A Clockwork Orange

[lowriderboy]

I just want to know what you all think about this particular film. I haven't seen it yet, but have heard and read all sorts of reviews. It seems to be a strong film, and my best friend said I should own it. I read the review posted on DVDEmpire.com for one of the discs, and at the end they said to wait off to get the Special Limited Edition that is in works.

So, please let me know your opinions on this film. Also, does anyone happen to know if and when this SLE is to hit stores and online retailers?? Thanks!

[fischerj]

My God! I haven't seen that title in years! I had to write an English composition on the film in college and must have seen it a dozen times that semester! I haven't seen it since!

It must have been simply stunning when it was released. Nowadays it might seem tame compared to what goes on in film. Still, there are a number of outstanding sequences, great Beethoven score, and an outstanding performance by McDowell.

I can't tell you which disc to get but the movie is a trip for the senses and morality.

[Drexl]

Get the one that says "Digitally Restored and Remastered" under "Stanley Kubrick Collection." That is the remastered one, obviously, and it is much better than the old one. Chances are, that's the only one you'll see anyway since the older disc was (thankfully) discontinued last year.

There are no plans to rerelease this title in the near future. The "Limited Edition" just has the soundtrack on CD, a 35MM film frame, and a booklet along with the exact same disc.

[Prancer]

Here is the thread that was started a while back. There are spoilers. Hope it helps.


http://www.dvdfile.com/interactive/f...OCKWORK+ORANGE

BTW, I love this film.

[Marq]

An unbelievable great film this is.

Do yourself a favour and save your pennies to purchase the entire remastered Kubrick collection (which of course includes A Clockwork Orange). In my humblest of opinions, Stanley Kubrick was our greatest director.


take a look at the thread Prancer linked to and search the net for reviews of the film to help give you an idea of what the consensus is on the film. For starters, here's the original 1971 NY Times review of the film (lifted form the other DVD File thread):
http://www.nytimes.com/library/film/...ck-orange.html

[SolidSnakeASS]

I've only seen Clockwork Orange once, a month or two ago, and I must say it is easily my favorite Kubrick film. I haven't bought any Kubrick on DVD yet, since I plan on picking up the newer box set if I ever see it used or when I have some cash burning a hole in my pocket. I highly recommend that anybody that hasn't seen this film does so. It kicks ass, and it has held up pretty well over the years. I still thought it was pretty 'shocking', while maybe not as disturbing as say Requiem For A Dream. While I was not offended by the film in anyway, it still did a good job creating somewhat of an uncomfortable atmosphere, particularilly the 'hyper-violence.'

[Donkey]

I saw this movie. It's a masterpeace. 10/10. I own Stanley Kubrick Collection Digitally Restored and Remastered version.
That is your best bet. Because the Special Limited Edition comes in like a sliver box, it had the soundtrack, a 30-page book, film cells, the trailer & awards own (on the disc). So it's not really worth the $40.00 (or more I'm not sure how much it is) and I'm one who has to own all the best editions of the DVDs. Go with the one I have it's the best for your money.

[AdamKroeger]

Originally posted by fischerj
My God! I haven't seen that title in years! I had to write an English composition on the film in college and must have seen it a dozen times that semester! I haven't seen it since!

It must have been simply stunning when it was released. Nowadays it might seem tame compared to what goes on in film. Still, there are a number of outstanding sequences, great Beethoven score, and an outstanding performance by McDowell.

I can't tell you which disc to get but the movie is a trip for the senses and morality.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by A Clockwork Orange being tame by today's standards. Even today, you will rarely ever see such as graphic rape on screen, or such a utter lack of morals. That being said, I don't dislike this film. I'm not sure if this film can be considered good or bad, I think it's beyond those standards.

[orko007]

This movie is fantastic. I was lucky enough to win the Stanley Kubrick Box Set in a competition. Gave me the perfect opportunity to see this film, and it is amazing.

I don't think it is a film you can describe. Still is rather graphic for todays standards, so I cant imagine seeing it back in 1971.

[redshifter]

. Even today, you will rarely ever see such as graphic rape on screen, or such a utter lack of morals.

if you watch the film carefully, there really isn't a rape scene shown. there is the one scene where alex is forced to watch a film of a gang rape, but it is implied it is just actors acting out a rape, and it is hardly graphic (it lasts for all of 5 seconds). the ONE other rape scene kubrick cuts away; but the implied violence is somehow worse because the viewer has to use his imagination.

the film has a very moral message, although it is delivered in a twisted way. the moral being, when a man loses the ability to choose to be good (or bad), he ceases to be a man.

one thing many people miss about ACO is that it is, essentially, a comedy.

[orko007]

Yeah it definitely has its comedy. Especially when Alex sings "Singing in the rain", always cracks me up.

And the dude which plays the body of Darth Vader. Those shorts crack me up.

[Flash Ahhh]

Great scene?

The scene right after the record store.

An amazing movie. At times it can be a little hard to follow, due to the slang used. Deserves a second viewing to understnad some of what is goign on.

I didn't find anything too graphic or shocking. I bet in 1971 this hit viewers as hard as The Shining did when it was first released.

-Flash

[SolidSnakeASS]

That scene with the time lapse sex is the best sex scene ever!

[theta]

"The William Tell Overture" has never been the same for me after that. By the way, the composer no longer exists, he got surgery and became Wendy. I'm not kidding, look it up.

The movie itself is damn good and still strong stuff. I don't find the slang all that hard to follow; usually what he's talking about is right onscreen and if you miss it, usually Alex will offer you some rather graphic detail right after he says it. Kubrick leaves a LOT to your imagination, which can make the film hard to take for some.
Personally, I love it, and I find it sidesplitting in places. Definitely a great black comedy!

[tronmaster]

A Clockwork Orange very good film saw it at my film class. And yea, the composer is now a woman. She goes by the name of Wendy Carlos of "Tron" fame!

Oh by the way, the soundtrack to "Tron" is out in stores!!

[redshifter]

my favorite walter carlos album is "switched on bach". if you are a bach fan or like electronic music, it is a great, fun album. wendy also did some music for the shining.

i like the scene in aco where mr. deltoid punches alex in the balls and takes a drink of his mum's denture water. very funny, especially his reaction.

[Welles and Ford Fan]

I've gotta say that the scene where Mr Deltoid drinks out of the Denture glass makes me gag to this day!

Also, the scene where he spits on Alex's face, and the spit stays there a while is pretty gross, too.

I also agree that the film is a little less shocking today than it used to be.

[Kevin P]

I guess nudity and violence together can be a difficult thing for some to watch... totally understandable. Although you may not see anything... it still is hard to watch and not be disturbed by it! I won't want to know someone who can't be bothered by seeing a rape scene... thats why they get used! A hollywood cheap thrill!... hell thats why "Show Girls" was made.

Hell I can't imagine watching this movie with my mom... as mentioned in the another thread!! Thats weird! *L*

I've found as a movie lover, that some subject matter can hit too close to home for others! For us... its just entertainment.

It reminds me of when James Cameron invited the remaining survivors of the real Titanic to view the movie seems kinda crass... do they need to be reminded of a tragedy in their lives by way of a movie... all for entertainment.

But Kubrick movies... ya love'm or hate'm. Or misunderstand'm ;-)

Cheers

[lowriderboy]

I bought it two weeks ago and think it is a great movie. Yes, the subject matter hits hard at times but I enjoyed it.

[fischerj]

Originally posted by AdamKroeger
I'm not quite sure what you mean by A Clockwork Orange being tame by today's standards.

I said 'might'! Considering some of the brutal things one would see in today's movies ("Saving Private Ryan" opening scene, "The General's Daughter" rape scene), ACO might not have the same impact it would have without having been exposed to more recent films.

[marty]

Originally posted by fischerj

I said 'might'! Considering some of the brutal things one would see in today's movies ("Saving Private Ryan" opening scene, "The General's Daughter" rape scene), ACO might not have the same impact it would have without having been exposed to more recent films.

I first saw Clockwork Orange about 3 years ago. Everything that happened was surpassed by something else I'd already seen in a film.
I'm sure for those that saw the film earlier - it was at least 25 years old when I watched it - the film held plenty of shock value, but it just had none for me. At no point did I feel for the characters as people, they were just actors pretending to be brutal.

[Prancer]

Originally posted by Kevin P
..........Hell I can't imagine watching this movie with my mom... as mentioned in the another thread!! Thats weird! *L* .........

I guess I need to explain how I wound up watching this movie with my mom.

Well you know how people say they sit down to watch a movie with their mom and the movie they picked is the kind of movie you could watch with your mom. You find out about the film before hand or at least have some type of indication as to what the movie is by the ratings or whatever else source.

When we first got cable, we had only been in the US for about 4 years. I was still trying to figure out the American culture. As a family we used to go to the cinema together all the time. Film was like that for me. I was pretty young so when we do sit down to watch a film, all of us would watch it together. We were not familiar with the rating system. We started to watch the movie and found it funny. It obviously got more intense and uncomfortable. It was odd. I've never seen anything like it before. What was even more bizarre was that we could understand the horror despite the fact that we weren't sophisticated or experienced Western film watchers. We've never seen movies with nudity before coming to the US. That was bizarre. To see people taking their clothes off onscreen. There were many cultural things that we had to get used to.

To this day, my mother remembers Malcolm McDowell from that film. That was my experience of watching this film with my mom. The End.

[Kevin P]

Prancer: thats good that you can sit and watch movies with your mom! :-) I don't know I would feel watching THIS one with my mom *L*... but has you mention... you had no clue of the content.

Where was your family living before you moved to the states?

[Kevin P]

Prancer: thats good that you can sit and watch movies with your mom! :-) I'm close with my mom, but still I don't know I would feel watching THIS one with my mom *L*... but has you mention... you had no clue of the content going into it.

Where was your family living before you moved to the states?

[Prancer]

Originally posted by Kevin P
Prancer: thats good that you can sit and watch movies with your mom! :-) I'm close with my mom, but still I don't know I would feel watching THIS one with my mom *L*... but has you mention... you had no clue of the content going into it.

Where was your family living before you moved to the states?

We lived in varoius places because of my family's background. We were living in Southeast Asia before coming to US.

BTW, about A Clockwork Orange, even if I read about it or someone told me about the film, at that time and being as young and inexperienced as I was, I still would've had no idea because at that point I had never been exposed to those types of Western Films. I never saw anyone kissing on screen before coming to the states. I just didn't know.

If I would've seen the film once by myself, it would've probably freaked me out and if we were sitting down to watch a film and the movie was on the channel again, I would ask them to change the channel and watch something else. This film is definitely not something that I would watch with mom. YIKES!!! Maybe I should consider therapy now. teeheehee........