A Clockwork Orange (1972)

STARRING...
Malcolm McDowell
Warren Clarke
James Marcus
Patrick Magee
Micheal Tarn

Directed by: Stanley Kubrick

Running Time - 2 hours, 16 minutes

Year- 1972

Rating: 5 out of 5

In my opinion, Stanley Kubrick is the greatest filmaker to grace the history of cinema. From his great DR. STRANGELOVE, to the classic SPARTACUS, to THE SHINING, to FULL METAL JACKET, Stanley Kubrick has made some amazing and unforgettable films. His greatest, however, is his 1971 surreal and controversial film A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, starring Malcolm McDowell. Upon it's release, it was hugely controversial, impressing critics with its genius and angering those annoying christian film critics with its graphic scenes. In fact, to this day it is banned in Sweden, Germany, and several other European countries.

PLOT: Alex DeLarge (Malcolm McDowell in his finest performance) is a teenager in London who engages in acts of delinquicy (including rape and assault) with his gangs, whom he calls "Droogs". One day, after beating an elderly man and raping his wife, the Droogs begin to quarrel with Alex, eventually leaving him to be arrested. When in jail, Alex voluntarily undergoes an experimental behavioral correction program in order to be set free. The program works, and he is set free, unable to cause violence to anyone. However, this also means he can't defend himself, leading to a bad fight with his old Droogs and his attempts to fight the program.

REVIEW: A CLOCKWORK ORANGE is one of my favourite movies of all time. Everything about the film is perfect, and it's just a peice of filmaking genius.
The direction by Stanley Kubrick is one of the best directing jobs I've ever seen. The man was a technical genius. He really gave the film a nice, surreal atmosphere with his direction, and it's one of the best things about the movie.
The acting in here is fantastic, but the one actor who outshines all the rest is a then-25-year-old Malcolm McDowell. The man is a fantastic actor, and no wonder this film was his breakthrough. He is simply marvellous as Alex DeLarge, one of my favourite movie characters of all time. From his accent, to his stare, to that unforgetable "Behavioral Correction" scene, you almost forget that he's acting. Great performance right there.
Overall, A CLOCKWORK ORANGE is one of the greatest movies of all time, and everyone should see it at least once in their life. But be warned- it is NOT for the queasy