Stanley Kubrick's 1971 film A Clockwork Orange remains almost 40 years after its release one of the most controversial films ever produced. Due to crimes in England that were inspired by the movie, and threats to him and his family, Kubrick had the film withdrawn from public viewing in Great Britian. It wasn't until after the director's 1999 death that the film was shown in England again.

A Clockwork Orange is certainly a difficult film to watch. It is very violent and disturbing. And the question is, did Kubrick go too far? I say no. I feel that to tell the story that he wanted to tell, Kubrick had to make the film difficult to watch. He was painting a portrait of a future where violence among youth is out of control. And the only way that the governemnt could put an end to this violence is to condition the young people to suffer great physical and mental pain when they feel like they are going to act violently. The good side of this conditioning is that it takes away the young people's will to commit violent acts, but in a sense it is also taking away their freewill. When the only way that the government can put a stop to violence is to take away people's freewill, is society being asked to pay too high a price? This is the question that this film is asking.

Any thoughts?

Excellent film, and quite difficult to watch (at least the first 15 or so minutes when the gang is out roughing it up a'la Ultra-Violence). Malcolm McDowell truly made the part his own and gave one of the most chilling (and surprisingly comic) performances of the 70s. The book, which I read many years later, is also very good.

This movie forever ruined the song "Singin' in the Rain"!

It's quite a masterpiece, yes, but would I watch it a 2nd time? Absolutely not.

Well said, Mike. I remember the first time I sat down to watch it, and how I couldn't stop thinking about moments throughout. Bizarre, difficult to watch at times, but a truly memorable and excellent piece of work in my opinion.

Sometimes... one has to push that envelope, to go where others don't and doing so, he gave us something that will be forever talked about, a film that does paint a picture.