“Red Box Review”

A Clockwork Orange has very little to do with a clock or an orange, and more so to do with a young man and his “droogs,” or in other words “friends,” or even “gang.” Based on the dystopian novel “A Clockwork Orange,” written by Anthony Burgess in 1962, the general theme tends to be old vs. new. The setting aims for futuristic, and the made up language that comes from Burgess’ novel, although a bit frustrating at first, is what draws people in, in the first place.

I’ve been trying to get around to reading the book for quite sometime, but without the newer print that comes with a glossary to help figure out the dialogue, I haven’t gotten around to it. I feel like the visual with the new language that the movie brings definitely was a better option for a visual learner like myself.

In the beginning, I was a bit horrified to say the least. A couple of rape scenes, an epic amount of violence, and a milk bar with furniture resembling nude, shackled women.

At one point I had to stop the entire movie, turned to a friend and explain to them what I was seeing. I was baffled, horrified at what was taking place. Although the rape scenes were mild, compared to modern movies such as “Last House on the Left,” the 2009 remake, and “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” I’m still not a person to stomach rape, or that amount of violence that was typically taking place before the rape, very well.

Alex, the narrator, and his “droogs,” set out every night in their sleek, futuristic looking car with matching white outfits, combat boots, make-up, and black hats to reek havoc over the town.

Alex is obviously the leader of the group, but as time goes on, one of the “droogs” decides he’d like to try calling the shots for a while. Alex makes it seem like he is okay with this, however, later that day on their way to create some more chaos, a fight breaks out among the friends. It ends with Alex cutting one of his “droogs” hand, a trust issue, like a wrench, is thrown into the friends mix. With three “droogs”, now verses one, you could imagine things weren’t going to end well.

Later that night, after Alex and everyone seems to be over the little rough and tumble they had just hours earlier, they decide to try to sneak into a woman’s house on the edge of town. The only problem is, Alex will have to sneak in first to unlock the door. Once he’s in, the door is unlocked, but sirens are wailing in the distance getting closer and closer, Alex runs to the front door to leave, only to be met by the “droog” whose hand was cut earlier and a glass milk bottle to his nose.

Alex is down and out, the “droogs” get away, and the cops arrest him.

Alex is faced with 14 years in jail, and being the cunning kiss-ass that he is, tries everything in his power to try to reduce his sentence. He befriends the priest at the prison, and inquires about a certain treatment that would lead him to getting out sooner. The priest doesn’t think it’s a good idea. “When a man cannot choose, he ceases to be a man,” states the priest speaking of the so-called “treatment.”

Alex goes anyway, the treatment takes place, and he is released out into the world once again, but can he survive the world with a new mindset and a new distaste that makes him want to ralph every time he’s faced with violence?

I give this movie a 3 out of 5 stars. I think that there are a lot of good anecdotes and themes strung along here that people can surely get a lot out of it. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, and starring Malcolm Mcdowell as the narrator Alex, I think the story line has a lot to say, and afterwards the viewer just needs to sit and come to terms with everything they had just seen. It’s a lot to take in.

It’s rebelling at its finest, it’s the young having at go at the old, and the old struggling to stick to what they know.