Product: A Clockwork Orange [VHS] (1972)
Rating: 5.0
A Clockwork Orange
This is, without a doubt, one of the most brilliant narratives in film history because it becomes clear that Malcolm McDowell's flippant, arrogant, insouciant anti-hero triumphs over society's best intentions at engineering compliance, and we agree, somewhat guiltily, with his point of view, albeit violent and horrifying. Viewers would do well to understand the symbolism of the number 4. The 4th movement of Beethoven's 9th plays throughout the film, but there are four acts of violence that he and his gang commit, four acts of violence committed against his person, four figures on the cathedral, four members of the gang (resembling the four riders of the Apocalypse?), and when he goes to prison, the number four is conspicuously missing form his prison ID, thus he is losing his "4" identity. And, of course, the four seasons are the "work" of the clock, or time passing.