In defense of A Clockwork Orange

[RhodesWatson]

Back then Clockwork Orange re-defined controversy. What caused the most controversy was the rape scene in the film. I think it's important to note something about this scene though. First, in the scene where an elderly writer and his wife are assaulted, the wife is stripped naked by Alex and his droogs, but we do not see the act of rape. Obviously, we know that it happens, but we don't actually see the act take place. This is where I feel people have unfairly judged the film.
In the scene where Alex kills a woman with a giant phallus, we do not actually see the phallus make contact with her face when he slams it down onto her face.
In the next scene Alex is beaten and finally sent to prison. This is I feel the most important scene in the movie, because it shows that Alex's actions have consequences. Still, for those who feel this is not adequate for what he has done, Alex volunteers to undergo a radical therapy called the Ludovico technique. He is strapped into a chair, drugged, eyelids pulled open by some metal contraptions. The drug makes him make him feel violently ill and sick while he watches films depicting violence and rape. Alex is in obvious distress and even moreso when one of his favorite pieces of Beethoven music plays during a film depicting Hitler's reign.
In a later scene, Alex is pronounced rehabilitated after being beaten by a man without retaliating and being tempted by a topless silver-haired woman(I must note this is probably one of the funniest scenes in the film, as one of the prison guards is shown with mouth agape and eyes bulging out at the sight of this topless woman, and claps vigourously as she leaves the stage).
Still though, Alex, upon being released returns home to find someone else living in his room, he leaves and comes upon some homeless people. One of these homeless people recognizes him as one of the young men who beat him horribly earlier on in the film. In retaliation, this homeless man and a bunch of others attack Alex and rob him.
Some cops come upon Alex and they turn out to be his former droogs. They take him deep into the woods, attempt to drown him and beat him.
Then, Alex in some bad turn of fortune ends up going to the home of the writer he had beaten. The poor man is now wheelchair bound and has a very intimidating assistant(Portrayed by David Prowse).
Anyways, Alex sings "Singin' in the rain" and the Writer remembers who he was.
They lock Alex upstairs and play the beethoven's symphony 9, fourth movement, which causes Alex unbearable pain, so bad that he jumps out the window of the house.
He awakens in the hospital, sore but seems to remember nothing about what happened.
We have glimpses that Alex has not changed and is still the same violent young man that he was before the ludivico treatment. In the end, we see Alex's eyes roll upwards and he imagines making love to a woman. The movie eneds with the line "I was cured all right.". Like 2001, I see all kinds of possible interpretations for this.
What is important though is that Clockwork Orange shows that all actions have consequences of some kind. If it's not prison, then it's to your humanity, and if you don't have humanity and are the equivalent of a lobotomy victim, what good are you to yourself or others?

[GregMcduck]

I wasn't aware that Clockwork Orange was in any need of defending.

[AmandaGal]

And if it's so important to note something about it, why didn't you? 

[Minnesota]

Well, I watched this documentary on the clockwork orange dvd and was quite disturbed by the "influence" that it had on people. Now I believe people are responsible for their own actions, but i'm trying to say nobody has any business blaming a movie for behavior. Once people start believing movies or TV shows are responsible for bad behavior then we might as well let murderers and rapists walk the street, because obviously it's not their fault, the movie made them do it.

Hilarious

[BathTub]

Here is a Clockwork Orange inspired music video by Shihad (a NZ rock band)

Stupid fact of the day: Shihad changed their named to Pacifier after 9/11 because it was thought Americans would be too stupid to tell the difference between their name Shihad (which they have had forever) and Jihad. They did eventually change back.

[Cibernético II]

nope, not good enough. No real come uppance. The book had a decent story to it, and Kubrik turned into pornography.

[kodiakthejuggler]

Stupid fact of the day: Shihad changed their named to Pacifier after 9/11 because it was thought Americans would be too stupid to tell the difference between their name Shihad (which they have had forever) and Jihad. They did eventually change back.

Lucky for them I've never heard of them until just now. 

[BathTub]

Stupid fact of the day: Shihad changed their named to Pacifier after 9/11 because it was thought Americans would be too stupid to tell the difference between their name Shihad (which they have had forever) and Jihad. They did eventually change back.

Lucky for them I've never heard of them until just now. 

Yeah that's pretty much the story of their US attempt.

[Phantom of Krankor]

One magazine made a list on the top most violent films, and this was one of them, now I just flat out don't get that. Its not violent at all. Just lots and lots of boobs.

[kodiakthejuggler]

One magazine made a list on the top most violent films, and this was one of them, now I just flat out don't get that. Its not violent at all. Just lots and lots of boobs.

If they were serious about this decision, they'd be taking into account when the movie was made, and the impact it had on those who saw it.

[Ortega]

Even though this admission will probably have me shunned, Clockwork Orange is the only Kubrick film i actually like.  I personally find his films, and the style of his films to be overrated and boring.  I honestly don't understand why people think he was this genius filmmaker.  I also don't understand why Warner Bros. gave him a lifetime contract. 

But i ask this one question:  When you hear Singing in the Rain, do you picture Gene Kelly dancing in a rainy street corner, or Malcolm McDowell kicking an old guy in the crotch?

[Bairman]

But i ask this one question:  When you hear Singing in the Rain, do you picture Gene Kelly dancing in a rainy street corner, or Malcolm McDowell kicking an old guy in the crotch?

I picture Malcolm McDowell kicking Gene Kelly in the crotch.

[Tripe]

I picture Paddington Bear.

This Space reserved for embedded video

[Dim of the Yard]

But i ask this one question:  When you hear Singing in the Rain, do you picture Gene Kelly dancing in a rainy street corner, or Malcolm McDowell kicking an old guy in the crotch?

Neither.  I picture Malcolm McDowell singing in a bathtub while an old guy relives the memory of Malcolm McDowell kicking him in the crotch.

[Tyrant]

I picture Malcolm McDowell singing in a bathtub while the old guy relives the memory of McDowell kicking him and Paddington Bear in the crotch.