and dance?" (I can't do either.) But I was like "Sure" so I did singing Singin' In the rain because it was the only song I knew all the words to, and he instantly fell in love with it, the next day we had the rights." But I don't know that just never rang true for me, I get the feeling Kubrick the perfectionist would have had a song in mind before they started filming. ----------------- "...K0KW-Calling, I'm on international frequency, come-in..."
HalLane	Re: Clockwork Orange	#13	[-]
(09/05/06 9:07 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	*Quote:* I get the feeling Kubrick the perfectionist would have had a song in mind before they started filming. Well maybe. My take has always been that, while Kubrick was indeed a visual genius, he was easily taken with the accidental association of music with images. Like when he got so used to the classical temp tracks he used while assembling 2001 that he jettisoned the complete Alex North score in favor of them. Or when Chris Isaac's Baby Did A Bad, Bad Thing was current while he was working on EYES WIDE SHUT and he got so taken with it that he built the whole pre-release ad campaign around that song. I have no trouble believing that serendipity affected SINGIN' IN THE RAIN as well. Genius that he was, I don't think he knew what he wanted until he saw (or heard) it.
Koukol 5	Re: Clockwork Orange	#14	[-]
(09/05/06 5:11 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Bottom line is Kubrick chooses whats in his films or isn't.
davlghry	Re:Clockwork Orange	#15	[-]
(09/06/06 3:20 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	<< However, I think it could have been improved. It's a bad flaw that the lone voice in opposition to the brain-cleansing is that idiot prison preacher. It's a legitimate point of view that should have been presented by a stronger character. Another filmmaker WOULD have made the preacher more appealing. Kubrick, however, shoots his films in a dispassionate style and with total objectivity. This what sets his films apart from others.
Bill Warren	Re: Re:Clockwork Orange	#16	[-]
(09/06/06 4:05 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	*Quote:* Kubrick, however, shoots his films in a dispassionate style and with total objectivity. I don't see it that way. First, his choice of material in the first place is subjective--it's what he CHOOSES to film. But that's true of any director. His style is cool and remote--or remote-ish, anyway--but not even documentaries are TOTALLY objective. Nor is Kubrick. In the case of A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, it's obvious that he has a kind of impish fondness for Alec/Alex (the name is rendered both ways in the movie), even though he also clearly thinks of Alec as a swine. He's just likeable.
davlghry	Re:	#17	[-]
(09/06/06 6:20 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	You're right. Kubrick IS subjective in his choice of material but the WAY he presents it is much more distanced and removed than traditional filmmakers. He never hits you over the head or uses the camera to make a "statement" or TELL you how to think. Although cinematic, his films are not unlike plays in allowing you to fasten your attention on the things that interest you without rubbing your noses in a "message." For me, this is why even his more ponderous moments can still be fascinating.
wellspacedout	Re: Re:	#18	[-]
(09/07/06 10:17 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	I strongly reccomend for anybody who like's Malcom mc dowell to watch Lindsay anderson's films O LUCKY MAN & IF, O lucky man is a 2 hour 40m in film and in it he is still always having a sniff for women, He sets of in hope to aspire and be an ambitious young man in life coming across many unfortunate events and lucky ones too makng it bothto the very top & in prison also. He learns some harsh lessons in life & It ends in a nice send off about his luck in real life and he takes part in a film audition to star in the film O LUCKY MAN he strikes a few poses and is told to smile but he says why should i there isnt anything to smile about? this in turn gets him hit from the boss for his refusal and then in slow silence he turns his face back to the screen as the camera is focused on him and slowly he gives a smile, the same smile which gave him his luck as he seeked ambition and took it. Its a trully special moment in his acting career i think. this film played as a special weekend at London national film festival screening the driector Lindsay anderson's films. The films especially with Malcolm were the highlight and were recieved vey well along with its English type comedy too.
drmedula	Re: Re:	#19	[-]
(09/09/06 3:45 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	The first American edition of the novel accidently omitted the final chapter... which changed the entire meaning of the book. (After being "cured" of the Ludovico technique, Alec now CHOOSES to be a better person). The film also omits this, leaving us with the feeling that he'll just go back to his old ways.Some sources say Kubrick knew about the omission; others say he was simply being faithful to the version he'd read. (Incidently, despite popular belief, the film WASN'T officially listed as a "Video Nasty" in England; Kubrick himself ordered it pulled from release in that country, upset about it's linkage to gang violence there- although he had no problem collecting royalties from all the countries he DIDN'T actually live in...)
HalLane	Re: Re:	#20	[-]
(09/10/06 2:06 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	*Quote:* The first American edition of the novel accidently omitted the final chapter... which changed the entire meaning of the book. (After being "cured" of the Ludovico technique, Alec now CHOOSES to be a better person). The film also omits this, leaving us with the feeling that he'll just go back to his old ways. I'd never heard about the missing chapter before -- how'd that happen?? -- but it certainly would help explain the ambiguously "happy" ending for Alex, which I must admit I never really understood. What is it about Kubrick and those offbeat endings? Is it because the balance of the picture is so engrossing that they seem to come from left field? Or that they can't help but be a bit of a letdown? I don't remember so many "pull the rug out" finishes since that former grandaddy of the quirky closing scene, Tod Browning.

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