Product: A Clockwork Orange [VHS] (1972)
Rating: 5.0
So Far Ahead Of Its Time, Its FRIGHTENING!
This filmed adaptation of Anthony Burgess' book is shot out of a cannon and it never lets up with the pace. Kubrick created a film set in a near-future London where gangs rule the streets to such an extent that the authorities must use drastic measures to stop the violence.The main character of Alex is played (with a maniacal glint in his eye) by Malcolm McDowell. It's McDowell's breakout acting performance. All of the other actors are incidental to Alex, as we watch him and his "Droogs" terrorize, rape, and plunder like pirates on the high-seas. But when Alex is double-crossed by his gangster buddies, Alex's troubles really begin.Alex undergoes a brainwashing regimen in order to get him to associate everything that excited him with a regurgitation effect. This is modern society's way of dealing with hopeless cases like Alex. But, does the experiment succeed? That's for you to discover.The film was supposedly banned in Britain due to its content, but the truth is the film played in Britain for a short amount of time, and Kubrick saw that some sick British fans of the film were emulating the violence of the Droogs. This so upset him that he refused to release the film again in the UK. It took decades for the film to be shown again to a British audience.That is a testament to the film's powerful message. It is a character study about humanity, and what happens when we think we can control a seemingly uncontrollable situation.It is hard to watch at times, even in the 21st Century, but it is a landmark film by one of the 20th Century's greatest film directors, Stanley Kubrick.