Cinephilia and Beyond

Malcolm McDowell is incredibly interesting to listen to. He seems to have a caustic sense of humor and you can tell from the tone of his voice and what he says that he and Kubrick didn’t always see eye to eye on everything. A brilliant commentary that acts as a great accompaniment to a brilliant film. Well worth a listen and well worth returning to more than once.

Great Bolshy Yarblockos! Making ‘A Clockwork Orange’ (2007). In this documentary, we follow Stanley Kubrick as he creates one of the most controversial films of all time, one that retains its power to shock audiences, even after 35 years. At the time of its release, A Clockwork Orange created a firestorm of controversy. Through interviews with collaborators, filmmakers, screenwriters and authors, we come to appreciate Stanley Kubrick as an artist unafraid to take risks and court controversy, committed unwaveringly to his single-minded goal: the highest artistic quality of his films. In the short running time we learn why Kubrick originally turned the story down only to change his mind and (as usual) go through several different screenplays before finally getting one he likes. The production of the film also gets some good stories including how Kubrick got “Singin’ in the Rain” to be in the film and the eventually falling out between him and star McDowell.

Still Tickin’: The Return of A Clockwork Orange is a wonderful documentary that looks at the controversy surrounding the film and the iconic status of the film. The documentary is essentially a talking heads production, but everybody has something interesting to say. It features directors from other films and how they were influenced by Kubrick and A Clockwork Orange.

An examination of Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange in the year which marks the 20th anniversary of Kubrick’s decision to ban the film from UK distribution. It was blamed for an outbreak of violence and rapes. The programme questions whether it is right for Kubrick to continue to ban the film because of its effects on a small minority.

For your reading pleasure: A Clockwork Orange Screenplay by Stanley Kubrick. Based on the novel by Anthony Burgess [pdf].

NOTE: All material for educational purposes only.