This Stanley Kubrick classic stands to be one of my favourite films of all time. When thinking why it’s my favourite, I can’t give one definitive answer. Its just many mini things that make this movie a masterpiece, an unforgettable classic.
As well as it being my favourite film, it also has my favourite acting performances by any actor I have ever seen in any movie. Malcolm Mcdowell, who plays the main protagonist Alex, did a brilliant performance of this complex character, though anyone who knows this movie doesn’t need that be told. When working with Kubrick, the perfectionist director, Mcdowell really had to get this performance right. With the help of the book ‘A Clockwork Orange’ by Anthony Burgess, which is what the film is obviously based on, Mcdowell was responsible for how this character would turn out. And there’s no doubt about it that he did a memorable performance, one we’ll remember and praise for a very long time. Of course, there’s also brilliant performance through the movie, but there’s no doubt about it that Malcolm Mcdowell takes the prize
Of course, when talking about this movie you must talk about the creator of this movie…Stanley Kubrick. ‘A Clockwork Orange’ was released in 1971. The early 70s saw cinema taking risks when it came to topics religion, or showing graphic violent acts and sexual acts. Films such as ‘The Devils’ or ‘The last house on the left’ caused both films to be banned for its controversial portrayal of violence and religion. But neither film came close to being controversial as ‘A Clockwork Orange’. Unlike Kubrick other films, ‘A Clockwork Orange’ was made with a low budget which gave him little artistic freedom unlike his other works such as ‘2001:A Space Odyssey’. The way we view Alex’s’ character is also affected by the way of Kubrick’s way of filming e,g the characters and how they are portrayed. There is not one single good character in ‘A Clockwork Orange’. Wherever its the scientists torturing Alex to become less human and more machine, or the police guards and the other colleagues laughing at the pain that is being forced on with Alex. Of course, Alex is the worse character out of these however he is aware of what he is doing, he’s honest to his audience when it comes to the violence he is committing, while the others make out that they are good people of society. Through this, the audience has a different view of Alex as a character.
In conclusion, many, many things make ‘A Clockwork Orange’ one of the best films ever made. To Stanley Kubrick’s way of filming to the acting to the writing. It will take me hours to list everything that makes this film what it is: A classic.
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