Rape, Ultraviolence and Beethoven- THE ULTIMATE SATIRE

Rating: 10/10 (6 June 2011)

What can I say about A Clockwork Orange that hasn't already been said? How can I convey the magnitude of its brilliance in words? I'll try, best as I can to paint a clear picture of this masterpiece. And what can I say about Stanley Kubrick- the man was god! I've seen all of his films, but this one is my very favourite. This is his magnum opus.
It starts off with dear Alex and his droogs sitting in the Korova milk bar sipping away and preparing themselves for what they call 'the old ultraviolence,' which we'll soon see is rape and a severe beating to a particular old writer. From then on, from these events there unfolds a tapestry of chaos, weirdness and disaster. But Malcolm McDowell is just a delight. While all of this horror and oddity occurred, I never found myself blaming him. He makes Alex seem so charismatic that it's amazing.
What the hell is ACO about? A guy called Alex living in the distant future, a bizarre colorful kaleidescope of stylized clothing and living spaces and odd people in a Kafkaesque (yep, i just had to use that word) nightmare. He commits a nasty, insane (and somewhat funny) crime and does time for it. And he bumps into a few of his old...acquaintances later on, and the law attempts to cure his delinquency...in a rather disturbing way.
The cherry on top is the excellent soundtrack. The weird Moog synthesizer just adds to the strange atmosphere. And the way Kubrick artfully uses classical music, like Beethoven's 9th and Rossini's Barber of Seville overture and Thieving Magpie and William Tell Overture is simply a marvel. It's a pleasure to listen to such lovely music while watching such vivid imagery.
Anyways, that can't even begin to describe the film but all you can do is see it for yourself. I watched this as a wide eyed 14 year old and I was just bewildered by the whole damn thing, but I loved it. What's not to love? Call me crazy, but I've always though that the 'violence' in this film was over-hyped. People tend to make a mountain out of a molehill. ACO was not meant to be a goddamn tragedy, it's a biting satire that's darkly humorous and prodigal in it's predictions. It's pretty funny, when it all comes down to it, the irony, the black humor, the sharp wit of Anthony Burgess and Stanley Kubrick, the inane charm of Malcolm McDowell, the ridiculousness of it all.
And then there's people who complain that ACO promotes violence and perversion. Reallyy?? Is that so? I guess those people were jerking off for the whole time and not even paying attention. If that's what you got out of it, then you must be brain dead. The ending is unrepentant though, that's why I love it. As Alex grins and says "I was cured, alright" you realize the 'method' in which society 'cured' him.
All in all, for the open minded (the religious zealots oughta stay away) art lovers, A Clockwork Orange is a treat. Not only is it my favourite film, but one of the greatest films ever made. Come and get one in the yarbles...that is, if ya got any yarbles!