Brutal. That was my impression of this movie after just several minutes watching. Not just brutal, it was also features odd and random crime. After 20 minutes I decided to stop watching (added with a tiring day). Narrated by a psychopath, A Clockwork Orange has some dialogues required twice listening with futuristic and imaginary world. It was an odd cinematic world to swim. But that is Alex (Malcolm McDowell), with his rebellious and fearless stare, made me uncomfortable from the first scene. He and his ‘Droogs’ are out one evening, saving a lady from being raped and then go to a writer’s house and raped his wife (so random, I can’t understand, but he is a psychopath).
The next day, they repeated their activity to a house of a cat lover lady. Fortunately, the lady have the opportunity to call the police just several minutes before they finally barge in the house. Alex could escape, but betrayed by his fellows. He is convicted for murder.
After 2 years behaving well in prison, Alex asks to the Priest the experiment he heard. An psychology experiment to treat felon with violence viewing called Ludovico technique, an experimental aversion therapy . By agreeing to be experimented, the person can be free from prison immediately. Alex did caught the attention from Governor to be the perfect person for the project. But coincidentally, the violent images used his favorite classic music by Ludwig Van Beethoven, Ninth Symphony. As result, Alex could never heard the music without feeling suffocated or death feeling, also could not attempt doing violence anymore.
This achievement concerned by the prisoner’s Priest, saying that goodness should come from within, and not from human’s will. But it is disclaimed by the Governor. Alex is released from prison, but his freedom isn’t exactly easy to reach, as he continuously meet unpleasant events with people he hurt in the past.
“Goodness is something to be chosen. When a man cannot choose he ceases to be a man.”
Underneath his psycho characteristic, somewhere inside is a man who wants to start over. True, he took his life for granted and he ravaged people’s life including his parents, but like everyone (we mainly see in movies) he still is a murderer in public. I kept wondering where’s his psycho personality after two years in prison. Is it just disappear like that? Shouldn’t he met a psychiatrist? Maybe some brutal experiences in prison said in the novel should be kept to make it more in line. But maybe it is his psycho alter when he asks to be experimented, plus the urge to be free soon. The moral thing I learned after he’s being wronged, is that there’s no shortcut to happiness. You just have to deal with your mistakes from the past.
SPOILER
But the main thing about this movie isn’t about psychopath to me. It’s more about politics, and how everything can be bought and manipulated for the sake of gaining power. Alex is just the object.
I read that in the original novel, there’s this last chapter about Alex’s redemption but it was refused by the American publisher and Kubrick only had known this when he’s finalizing the script. Since I am a fan of redemption in movies, I wish the movie have that (even though Kubrick said that it won’t be sync to the whole story). Still, every horror ending makes a better and long lasting impression.
That Singing’ in the Rain addition in the movie was genius and horrific. The song probably would have a different meaning to me now.
SPOILER ENDS
A Clockwork Orange wasn’t an easy movie watching experience for me, but like every tough experience I had, I learned something big by it. I probably wouldn’t watch this again, but I’m glad I did. Malcolm McDowell was too real as Alex. I honestly still confused on how much score I should give this movie. It was a bizarre trip, and I don’t know if I’m in Alex side or not. It certainly nothing like I have ever seen, in it’s violence dosage, going through a psychopath’s mind and his disturbing treatment. On one side, the treatment is revolutionary but I am agreeing with how goodness should be a choice. As for the politics element shown in the movie said to portray Communists, well it definitely achieved showing it. Reading the differences between the novel and the film, I feel like they have an even score. You should definitely pick this movie if you need to see something you’ve never seen.
Final Score
-
