A Clockwork Orange [Blu-ray] [1971]

Unlike many of the films which shocked the world years ago, Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange, which was initially released in the 70's with an X-rating and was banned in the UK until very recently, still has the power to shock those who see it. It's a fairly bleak tale about Alex DeLarge, the head of a vicious teen gang in a future version of London who is betrayed by his gang and forced to account for his crimes. What is still shocking today is the extent to which Kubrick portrays the violence of the gang. Nonetheless, this is a tremendous piece that asks the question about whether it is better to be controlled in order to do no ill or to have the freedom to make one's own choices. This edition of the film is the one that we've long waited for. This is one of the few Kubrick films which were originally filmed in widescreen, and for the first time we can see the film as he intended it. Also, the picture and sound quality are as they've never been heard before. The Beethoven soundtrack resonates with sheer majesty and has never been so chilling. This is one of Kubrick's masterworks, and this is the way to see it.

Kubrick's followup to 2001: A Space Odyssey is also science fiction, but of a very different kind. A punk named Alex (played with wonderful black humor by Malcolm McDowell) has the time of his life violently taking advantage of other people with his 3 friends (or droogs, as he calls them), who eventually turn on him and leave him for the police, who later attempt to 'recondition' him. This experiment leads to Alex becoming susceptible to revenge from the society he terrorized. This is a violent picture which just happens to have a sharp sense of humor. The film was initially rated X (or NC-17 as the rating is known today). Although it was later reduced to an R rating, the violence still shook people up in 1971 (enough for the movie to be banned in the UK until after Kubrick's death) and it's still potent today. This is certainly not for the sensitive, but, as was commonplace for Kubrick's films, it is a unique experience for those willing to view it. The film certainly paved the way for movies such as Natural Born Killers and Minority Report.

I first encountered this film in college, and while I have always been a fan of Stanley Kubrick, it took me a few years to come around to liking this film. I now view it through a different lens. It's never the goal for the viewer to like or identify with Alex, at least, that's my opinion. But rather we're to view the film as a whole of society. Our need to fix things and people through any means necessary. That a society could create such heinous individuals, but society itself becomes just as heinous in its efforts to correct these beings. It all seems a bit hypocritical in scope. I still don't know if I 'like' this film, but I do enjoy the conversation that it sparks. And that says a lot when you come out of a film wanting to talk about it.

This is a good movie that was relly well dun. The actors did there job so well that I never felt like I was watching a movie it seemed like I was relly there. The story line in the movie was verry intreging. This movie defanetly made you think. It was scary to because the first time I watched the movie my power went out at the sceen where he ferst gets strappd in to watch the brain washing movies. All of my power all the sudden stopped ther was no storm or annything it was so freeky because I stood up to take the DVD out of the player and the power turned back on but the movie would not play for the rest of that night.

Malcolm McDowell's best performance in motion picture. This film is both fun and entertaining. It's definitely a classic film that must be seen by all. Alex DeLarge(McDowell) is all about the violence & one day him and his clan of crazies decide to go on a ruthless and heartless attack. Not ending so well Alex gets caught and sentence to prison. That is until he gets chosen to be part of an experiment to cure insanity. As it goes on all the victims get revenge and it back fires on Alex. Pick up a copy and add to your collection. DON'T WATCH WITH CHILDREN OR PARENTS!

A Clockwork Orange is a cinematic masterpiece. The 1971 film stands as one of the finest examples of director Stanley Kubrick’s craft, and remains controversial even by today’s standards. The film, set in a dystopian future, follows a young delinquent’s criminal activities, his rehabilitation, and the consequences of his former lifestyle. A Clockwork Orange assaults the viewer and leaves it’s mark! The 40th Anniversary Edition is a hardbound collectible and is loaded with special features! Highly Recommended!

I already owned the regular "Clockworck" DVD, which only had the trailer as a bonus feature. Found the BluRay on sale for $8 and bought it for the wealth of bonus features. Well worth the money. The movie raises troubling but unavoidable moral questions that Anthony Burgess (author of the novel the film is based on) and director Stanley Kubrick seem to have regretted presenting so explicitly. The bonus features don't let them, or anyone else, off the hook.

I purchased the Blu-ray edition to see if it was worthwhile to replace my older DVD titles. Frankly, the answer is no. I could not discern a significant difference between the two formats, whereas newer movies are definitely superior in Blu-ray. As to the film itself, Kubrick created a cinema masterpiece. Anthony Burgess, author of the original story, was furious with Kubrick for changing the ending, but the film version is vastly superior.