Commentary Based on the novel by Anthony Burgess, A Clockwork Orange is an eerie look at a future overrun by teenage crime and "ultraviolence". Although I'm not a big fan of violence, A Clockwork Orange is an excellent movie in my opinion because of its philosophy concerning violent crime and punishment. Although Alex is a dispicable character at the beginning of the film, I began sympathizing with him by the time he is imprisoned and especially following his horrible "Ludovico" treatment, which basically turns him into a helpless puppet. In this movie, what goes around comes around. A Clockwork Orange is also concerned with political as well as social crime, as illustrated at the end of the movie.
Plot Summary A Clockwork Orange concerns Alex DeLarge, a 15-year old delinquent obsessed with sex, violence, and Beethoven, as well as his gang of "droogies". The language used by Alex and his gang in Nadsat, a fictional futuristic British slang. The four go out at night committing all sorts of horrific violent and sexual acts. Alex ends up antagonizing the rest of the gang, so they set him up. Following a break-in in which he kills a young woman, they scratch his face with a broken bottle and leave him on the doorstep to be picked up by the police. Alex ends up in jail for two years, where he studies the Bible and impresses the prison chaplain. He overhears about a new experimental technique known as the Ludovico procedure, which ensures that criminals will become good and never commit any crime again, and volunteers for this procedure. The treatment turns out to have some very undesirable effects though and nearly ends up costing Alex his life.
Psychology A Clockwork Orange has a great deal to say about human nature. The overall mood is very pessimistic, the implication being that social violence is increasing, especially among youth. At the beginning of the film, an old beggar complains about how there's no law and order anymore because we live in a world in which the young can get at the old. Indeed, Alex and his gang of "droogies" get away with much "ultra-violence" at the beginning of the movie. But as the movie progresses, the viewer begins to sympathize with Alex more and more. The Ludovico technique he recieves is very controvertial. Indeed, the prison chaplain criticizes it on the grounds that Alex has no choice but to be good, so he isn't really cured. Watching how others get even with him and his inability to fight back, the audience gets this feeling as well. The movie also touches on political corruption as the Ministry of the Interior in effect bribes him to repair his image on account of his treatment failing.
Movie Clips
Here's a fan-made trailer.
Here's a violent scene in which Alex sings "Singin' in the Rain" while torturing his victims.
Home
Title: A Clockwork Orange 
