Delving into the Mayhem and Minds of Hoodlums

Rating: 9/10 (6 May 2008)

This movie is a romp. At more than 35 yrs old, it superiorly stands the test of time. It's story offers a masterful center character and great supporting characters throughout. Direction and camera-work are top notch. The lingo and conversations are wonderfully strange and bizarre spoken in British-dialect English - they give a cleverly added layer of different time and place. Clearly much thought is weighed on subjects of crime, punishment, and reform as central themes, but the motivation and drive of the story is an immersion into the hooligan mindset - an anarchy against societal rules and etiquette in total disregard of the government and fellow citizens. Questions are posed of age old punishments vs. new-wave reformations. Kubrick and the screenwriter have crafted the feel of mischief and mayhem better than any other movie to date imo. Malcolm McDowell's devilishly wanton character is the quintessential "bad apple", and wonderful to follow with expository narration. Great use of music as well. Highly recommended.