"Clockwork" remains legendary

Once in a while in the film world, a movie is so monumental and long lasting that it evokes strong sentimental feelings and agreement with the old adage that "they don't make 'em like they used to." However, one classic film completely transcends time and advancement to retain its complete and utter brilliance, its original camerawork, its dramatic musical score, its demented social narrative, and its dark little stain on the world of pop culture. No movie in the past thirty years comes close to matching the eye-opening, nauseating thrill of "A Clockwork Orange." In 1971 legendary director Stanley Kubrick unveiled "A Clockwork Orange," the silver screen adaptation of Anthony Burgess' ominous novel. Kubrick had garnered a reputation as an inventive trailblazer unafraid to create a stir with his films. "A Clockwork Orange" was no exception. Kubrick's epic critique of governmental interference with moral choice brewed among a storm of controversy and earned the very first ever "X" rating. "A Clockwork Orange" centers around the life and times of a rowdy, menacing delinquent named Alex. Alex and his underling friends run rampant around their fictional futuristic metroplex pillaging, raping and finally murdering whoever they come across - all in the name of some nighttime fun. Afterwards they get drunk on drugged milk in midnight sex bars and sleep through school in the mornings. One night, however, turns out to be substantially less charming for Alex and his mates when they finally get caught. Alex has just murdered an elderly woman when the police arrive on the scene and his gang deserts him. He goes to a maximum-security prison and is left to suffer his fourteen-year sentence among psychopaths and perverts. "A Clockwork Orange" is a cinematic gem. Alex's eloquent vernacular and demented ideals captivate the viewer and actor Malcolm McDowell portrays him with intense eyes and inspired inflection. Aside from the superb acting, the musical score contributes heavily to the dramatically eerie scene progression. Completely comprised of classical music by Ludwig van Beethoven, Gioachino Rossini, Edward Elger, electronic scores by Walter Carlos, and the memorable catch-song "Singin' in the Rain" performed by Gene Kelly, the music takes one's breath away and sensitizes one to the importance of the characters' actions. Alex sings "Singin' in the Rain" as he rapes the writer's wife, creating one of the most poignant moments in the film when the writer recognizes him singing it near the climax and has a nervous breakdown. The visual cues enhance the vivid imagery of Burgess' work like no other screen version of a book - ever. Images like Alex's violent fantasy (where he envisions spliced scenes of atomic bombs bursting, vampires grinning and people being crushed by rocks as he has an orgasm) and his visions of naked lovers shagging in the snow during a funeral march are simply unforgettable. Finally, the film's creative teams use an intense arrangement of futuristic looking architecture, contemporary interior design, and wildly colorful clothing (coupled with its assortment of phallic conversation pieces, kama sutra mosaics and tables made out of masturbating lesbians) to create a surreal, dreamy dimension for Alex's "Drooks" to bash to pieces with their clubs. "A Clockwork Orange" explores an alternate world that is all at once startling, captivating, and disgusting, and bears a little too much resemblance to our own at times. It is a freaky, freaky film, but a must-see for any serious movie buff. Grade: A+