Clockwork Orange
1) The novel “Clockwork Orange” by Anthony Burgess and its film adaptation by Stanley Kubrick both can be interpreted different ways depending which version you experienced. There are multiple differences between the film adaptation and the novel. One difference is that Stanley kubrick direction with the main character Alex. Alex appears to be more likeable compared to his novel counterpart. Kubrick interpretation of the novel for the film create the idea that Alex is just a product of his environment and creates the idea of sympathy when we witness the struggles Alex faces after his treatment with Ludovico. Another difference with the film and novel is the ending between the two.The Film adaptation leans towards a happy ending where Alex regains his true self and is given a government job after the fail treatment he received in prison from Ludovico. However in the novel the book come in full circle where Alex finds a new group of droogs and begins a new moral transformation on himself on understanding the wrongs he did.
2) The use of Mise en scene in “Clockwork Orange” is effective for example the first scene of the film. The intro scene creates a scene of a gloomy dystopian feel where the protagonist alex and his droogs sit comfortably in a milk bar that filled with erotic fetish involving sex.Additionally the film displays the idea of order meaning the government idea for reforms is either hypnotizing criminals or ironically using thugs and turning them into police to like Dim and Billy Boy to enforce law by using force to maintain order.
3) I believe the idea of mass pornography images and constant fear of violence is based of Alex philosophy. Alex believes sex and violence are true human behaviors and is stupid to ignore theses desires.Throughout the story characters use violence to enforce the act of rape or what the film calls it as “Ultra violence”
4) Furthermore since the dystopian society the Alex resides in focusing on sex and violence,Ludovico approach of brainwashing was not a good attempt of combating the problem.This is true because yes the procedure prevented Alex from committing violent crimes,but his thought still desired these acts however was too sick to attempt these actions.Alex did not see the error or his ways or feel sympathy for his victims.At the end of the novel we see that Ludovico procedure was a failure and tried to attempt to bribe Alex into keeping his mouth shut about his experience.
5) The free will of criminals should be respected for the sense that if you properly rehabilitate a individual they shouldn’t be seen as evil.In this case Alex will did prevent him from committing acts which eventually conditioned him to where he couldn’t defend himself from harm but only made him desire them more which eventually desired to commit suicide.This is one of the two outcomes of not respecting criminal who are trying to better themselves they will either commit suicide or not properly understand the error of their ways if brainwashing is the only treatment available.
6) The prisons in idea of rehabilitation of criminals were brainwashing. This was a failed attempt to decrease overcrowding because criminals don’t create morally good decisions based off impulse,but throughout the act of their free will being taken away preventing conditioning to act good through treatment that forces them to be unlike themselves to more equivalent to drones.
7) Throughout the film involving prisons the idea of religion does not have much effect for the inmates. This could be most cases of one’s belief of god or the idea of religion being forced upon by the government. Religion can serve as a bases or guide on how to live life or understanding right from wrong. Religion can only help in preventing crimes only through the fear of god and fear of eternal damnation which scares you and condition you from doing wrong.
8) In the final act of the film Alex recovers from the brainwashing,implying he will be up to his old ways again with the help of the government.This serves a different interpretation compared to the novel because Alex believes he grown up and turns away the idea of violence which led up to consequences. Through these consequences Alex was able to grow and understand how to make moral choices he would eventually hope to pass off to his son in the future.The film does not add this sentimental moment of character growing up and changing his perspective of life.
