A Clockwork Orange (1971)    

     Based on Anthony Burgess’ 1962 novella, A Clockwork Orange focuses on good vs. evil, corruption, and controversial psychological experiments. Directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick, I learned that he chose to leave out the final chapter of the book from the movie. American publishers actually left out the 21^st chapter up until 1986. In this final chapter, Alex realizes why violence is wrong and sees that everything he once believed is not true. Kubrick believed this turn around was not consistent with the book. He, along with the US publishers preferred this darker ending.

The story focuses on Alex, a young man and part of a sort of gang. The film opens with his gang stabbing a homeless man for no apparent reason other than that he was singing a tune. The group loves ‘ultra-violence,’ rape, and Alex especially likes to listen to Beethoven. The classical music was constantly playing in the background of the movie. After a break-in and the abandonment by his ‘droogs’ he is arrested and brought to prison. While in prison, as a method to escape, Alex acts like the perfect Angel that has been touched by the Holy Spirit. He accepts an offer to try a new experiment in order to escape imprisonment.

The experiment injects him with a sort of serum to make him feel sick and then he is forced to watch the violent acts he once enjoyed. Now, instead of feeling pleasure towards evil, he feels sick. He is deemed a success and is sent into the real world. After a beating from his old gang, he finds himself at the door of Mr. Alexander-the same man Alex and the droogs crippled and the husband of a woman they murdered. At first, Mr. Alexander doesn’t recognize him and simply wants to help and get his story out in the public to show the evils the government has done to him. Once he realizes who Alex is, Mr. Alexander blasts Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, torturing Alex and driving him to jump out the window.

He’s put in the hospital and when he awakes from his coma, the minister is there to smooth things over for PR. Photos are taken to show to public Alex is back to his old self because the doctors have reversed the effects of the experiment. The film ends with Alex’s return to evil.

The ideas presented were interesting and compelling. Viewers have to really think about what makes a person bad and can it be reversed? To describe the overall feeling of the movie however, it was just really weird. Extremely and excessively pornographic, theatrical and violent, it was disturbing at times to watch. At least two or three times, there were detailed rape scenes. It seemed like it was trying to take advantage of the shock value rather than focusing on the interesting parts of the movie. The intriguing parts seemed rushed and the violent opening of the movie felt too long. I want to read the book now to see how the author wanted it to be.

Malcolm McDowell’s performance was iconic. He played his part as a disturbed, evil young man. He was charismatic and easily shifted between the “normal” Alex, the faux-good Alex, the drugged good Alex and returned to “normal.” His acting made it clear to the viewer how his mind was being affected.

After learning the final chapter was cut, it seems like the movie was unjustly made. Kubrick had no right to take someone else’s story and change it based on his personal choice. Burgess is the creator- Alex is his character and the ending was an extremely important part.