| Sunday, June 11, 2006 |
| Reddy, Red Rum |
In this weeks issue of Entertainment Weekly they're discussing the 25 Most Controversial Movies. While The Passion of the Christ was number one, one of my favorite movies was number two. A Clockwork Orange. I may have mentioned it before, but I really liked this movie. I tried to read the book. I got a couple chapters in and was so confused I, depressingly, stopped. I wanted to really finish it. But the text...the words...the descriptions. It was like reading something from another dimension. If you've read the book, you know what I mean. The movie was adapted from Anthony Burgess' 1962 novel.
Anyhoo, the movie follows a bunch of English thugs (droogs) who love to do violence, rape women and drink stylishly in a milk bar. This is one of my favorite Stanley Kubrick films after The Shining. I bring this up because there have been many people dressing up like Droogs, or the lead character Alex to be more precise, in TV, movies and rock groups.
That's interesting to me and also fun, because I know I'm not the only one who liked that movie, remembers it and was affected enough to want to dress up like characters. That ain't just for Star Wars Fans and Trekkies. From Rock Stars to The Simpsons, people have created their own Droog costumes and flashed that eyelash. I love it!
I think the movie is intelligent, a bit scary, thought provoking and socially and morally questionable. It's uber-violent, with much unnecessary carnage. What does is say about erasing violence from society by also erasing free will? Does the ends justify the means? Is the state of the world so lost that depending on yourself to choose between good and evil have to be taken away? More importantly, does behavioral modification work? At the end of the movie (or book) that questions remains. This movie is still incredibly fascinating and sparks discussion over 20 years later. Now, dressing up like the horrid main character in this movie? That is also questionable. lol.
A little tidbit. It caused such a stir in England in 1971 -- with copy-cat crimes and social upheaval, that it wasn't available there again (in any form) until -- 2000. |
Gunngirl believed The Truth is still Out There at 6:16 PM  |
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| 9 commentst: |
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I LOVE Clockwork Orange!!! It's fantastic!
Hope you had a good weekend and are starting to have a good week :)
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I was on my sisters computer when I commented and it used her blogger name. So HSG is really me, Gunngirl, in case anyone was a little confused.
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I read the book, then saw the movie when I was in HS. The song "Singing in the Rain" has never been the same since.
It is not on my list of films to own. Most of it is pretty much seared in my memory.
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Thanks for the comment on my blog - I like yours as well!
I love Clockwork Orange and find that peoplewho don't "get it" usually don't "get" me...
danelle
http://purplestar.typepad.com
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LOL I thought your blog had been infiltrated ;)
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You are getting around a little bit! I see you are now in Paris :)
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I saw it years ago, and I respect how controversial it was when it came out - I believe that it reflected a whole generational strain to break the bonds of conventional society.
However, the content of the film itself did not impress me one bit.
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Exmi--I know. Some of it is pretty disturbing. But I think I liked the subtext.
Nell--Thanks, I'll be back to yours. I had fun, your post was so funny.
Gareth--lol, I LOVE Paris. I think by the time I get there I'll be using a walker. I don't think I'll ever have the money to go.
mg--I see what you mean. I totally respect how you feel, what was done in the movie may have turned some people off and they felt it was over dramatized or that the violence was glamorized. I don't know, there was a lot of violence toward women too. But the idea was can that behavior be "forced" out of someone. I think it rasied some interesting questions.
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I LOVE Clockwork Orange!!! It's fantastic!
Hope you had a good weekend and are starting to have a good week :)