A Clockwork Orange (1971)

In this article, we will be looking at 2019’s book “1001 Movies to See Before You Die” and going through each film in a random order that I have chosen. We will be looking at what constitutes this film to be on the list and whether I think this film deserves to be here at all. I want to make perfectly clear that I won’t be revealing details from this book such as analyses by film reporters who have written about the film in question, so if you want the book itself you’ll have to buy it. But I will be covering the book’s suggestions on which films should be your top priority. I wouldn’t doubt for a second that everyone reading this article has probably watched many of these movies anyway. But we are just here to have a bit of fun. We’re going to not just look at whether it should be on this list but we’re also going to look at why the film has such a legacy at all. Remember, this is the 2019 version of the book and so, films like “Joker” will not be featured in this book and any film that came out in 2020 (and if we get there, in 2021). So strap in and if you have your own suggestions then don’t hesitate to email me using the address in my bio. Let’s get on with it then.

A Clockwork Orange (1971) dir. by Stanley Kubrick.

In 1971, Stanley Kubrick released a film that was quickly banned, certified and repressed by many countries, cinemas and people - that film was an adaptation of the dystopian thriller novel by Anthony Burgess of the same name. "A Clockwork Orange" (1971) has since become a cultural icon known for people born in the era not wanting to confront the extremities of society. However, not only that, it has been called one of the most influential films in cinematic history, being mostly known not for its shock value, but actually for its intensity and main character - cultural phenomenon, Alex DeLarge. Though I personally find this film kind of disgusting, I would actually say that the cinematography and filmmaking styles used throughout the film are cinematic genius and Stanley Kubrick was really putting himself out on this one.

During the 1970s, laws on violence in Hollywood movies became more relaxed and so, at the beginning of this decade, people were going all out with what they could depict on screen. This is when films like "The Exorcist" and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" came out and Hollywood was really getting underway with its modernisation of realist cinema.

According to AFI, "A Clockwork Orange" is considered one of the greatest films of all time and Alex DeLarge appears as number 12 on the list of 100 Greatest Villains in the 1998 listing. In a director's poll for Sight and Sound British Cinema Circle, "A Clockwork Orange" was rated the 75th on the list whereas for the critics, it was 235th.

One great quotation was by a Spanish director called Luis Buñuel who stated that at first, he was against the film and then...

"...I was predisposed against the film. After seeing it, I realised it is only a movie about what the modern world really means..."

From Empire Magazine to Total Film, every single movie magazine has had its way with the influence of "A Clockwork Orange" (1971) and has recognised the way in which it changed realism in cinema forever. Films such as: "Reservoir Dogs", "Trainspotting" and yes, lest we forget, "The Dark Knight" have been influenced by various things about "A Clockwork Orange". With the first using song and violence like the "Singin' in the Rain" sequence from "A Clockwork Orange" and the second having some similar scenes that have been drawn upon from the original. "The Dark Knight" obviously has Heath Ledger, who based a lot of his performance on Malcolm McDowell as Alex DeLarge.

So, this has not only been one of Stanley Kubrick's most beloved films but it has also served as one of the most controversial films in cinematic history, it has also been one of the films that brought a modernisation of violence aesthetic to cinema and made everyone terrified of what could be in movies to come, in the best possible way. I hope you enjoy replaying your copy of "A Clockwork Orange" today/tonight after reading this article about how influential it has been since its release.