Psychological Myth-Dystopian Vision

Rating: 10/10 (4 May 2000)

`Alex's adventures are a kind of psychological myth. Our subconscious finds release in Alex, just as it finds release in dreams. It resents Alex being stifled and repressed by authority, however much our conscious mind recognizes the necessity of doing this.' - Stanley Kubrick 1971.
I read the novel when I was only in 3rd grade by my own free will. People would stare at me as if I was crazy or something whenever I would walk into stores and I had the book in my hand. I never clearly understood the book, probably due to the British dialect and the complex plot. But there were two words that stood out from the book 1. Droogs 2. Korova Milkbar. I remember I used to call my friends droogs for a while, and the Korova Milkbar fascinated me because I used to see pictures of it in books and it was something I've never seen before. The pictures I saw were so bizarre and psychedelic yet at the same time beautiful.
After seeing the movie I felt in love with it. It's the tale of Alex and his `droogs' whose motifs are violence and sexual pleasures from rape. Alex is a rude young man who is respected by his droogs because he is intimidating. Alex threatens them so much they can't take no more and frame him. Alex is sent to prison and is sentenced for 13 years. Alex tries to behave so that he can leave prison on parole. He studies the bible and learns that it is not entirely holy due to its repelling content. Murder, sex, violence, betrayal are some themes he finds within the `holy' bible. Alex later hears of a program the government is trying to conduct with a random inmate. The experiment will result in an individual never to perform any sort of violent crime ever again. Alex is chosen for this experiment. The process consists of strapping the person into a chair while they are shown images on a screen of extreme violence. For Alex this is heaven for him because that is what he did before going to prison. He saw beauty in violence. As days with the experiment pass by, Alex starts to feel the effects of the experiment. He starts to be disgusted by what he sees onscreen. The experiment is a success. Alex is then released a free man. He comes across all the people he made harm too and they claim their revenge on him.
This is without a doubt a very powerful tale of an `eye-popping dystopian vision' of the ultra violent, with an intelligent mix of classical music with the blend of violence. A tale that makes us feel sorry for the horrendous person that is truly Alex behind the government experiment. This is another film from Kubrick, the cinematic genius who made a masterpiece every time he picked up the camera.