Could be Kubrick's Best Film (Easily His Most Famous)

Rating: 10/10 (26 July 2007)

Young Alex DeLarge (Malcolm MacDowell) rapes, murders and listens to Beethoven. When his gang turns against him, he is caught by the police and sent to prison. From there, he undergoes a treatment to cure his violent urges. Will it work?
Casting: I think the cast was perfect, and this is Malcolm MacDowell's most recognizable role. Watching "Clockwork Orange" tends to lead to the debate of what's Kubrick's best film, as he has made so many classics. Many would say "2001", but this film puts up a good fight. But you really never hear people debate their favorite Malcolm film role, because it's invariably going to be this one, I think.
Imagery: Kubrick uses vibrant colors and some odd images. The milk bar is especially unusual, and sexual imagery appears all over in even the most ordinary of places. The cat house? A sign that says "home"? Very unusual stuff. The strong Christ imagery? Intense. From my recollection of the book, it was never this extreme and we have Kubrick to thank for such a radical interpretation of futuristic England.
Music: Obviously, Beethoven's 9th plays a key role in this and it's worked in well. But also, the synthesized music fits (such as in the record store). I don't know if it makes you think of the future, but it certainly makes you think this is a very foreign place from the world we know today (yet, the lessons and morals here are just as important).
Some discussions could be attached to this film -- is it right to limit a man's choices, even if the choices eliminated are bad? In real life, is it okay to chemically castrate rapists rather than have them make their own choices? Is human nature defined by free choice, or are we predisposed? There is lots of room for discussion of these and other topics.
If you haven't seen this, see it. I don't recall anyone ever leaving this film unchanged. It tends to be more easily accepted by men than women, for some reason, and I've been hesitant to recommend it to women. Some have said they "don't get it" and others can't get past the rape scene (which is disturbing, but serves to drive the point home). But then again, I had a female professor who had us read the book (I had already read it at that point). So, who knows. Really, this film is the very definition of morality, freedom and the nihilistic future we're heading towards.