by David Lee,
Singapore Film Society
A
darkly satirical adaptation of Anthony Burgess’s dystopian novel of the same
name, A Clockwork Orange is one of Stanley Kubrick’s most iconic films,
and certainly his most controversial, with the film being banned in UK for some
27 years.
Even
in the United States, where the film was originally rated X, 30 seconds of
sexually explicit footage were replaced voluntarily by Kubrick himself for an
R-rated re-release in 1973.
Despite
the controversies surrounding the film, Kubrick was nevertheless critically
recognised for his work and nominated for some of the movie industry’s top
accolades such as Best Film and Best Director at The Oscars and BAFTA.
Was
the film ban a convenient scapegoat for the social ills and the so-called copycat
crimes in UK back then? Or was Kubrick simply too ahead of his time that the
general public was just not ready?
The
film stood the test of time and is now widely regarded as a cult film and a
landmark film in pushing the boundaries of censorship. On a more personal note,
it is one of the best films from my favourite auteur (the other being Dr
Strangelove), containing several delights such as the baroque art direction,
clever juxtaposition of Beethoven’s classical music and the unforgettable
tour-de-force performance by Malcolm McDowell.
I am
certainly looking forward to watching A Clockwork Orange for the third
time and my first viewing on the wide screen at Perspectives Film Festival!
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