A Clockwork Orange
Science Fiction
Warner Bros.  (1971) 137 mins R (Restricted)

8.5 (152,782 votes) Top 250: #50
Set in a dystopic England of the future where gangs roam the streets, do drugs, and speak a slang language based on Russian, it follows the story of young delinquent Alex (Malcolm McDowell). Alex's love for cruelty and rape is only overshadowed by his love of classical music. After committing a terrible crime he is sent to a detention facility where he is subjected to a new technique for rehabilitating criminals. This technique involves forcing the subjects to watch films of violence while under the influence of drugs that cause pain. This technique creates an association in the subject between violence and pain and essentially cures Alex of his violent impulses. Unfortunately, the soundtracks of these films is the same classical music Alex once loved, and he necessarily comes to associate this music with extreme physical pain as well. After his release from the hospital, he wanders the ...

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Cast and Crew
Patrick Magee  ......  Frank Alexander
Malcolm McDowell  ......  Alex DeLarge / Narrator / Prisoner 655321
Warren Clarke  ......  Dim / Officer Corby
Michael Bates  ......  Chief Guard Barnes
Adrienne Corri  ......  Mrs. Alexander
Carl Duering  ......  Dr. Brodsky
Director  .....  Stanley Kubrick
Producer  .....  Stanley Kubrick; Bernard Williams; Si Litvinoff
Writer  .....  Stanley Kubrick; Anthony Burgess
Cinematography  .....  John Alcott
Musician  .....  Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov; Edward Elgar; Ludwig van Beethoven; Gioacchino Rossini; Wendy Carlos; Nacio Herb Brown; Henry Purcell
Notes
Goofs:
Factual errors: The wine Alex drinks appears far too light in color to be a 10 year old Médoc. Kubrick did use the actual wine described by Alex (specifically a 1960 Chateau Beau Site Haut Vignoble). But after each take water was added, ostensibly to keep the wine level consistent without intoxicating Malcolm McDowell. By the time Kubrick got what he wanted the wine was visibly watered down. (more)

Trivia:
The large yellow book in the tray on the prison governor's desk is actually a "Wisden Cricketers' Almanack". (more)

Filming Locations:
Albert Bridge, Battersea, London, England, UK (more)

Quotes:
[first lines]
Alex: There was me, that is Alex, and my three droogs, that is Pete, Georgie, and Dim, and we sat in the Korova Milkbar trying to make up our rassoodocks what to do with the evening. The Korova milkbar sold milk-plus, milk plus vellocet or synthemesc or drencrom, which is what we were drinking. This would sharpen you up and make you ready for a bit of the old ultra-violence.
(more)

Awards:
Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 12 nominations (more)