Introduction
A Clockwork Orange is a film directed by Stanley Kubrick that satirizes the modern world. It is a fantasy and science fiction film featuring the 1960s in England. The story and plot are linearly structured as it gives a chronology of events as they happen. The filmmaker organized the story to offer the audience a simple and continuous sequence in the narrative. It has a setup followed by an inciting incident or conflict, which then has its climax and resolution. Alex leads a small gang of thugs who commit several crimes. They beat and rape women at the beginning of the film. This is the scene where the inciting incident begins, followed by a climax as he gets arrested and thrown into jail to undergo experimental therapy (Madsen, 2020, p. 43). Alex’s behavior is manipulated when he is subjected to experimental treatment; however, his transformation is not genuine after his release. The paper below will analyze A Clockwork Orange, the themes present, characters, and cinematography used in the film.
Major Themes of the Film
Morality
The central theme of morality defines whether it is right to use therapy to stop immoral behaviors. After aversion therapy, Alex involuntary becomes a reformed member of society and feigns his new behaviour (Madsen, 2020, p. 44). A Clockwork Orange poses the question of whether it is ethical to force people to change their way of being. As seen in the film, the government subjected Alex to aversion therapy against his own will, which is not morally right. The author shames the totalitarian government for going against human rights.
Freewill and Fate
Freewill and fate is another theme that is depicted in the film. It portrays that it is pointless to change an individual against their will. Throughout the film, it can be noted that human behavior is predictable, and thus it is impossible to be corrected externally. The prison chaplain states that “when a man cannot choose, he ceases to be a man”. One’s free will gets undermined when one freedom of choice is taken. Alex was stripped of his free will and fate when he was subjected to involuntary stimuli (Madsen, 2020, p. 42). Even after his release, society does not become a better place for Alex. The film’s other meaning is that artificial interference collides with the natural course of events.
Inherent Evil Will of Government
The author of the film depicts the theme of the inherent evil will of government. He uses it to stress how severe the government meddles in people’s businesses. In the film, the interior minister approved the therapy citing it as a greater societal good to prevent wrongdoing. The government did not care about individuals’ consequences (Madsen, 2020, p. 46). It also emphasizes how those in powerful positions have power over individual will. The government interferes with personal affairs and thus infringes on human rights. As much as the government tried to solve crimes, the personal choice belongs to human nature, and they can act freely according to their preferences.
Effects of Cinematography and Symbolism Have on The Audience
The film director Kubrick staged the violent scenes as the center of A Clockwork Orange to create an artistic detachment that matches that of Alex. The filmmaker uses the camera as a primary narrator, which captures many visual scenes. The camera shots offer a close up of the bloody battles, making them look more acrobatic than a gang fight. The director of the film uses his directional vision to give the audience experience of violence. A wide-angle lens was intentionally used to distort the screen’s view and emphasize the characters’ disconnection. Additionally, slow-motion was also used to give the brutal shots the aesthetic value of the film’s decaying core.
In shooting the film, many scenes were shot with natural light. The director was determined to use handheld cameras in the singing in the rain rape scene, which expressly provided an intimacy that intensified the scene’s savagery. Then as the camera is being switched swiftly, it gives the audience a sense of disorientation. The milk bar where Alex and his droogs hang out provides the audience with an image of innocence. It reflects on the main character’s nature, which is childlike and brutal at the same time. The film’s artwork also presents a series of images of women being represented as less human or mannequins. The mannequins at the milk bar suggest a cold impersonality that women are given in society.
The film is full of invented slang, most of which is adapted from the Russian language. The juvenile slang has a Russian influence, and it is intended to draw the audience into the modern world. The use of slang demonstrates how words can reflect people’s characters. From the description and tone of Alex, it shows how he is a disturbed child and detached from society.
Analysis of Characters Beyond Their Personage
In the film, Alex is a round character and possesses many traits, whereas the rest are flat characters exhibiting a few characteristics. Alex is a protagonist who paints a picture of violence in the world in which he sees his behavior as natural and beautiful. He finds pleasure in doing evil and enjoys the power he has over his fellow droogs. The prison chaplain is a character that portrays blindness to reality. He believes that Alex will reform after studying the bible and contemplating the evils of sin. On the contrary, he is not and feigns bible study while making reference to being a roman guard at the crucifixion of Christ. The prison chaplain is the film’s moral voice, and he challenges the brutal opportunism of those in power to pursue a program supposed to reform prisoners (Madsen, 2020, p. 41). The minister of interior, who is calm, wants to use brutality to enforce the law and seeks power at any cost.
Political and Ideological Statement of The Filmmaker in The Film
The film portrays a respectable society in social decay, presenting a picture of violence on the rise. A Clockwork Orange is an expression of the political culture that still resonates with modern Britain. The film director passes the view that the government is circumventing the rule of law and oppressing the less privileged. As evident in the film, the totalitarian government does not protect citizens’ constitutional and natural rights (Madsen, 2020, p. 40). The film serves to explore the nature of juvenile punishment and the importance of preventing unusual punishment. From a political standpoint, there is an alliance between the authorities and prisoners. The filmmaker thinks politicians are not suitable for making technical decisions, but the minister of interior goes ahead and uses his power to oppress prisoners.
Conclusion of The Film Analysis
In conclusion, the film employs violent images to comment on juvenile gangs and sociopolitical subjects in near-future Britain. A Clockwork Orange is a film that applies symbolism and several cinematographic skills to capture the audience’s attention. The film’s primary conflict is society’s desire to control conflicts with individual choice, thus portraying a bad future for humanity. It has major themes, including free will, morality, and the government’s inherent evil will. The characters display different personas that collaboratively contribute to the themes of the film.
Reference
Madsen, E. (2020). A Malenky review of a clockwork orange and attitudes towards behavior therapies. Studies in Arts and Humanities, 6(1), 40-46.