Dripping with art

Rating: Null/10 (12 May 2003)

Kubrick's Clockwork Orange is a film that if you haven't seen, you've likely heard of in passing. It's a feat worthy of recognition, as Clockwork Orange is a true work of art in completion, and the process by which it has been made. Though the film is uncannily dark and sadistic, playing humour on the farces and violent assaults caused by a group of teen boys, Kubrick is able to show such situational acts and not come off as a pretentious, violent creep. The film's protagonist, Alex De Large (Malcolm McDowell) is a very simple creature, but comes off in a complex manner. He enjoys raping random women with his crew of cronies, but covers it up by listening to some Beethoven when arriving at his parents' home at the end of the day. The words "ultra violent" keep arising throughout the film, laying out Alex's pleasures to speech, showing he not only knows his actions are legally and morally wrong, but that he gets off on that fact. The film concentrates more on Alex than his other friends, and takes him on the route of a misguided spiritual journey, and back again. But all along, it's hard to wonder what his intentions and mindset. I didn't feel attached to him as a character, but felt more intrigued by the freak-gallery instinct taken on as a viewer, and voyeur. The entire film, though dark and suspicious, is pitted with the backdrop of intensely curious music, both classical and off-beat neo-synth. The soundtrack may be the ultimate strength of the film, highlighting Alex's traumas and dramas with a very emotional sensation which backs up a moderately well-made film.