Surreal and Mindblowing

Rating: Null/10 (8 March 2001)

Stanley Kubrick's film adaption of the 1962 novel 'A Clockwork Orange' Has remained in my mind since viewing it for the first time 3 years ago,as one of the most thought provoking,unrelenting and savagely satirical pieces of fiction ever 'Viddied'.An absolute flat out assault on the senses.For many when the novel was first released it's themes were considered as morally inept and it's pornography of violence would be certain to make it unacceptable to any publisher..It's passive statements and exploration of the fact that the novel may be outlining a social prophecy involving the use of aversion therapy to singlehandedly cut down the numbers and nature of agressive youth was dismissed by many Literary supplement reviewers as a 'nasty little shocker'with nothing more to offer then an invitation to the violent young from an antisocial writer.
But the concept of the story was so much more deep and intense. It is also not only a social prophecy but a study of Free will and mans capacity to choose morally regarding issues that affects his/her life and those around them.It is also a scathing study of Politics/and the dazzling effects of language and music.
in 1971,9 years after the novel first appeared.Kubrick's film smashed onto the screen in nightmarish abundance.Considering the wake of candid pornography that was now exploited artistically in theatre as opposed to the first few years after the novels presentation,The films contents were there to shock morally and not to merely titillate.
Unfortunately a few months after the films initial release,it was withdrawn from Kubrick himself from release in the UK and other countries due to the fact that copycat gangs from the one's depicted in the film were beginning to arise and causing mayhem in the streets of the UK,The film was vowed never to be realeased ever again by Kubrick,until after his death.
Considering the film may have been deemed somewhat 'dated' in my generation (me being 23 oh my brothers)To this day the only irellevance the book and film has to modern society is the description of the clothes Alex and his droogs wear for fillying and shopcrasting,and his 'Horrowshow' kickboots for kicking 'Litsos' in.
Malcolm Mcdowell turns out an ingenious performance as the young hooligan Alex who loves to have a good time,but at the tragic expense of others.We follow the story from his point of view as he governs his droogs (Nadsat for Friends)into all mannerism of tyranny and wrong doing all through to submissive therapy at the hands of a power hungry Political force and his remission back into the society he had once done wrong by as a man who is incapable of making a moral choice.A man who has had his free will stripped from him and all the burdens he created coming back to haunt him.What can be gained from his remission is the question:If man is defined by his capacity to choose between courses of moral action,between good and evil,should he be conditioned only to perform what is believed socially acceptable by others??
The use of language in this film is known as 'Nadsat'(A subliminal soviet-russian teenage slang.)and takes little effort to interpret what the characters are saying,but adds to the brilliance and originality of the story telling.What is the most disturbing aspect is that Alex comes across as such a charasmatic and intelligent citizen,that you wonder shamelessly why he commits the atrocities that he does..
A most amazing film on all counts,Disturbing,profound,surreal,controversial,entertaining and overall,mindblowing...Dont miss it...