Stanley Kubrick`s A Clockwork Orange

A Clockwork Orange, produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, was opened in film theatres in 1971. It rapidly became one of the most controversial films directed by Kubrick, not only because of the violent scenes appearing during the whole movie, but also because it dealt with topics which were considered a taboo in those times. The controversies dealing with the movie reached its climax when some groups in Britain started to imitate the violent acts that Alex and his friends carry out in the film. The film was banned from public exhibition due to the pressures raised from different fields as the political, the religious and the media. However, it is undeniable that the topics put forward in the film are an essential part of the human nature. The aim of this essay is to analyse the movie and to highlight those topics from the perspective of the main character, Alex, being the complexity and multiple faces of this character the best example of the complexity of the human mind itself. The first image in A Clockwork Orange shows the credits of the film. Although these credits may seem the common credits of any film, it is typical in Kubrick`s film-making to give some clues about the film in its very first shot. In this case, the alternation between red and blue colour express the duality of human nature which is going to be expressed throughout the character of Alex. This duality is going to be highlighted in the first image of the film, which is a zoom out of Alex`s eye. This eye is painted in black colour and as the image opens the other eye, which is not painted, is put on the scene. The difference between both eyes, highlighting the one with the black colour, can be a symbol of Alex`s two sides, being the most powerful one his immoral or "bad" side (during a great part of the history black colour has been linked with death, evil and darkness). The image keeps up opening and Alex presents himself: "it was me, that is, Alex". In this moment the audience realizes that Alex is going to be the narrator of the whole story and that they are going to be subjected to his judgements. He is going to be the one who presents him, his friends, and the place where they usually spend their time: a Milk Bar where milk is served with a kind of drug that increases their senses to ultra violence. The first violent scene occurs immediately after this brief presentation. Alex and his friends attack a beggar who is singing in the street. Alex is the one in command, he is the one who decides the moment when they have to hit the beggar and he is the one speaking directly to him. In this first encounter Kubrick uses several zoom-outs that highlight Alex`s enjoyment being violent. Alex`s position as a leader is reinforced when his group meets with other gang of boys like them who act violently against other people. Alex is always ordering the moment when the group has to attack the other group, or when they have to stop. He is the ringleader of the group, although he calls his friends "my brothers", positioning them at the same hierarchical level. It is interesting to mention that this new group appearing in the movie, unlike the group of Alex, is dressed in military clothes which increases the idea of violence. However, Alex`s group clothes reminds the clothing of English lords (Alex`s stick, their boots, etc.). The use of this kind of clothing can be an ironical way of expressing that even though someone can be dressed in the best way, his manners can be the worst. It also can be a critic to those members of high society who historically have been depicted as evils and torturers. The second violent encounter occurs in the doctor`s home. Alex and his group go to this home to have "a little more fun". Alex is again the one who cheats the doctor`s wife in order to come in the house. He puts in his face a fake nose who reminds to Pinocchio. The question of fairy tales is a topic very used in Kubrick films and in this case and taking in account the story of Pinocchio it can be a symbol to express Alex`s immaturity and childish behaviour. Alex is a kid, so he does not know the difference between good and bad. Furthermore, he tells that someone has had an accident so as the doctor`s wife opens the door of their home, so his nose has grown because of this lie. In this second violent encounter Alex hits the doctor and his wife and he rapes the wife. During this moment, Alex is singing all the time and he seems to be acting: he sings, dances and beats the doctor following the path of the music creating a contrast between the song and his actions. Alex`s vision about women is also clearly presented in this moment: women are objects to have sex with. This idea has already been subtly presented in the scene of the Milk Bar (statues of naked women who served as tables) and is going to be developed in other scenes. After this violent scenes Alex and "his droogs" come back to the Milk Bar. A woman starts singing and Alex seems to be angry about this situation. However, when he recognises that the woman is singing a song by Ludwig Van Beethoven he relaxes. Alex shows that he is not a flat character, but he is smart, learned: he knows Beethoven, he speaks with the language of high society, etc. As it has been already mentioned Alex is a cultured character who decides to be a criminal by himself. The position of Alex as a leader is also reinforced in this scene when a member of his groups tries to make fun of the woman and Alex hits him. Although firstly Dim seems to face Alex, they occupy different positions in the group (Dim is afraid of Alex) and he immediately ends with his threats. In the next scene, Alex presents his home and his family. His pet is a snake leaving freely in his room, without any cage (Alex is not afraid of anything). His room is full of posters of Beethoven, the creator of his favourite music which he hears after finishing a "perfect" night. The objects of his room are linked with his idea of women (naked women in sexual positions) and with violence (Jesus blooding in the Cross). While he is listening to the music he remembers "lovely pictures", all of them dealt with violent pictures. The contrast between the soft classical music and the violent acts reminds previous scenes where the music has been linked with violence. Alex`s room is closed with a kind of safe-deposit box: his room is the only place where he can keep his intimacy and no one but him is allowed to enter this individual world. After knowing Alex`s most intimate place, he presents his family. His mother works in a factory and relies on every word said by Alex. He is not a mother with power over his son, but Alex is the one who knows how to control his mother. She thinks that Alex has some kind of job at nights and although his father seems reluctant to this job he does not try to know the truth. However, as a contrast to this intimate scenes Mr. Deltoit, the director of Alex`s school, appears in his home. He is the only one who is suspicious about Alex`s personality and the one who seems to have any power over Alex. Mr. Deltoit is warning Alex about the consequences that his acts can have in his life now that he is an adult and Alex seems to be a child listening to a row of his director. However, he gets out of this situation, because he knows what to say in every moment: he says the things that others want to hear, although he does not accept them. [...]