Clockwork orange: A marxian analysis?

[Rafiq]

What do you make of it? Bourgeois postmodernism? Conservativism?

Any links of some sort of analysis or criticism

[Rafiq]

Well?

[Искра]

I don't get the hype with that movie. It's fucking boring and I'm a skinhead.

I guess it's about conservativism. I have to be honest - I couldn't watch it till the end.

[Rafiq]

Alright guys, at least link the part of Zizek's a perverts guide to cinema that talks about it

[blake 3:17]

...

[Lenina Rosenweg]

I liked CO. This has something of a Situationist view of OC which is interesting.


What this mainly illustrates in light of A Clockwork Orange is the situationists’ insistence on creating ‘situations’ as pockets of resistance to this onset of the apathy-stricken spectacle. Well this is exactly what this gang of Droogs have accomplished. They have completely rejected the spectacular system of mindless commodity consumption. For example, their all white Droog-attire is as far from branded commodity as you could get. Instead, they have created their own rules and their own situation in an attempt to satisfy real ‘needs’ as opposed to the ‘pseudo-needs’ described above by Debord. It is then the system’s aim for the rest of the film to destroy Alex’s ‘needs’ and to replace his more intellectually challenged Droogs’ ‘needs’ with ‘pseudo-needs’ beneficial to the system. This was already evident with their greedy aspirations for “big money” leading to Alex’s demise, yet not really knowing why they wanted it. Then in Alex’s absence, this is topped off with them being subsumed into the system as crooked police officers.
The Droogs’ belief that they can simply create their own situation introduces the film’s simultaneous critique of the system, as well as the critique of this critique. There are few people that could look upon the Droogs with sympathetic eyes, or excuse their shenanigans. From the home invasion of the rural, middle class academic’s house, (a character I will come onto in a minute), to the murder of a pretentious cat-lady with a massive phallus-prop. No, these are not sympathetic characters and for this reason, it steers away from preaching an angle, from ramming meaning down the viewer’s throat: something like ‘look at these heroes of the youth defying the system’. Rather, it is much more ambiguous, constantly asking questions of the viewer.


http://hopelies.com/2011/06/06/hegemonic-readjustment-of-preference-and-desire-a-clockwork-orange/

Sixth para down.

[Jimmie Higgins]

I've never read the book but have seen the movie a number of times. Like most Kubrick's movies it's beautifully shot but pretty cold and cynical.

Many Kubrick movies seem to deal with the ideas of an individual coming up against a very immobile and cold system which could be a system of governing, more often society, or even a haunted house or evil computer with an agenda. This movie definately fits in with this though it's been a while since I watched it so if people agree with that view of the movie, maybe they can add some depth. It's like the character is first morally restrained by people he knows in society, then he gets locked up so he is physically restrained, and of course then he is mentally restrained through brain-washing. According to the end of the movie - none of these attempts work.

After reading the 1984 thread, I think 1984 seems to have a much more interesting take on this same individual vs. conformity idea though I haven't read that book since high school and disliked the book at the time - probably because I had hoped it would be more like the 1970s sci-fi movies about autocratic distopian futures that I grew up on. Xardoz.

This individual vs. the machine/conformity is a popular post-war theme, but I like Heller and Vonnegut's take on it better, personally. But the movie Clockwork is really a good showcase for Kubrick's skills and the ultra-violence of the characters is contrasted nicely with the director's restrained and pulled-back style.

[Ethics Gradient, Traitor For All Ages]

I thought the implication of the movie was that the society was the result of a failed left-wing government, with the decaying brutalist architecture and all. I mean I guess it could also be a criticism of youth culture, but on both points I think it fails to deliver any meaningful critique. It's an entertaining movie but I don't think there is a whole lot to analyze in it.

[Xylophage]

Clockwork Orange satirizes bourgeois manners and morals, but the author seems to argue that evil cannot and should not be eradicated, contrary to the teachings found in the Marxist-Leninist classics.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Clockwork Orange satirizes bourgeois manners and morals, but the author seems to argue that evil cannot and should not be eradicated, contrary to the teachings found in the Marxist-Leninist classics.
i dont remember reading about evil

[artanis17]

I also think that the film is overrated

[ellipsis]

book is much darker, alex is a peado, etc.

movie is great, both are an allegory for repressive social institutions, biopower and much more. not to mention the score on the film is top notch. also the cockney/nadsat has become a legit, cultural meme, (ultra-violence,etc.) as have so much of the film (alex's eye's pried open eg)

[#FF0000]

but the author seems to argue that evil cannot and should not be eradicated, contrary to the teachings found in the Marxist-Leninist classics.

what the fuck are you talking about

[blake 3:17]

Clockwork Orange satirizes bourgeois manners and morals, but the author seems to argue that evil cannot and should not be eradicated, contrary to the teachings found in the Marxist-Leninist classics.

Can others refer to classical Marxist texts which refer to "evil"? I think the broader socialist & anarchist traditions are better on this.

[Luís Henrique]

Can others refer to classical Marxist texts which refer to "evil"? I think the broader socialist & anarchist traditions are better on this.

Hm, let's see...

The Origin of Evil, Private Property and State, by Engels
The Development of Evil in Russia, by Lenin
Questions of Evil, by Stalin
Das Böse, by Karl Marx
The Accumulation of Evil, by Rosa Luxemburg
The Evil Book, by Mao Zedong

etc.

:rolleyes:

Luís Henrique

[Veovis]

Hm, let's see...

The Origin of Evil, Private Property and State, by Engels
The Development of Evil in Russia, by Lenin
Questions of Evil, by Stalin
Das Böse, by Karl Marx
The Accumulation of Evil, by Rosa Luxemburg
The Evil Book, by Mao Zedong

etc.

:rolleyes:

Luís Henrique

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_liwvb3yfZp1qdgu7s.jpg