Gary's Movie Reviews and Ratings

1999 Movie Chart

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A Clockwork Orange = 56 =

This movie was banned from British screens for over twenty years. During that time a fair degree of controversy and hype has built up around this Stanley Kubrick movie as it has become famous for its supposedly graphic ultra violence. In this reviewer's opinion, A Clockwork Orange is a very typical Kubrick work with grand attention to sound and music to create a stylised atmosphere but which seems to lose sight of a story along the way.

Set in a indeterminate future, this movie tells the story of Alex (Malcolm McDowell), a teenage delinquent, smart alec, and Beethoven fan. He is the self elected leader of a small gang called the Droogs whose night time antics include beating up homeless people, and raping women in their homes. Inevitably he runs afoul of the law and is despatched to youth reform institution. There he volunteers for an experimental treatment that will 'cure' him of his antisocial tendencies. This treatment, which has been much parodied in subsequent years, seems to be successful and Alex is released back into the community only to be haunted by some of his past victims.

Most of the time, this movie is pretty wierd. Kubrick brings us his vision of author Anthony Burgess's future with the Droogs wearing white suits and codpieces and relaxing in a milk bar replete with statues of naked women. Stranger, and more annoying, is the futuristic slang used by Alex and others in his world (along the lines of "I had never viddied anything like it, brother sir").

McDowell is great as the thoroughly dislikeable Alex although it would be fair to see that were no really likeable characters in this movie as they all evil, vindictive, or annoying. Even a pre Darth Vader David Prowse just looks silly in his tight workout outfit with super thick rimmed glasses.

Many people call this a masterpiece. I think its just a bit silly.

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  Director: Stanley Kubrick  
  Starring: Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Adrienne Corri, Warren Clarke, David Prowse
  Date seen: 25 March 2000  
  Last Updated 31 March 2000  


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