A Clockwork Orange - Movie Forums

out of my five favorite directors (coppola, tarentino, scorsese, kubrick, and kevin smith) i would have to say that kubrick is the most interesting of the five, and a clockwork orange is his most interesting film. really what i wanted to start this thread for is a chance to discuss the symbolism and hidden meanings kubrick uses in this movie, and what you liked and didn't like about it. personally, i love this movie because it is completely unflinching in its use of symbolism, hyperbole, and camera tricks to tell a surreal story, and when i think about it, no other movie has done that. i mean, i probably couldn't call this my favorite movie of all time, but it has had the most affect on me as far as conveying a deeper meaning through cinematography, and isn't that what a smart movie is supposed to do anyway? basically, what this incredibly complex movie is about is superficially pretty simple. for those of you who haven't seen it, it is set in the future, where gangs of restelss teenagers wander the streets in search of cheap thrills in the form of beatings, rape, robberies, and other acts of "ultra-violence". about this time, action is being taken by some sort of state-sponsored institution to brainwash the dangerous youths into being perfect, upstanding citizens. one of the kids, alex, is the main character of the story. we see what a violent, sick, depraved life that alex revels in, and then he is caught in the act of murder - something he had never done before. the brainwashing begins immediately, and he is soon conditioned to think a certain way. i don't want to give too much away, but the film is actually trying to discern the basis for human evil. is the motivation to do wrong naturally engrained into us, or is it a product of our environment? anyway, what really separates the movie from everything else on the shelf as blockbuster is kubrick's talent. his incredible filming, the way the characters dress, act, and speak, everything is completely unique. i've probably never seen a movie so surreal in my entire life. the characters use a kind of fictional slang that is a blend of british english and russian. they wear bizarre clothes, and drink milk laced with hallucinagenics. they don't use guns, but rather knives, clubs, and chains. the artwork, architecture, and set designs are all futuristic, but more in a bizarre, something out of a strange dream sense than a cheesy, sci-fi sense. truly, i could not even begin to delve into all of the interesting aspects of the film, so feel free to post if you want to discuss or share. :D