Kubrick's finest

Rating: 8/10 (30 October 2005)

Kubrick had this film withdrawn in the UK and it wasn't released again until his death. Its unavailability gave it a certain notoriety and I was pretty curious about seeing it when it finally did come out again. I also experienced this curiosity before I saw the likes of Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Straw Dogs, which were unavailable on video until UK film laws were relaxed a few years ago. However, those films were big disappointments to me when I actually saw them - Clockwork Orange wasn't. I like most of Kubrick's films but I think this is his best. The production design and cinematography are typically excellent, the soundtrack works well, the acting is generally fine (Malcolm McDowell is outstanding in the lead role) and it's a good story. Despite some of the 70's fashions on display, the film has dated very well and has a certain timelessness to it. I can't think of many films set in Britain that are better than this.