Clockwork Orange, A (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray) [4K UHD]
F**T
Shocking! Mind-Blowing! Classic Kubrick!
This movie is truly timeless and although certain elements betray its age e.g. use of cassettes in the future instead of cds, use of a typewriter instead of a desktop pc by the writer etc, this film transcends time and its message is still very thought-provoking and evokes strong responses from viewers just like modern avant-garde artworks are supposed to. From "Dr. Strangelove" to "2001: A Space Odyssey" to this, Stanley Kubrick's brilliant directing genius can only be described as producing cinematic high works of art. Just like in the great "2001:...", Kubrick forces you to think about serious issues, stunning and shocking you to come to your own conclusions and to stimulate your senses all the while refusing to tell you what to think.Some may feel Alex got off too easy and for all his major offences against society should be severely punished ala capital punishment and may actually come to this conclusion from watching the film. Others may actually feel sorry for and happy for Alex that he returns to "normal" and that the powers that be get what they deserve with the threat of a loss of power. Either way, the film disturbs you enough to elicit strong responses making it difficult to remain indifferent or to not have an opinion which is the definition of good modern art.This film could also be a metaphor for thought control and governance asking the question: is it proper to force people to accept an ideology even if they don't truly believe it themselves? Whether it is Communism or even Capitalism or any religion should people be given a choice which one to go with or should society take all steps to penalise even to the point of using physical pain and suffering to ensure compliance? It is telling at the end when Alex becomes "healed" only when he realises that the very powers that are trying to "heal" him are sick and maybe even sicker than he is; a different sort of corruption but corruption nonetheless.This film as time has shown is the true winner of the Oscar for the Best Picture, Director and Actor awards for that year and how "The French Connection" won for these categories is beyond belief. This film is certainly a lot more rewarding on so many levels and has certainly aged a lot better to rank among the best ever films.The great news is that the digital restoration and remastering has been done very well making both the picture and sound quality of this dvd very, very good indeed. Although the Special Features are nothing to speak about, I'm hoping the newly-released Blu-Ray version will have extras such as making-of and other sorts of documentaries as well.By far a film masterpiece by the great Kubrick and a must-have for every film buff's dvd library.Highly recommended!
C**.
Nostalgia!
Great product and movie.
S**N
See Movie HISTORY !
Waiting SO Long for this film to come out in Blu-ray. Lots of extras too. Happy with My Purchase !
M**E
Still disturbing after all these years
"A Clockwork Orange" could have been the movie in the Stanley Kubrick canon known only as the film that followed "2001: A Space Odyssey." Released in 1971, three years after that masterpiece, "Clockwork" faced the peril of comparison with what has become the greatest cinematic achievement of all time. In short, how could Kubrick follow "2001," a film that was so incredibly good that one could not imagine a worthy successor?He did it by making a film so different from its predecessor that any comparisons simply fall apart. "A Clockwork Orange" is its own animal -- and "animal" it is, indeed. Whereas "2001" was about the exploration of space but also the exploration of humankind's capacity for change, "Clockwork" was the at-times painful study of a young man caught between violent individualism and repressive society.Malcolm McDowell is brilliant as Alex, the young "droog" who's ever on the prowl for deviant sex, "ultraviolence" and, seemingly, all manner of wickedness for its own sake. The character's relentlessly immoral (or amoral?) behavior stunned audiences at the time. The violent scenes -- of various victims being raped, beaten, kicked, murdered -- proved that, in 1971 at least, people had not yet become inured to extreme depictions of violence. Some of the film's detractors called it sick. In UK, there was a considerable amount of copycat behavior, which so unnerved director Kubrick that he had the film pulled from distribution there -- for quite a number of years.In between those two extremes -- those who would condemn the film, and those who seemingly condoned it by acting it out -- was an audience that pondered the dilemma posed by Kubrick: Which is worse? An insistence upon individual freedom, which allows for such horrible behavior, or a society that may be going too far in trying to cleanse the populace of such villainy?Alex, you see, is caught and subjected to a conditioning program that is supposed to make him incapable of committing any more crimes. But the effect of this behavior modification upon him is so drastic that he is effectively stripped of any free will at all.It's a diabolical film in part because it steadfastly refuses to provide any answers. Kubrick was a filmmaker, not a moralist, and so his audiences were left to decide, for themselves, which could be more cruel -- the solitary human heart, or the collective conscience that sometimes grows so harsh that it, too, seems hopelessly corrupted.This is a brilliant film. Do not see it, though, if you are easily offended. Upon its initial theatrical release, the film was one of a very few non-pornographic productions in those days to receive an X rating. Frankly, I've seen films far more graphically violent than this one that got tagged with an R, not an NC-17, the successor of the X. But it is true that there is something about this film -- something about Alex's gleefully nightmarish world -- that disturbs the mind like nothing else.
M**L
If you love movies.
Modern classic movie. Controversial to say the least, but an outstanding example of story telling. Musical sountrack is second to none. No question that some will find it offensive and yet it is a masterpiece.
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