There are certain films that “stir the pot” upon their release and then time or societal mores catch up to the filmmaker’s vision and it is widely accepted where once it was only appreciated in certain circles. Stanley Kubrick’s 1971 A Clockwork Orange is celebrating its 50th anniversary and to say it still stirs the pot is putting it utterly mildly. A Clockwork Orange has arrived on 4K Blu-ray and the film that was never supposed to ever remotely look “beautiful” in visual scope manages to slightly drift into that lane with this 50th anniversary 4K upgrade.
The 4K release joins the filmmaker’s recent “visual upgrades” with his The Shining and Full Metal Jacket—both films that take “ugly” landscapes (one has a psycho killer slowly losing it on his family and the other takes the ugliness of war and gives us a landscape unlike any battle centric film we’ve ever seen).
A Clockwork Orange follows a fearless four (led by Malcolm McDowell’s Alex ) lads who seem to live and breathe for mayhem—causing it. He has been known to go on all-out drug-laden and violent themed rages with his pals that leave people dead, maimed and psychologically scarred forever.
Society gets its collective hands-on McDowell, and he undergoes some unforgettable (visually speaking for the audience) and deeply disturbing aversion therapy
Just like Speed and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory—both given the 4K upgrade of late—Warner Bros. has a gift for turning something that may be “ugly” to gaze at (a bus careening through Los Angeles with a bomb aboard, for example) into something stunning and gorgeous that is a feast for the eyes (and ears).
Anthony Burgess created a world in literary form that required the novel be accompanied by a dictionary so the reader could comprehend what these souls are saying to one another. It further adds to the innate fear that is triggered by the mere sight of these four fellows (McDowell, Michael Tarn, Warren Clarke, James Marcus). One of the many reasons why Kubrick is a considered a genius is that he gave his audience credit that they would “understand” what his antagonists were saying in some ways, by what they were doing. It adds countless layers to the rawness that pops off the screen in 4K.
The thing that is miraculous—both with the book and the film—is how one “learns” this language. Heck, I first read the book three decades ago and still use “horrorshow” whenever possible! The manner with which Burgess utilizes these words, context is everything, until his audience reaches a point where it’s almost second nature to understand this slang/language that is unique to characters who usher in chaos, but whose ability to be understood is key to A Clockwork Orange resonate with its audience.
Although on the outside, it seems as if A Clockwork Orange is one of those films that can only be viewed once. Beyond that, it might be too much to revisit the impactful film that will actually alter something unique to you with each physically and emotionally painful experience. MORE
When it comes to the video transfer of the 4K release, it’s fitting that a film that has a hue in its moniker gets saluted for its ability to “see” the fullness of the spectrum. In past releases of A Clockwork Orange, there was a spattering of colors that seemed to get lost amongst this grey, white, and seemingly colorless world. Not so with this 50th anniversary 4K Blu-ray update that would most likely put a classic Stanley Kubrick smile on his face.
Color seems defined and very much on purpose by the master. Clockwork is very much a production design product of its times—even though the timeline of events seems to suggest the “near future.” Yet every time it seems as if we’re looking back and not forward in terms of the future and the past, is because the light imagery of a particular scene will pop off the screen. In 4K, that just cannot be beat—especially for a man working the technology he had, dreaming of what he could have done with more tech at his fingertips.
Let’s not kid ourselves, the 1971 film was never meant to be “beautiful.” Violently beautiful, maybe. Because we are talking about Kubrick and his extensive history of purposeful use of colors and visual mastery, it’s easy to drift into that conversation. Thankfully there is a little flick called A Clockwork Orange to remind us—with its titular moniker—that we can experience a filmmaker who painstakingly obsessed about every single frame that made it up to that silver screen.
The audio transfer is… complicated. The 4K’s DTS-HD 5.1 can at times seem to add a layer to the horrors witnessed onscreen. I believe this is on purpose to further engross the viewer to the perceived hell that is metro London a half-century ago.
What makes it work is there is a mono track to the transfer as well, which grounds it so that non-sonic aficionados will not even notice the sound design and its shifting center.
A Clockwork Orange surely can be considered one of the originators of the “civilization is going to hell in a handbag” cinema. Yet it still—even with its shock value—scored four Oscar nods including the highest of the high—Best Picture—as well as Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing. The film would also go home empty-handed (like the recent 4K arrival of The Shawshank Redemption, but also like the Stephen King short turned into a full-length film, Burgess’ masterpiece has earned its high place in pop culture with the passage of time.
Kubrick wrote and helmed the film that landed in the United States Library of Congress in 2020 for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
Which is fascinating given its premise about Englishman Alex and his “Droogs.” They spend their nights getting high as a kite at their favorite joint, Korova Milkbar. Then, they head out into some of that “old ultraviolence.” At one point, they belt out Singing in the Rain while utterly destroying a couple’s evening in every sense of the word. After getting caught, Alex gives in to a behavior modification program so that one day, he can walk free.
In 2020, the United States Library of Congress selected A Clockwork Orange for preservation in the National Film Registry, finding it “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” The Kubrick Estate worked closely with Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging (MPI) for the 4K release to ensure its integrity would please the master.
The bonus features for this 50th anniversary 4K edition are the same as they were for the previous Blu-ray release—which is still pretty impressive.
Star with Still Tickin’: The Return of Clockwork Orange. The 44-minute featurette goes deeper than most historic look back at significantly important cinematic moments in our history. It is enlightening, entertaining and above all else, is as much of a must-see as the film itself. Yes, I said it.
Then, dive into Turning Like Clockwork. The almost half-hour extra finds McDowell hosting a gaze through history in the Clockwork Orange lens. This time out, a slew of revered filmmakers give their two cents and put the importance of the movie in a context like nobody else could. It also dives into the violence contained in the film and that is contrasted with the violence that is featured in today’s pictures.
For fans of McDowell, you do not want to skip Malcolm McDowell Looks Back. This featurette spotlights the iconic actor as he gazes back and reminiscences about making A Clockwork Orange and a fascinating moment where he discusses his interaction with Burgess and of course, Kubrick!
Speaking of the legendary thespian, O Lucky Malcolm! is an almost hour-and-a-half “life in picture” look at the actor, his career, and is a little less “wow” than Malcolm McDowell Looks Back, yet still packs a punch when the career retrospective is put in perspective.
Now, the limelight shifts to the genius as Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures. It’s a 142 minute(!) documentary that is worth the price of the 4K disc alone. With a landscape that begins with the auteur’s childhood to the final years of his work, this is as comprehensive as one can get when it comes to saluting a filmmaker and everything he meant and contributed to the medium.
A solid “making-of” lands with Great Bolshy Yarblockos! Making A Clockwork Orange. The half-hour featurette not only delves into the actual making of the classic, but it analyzes its place in the pop culture spectrum and its contribution to the art form and why it is such a special film to watch, interpret and yes, entertain.
When it comes to an audio commentary, you are in for a treat. McDowell and producer Nick Redman join forces and wind their way into the depths of A Clockwork Orange, delivering an extensive, frank, and deeply exploratory look at the work, Kubrick and what made him special, the cast, its look, the score, and much more.
Grade: A
Bonus Features: A