"A Clockwork Orange" is Stanley Kubrick's best film, and one of my favorite films overall. It is one of those movies that you can watch over and over again, and still be amazed everytime. I have never been as shocked as I was when I saw this film. The first 20 minutes involves two brutal beatings and an extremely graphic rape scene. It only gets more shocking from there on out. The story also offers a hilarious sense of irony. Alex is supposedly cured of all his afflictions, but is thrust back into a world of violence when forced to deal with his victims. The camera work used in this film is amazing, and the music is wonderful. All of the actors do an outstanding job in this film, but Malcom McDowell gives one of the most memorable performances ever as Alex. I have never experienced such a use of my emotions before when dealing with a fictional character. He will make you hate him and shock you with how he acts before he is captured. But then Alex makes you feel almost sorry for him with what he has to go through afterwards.

Stanley Kubrick has made some great movies with "2001: A Space Oddesey", "Full Metal Jacket", "Barry Lyndon", "Paths of Glory", and "Dr. Strangelove...." In my opinion however, " A Clockwork Orange" is his best film. The overall story, acting, music, camera work, and truly shocking scenes set it apart from the rest. It is definately a must own, because it only gets better with repeated viewings. The DVD however, is very mediocre. The quality of the film itself is just above average, and there are no extras at all.

24 of 25 found the following review helpful:

Real Horrorshow  Nov 05, 1999

One of the most powerful, thought provoking and disturbing movies of all time. Anyone who thinks that this movie glorifies or condones violence and rape just does not get it. Alex and his "droogs" are evil people. They are doing what comes naturally to them. This might not be right or moral, but the point is, they have to be able to choose between good and evil. The real horror of the movie is the technique used on Alex to render him a useless shade of a human being. You actually start to feel sorry for him even though he is a truly wicked person. Burgess' novel used a foreign language (Nadsat) to lessen the impact of the violence, but in the movie the violence must be shown for the full effect of the movie. I felt Kubrick chose well to leave out the last chapter of the BRITISH version because it would seem like such a tame way to end the movie after such a thrilling ride. You have to watch this movie with an open frame of mind or else you will only look at it superficially, which would be a big mistake my brothers.

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