This analysis of a clockwork orange shows the hidden power of. A clockwork orange house rape scene analysis music and. Analysis of the movie clockwork orange 1517 words 7 pages ryan wadzinski clockwork orange a clockwork orange is an adaptation of anthony burgess novel of the same name, its also probably kubricks most faithful adaptation. A clockwork orange, novel by anthony burgess, published in 1962.
Kubricks a clockwork orange accomplishes something that burgess does not. Learn all about how the characters in a clockwork orange such as alex and pete contribute to the story and how they fit into the plot. A clockwork orange takes us to a dystopian future where alex and his droogs enjoy ultraviolence. A clockwork orange 1971, the shining 1980 and eyes wide shut 1999, which all feature protagonists who are governed by outside forces and seem to be shaped in part by movies from the past. Were going to let alexs words speak for themselves because heyif youre reading a clockwork orange youre going to be hearing a whole lot from ol alex.
A clockwork orange s ingenious use of language is one of the books defining characteristics. In a clockwork orange, however, alex undergoes trials and adventures like other characters, but he is essentially the same at the end of the film. Stanley kubricks adaptation of a clockwork orange opens with a closeup on alex, the hardedged protagonist and narrator of the film. Ultra violence consists of random beatings, theft, destruction, and rape. Representations of the female body a clockwork orange. Alexs language, like the novel as a whole, is a chaotic amalgam of high and low. Deltoid, alex s haggard postcorrective adviser, has come to check in on the boy for missing school. Instead of attending school, he spends his time performing acts of theft, rape, and violence.
Bodsky carl dueing, scientist in charge of alex s treatment, prison chaplain. Clockwork orange and earthly powers being the most popular. While some complained about its violence and language, others noted that the novel raised important ethical questions, such as whether it is better for a person to decide to be bad than to be forced to be good and if forcibly suppressing free will is acceptable. A clockwork orange gang fight scene analysis the gang fight scene in stanley kubricks a clockwork orange is the first real action scene in the whole movie. This outlandish tale of dystopian delinquency remains deeply thoughtprovoking. At the head of a gang of criminals, alex obey only one rule. It pretends to oppose the police state and forced mind control, but all it really does is celebrate the nastiness of its hero, alex. The man is a legend in the film industry and the greatest film critic of all time. The use of the female body for more then cheap, sexual entertainment and instead as a symbolic or thematic image has been used many times throughout the history of film. The plot travels in one direction, following alex as he goes from thug on the streets to thug in jail to reformed thug. Stanley kubrick s a clockwork orange is an ideological mess, a paranoid rightwing fantasy masquerading as an orwellian warning. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of a clockwork orange. Unlike most of the analysis found herewhich simply lists the unique individual story appreciationsthis indepth study details the actual encoding for each structural item. Aug 02, 2018 in other words, a clockwork orange is kubricks statement about our society, and it isnt far from reality.
Sep 28, 2012 a clockwork orange plot summary from imdb. Imho, the final scene in the movie shows alex s priorities have changed. An indepth analysis of the use of classical music in a. He is at once generic and highly individual, mindless and substantive, knowingly evil and innocently likeable. Analysis of kubricks a clockwork orange stanley kubricks 1971 film production of the anthony burgess novel, a clockwork orange, is a truly unforgettable film. Psychoanalysis of alex delarge violence cures violence now, all the time i was watching this i was beginning to get very unaware of a like not feeling all that well, and this i put down to the undernourishment and my stomach not quite ready for the rich. The story is narrated by its fifteenyearold sociopathic protagonist, alex the large delarge in the movie, played by malcolm mcdowell, who almost a decade after would play another psychopath, one from ancient rome, a boy whose. A short summary of stanley kubricks a clockwork orange. The implication of the ending of the movie is that the politicians were willing to let alex be his old self again, as long as it made them temporarily look good not to mention that they used alexs conditioning and subsequent rehabilitation to settle a score against the writer who drove alex insane. Feb 18, 2017 a clockwork orange house rape scene analysis this infamous scene from a clockwork orange was particularly difficult to modify, for one important reason. However, later in the film, alex is imprisoned and now appears at the. The film is by far one of the most violent depictions of the future london. Learn all about how the characters in a clockwork orange such as alex and pete contribute to the story and how they fit. The main character, alex, is the selfproclaimed leader of the pack, and makes judgment on their.
The novel was adapted into a classic movie by stanley kubrick. In the age of the antihero, think the lannisters and the underwoods a clockwork orange s hero, alex, stands out as a prototype. It employs disturbing, violent images to comment on psychiatry, juvenile delinquency, youth gangs, and other social, political, and economic subjects in a dystopian nearfuture britain alex malcolm mcdowell, the central character, is a. Alex loves art itself, particularly classical music. Beginning with the novels arresting opening, readers are inundated with nadsat slang, the partcockney, partrussian patois alex uses to narrate the story. Strangelove in 1963 and 2001, a space odyssey in 1968, stanley kubrick makes a third film of science fiction in 1971 with a clockwork orange, adaptation of the eponymous novel by anthony burgess.
What does the title of a clockwork orange mean screenprism. But kubrick doesnt give us much more to go on, except that alex likes beethoven a lot. When the novel of a clockwork orange was published, screenwriter terry southern, who previously collaborated with stanley kubrick on dr. In other versions there are concentric triangles, alex always at the top. The narrator and protagonist of a clockwork orange. Alex wakes up with his heart racing, and he realizes that the buzzing noise was his reallife doorbell. They wanted alex to commit suicide so they could blame the state. A clockwork orange grapples as well with the question of the origin and nature of good and evil. Alex delarge malcolm mcdowell, narrator, leader of gang, dim warren clarke, a droogie, georgie james marcus, a droogie, deltoid aubrey morris, alex s case worker, minister anthony sharp, minister of interior, dr. This analysis of a clockwork orange shows the hidden. In a clockwork orange, the main character is that of a mildly young child of 15 who, along with his fellow friends, or droogs, partake in evenings of ultraviolence. Kubrick was able to create a movie where he left his personal seal. Analysis of the movie clockwork orange anthony burgess wrote a few sci fi books over the span of his life. The following analysis reveals a comprehensive look at the storyform for a clockwork orange.
In the novel, when alex and his friends attack the writer and his wife, the writer is working on a manuscript entitled a clockwork orange, but this was left out of the movie. Alex is the narrator and protagonist of a clockwork orange. Alex sings singing in the rain, a happy and charming little musical piece, while he is doing a vile act. Film analysis a clock work orange many critics miss the mark with a clockwork orange. Clockwork orange is a fable built in three movements. Alex delarge last name in the movie only is the protagonist villain of the 1962 book a clockwork orange originally written by the late anthony burgess, and its 1971 live action film adaptation of the same name directed by the late stanley kubrick. Oct 24, 2010 film analysis a clockwork orange many critics miss the mark with a clockwork orange.
Apr 26, 2019 a clockwork orange relies pretty heavily on triangles as a visual motif throughout the film and within its print advertising, as seen below. This analysis of a clockwork orange shows the hidden power. It is narrated by one of the most vicious characters ever put on screen, alex delarge. Visually, youll be fascinated and captivated from the beginning. Alexander is writing a manuscript entitled a clockwork orange, which protests the nations increasingly authoritarian government, declaring, the attempt to impose upon man, a creature of growth and capable of sweetness laws and conditions appropriate to a mechanical creation, against. This detailed study of a clockwork orange concludes that not only would it not work, but that kubricks film veers away from the novel with a variety of subtle clues that reveal alex is faking his. In 1971 legendary film director stanley kubrick released one of his masterpieces, a clockwork orange. The main character in the movie is alex, an adolescent who.
In a clockwork orange, there are many issues to be discussed and tackled with such as violence, sex, order, primitiveness, panopticon and panopticism, foucault, society, politics, perception in general, and knowledgepower relations. Alex is a smart nadsat teen boy with a penchant for what he calls ultraviolence, as well as a deep love for classical music. A clockwork orange prophetic and violent masterpiece. Power, humanity and transformation in a clockwork orange film. However, in a 1986 introduction to the first american edition of the book to contain the final chapter, anthony burgess says a human being is endowed with free will. Alex seems to have no regard for human decency or human life.
A clockwork orange is a 1962 dystopian novel by anthony burgess that was adapted into a film in 1971 by stanley kubrick. The way the female body is presented is of course related the idea of alex s control and power, but the female body. The film uses beethoven as shorthand for alexs intelligence or sensitivityyou know, the sensitivity and intelligence that totally disappears when hes assaulting. Due in part to its depiction of rampant rape and unprovoked ultra violence, a clockwork orange was stamped with an x rating becoming the second xrated film, following midnight cowboy, to be nominated for an academy award. In the film, however, two newspaper articles print his name as alex. The movie itself is based on anthony burgesss novel a clockwork orange published in. But the use of beethoven on the soundtrack causes alex to hate not just rape and. A clockwork orange gang fight scene analysis music and. A clockwork orange is a masterful film and novel with so many different aspects that can be delved into. Power, humanity and transformation in a clockwork orange. Theres no doubt that a clockwork orange is a cinematic work of art. It involves alex s droobs fighting against a rival gang who are trying to rape a woman.
He was portrayed by malcolm mcdowell in the 1971 film adaptation, who also played caligula in the 1979 film caligula, colonel f. The poster places the protagonist, alex, within one. The movie itself is based on anthony burgesss novel a clockwork orange published in 1962. He is a manipulative sociopath, and he rarely feels remorse for his reprehensible actions. The essay on clockwork orange alex movie treatment. Alex loses his free will, meaning he loses one of the basic qualities of a human being.
A clockwork orange has druglaced milk that increases young thugs capacity for crime. A clockwork orange is a film directed by stanley kubrick, which explores the examination of the baser human emotions. A clockwork orange is a 1971 dystopian crime film adapted, produced, and directed by stanley kubrick, based on anthony burgesss novel a clockwork orange. It is set in a dismal dystopian england and presents a firstperson account of a juvenile delinquent who undergoes statesponsored psychological rehabilitation for his aberrant behavior. Alex is unique in his unyielding commitment to the ideals of violence, as well as the aesthetic pleasure he takes in his crimes. It involves alexs droobs fighting against a rival gang who are trying to rape a woman. A clockwork orange ethical analysis of the movie gamzoles. He and his three droogs friends, sit in the darkened korova milk bar, drinking milkplus druglaced milk, and getting ready to go out and commit some ultraviolence. The ludovico method that alex undergoes in prison as a means of turning him into a model citizen in exchange for his release is in essence a form of conditioning. If the movie maker had previously terrified the censorship in 1961 with his version of lolita.
The movie is set in a notsodistant,dystopian future, where an english society is dominated by an extreme culture of youth violence. A clockwork orange film summary stanley kubrick s adaptation of a clockwork orange opens with a closeup on alex, the hardedged protagonist and narrator of the film. Essay on a clockwork orange film analysis 529 words cram. A clockwork orange film analysis stanley kubricks clockwork orange was a deeply disturbing depiction of human nature that shed light onto dark thoughts in the characters soul. Our humble narrator alex delarge malcolm mcdowell and his droogs, georgie james marcus, dim warren clarke, and pete michael tarn, are seated in the korova milk bar stoned on milk laced with narcotics. Classical conditioning in a clockwork orange psychology today. Feb 18, 2017 a clockwork orange gang fight scene analysis the gang fight scene in stanley kubricks a clockwork orange is the first real action scene in the whole movie. The film starts with the msiuc fro eth unefrla fo eneuq amyr, as an antithesis of order, harmony, and tranquility that permeates every corner of society.
Part 3, chapter 6 alex s leap from the window does not kill him, although, as he lies on the sidewalk about to pass out from the pain, he realizes that had been his new friends intention all along. But the film a clockwork orange is straightforward by comparison. In a nearfuturistic society, late teen alex delarge is the leader of a gang of thugs his droogs who commit acts of ultraviolence, often with sexual components, without any regard for their victims, and purely because it strikes their collective fancies. The story takes place in london in a dystopian future. Hes a young man who adores beethoven, loves violence, and doesnt know anything about morals. Alex, a young english hoodlum, heads a gang of four other young hoodlums. The colors, settings, music everything in a clockwork orange is designed and measured to the very millimeter.
I realize that calling him a sadistic rapist just like that is to stereotype poor alex a little. It employs disturbing, violent images to comment on psychiatry, juvenile delinquency, youth gangs, and other social, political, and economic subjects in a dystopian nearfuture britain. Clockwork orange was later adapted to a movie in 1971 by stanley kubrick. Some consider the film one that a deals with the moral depravity of youth in their trends toward graphic societal violence, b is some highly veiled attempt at new world order conspiracy theory, or d a simplistic glorification of violence. Many of kubricks images are inspired by the novels that his movies were based on. Alex is a fictional character in anthony burgess novel a clockwork orange and stanley kubrick s film adaptation of the same name, in which he is played by malcolm mcdowell. Aside from the metaphorical meanings of the title of stanley kubricks a clockwork orange 1971, the name reportedly came from an offhand cockney expression, as queer as a clockwork orange, which the source novels author, anthony burgess, claimed he heard in a london pub before world war ii, decades before publishing his famous work in 1962. The major theme of the movie can be interpreted as a major revulsion of psychological behaviorism as developed by b. The novel a clockwork orange can be superchallenging to read because of its nadsat lingothe weird russianinfused slang that alex and his droogs speak in. Stanley kubricks a clockwork orange is an ideological mess, a paranoid rightwing fantasy masquerading as an orwellian warning. This infamous scene from a clockwork orange was particularly difficult to modify, for one important reason. This also means it has been incorporated into the dramatica story expert application itself as an easily referenced contextual.
The character of alex in a clockwork orange from litcharts. Note the scene appears to be a fantasy alex experiences just after he agrees to play along with the governments explanation of what. We believe every one of us deserves equal access to factbased news and analysis. It seems that the young people of the future dont know the limits of violence.
Every word on the page is his, and we experience his world through the sensations he describes and the suffering he endures. Explanation of the ending of a clockwork orange movies. Were going to let alex s words speak for themselves because heyif youre reading a clockwork orange youre going to be hearing a whole lot from ol alex and, my brothers, it was real satisfaction to me to waltzleft two three, right two threeand carve left cheeky and right cheeky, so that like two curtains of blood seemed to pour out at the same. The first movement describes the atrocities committed by alex, a teenager who lives with his parents in a residential suburb. Essay on analysis of kubricks a clockwork orange bartleby. In the film, his surname is delarge, a reference to alex calling himself the large in the novel. Alex protests that he hasnt been caught committing any wrongdoing, but deltoid counters that he has heard of alex s misdeeds, even. A clockwork orange alex, a young english hoodlum, heads a gang of four other young hoodlums. A visual analysis of stanley kubricks film inspirations. The director of the movie is stanley kubrick which is famous with his absurd and debatable movies.
Like most teenagers in a clockwork orange, alex speaks in a highly stylized slang called nadsat. There was me, that is alex, and my three droogs, that is pete, georgie, and dim, and we sat in. A clockwork orange film analysis the ludovico lie pt 12. Alex has grown up in a clockwork orange, and now hes a sadistic rapist. Finally watched it and it doesnt even feel like i watched a movie. And he also realizes that alex was the one who went though the treatment. A clockwork orange themes from litcharts the creators of. However, in burgess novel, when alex breaks in, mr.
The promotional poster for the film advertised it as. A clockwork orange relies pretty heavily on triangles as a visual motif throughout the film and within its print advertising, as seen below. Alex elevates his evil behavior to the status of art. A clockwork orange 1971 frequently asked questions imdb. Detailed analysis of characters in anthony burgesss a clockwork orange. Alex, the protagonist, has a passion for classical music and is a member of a vicious teen gang.