Burgess Clockwork is Kubricks Masterpiece.

Rating: 10/10 (16 April 2006)

After just having read the very good novel,i was first unsure about how it would have been filmed.But after seeing it i feel this is a fantastic translation of the novel,and also (in my view) easily Kubricks masterpiece. The plot: In a future Britain.There are groups of teenagers called "The Droogs".The film focuses on a group of Droogs led by a teenager called Alex(Played by a great Malcolm McDowell.)The Droogs enjoy going out,and doing acts of what they call "Ulta-Violence",which is to beat up and to do harm to anybody.Everything is going well,till an up rival starts to happen within the group.While Alex tries to remain the main Droog.During one of there nights out for The Ulta-Violence.the other Droogs turn on him,and Alex gets sent to jail for murder!While Alex is at the jail,he finds out there is a new system which if he goes in for, he will be able to get out in two weeks!When he gets there he is told that he just has to do some "simple tests",which is to watch films,with certain music playing with them.While first to Alex this sounds easy.As he goes on he finds out that these "Simple tests" might have more of an effect on him then he thinks.... View on the film: One of the main things that the film does very cleverly (and one of only a handful of others do)is that it lets the viewer have there own interpretation of the film.While some may say that its not the right choice for Alex to like classical music (instead of things like The Doors,Stones,Stooges etc...)I feel that it really suited the character.One of the issues raised in the film, is to show how the mix of images/music can either lighten or darken the images that are on the screen.While it has been said that Burgess did not like how the book was adapted (mainly due to the ending.)I feel that the ending works really well for the film (if they had kept to the books ending,it would have been Alex in a wig and old make-up!)The other major issue the film raises is the use of the media (something for a film made in 1971,is even more important now,and something everyone should learn about due to the current world events.) Final view on the film: One of the most important,original movies ever made.Also it is easily (in my view) Stanley Kubricks masterpiece.