Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

What more can I say that hasn't been said about this classic Stanley Kubrick movie? I've seen A Clockwork Orange a dozen times, but the other day was the first time I saw it on Blu Ray disc.

Anthony Burgess's classic story

Stanley Kubrick faithfully brings Anthony Burgess's tale of Alex a young man living in England in a time that appears to be the sixties or seventies. The story is full of scenes of ultra violence, rape, robbery, home invasions and drug use. Alex and his droogs even have their own made up language which is faithfully followed in the film. However those who don't see beyond the violence, miss the entire point. As the film opens, Rossini is playing and a tight closeup of a young Malcolm McDowell is shown, expanding outwards to reveal his droogs, Pete, Georgie and Dim. As it expands even further outwards, the scene reveals them all sitting in the Korova Milk Bar, drinking milk laced with narcotics of all sorts.

The opening third of the film does indeed show Alex and his gang beating up an old man, getting into a fight with another gang, stealing a car The Durango '95 purred away a real horrorshow - a nice, warm vibraty feeling all through your guttiwuts., engaging in a home invasion What we were after now was the old surprise visit. That was a real kick and good for laughs and lashings of the old ultraviolent , rape and beating I'm just singing in the rain and finally murder. Naughty, naughty, naughty! You filthy old soomka! Trust me, you've never seen someone murdered quite like the scene in Clockwork Orange.

It is in the second third of the film that many other factors come into play. Alex is now 9 double 5 321, for he is convicted and sentenced to 14 years in prison. However, Alex volunteers for a new program, the Ludvico technique to be cured of his penchant for violence.

What is Clockwork really all about, and why is it such a classic film after all these years?

Look past the violence, and you begin to see the true layers of the film.
Religion?
C of E sir!
Do you mean the CHURCH of ENGLAND?
What does it mean to be good? Why is there evil in the world? Of what importance is choice? Perhaps religious questions, perhaps philisophical, but the meaning of good changes if choice is taken away. Knowing that the title A Clockwork Orange refers to a clockwork mechanism that merely resembles an orange on the outside helps to understand the film. Our humble narrator is subject to watching viddies but all the while he feels like sick all down in his gutty wutties. Like Pavlov's dogs, Alex is being conditioned, except he is conditioned to feel sick at the very thought of violence or wrong doing. Does that make Alex truly good, or does that make him a mere "clockwork orange"?

In the third act, when the "cured" Alex is released, politics are also questioned. What does society do about crime? Do we want to punish criminals? cure criminals? condition our citizens?, take away free choice?

In an ironic twist, the reformed conditioned Alex runs into the old man he beat at the beginning of the film, and then his two former droogs, Dim and Georgie, who are of now, all things, police! Nothing up our sleeves, no magic little Alex! A job for two who are now of job age! The police! . Finally he stumbles across the home of the very man whose wife he raped. Although he does not recognize him at first, he does know of him through the newspapers. However, once Alex begins to sing singing in the rain, well lets say revenge isn't a dish served cold.

Soon the Prime minister himself is interested in Alex and his plight.

As I was saying, Alex, you can be instrumental in changing the public verdict. Do you understand, Alex? Have I made myself clear?
As an unmuddied lake, Fred. As clear as an azure sky of deepest summer. You can rely on me, Fred. .

Direction

I have two words to say about direction. Stanley Kubrick. The film is brilliant from its choice of almost every single shot to the choice of music, the choreography of each scene, and the crazy sets. I've already described the opening scenes, let me talk about a couple others. The second scene of the film shows an old man in a tunnel almost passed out and singing at the top of his lungs. One thing I could never stand was to see a filthy, dirty old drunkie, howling away at the filthy songs of his fathers and going blurp blurp in between as it might be a filthy old orchestra in his stinking, rotten guts. Light shines down the tunnel from a nearby street lamp. Suddenly four long shadows fill the screen. The next shot shows Alex and his droogs appearing at the entrance. The details of the environments are incredibly detailed. A crazy mix of sixties and seventies fashions combine to make for some very unforgettable sets. When Alex skips school to go to a music store, check out the records. You will see a soundtrack for 2001: A Space Odyssey. The scene in which Alex seduces two young girls was quite memorable. What you got back home, little sister, to play your fuzzy warbles on? I bet you got little save pitiful, portable picnic players. Come with uncle and hear all proper! Hear angel trumpets and devil trombones. You are invited. After this pick up line, Alex spends the afternoon with them in a fast motion threesome scene set to the William Tell overture.

Almost every scene in this film is memorable thanks in large part to Kubrick's outstanding direction and eye for detail.

Acting

Easily Malcolm McDowell's most memorable role, despite this film being made back in 1971. Some of the parts seem rather over acted, but that is actually part of the charm of this movie, like its kitch sets.

Blu Ray

Picture Quality It was nice to see this on Blu Ray, I first saw the film as a teenager on VHS. I bought it again as part of a Kubrick Box set of films. I felt the video and audio transfer on the Kubrick box set was excellent, and I'll be honest, the Blu Ray isn't really much better. Yes, in many scenes details seem smoother and and more detailed, but in several other scenes the age of the film shows. A lot of scenes have a soft focus that may be the result of age or 70s's film stock, but it lacks that razor sharpness that some of today's films have. As an avid film buff, it is the way Kubrick shows the scenes rather than the razor sharpness of Blu-ray that makes this film unforgettable. In other words, as much as I enjoy the film, the Blu Ray disc doesn't offer enough greater picture quality from the DVD to justify running out and buying the film yet again. If you are a fan of Stan the Man and this film, it is definitely worth renting from Netflix or your local video store on Blu Ray for your 20th, 30th or 100th viewing.

For the record, I did actually notice a few new things on this my 20th or 30th viewing. Alex's cufflinks for his gang outfit appear to be eyeballs in a pool of blood. The same motiff is on Georgie's suspenders.

Audio Quality This is offered in Dolby HD. The score is a fantastic blend of Wendy Carlos's original soundtrack and classical music. Most prominent is Ludwig Van's music, especially the ninth symphony. Oh bliss! Bliss and heaven! Oh, it was gorgeousness and gorgeousity made flesh. It was like a bird of rarest-spun heaven metal or like silvery wine flowing in a spaceship, gravity all nonsense now.. Again, however, because the Kubrick set was so well done, I really didn't notice a difference in sonic quality here either. Dialogue and music both sound excellent, but they did on the DVD as well. Some scenes do sound very impressive with the Dolby HD soundtrack, mostly those featuring the beautiful classical soundtrack.

Summary

A Clockwork Orange has long been one of my all time favorite films. It is a masterpiece by my favorite director. Renting this on Blu Ray is worth it to get yet another incredible look at this classic film. Although the Blu Ray transfer is onl 3 1/2 stars, A Clockwork Orange is still one of my favorite films ever, and gets five stars.





Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age

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