Trigger Warning: ‘A Clockwork Orange’ features images of sexual violence and torture
“I’m cured! Praise God!”
“You’re not cured yet, boy…”
How did my fascination with ‘A Clockwork Orange’ begin? Well, from the snapshot of a forgotten edition of the Guinness Book Of World Records, of course! From my first gaze at Malcolm McDowell’s hypnotic persona, I was transfixed, hypnotised. That devilish grin spread across Malcolm McDowell’s face, the way he orchestrated that unsettling stare, with one eye shadowed. What could the film possibly be about?
It wasn’t until I was 16 or 17 that I would make it my personal mission to find the film and watch it. Little did I know, I was beginning a cinematic journey through the filmography of a director who seemed to paralyse me with the horrors of modern day and future alike.
Alex DeLarge is a teenage delinquent who, along with his gang of droogs (“friends” in Nadsat, a Russian-English blended language invented by author Anthony Burgess), terrorise the public for fun, high on drug-infused milk and the sound of sweet Ludwig Van Beethoven. Near-future Britain is their oyster, but when Alex murders a woman in her home, and his droogs leave him for the police, Alex is sent to prison. As luck would have it, the government is experimenting a new treatment to eliminate criminal tendencies, make the villains of society drop in disgust at their own thoughts. Believing this is his way out, Alex takes the opportunity, however, this treatment may not be the solution society needs…
Malcolm McDowell is Alex DeLarge, there’s no question about it. From that very first shot of McDowell staring dead into your eyes, he asserts himself as the only man who could bring such a character to the screen. His voice sounds innocent, but mixed with his mischievous and sometimes satanic facial expressions, he almost perfectly portrays a psychopath.
Aubrey Morris plays P.R. Deltoid, Alex’s P.O. officer, and delivers quite a performance. His voice and smile are cartoonish, but his gaze and touch feel at a certain point predatory. I believe he brings a sinister subtext to the character which works amazingly in such a setting.
Warren Clarke deserves not only mentions but laurels, as his portrayal of Dim manipulates multiple emotions from the audience. He’s an easy comic relief character, but as he’s tormented by Alex, it’s easy to feel real sympathy for him. However, when you take into account the scene where he joins Alex’s rendition of ‘Singing In The Rain’, repeating over and over “ready for love!” in his nasal and deep voice, you can’t help but wonder what kind of madman he really is.
There are simply too many astounding, absolutely entertaining performances in this film to mention, but McDowell, Morris and Clarke are easily my three favourite in the cast.
The soundtrack is fantastic as well, utilising several famous classical pieces along with synth tracks to place us in a dark anarchal British Empire. The film begins with a synth version of the Funeral March for Queen Mary, a disturbing hypnotic track that almost sounds like a forgotten instrumental by the Pet Shop Boys. Placed beautifully in the first scene, it’s as if Kubrick is proclaiming Alex as the King of this new world.
The famous classical pieces are absurdly placed over the more horrific or graphic sequences which add to the film’s unsettling nature. It feels awkward to watch sped-up footage of Alex fornicating with two young women as the ‘William Tell Overture’ plays. It feels satanic to watch Alex murder an old woman with a phallic sculpture as ‘The Thieving Magpie’ builds to its grand crescendo and even more so when Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony is orchestrated over Alex’s violent imagination.
I believe ‘Clockwork’ is Kubrick at his best. His command of colour and sound here is unmatched. Every shot is part of that same vivid nightmare I fell in love with 5 or 6 years ago. So if you’re yet to begin your trek through Kubrick’s filmography, I eagerly campaign for ‘Clockwork’. It may be confronting, but I believe it raises important questions about society by keeping the audience unsure of whom to root for. I might have rooted for Alex on my first viewing, but placing myself in his victim’s shoes, I also root for citizens’ justice. I believe that’s what ‘Clockwork’ is best at, submersing you in a moral dilemma. Perhaps there are no heroes or villains, maybe we’re all just human.
Mason’s Top 3 Reasons to Watch ‘A Clockwork Orange’
- A hypnotic, predatory score that commands you to stay in your seat
- A film that posits an interesting discussion on how we treat released convicts and the morality of psychological experiments
- A visceral, unflinching wave of shocking and violating cinematography
