A real horror show, that.

Rating: 10/10 (30 July 2003)

As you may be able to tell from my reviews that I expect a lot from any Kubrick offering, as I've only been marginally let down on one occasion by good 'ol Stanley, and that film was Spartacus. It doesn't feel like a Kubrick film to me, and there's not much artistry to it.
But, in films like this and his other visual masterpiece Barry Lyndon; art is rampant and it takes a lot to squeeze everything in. So much happens in the course of this film it's insane. It's fast-paced, intense, brilliantly acted and scored.
From a board, I've something I said in trying to 'prove' to someone this film was good, since saying the same thing twice would be a bit trivial, I now quote myself; (I'm lazy)
Malcolm McDowell's performance is brilliant and energetic while being subtle at the same time. He delivers his lines well without looking like he's reading for the sake of the script. He didn't play Alex -- he became Alex.

Stanley Kubrick's direction is astounding here. More-so than other Kubrick films I'd say. Watch how he conducts his camera so methodically. After the singing in the rain bit (in which Alex sung to the estranged writer) how they walk back through the milk-bar. The camera is first focused on the stairs as the come down it, as they advance towards the camera it begins to back up; after that it spirals to the side and then behind them and follows them. Also, when they first meet with the old man when they're coming up to him all you can see is their shadows cast on the wall before him. Beautiful moments are strewn about everywhere. Such as when Alex is walking home from the milk-bar, to his home (the first time we see it; before the brilliant directed 9th symphony montage as he's going to sleep) and he's walking through an abandoned futuristic court-yard of sorts and all you can hear is a somber whisper.
The music is used well in every scene, and sometimes it's to the point where it reminds of the imagery produced by the original disney film Fantasia. I don't have to explain the music being great, I doubt you question that.

The story, to me, is imaginative and brilliant. A writer, writing of his wife being murdered by hooligans is writing a story, the story we're watching, thus he's writing about a writer who's in the book he's writing about writing about the book he's in. It's brilliant because it's a poetic pi; which is very hard to create.
The questions on moral choice have given me nice long thoughts at night. Think about it; so Alex was a rapist and a murderer; is that crime enough to take away his humanity by stripping him of moral choice. Stripping someone of their ability to choose is worse than murder.
So many things happen within the film, think about it. It comes on and things spiral into the main story. Many many many memorable scenes and they're all done so well. First, they beat up an old man, terrorize the road and then go to the writer's home. After they make their way back to the milk-bar and things continue to happen rapidly. Events pour in and out in a constant and well timed pace for it all.
It's more imaginative and unique than any movie I've ever seen. It's one of a kind and will never be copied without complete failure. The Usual Suspects plot has, and will be done, again. Same with these other movies with the 'great twists' at the end. They're just fluff with no moral center, no questions about humanity or anything else that actually matters. A Clockwork Orange is a character study and portrait of evil. The Usual Suspects is a quotable action flick with a 'twist.' The made up language delighted me throughout the film. There's no way you could predict the ending to this film, there's too many possibilities.
As for you saying I need to watch mindless action movies -- that offends me. I do, but I dont hold them in too high of a regard. Such as Leon, I watch it for it's mindless action. Like Raiders of the Lost Ark and other action films. I love the stupid flick as much as the next guy -- but they dont really matter to me. They're not art -- they're just entertaining portraits. Art is something that makes a statement. The one reason people rate this lowly is because I think people get other ideas of what the ending should be; and as sporadic as this film is, I don't believe there's anyway to predict the ending.
A+: Anyone who appreciates film as an art medium should experience this.