The MoFo Top 100 of the 1970s: Countdown

I'm deranged

09-02-14

I had A Clockwork Orange at #3. I don't love the film for the reasons that most people do (especially the younger audiences), and I can see why it is hated by some, but I'll always admire and respect it because it's such a unique audiovisual experience. The sets, the music, the mood, that sick intro, list goes on. Just brilliant.

Oh, and also,

Originally Posted by BlueLion

My prediction for the top 7:

1. Jaws
2. The Godfather
3. Taxi Driver
4. Star Wars
5. Alien
6. Chinatown
7. A Clockwork Orange

mark f

Bright light. Bright light. Uh oh.

09-02-14

I wrote this back when I was still teaching. I had A Clockwork Orange at #13.

Originally Posted by mark f

Well, A Clockwork Orange sucks the viewer in with a weird, otherworldly atmosphere by using high-contrast photography and a Beethoven soundtrack. It isn't science fiction. It's closer to some kind of alternate universe. Almost immediately it pummels you with sex and ultraviolence in an attempt to either turn you on or turn you off (or perhaps more significantly, both at the same time). The subject matter is rather repulsive but the cinematics are spectacular. We follow Alex and his "little droogies" around while they "shag and fag" and vicariously see things which seem beyond the pale, but Beethoven is just oh so beautiful.

Then, the flick turns a bit more serious and substantial when Alex ends up in prison and is enticed to undergo some kind of miracle therapy. I know many people who love the first part of the film but say that the next section (the point of the film) is "boring". They wanted more in-out and ultra violence. Well, we do get to that and that's the film's coup. The authorities basically use A Clockwork Orange itself as the miracle cure for Alex to become a "normal member of society". Alex is forced to watch a facsimile of A Clockwork Orange to get repulsed by rape and violence, and since Beethoven is on the soundtrack, it deeply disturbs and affects him. The whole thing is really just a political scam though with Alex as the guinea pig in the middle of a political war. However, even the "peace and freedom" types want their revenge on Alex so the whole movie comes full circle.

Now, I realize that what I'm saying here is nothing new or enlightening. It's always been there right in the film. But as time goes by, and I get more and more students who started watching ultra-violent films and pornos when they were five-years-old, and they mostly have a kid or two by the time they're 15 and they belong to gangs and want to do things like Alex does in the first part of the movie, A Clockwork Orange takes on a kind of prescience which makes it seem better now than when it was first released. But I've always been deeply disturbed because I loved the film the first time.

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Daniel M

...

09-02-14

I watched quite a bit of A Clockwork Orange recently, I have seen it quite a few times though, a couple in its entirety. It's a very good film and its expertly directed as with all Kubrick films. I am not sure why people complain about it and label its trash because of its ultraviolent and unpleasant at times story. Such complaints would be fair if it was all style and no substance, but I have always though it's very effective satire and effective critique of human beings and violence. A clever look at the human mind, morality, choice and free will, and just society in general.

Love the cinematography and direction, elaborate and unique sets on costumes, inspired music choices and especially the 'lingo'. It could have made it near the bottom of my list, but it didn't, but I definitely think it's a great film.

"It's funny how the colors of the real world only seem really real when you viddy them on the screen."

Holden Pike

One Ornery Sumbitch

09-02-14

Sunday in the Park with Alex

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"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra

Miss Vicky

MoFo's Resident Bitch

09-02-14

I watched A Clockwork Orange with my best friend many years ago. We rented it (from a brick and mortar rental store, remember those?) because she had read the book and really liked it. Well I never read the book, but I hated the movie pretty much from the first scene.

I was probably in my late teens or early twenties when that happened, so a couple of years ago I thought I'd give it another try. I still hated it. The dialogue was annoying, the characters were unsympathetic, and damned if those weren't some really old teenagers. The only scene in the film that I enjoyed at all was the scene with Alex and the cat lady and the phallic statue because it was so absurd that it was funny.

Needless to say, I didn't vote for it and I'm glad it didn't make it in the top 5.

My List
1. Charlotte's Web (#127, not on the countdown)
2. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (#8)
3. The Long Goodbye (#19)
4. Harold and Maude (#27)
5. Kramer vs. Kramer (#44)
6. Paper Moon (#74)
7. Deliverance (#51)
8. Cries and Whispers (#50)
9. Serpico (#55)
10. Dog Day Afternoon (#28)
11. Dirty Harry (#34)
12. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (#68)
14. Frenzy (#121, not on the countdown)
15. Smokey and the Bandit (#124, not on the countdown)
18. Get Carter (#111, not on the countdown)
20. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (#46)
21. Network (#32)
22. Hausu (#76)
23. Mad Max (#70)
24. Tale of Tales (#120, not on the countdown)
25. Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1 point, not on the countdown)

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Last edited by Miss Vicky; 09-02-14 at 08:16 PM.

Camo

Msg

BANNED

09-02-14

A Clockwork Orange was my number three, it'll always be a top ten movie for me and is my favourite Kubrick by quite some margin. I really like what Mark had to say about it, how it comes full circle when he finds himself in the old guys house who he beat and whose wife he raped during the first section, and how it's his love of music that snares him in the end in this case Singin in the Rain. The use of music here is among my favourite in any film.

2.The Exorcist
3.A Clockwork Orange
4.Eraserhead
6.The Godfather Part 2
7.Apocalypse Now
8.One Flew Over the Cukoos Nest
10.The Jerk
12.Paper Moon
13.Dog Day Afternoon
14.Aguirre, the Wrath of God
15.Five Easy Pieces
16.Enter The Dragon
17.Get Carter
18.Manhattan
19.The Outlaw Josey Wales
20.Little Big Man
21.Mean Streets
22.The Bad News Bears (wont make it)
24.Close Encounters of the Third Kind
25.Watership Down (wont make it)

Cobpyth

As Time Goes By

09-02-14

I don't have much time, because I have an exam tomorrow morning, but I had A Clockwork Orange at number 2!

I think it's one of the most epic film experiences ever. A genius piece of cinema by Stanley Kubrick (and my second favorite film of his overall). I thought it would still be a little higher, because it has so many fans, but I guess that's the case for every film that yet has to appear.

Alright, now I'm going to study some more statistics.

Viddy well, little brothers. Viddy well!

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Cobpyth's Movie Log ~ 2019

bluedeed

Gangster Rap is Shakespeare for the Future

09-02-14

A Clockwork Orange is Kubrick's own obnoxious smugness seeping through all of the cracks of his would be artistry (though the "artistry" is nothing compared to his other films). I basically detest the film

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Daniel M

...

09-02-14

In what way does his 'obnoxious smugness' seep through the cracks of the film's artistry? You've made it clear before that you hate this film, but I must ask why? Okay it may not be as profound and beautiful as some of his work, but just because its mainstream and many people love it because of its ultraviolence, doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad film.

mark f

Bright light. Bright light. Uh oh.

09-02-14

I heard the same thing from a couple of students in my film class 40 years ago. "How could he sink so low to create such garbage after the grandeur of 2001." Apparently, it's not such an uncommon thought, but those two were always pretentious twits.

BlueLion

I'm deranged

09-02-14

Originally Posted by bluedeed

Try the wine!

bluedeed

Gangster Rap is Shakespeare for the Future

09-02-14

Originally Posted by Daniel M

Generally it's a mood that I get from the film rather than a specific, definable trait. I think that this mood is caused by very self-evident and overt use of technique that matches the narratives self-evident and overt thematic concerns. That the narrative is heavy-handed and obnoxious then exposes the technique as the same.

And, no, I don't hate it because it's his most mainstream film... and I'm not mad at Kubrick for making such trash after 2001, because I see this movie as just as much a Kubrick film as that one. I just don't like this one

Kaplan

A genuine idiot!

09-02-14

I did not particularly like A Clockwork Orange the first time I saw it. In fact I shut off the video tape. It took me three tries to get through it. And somehow by the time I finished it, I had a feeling that the next time I watched it, I would like it much better. Oh, did I! I've seen it several times since, including in the theatre a couple years ago, and it is my favorite Kubrick film. (With Dr. Strangelove a close, close second.) It also has one of the most terrifically filmed sex scene ever. I was hoping this would appear in the top five.

My list:

1.
2. A Clockwork Orange (#7)
3. Life of Brian (#41)
4.
5. Manhattan (#52)
6. The Outlaw Josey Wales (#49)
7. The Jerk (#54)
8. The Omen (#99)
9.
10. The Godfather II (#10)
11. Dirty Harry (#34)
12. Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (X)
13. The Conversation (#18)
14. The French Connection (#31)
15. Young Frankenstein (#15)
16. Enter the Dragon (#24)
17. Frenzy (#121)
18. McCabe & Mrs. Miller (#22)
19. Harold and Maude (#27)
20. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (#8)
21. The Friends of Eddie Coyle (X)
22. Network (#32)
23.
24. Being There (#98)
25. Little Big Man (#61)

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I may go back to hating you. It was more fun.

Kaplan

A genuine idiot!

09-02-14

Originally Posted by Daniel M

Okay it may not be as profound and beautiful as some of his work, but just because its mainstream and many people love it because of its ultraviolence, doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad film.

I'm failing to see how it's less profound and more mainstream than his other films.

Jack1

Msg

Registered User

09-02-14

I've only seen A Clockwork Orange once. I didn't like it. I get the feeling, however, that it's a film that requires multiple watches to fully appreciate.

Thursday Next

I never could get the hang of Thursdays.

09-02-14

Originally Posted by mark f

I heard the same thing from a couple of students in my film class 40 years ago. "How could he sink so low to create such garbage after the grandeur of 2001."

That's ridiculous. It's nowhere near as bad as 2001.

(Thought I'd get in there before honeykid...)

Thursday Next

I never could get the hang of Thursdays.

09-02-14

Originally Posted by Jack1

I've only seen A Clockwork Orange once. I didn't like it. I get the feeling, however, that it's a film that requires multiple watches to fully appreciate.

This is possible. I might be willing to give it another shot one day. But having seen it once I don't like it either.

My major problems with the film are it not being as good as the book and the misogyny. Since I'm too lazy to write my own review, read this one, I basically agree with that.

Visually, I couldn't quite get past it being a very late sixties/early seventies vision of the future, for all the unique style in some sections.

And although this is not the film itself, Kubrick fans annoy me. Every time I see a post that says how much of a genius Kubrick is for coming up with the storyline or the 'message', I like it a little less.

christine

Dreams is freedom

09-02-14

Clockwork Orange above Apocalypse Now. How could you

Sedai

A system of cells interlinked

09-02-14

I had A Clockwork Orange on my list at #9! Amazing stuff, and I love how the opening and closing scenes click together nicely with 2001 and Barry Lyndon in theme respectively. Lots of great films appearing as we approach the end of this most excellent countdown.

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Holden Pike