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8.A Clockwork Orange (Stanley Kubrick, 1971)



As a clown once said,...i'm a man of my word. This will be my 1000th post on this site, and I must say that I am more than happy to still be apart of it. So what better way to kick off my 1000th post than to update my Top 100 list. For those of you who have been waiting patiently for me to complete this god forsaken list, I apologise and promise to that you guys won't have to wait too long between updates. For those of you who are new to my list, well, all hail The Ayatolla of MoFo Roller!!! Chris JerichoTM baby.

Anyways, yes, this is my favourite and only Kubrick film on the list, and no, i'm not that big a fan of the Kubrickmeister. He is an awesome technical director and all that, but almost all of his films leave me feeling cold, with this one being the exception.



I watched the film thinking I was being treated to another Kubrick seminar, but found myself emotionally invested in Mr DeLarge. I felt somewhat guilty when I rooted for even enjoyed some of Alex's escapades throughout the film, particular the scene where he shows his fellow Droogs who is boss.

Adapted from the Anthony Burgess novel of the same name, the film was met with a lot of controversy during it's release in the 1970s. Kubrick reportedly banned his own film in the UK from being seen after a short release because there were copycat killings and rapings in which the film was being scapegoated for, which of course is stupid as any gangster film brought out in that period could have easily have been blamed for influencing such behaviour.



I think that this is the film that best symbolises Kubrick's extreme hatred for authority figures as it's discovered during the course of the film that the real villain of the piece is the government state. I believe this is the main reason Kubrick adapted the novel, he shared with Burgess, the disgust of governments trying to dictate and control the way we live, essentially robbing us of our freedom, which, in Kubricks perspective, is as bad as anything Alex and his cronies do in the film.




And what of the innovative and colourful language that was invented? Very bold of Kubrick to incorporate almost incomprehensible (to me) urban slang that make contemporary phrases like 'innit blud' sound very gentlemanly English. I don't always understand what Alex and his pals are saying, but the point is it works. You always get the feeling that you're in some sort of futuristic environment and that time has passed you by. I think that the production design should garner praise in that sense. It's a futuristic film that's only feels slightly so because of subtle set pieces and clothing design.



Besides totally dissecting a totalitarian state and producing wonderful new language, Clockwork is arguably Malcom McDowell's biggest contributer and the best single piece of work he has ever done to this day. You can't imagine any other actor taking on Alex and making this monsteras likable as an ice cream man. Kubrick himself should be more than applauded for not only making a film with heart and soul, but for producing a genuine cinematic masterpiece that has few rivals within it's genre.

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Obviously I don't agree with the choice, but it's good to have you returning to the list.

What genre would you call it? What other films are in that genre?

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Hmm, good question. Low key science fiction if I had to categorise it. I know, too general considering the type of film it is, but it's the best genre anybody could fit it into. I'd say that films like Gattaca, Moon, Code 49 are similar films in that they aren't obvious sci fi films and only slightly expand on technology that is already available.

Prestige, the (fictional) language is called Nadsat. Its a form of English influenced by Russian. If you have not read the Burgess (a translator & linguist, etc) novel, you should! Some versions actually come w/a dictionary tagged on at the end. What is brilliant about Burgess's linguistics, however, is that even w/out the dictionary, you still know what hes getting at. You are able to discern the meaning of words & phrases through context & repetition. The dictionary is really a cop-out, & the novel is best read w/out consulting it. It is a literary masterpiece, & Kubrick accomplished a seemingly insurmountable task by translating it for the screen. A Clockwork Orange is such an intensely literary experience, & the language itself is so integral to the subculture that I would place it high up as one of the more difficult novels to translate across mediums. Kubrick's film, however, accomplishes the feat of capturing the novel's content as well as context through perfectly placed voice-overs. Its not perfect, but its the best possible adaption, IMO.

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Haven't read the novel mate but heard a lot of great things about it. Yeah, I could only imagine the difficulty Kubrick had in adapting a novel with that type of language complexity, but like the man said, if it can be written or thought, it can be filmed.

The dictionary accompanying the novel doesn't sound like a bad thing though. Even though it's more fun and challenging to interpret and understand what's being said, I would think that it I would want to go back and make sure what I interpreted was Burgess' intention.

Dammit! I saw a new post from you here, Pres, and thought you'd added another film to the list.

Sorry to disappoint, mate. Don't worry though, you won't have to wait as long for my next update

Cool. Looking forward to it.

Great and interesting list I’m not going to say I read every write up but I read a bunch of them and enjoyed your view on them. Next I'd like to speak for myself and hopefully others in asking are you going to finish it because you cant just leave us hanging.

Big props for have the cahoonas too list Mortal Combat in your top 100. I recent watched it for the second time and honestly I don’t see what you see in it but, that’s why it’s your list. It’s a pretty dodge film and almost all the acting is soap opera quality at best. Paul WS. Anderson has been picked on for his whole career and to be serious I can’t see why at least not to the degree that it has become. His crowning achievement hands down goes to Event Horizon, I quite liked Resident Evil, Soldier has it’s moments. While AVP and Death Race (2008) fill that unique aspect of cinema that is know as the “so bad there good“.

Of all the De Palma films Dressed to Kill is his most depraved (I mean this in a good way). Sisters fellows but Dressed takes the cake. I think, His early work people were not so in tuned with the Hitchcockian references and homage’s as his filmography expanded people got receptive and therefore tried of his non existing scripts and crazy technique bravo. Some of his films felt like they were purely made to satisfy his need to become a more incompassing director behind the camera such as Raising Cain, Mission Impossible, Wise Guys, Carlito`s way and Snake Eyes (which I like) and to a smaller extent The Untouchables, Casualties of War and Bonfire of the Vanities. The Smaller extent films work mostly due to his preparation and the evolvement of himself into another genre which had many strikingly different themes. All these films work to the greater good in that his progression as a filmmaker has had stops and starts and we would not have seen such films as Femme Fatale and The Black Dahlia. De Palma is back but for how long. Please I beg of you, if you haven’t already seen Blow Out go and rent, buy or steal it.

I really love The Hard Way. Badham was in full stride when he hit pay dirt with this one. I’m always surprised by how little attention this film has received over the years. Michael J. Fox playing Michael J. Fox playing an Actor Nick Lang “Nicky Baby“. Woods is phenomenal as the cop that will stop at nothing to get “the bad guy”. There’s subway shootouts, foot chase, car chases, fist fights, knife fights, gun fights, huge stunts, fake movies reels that are so well done you want to watch them as well. What can I say it’s got it all.


I haven’t cast my vote on Brick as of yet. I saw it for the first time about 4 months ago and was in complete awe of the directors command in the material and the performance by all. I need to see it again.

I see that you love The Last Seduction as well. Have you checked out The Big Easy and Kill Me Again or for that matter any of the other Dahl Neo Noirs.
what did you think of them.

I’m going to agree to The Maltese Falcon’s greatness but I’m not sure if it’s the best Film Noir. I could easily choose Sunset Boulevard or Double Indemnity one for it’s Grim tale and the other for it’s outlandishness. There might even be a few others that I hold in such high regard as being of the best.

Here’s the thing, I have a real problem with the director’s cut of Aliens and I was wondering which version you have chosen to be in your list. I think both Alien and Aliens are decidedly different films and both trying there hardest not to be held down by genre conventions. There both a sort of hyper genre (both feeling ahead of there time or Timeless). Also not so disappointing but for all there hard work they end up being giant rollercoaster rides at the end which takes a bit away from the organic, artful, creative, endeavour both directors managed to create for ¾ of a film. I’m not saying the endings are bad or didn’t fit into the play of the film or the characters roles but in the end they also played to the audiences needs and wants.

I’ve mentioned this a few times. I’m not a real Spike Lee Joint fan especially the films people find to be his most endearing and thought provoking. Give me Summer of Sam, He Got Game and The 25th Hour. Great to see it here in your list.

Chopper and Stander are now on me too see list, thanks

I don't know. I thought the director's Cut of Aliens gave the film so much more added meaning and made me think that Sigourney might have gotten ripped off for Best Actress that year.

You're right (for me, not for you): I think that Spike Lee's He Got Game and Summer of Sam are borderline embarrassing.

Don't get me wrong even those I have my problems with. I find his films to be borderline obnoxious, pretentious and all to obvious when he uses Metaphors and symbolism which he heavely relies on.

For me the begining was too long winded and repeatative. We all know shes going back why drag this out it only seems redundent. From a characters stand point, I see where this might have been interesting to go deeper into what makes Ripley tick. I just can't help but think as one big chunck/block at the begin it just didn't have as much impact on me. The story as a whole should concern her why bring here back if it's not. I think the film establishes itself without those extanted scenes of hospitalization, psychoanalyze and loss. Loss is important to her characters fundamental health and with the first cut I always had some feeling that there was nothing left or nothing to be had from this new world that had evolved while she was in her hypersleep.

Of course, this isn't the only aspect but just one that runs throught her descion to go back. ultimately i'm not sure it can be so Rudimentary which the director's cut leans to by the end of it all. There's innocence people on that planet and now i've got to go back or I have to face my fears and conquer them. Her character is more complex then those themes.

The mother theme in the director's cut plays into the structuring of the film more so. In that when Ripley sees newt it's almost an automatic she is newt's surrogate mother. Where as the theatrical cut she seen to me as more of a savior. That become a caring figure to not only newt but to the rest of the marines. I always felt in the director's cut it was a cheap suspense trick to have Ripley almost automatically become here Surrogate mother, so to speak. It felt like Cameron only used the kid because of this more concrete idea. Where the theatrical cut makes me feel that it could have been any victim she encountered she would have felt a need to save and comfort. the theatrical cut had a special bond between the two not necessarily only a motherly bond.

Damn i think I have just gotten used to The Directors Cut of Aliens at this point. I need to re-watch the theatrical cut, methinks. Lately I just seem to watch Assembly Cut of Alien 3, Fincher's flawed but excellent sequel. Alien will always be my favorite, but I do want to refresh my memory on the theater cut of Aliens.

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A little of topic but i had the old Alien Box set on DVD. The one with zero special features only a audio commentary for alien and the theatrical and director's cut of Aliens, Alien 3 and Alien ressurection were both vanilla zero specials. Anyway I got ride of it in the anticapation of them coming out on blu-ray I thought I could hold out and not watch them for a little while. That didn't really work seeing as I've rented Aliens the special edition that came in the second re-release of the box set plus i've had such an urgue to finally view the rough director's cut of Alien 3 and the ich to watch part one again and again. I think I might trade in a bunch of crap dvd for the dvd box set again. I wonder if Defiance, runaway jury superman returns, lost in space, 12 rounds, the first season of ncis will be enough.

I need to apologise for not responding sooner. Been working like a dog and I haven't even had the time to check emails. THAT's how hectic it has been. But got ANOTHER new job now which is a lot nicer on the hours and has more prestige for me, so expect to see me be a regular face again. For those who have been waiting this long for me to complete my list I am sincerely sorry and I WILL finish it. I give you my word. I won't give an exact time limit but soon enough.

Anyways, loved reading your response to my list, Jefferies. Don't really expect peeps to read through it all, but a skim read is fair enough I suppose.

Ha, Mortal Kombat is an immortal film. Cheesy yet too much ****in' fun to just ignore, you know? And I watched it and it kept me sane in a period of my life that was quite difficult. Paul Anderson's criticism has been warranted, imo. I mean, he shows flashes of brilliance, but it's like a teaser to an M Night Shamalyn: beautiful high concept and some nice visuals, but nothing really there and ultimately souless. Though I did really enjoy Death Race. That was loads of fun. Certainly his best since Kombat imo.

Appreciate that you love The Hard Way as much as I do. In fact, assuming you see, this post within the hour, the film is on tonight on BBC 1 Yeah it's a film that gets little to no attention, which will always be baffling to me because it certainly has all the ingrediants to appeal to a mass audience. And 'go tie your dick in a knot'??James Woods at his finest!

Interesting observation on DePalma, though I have never really thought about him the way you do. I have always thought of him as a Hitchcock inspired lad who rose then eventually fell. The auteurs of today are so well rounded and so hungry right now that I don't think he has the necessary vision to compete and satisfy an audience nowadays. You can see it in the films you mentioned like Femme Fatale and Black Dhalia. The industry has, sadly, passed DePalma by. So, no, he is not back. ):

I'm going to take a chance and order Blow Out, however.I will watch most things people on here recommend, as long as it doesn't star Chevy Chase.

I can cerainly see why you'd consider Double Indemnity the best noir. Saw it again recently and have more love for it than I ever did. So you do have a good point there, but Maltese is simply a masterpiece and one of the first few original noirs I actually was affected by, so i think that's shaped my opinion of it somewhat.

Hmm, from this comment I would gather that you would have preferred a less 'Hollywood' ending? Like a more bleak resolution as opposed to the happy version?? If i'm wrong then feel free to correct me, but if I am right, well, I don't at all see this as a flaw in both films. Even though both films are admittedly more thought provoking than your average genre film, I would say that both directors are fully aware that they have to pay off the audience for taking such emotion rides. The 2nd one in particular clearly knows it's a big thrill ride, but it also happens to be an intelligent one. And part of what's so intelligent about it is that Cameron makes sure he pays the audience off as big as possible come the end.

To answer your question I picked the director's cut of Aliens. It just makes a little bit more sense. It helps that we got to see Newt at different emotional states in the film and her interaction with other people besides Ripley. It's a better film, but not by much.

YES! YES! THIS ROCK'S!

Oh, and get you finger out and finish this list.

Doing so pretty much now. I'm done trying to make it perfect, i'm just going to go with the flow cheers mate

I go away for months and you still haven't finished it yet?