Kubrick masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (20 May 2002)

As relevant today as when the film was made 30 years ago, Kubrick's film has become a classic. I include it in my best ten. With keen penetrating vision Kubrick has given us a slice of life as it was....and still is. Let's face it....what has changed? Rampant youths stealing cars, breaking into homes, daubing walls with grafitti, overdosing on drugs, bashing the elderly, involving themselves in murder, rape and terrorism. What a prophetic film! And how magnificently does Andrew McDowell portray the character of Alex Delarge (under Kubrick's expert direction). This actor was at the right place at the right time and Kubrick seized the opportunity. McDowell has never done better than his role in "A Clockwork Orange".
The various brutal acts performed by Alex and his gang have been amply described by other reviewers. They are scenes not easily forgotten, and the hatred, disgust and loathing captured in Alex's expression is a credit to his acting ability.
Alex's so-called rehabilitation was an interesting part of the film. While "aversion therapy" is not so much in use to-day because of the introduction of new medications, to have one's neck clamped and eyelids pinned back is an unenviable position to be in and actual torture for Alex. The subsequent testing of the success of the treatment by exposing a naked woman in close proximity to Alex in front of the assessing medical fraternity seemed to me to be primitive to an extreme, but it made good cinema.
The media report on Alex's attempted suicide with its political ramifications brought a new sense of power to Alex. As the Government Minister pandered to his every need, even feeding him with a fork. (I laughed outright at this point. It was such a humourous situation).
The film does not state what happens to Alex. It gives us little hope.
The best that can be said is that Kubrick thrusts the facts directly at us and just as in the ""aversion therapy" we cannot turn away. This film has such a strong message. What has happened in these intervening years....what have we accomplished to put things right? Sad to say....nothing!