Starring: Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Michael Bates, Warren Clarke, James Marcus, Michael Tarn and Aubrey Morris.

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Synopsis: A sociopath whose hobbies include “ultra-violence“, ‘Milk Plus‘ and “the ol’ in-out, in-out” wrecks havoc across a modern London, but when his actions catch up with him, he very quickly learns that it’s not as straightforward as simply being cured and that actions have consequences.

Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Anthony Burgess’ 1962 novel remains one of his most controversial, but also one of his very best. Set in a dystopian society where rape, pillaging and plundering rule the day, there’s plenty of examples as to why the film was so taboo in Britain until after Kubrick’s death in 1999, but there are many more aspects that make this a unique and excellent piece of film, one that should be mandatory viewing in regards to tremendous filmmaking techniques.

Several of these techniques are evident from the start, with Carlos and Elkind’s daunting main theme setting the tone for a unnerving viewing experience. It’s complemented by a tremendous long tracking camera shot – one of Kubrick’s distinct film features – and throughout the film that theme is contrasted by clever interpolations of beautiful and joyful music, most notably the “Ninth Symphony” of ‘Lovely’ Ludwig Van and Gene Kelly’s “Singin’ in the Rain” – infamously improvised by McDowell during a take, leading to Kubrick paying $10,000 for the rights in a matter of minutes. Of course, what makes the inclusions of these particular pieces of music most effective is in how they contradict Alex’s (McDowell) nonconformist personality.

The opening half hour sees Alex and his Droogs doing everything from beating a tramp to the brink of death to battling with rival gangs over who’ll rape a helpless woman – speaking in their Nadsat English all the way – only for the night to end with Alex entering his own near-orgasmic nirvana listening to his idol, Beethoven, which is so perfectly conveyed to the audience by the face made by McDowell and the switching camera shots used by Kubrick. There’s a lot of depth to Alex DeLarge as a character, and the complexities of his character make the second half the film and his ‘redemption’ following The Ludovico Technique even more interesting.

A Clockwork Orange is as graphic and depressing as it gets in bringing to the big screen beatings and rape. And in classic Kubrick fashion it’s at times absurdly laughable thanks to McDowell’s reckless demeanour and pompous body language. It’s also very important, not only as a piece of cinema and as a part of Kubrick’s legacy, but as a reflection of British ideals in the 60s and 70s, and how we view the film today compares and contrasts to the reaction back then.

Rating: 5/5