A Clockwork Orange, by Stanley Kubrick

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A Clockwork Orange is a Stanley Kubrick film from 1971. Kubrick directed the film and wrote the screen play based on the 1962 novel from author Anthony Burgess. A Clockwork Orange was originally rated, “X” and nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Film Editing and Best Screenplay, but lost in each category to William Friedkin's The French Connection (filmsite.org). The set design is by John Barry, costume design by Milena Canonero, music by Wendy Carlos and cinematography by John Alcott. A Clockwork Orange was awarded the New York Film Critics Awards for Best Film and Best Direction (FilmReference.com).

Distributed by Warner Brothers, the estimated budget was $2,200,000 with a Gross of $26,589,355 in the USA alone (IMDb.com). Most notable of the cast are actors Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee and Michael Bates. According to film critic James Berardinelli, “A Clockwork Orange is not an easy motion picture to absorb or digest.” Oddly, the sex and violence are easier to take than the razor-sharp edge of Kubrick's satire and the corresponding awareness of its pinpoint accuracy when addressing the issue of the dehumanization of people” (Berardinelli). Roger Ebert thought the movie was overhyped compared to its worth. He felt that the movie was an artistic sin. “It is just plain talky and boring. You know there's something wrong with a movie when the last third feels like the last half” (Rogerebert.com). The audience reactions all seem to say the same thing: “Brilliant movie”, “a gem of an art piece”, “sensational”, “the number one film of all time on my charts”(IMDb Reviews), with many claiming that it has to be watched more than once to truly appreciate the film. The movie has earned a 91% "Certified Fresh" ra...

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