The story is about a sick and twisted individual named Alex. To say Alex is unpleasant is like saying that Jeffrey Dahmer was a nice guy. He’s just not unpleasant; he’s appalling, disturbing, and ultimately something from a nightmare we all have. Yet Alex doesn’t view himself as a sick individual. Alex tells his mother that he is helping people. Now some viewers may think that he’s lying to her, but it seems to me like he honestly thinks that he is helping people. He feels like it’s his duty to punish those beneath him like the homeless man who Alex and his droogs beat up. He believes it’s helping others because to Alex the homeless man is worthless to society. We view ourselves as normal and so too does Alex. Alex considers himself normal yet he murders, sexually assaults women, and has fun beating people. Eventually he gets caught for his transgressions. He eventually undergoes the Ludovico technique in hopes that he will no longer harm another person. Alex is then sent back into the world where he soon becomes powerless to others.
From the very beginning scene of Clockwork Orange we are shown a bar full of sexual imagery. In the milk bar there are many nude female mannequins used as furniture and milk dispensers. This immediately shows the exploitation and objectification of women that will be seen throughout the film. The scene straightaway starts off with Alex gazing straight into the camera and there’s a reason for this. Kubrick stated once that he likes holding a mirror to the audience. So we’re looking at Alex and he essentially is looking at us. We the viewer are looking into the mirror and we are Alex. This is very genius of Kubrick and very frightening for the viewer when they learn what Alex is capable of.
Another big theme in Clockwork Orange is society. According to Clockwork Orange it is society that helps mold individuals into becoming criminals. This is the whole plot of the film. Alex undergoes the Ludovico technique to remove all the bad that is in him. Much like today where we blame the criminal and try to change them, we then overlook the way society and culture influence people into becoming like Alex. So rather than trying to force the individual to become respectable they should have tried to change the society where Alex would never have become a criminal. Every painting seen in people’s homes is sexualizing women’s bodies. Some of these painting even indicate abuse from shirts ripped and even a gagball stuffed in the mouth. When the viewer ponders the question “why is Alex the way he is?” it’s fairly simple. Society, culture, and art. Art, but why art you may ask? Life imitates art. Many psychologists tend to argue the topic “is there a link that connects violent video games with violent behavior?” So why not argue that violent sexually aggressive pieces of art can cause the same affect on one’s behavior? Alex thinks highly of art and in some ways copies it throughout the beginning of the film. The grouping of sex and violence is seen as a social norm throughout the film. It can be seen as the shamefulness of society. Where the droogs become policemen. Alex who is a monster in the beginning becomes the victim in the end. Deep within the core of the film the main character isn’t Alex, but the dangerous society that he lives in.
Kubrick has made a disturbing yet beautiful piece of cinema with A Clockwork Orange. He provides an unforgettable style with classical music. When people hear Beethoven’s ninth symphony they immediately think of when Alex slooshied and dancing Jesus statues. Kubrick’s direction is once again perfection and his attention to detail is amazing. This film is not for everyone especially for the faint of heart. It is full of ultra-violence and graphic sexuality. A Clockwork orange is even on my list of the top five disturbing films of all time. This film is truly a piece of art.
5 out of 5
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