We argue that A Clockwork Orange forces the viewer to feel sympathy for a violent protagonist and then strips that sympathy away to examine human nature, free will, and rehabilitation. I find the film powerful but uneven because Stanley Kubrick’s visuals sometimes pull focus from the core themes. I also say that Malcolm McDowell carries the film and makes us feel both repulsion and pity. We discuss the film’s realistic dystopian hints and how those hints make us uncomfortable about the state of society. I recommend reading the book for more nuance, because it deepens the themes and makes the mirror the film holds up feel even closer. We conclude that the movie is a lasting conversation piece that makes you feel and think, even when it makes you feel gross.

Visit Our Sponsor: https://dubby.gg

10% Off Code: OURVERDICT

Support us:

https://www.patreon.com/whatsourverdict

Email us:

[email protected]

Follow us:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatsourverdict

Twitter: @whatsourverdict

Instagram: @whatsourverdict

YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC-K_E-ofs3b85BnoU4R6liA

Visit us:

www.whatsourverdict.com

I don't know what I would do.

Like, I want to think that I would be a good person, but I think I know myself better than that.

Right.

Like, oh, I'm not gonna be a good person at all.

Yeah.

Like I.

Some kids.

Thanks for the cold open AL.

Kids.

Oh, that was great.

Welcome to the what's Already podcast where we fashion ourselves cinematic judge and jury.

My name is JJ Crowder, here with my co host, Alec Burgess.

Let's get it.

We appreciate you tuning in.

Go and hit that Follow, subscribe like bell notification buttons.

Helps you keep up with the podcast, new episodes, all that fun stuff.

What else can help us grow the podcast is by you telling a friend about us, family member about us.

You know, this is a.

This is one of those months where.

I. Yeah, I feel like we're.

We've had a lot of months this year where I'm like, don't.

I can't tell you to say, tell somebody about us that's related to this movie.

I. I don't need any futuristic psychopaths in my life.

Yeah.

So anyway, but tell your friends and family and co workers and all that fun stuff.

We appreciate that.

So we are into week two of I. Yeah.

August, September.

September.

I'm losing track of the month.

September.

Jesus.

And it's Kubrick month.

But before we get into the movie for the week, go check out.

I'm always backwards.

Go check out W. GG they make energy supplements, if you will, in the form of a powder.

They are upgrading a lot of their flavors.

In fact, right now, if you go hang out, like, you can actually get on their website and make recommendations for new flavors.

It's kind of cool.

So they're always doing things like that, nice deals, things like that.

But one of the things that they do is partner with us, is allow us to give a 10 off discount when you place an order with them.

So at W. Gg, pick all the cool energy supplements that are made with this green coffee bean extract that you like.

The flavors, whatever, try them out.

There's all sorts of them, tons of them.

The cups to go with it, Swag if you want it.

And then, yeah, you can use the code.

Our verdict, all one word at check out to get 10 off.

That's our verdict.

All one word.

It will get you 10% off.

And it gets us a little bit of a commission, which we appreciate, helps keep the podcast moving forward and.

Yeah, so go check them out.

I really like it.

I drink it all the time.

If you're watching on YouTube, you can see one of my replacement tubs.

This is my second tub of the Rainbow Serbet Sherbet.

I don't know, it depends on how you pronounced it when you were a kid.

Sorbet.

Yes.

Or bay if you're fancy.

But yeah, it's.

It tastes very much like rainbow cerbert.

So anyway, go try it out with that.

Let's jump into this week's episode.

And again, it is A Clockwork Orange.

It was written by Stanley Kubrick.

It was directed by Stanley Kubrick.

It stars Malcolm McDowell, Patrick McGee, Michael Bates, Warren Clark, John Clive, Adrian, Corey, Carl During, Paul Farrell, Miriam Carlin, Madge Ryan and Godfrey Quigley.

It is about Alex the Large and his droogs.

They barbarize a decaying near future.

That's a not a very good synopsis.

That's a lazy ass synopsis is what that is.

Yeah, sorry about the bump there.

But those movies, my movies.

So I guess I get to start this conversation.

You do.

This movie's always been a bit of a conundrum for me because I like the themes and I like, like what they're trying to talk about.

Like, so the whole theme of like human nature and can we change and can we be rehabilitated from certain behaviors and is it a forced rehabilitation?

Is there actually proper ways?

Like, I love the idea of these concepts.

And then I have a, an absolute adoration of Malcolm McDowell.

Like we've talked about it, I think on this podcast before when he's been in movies.

And the man is a chameleon because you watch this.

And then he does like.

I don't know if you ever watched the TV shows, it was a goofy lawyer show.

God, 10, 15 years ago with Zach Morris, the Dude, Mike Mark, Paul Gosseller, and I can't remember the other two,.

But I know what you're talking about.

Franklin and Bash was the name of it.

And he's like this head lawyer that's just kind of weird.

Then you see him in Superman, but like the man, the guy goes everywhere and he's different and like you're like, that's Malcolm McDowell.

Jesus Christ.

So I love him and he makes this movie in my.

I mean, if it weren't for him, this movie would be terrible.

Yeah, we wouldn't have our poor narrator.

So.

Yeah, we'll talk about that too.

But like, yeah, it's just one of those things where I'm like, it's a double edged sword for me because there are so many things that I love about what they're trying to do with this movie.

But again, I feel like Stanley Kubrick gets in his own way more often than not.

And so a lot of the theming and what they're trying to explore in this movie gets lost in the weird visuals.

Because this movie I really like, most of the time, Kubrick's visualizations of things.

But this one is weird.

And I don't like it as much, I. I think because it's the futuristic piece of it, and they're trying to make it look anyway.

There's so many things we can talk about with this movie, but that's my issue, is I love what they're trying to do.

I just don't think they pulled it off in general.

I think there's pieces of it that work, and I think there's pieces of it that I'm like, yeah, yeah.

I'm like Leonardo DiCaprio in the chair.

Yes, this is good.

Do more of this.

And then there's like, the.

Are we doing?

And so it's like, yeah, it's.

It's.

It's a weird one for me.

The cubic isms pull me out of the movie.

And then.

But the.

In general.

And it goes back.

If you've never read the book, go read the book.

Absolutely Astounding novel because it covers what it's supposed to cover, and it leans into the theming that we've talked about.

But anyway, that's why I picked this movie, because it's.

It's one.

It's.

It's arguably one of the more famous Stanley Kubrick movies.

Like, people say Kubrick, and there's about three or four movies, and this one's usually on that list, so.

But two, it's.

I think it's a good discussion point.

Whether the movie's good or not.

I think there's a lot to discuss, so I'll pass it on to you.

What about you, my friend?

What is your.

I'm.

I'm in a little bit of the same boat.

Because what I don't necessarily love is when I get manipulated in the movie, but I can recognize it for what it is.

I'm like, ooh, well played.

And so what Kubrick does in this extraordinarily well is he takes the most terrible human to ever exist, and he makes you feel sorry for him.

That's fair, but it's not permanent.

And it's very much like Kubrick almost gloating in a way, when he's doing it because you feel sorry for your poor narrator.

It's true.

About five minutes.

There's five minutes of screen time, maybe 10, where you are sitting there going, man, that sucks.

That really sucks.

And for me, it's from the point where he, like, leaves his parents house right after he's been released to when he starts singing at the old guy's house.

Yeah.

It's right in there.

It goes away real quick.

Then it goes away real quick.

And then you're sitting there going, God damn it.

Yeah.

Because.

Because you should not feel sorry for, you know, Alex, the tall, the large, whatever it was.

Yeah.

And.

But he makes you feel bad.

And you start thinking, oh, man, that.

That actually sucks.

This or that or everything.

Oh, that sucks.

And then it wraps it up and you get to the end where he has not changed at all.

And so then you're like, son of a.

Or at least I'd hope that you're sitting there.

Yeah.

And come to the realization, like, God damn it.

And so I think Kubrick does a brilliant job there because it also can bring into account a lot of different things that we see around the world all the time about how much empathy or sympathy or whatever it is do you give out to someone, how many chances should they get?

Or, you know, we get violent news all the time, and we're not even technically in a dystopian situation.

Like, is shown here.

Yeah.

And you have this.

You know, how much is too much?

How much forgiveness is there?

How much do you empathize.

Yeah.

With someone who isn't changing, doesn't want to change, and only, you know, presumed to change to get out of their situation.

But he adds in this little.

You know, it's that choice matter that gets taken away.

And so it's.

It's like there's these circumstances that Kubrick is just almost messing with the recipe.

And he's like, a little bit of this, a little bit of that, a little bit of this.

And at the end, I'm sitting there going, son of a.

Got me.

Because there is a genuine 5, 10 minutes of this movie where I'm kind of going, man, that sucks.

And then he flips the switch back.

I'm like, son of a. Yeah.

And so from that standpoint, I think it's like one of his better movies.

And then almost like the.

The crowning jewel of Stanley Kubrick is this right here.

But then we have the other side of it where it's that stuff that's in the background that I'm like, I would love to see more of that, which is dystopian side.

Yes.

And we get a little snippet of it where, you know, as soon as he gets turned on by his buddies, when they become cops, and he's.

Before he starts singing in the tub, right?

We get this little snippet of, like, what's happening in the wider world, which is, you know, governments are starting to collapse, economics are starting to collapse.

You have thugs being imported into the police force to rule with absolute terror type of a thing.

And so that's, that's the little nugget where I'm like, ooh, I want more of that.

And I don't get that.

I just get more titties because it's.

Stanley Kubrick dude so bad.

It's so much.

So, yeah, gratuitous.

And so it's.

That's, that's the missing piece for me.

And I don't know if it's the same for you where I want to see more of the wider world of what's going on.

And it gets hinted at, but I don't get enough of it to really kind of be satisfied.

Yeah, and I think, yeah, exactly.

And I hinted at it.

But, yeah, there's a lot that I'm like, I like the world building.

I like the.

But I'm also a huge fan of dystopian stories because I am a firm believer.

And this goes like, this is one of the reasons that I like this movie and it appeals to me and it resonates with me is because the, the idea of global collapse to me is so realistic that, like.

And while most movies get it, in my opinion, what will be 100 wrong.

I, I, I foresee.

Not in the far.

Not in the terribly far distance, not some dystopian world ending.

We're all goddamn living in a gutter, killing each other.

But there's a, there's some coming and, and there.

And, and we can't.

Anybody that denies it is blind or ignoring it because I'm gonna.

Not to get political here, but the amount of debt that's floating around in a lot of our first world countries, right?

Like, all it takes is one of these countries that owns the debt of the others to call that in.

And we're.

And these countries are.

And then on top.

And we saw a little bit of it with Greece, right?

Like, we're not far from some systemic collapses in our world.

We just aren't.

We're.

We're.

Nobody wants to admit it, but we're hanging by a thread.

And you can see a lot of it in a lot of, like, the social Media.

And it's just like, it's mind blowing that this is real, right?

Like, timing may have been off, but if you look at it, there are some seriously ugly similarities to how.

And, and here's, here's.

I'll make the point by asking you this, Alex, and I'm asking the audience too, right?

Would you be at all surprised in our current state of the world?

And let's.

Let's minimize it down to the country that we live in, right?

In the US Would it be surprising to you at all to meet our lovely narrator or someone on that level?

And.

Oh, no.

In fact, you'd be.

I'd be more shocked if I didn't meet someone that's capable of the.

That we see him doing.

I think, and this is me personal opinion.

Don't come at me.

Can discuss it.

I'm happy to have a conversation with people, but I think there are more people that are willing to do the nasty that we see in our world than we all would care to admit, including myself.

It makes me nauseous to even say that.

But we're not far off.

And I think that's part of the reason.

And I say all of that to circle around and come full circle to say that's, I think, why a lot of us are so intrigued by dystopian worlds and these dystopian films and books and TV shows.

Because we go, I see that, right?

It terrifies me.

But part of the reason this movie is so good is because, at least subjectively, right?

Like, when you look at it, because from that point of view, you're like, we could learn some from this, whether we like it or not, because we all have a visceral reaction to this movie.

You can't help it.

But at the end of the day, we all just kind of put our head in the sand when we're done watching it and going, ah, it's just a movie.

This shit'll never happen.

Off.

Dude, you got a lady on trial right now that murdered her three children.

And we have people defending that, like, actively, loudly going, she's not in the wrong.

Are we talking about right now?

So we get uncomfortable watching movies like this, but there's a lot to learn from it.

Yeah, well, so bring up another point, because it's all about the human nature, right?

Yeah.

And there have been studies, experiments, everything about, you know, what keeps human nature in check.

Right.

And I can't remember, I think it was.

There was some lady who did this kind of experiment where it was like all these different implements.

She just stood there and the kind of instruction was, you can do whatever you want to me.

Right.

It starts off, oh, yeah, yeah.

It starts out very tame.

And then as there's no consequences.

Right.

It got worse and worse and worse as it went on.

And people kind of realized, oh, hey, so it's like that fear of consequence which kind of goes away in a mostly dystopian world.

And so I would say that you have most people who would lean into this lovely narrator kind of stigma, but the only thing that's keeping them in check is that little bit of fear consequence.

But like you said, so I think the actual number.

And you know, come at me in comments if I think the actual number of debt floating around is like 300 trillion.

Yeah.

It's in.

It's big in private debt, which does not mean government at all.

It's private citizens.

300 Trillion in debt.

It's a lot closer to falling over.

Yeah.

Then you can follow the money.

You can see just how much of a house of cards it is.

And you take that away because that would be almost like the last little stitch effort.

Is that financial tied to it before you really tip over.

Now you'll see it because that's what kind of keep everybody in line is, oh, I need this.

You know, I need the job for the money.

I need the money for this.

And I need, need this.

I need this.

I need this.

And you take away that possibility.

Stability.

Good Lord.

And so.

But what I do appreciate about this movie specifically is it's in your face, but not very subtle.

Like, the only thing to really show dystopian besides actions is that there's like trash around.

Yeah.

Right.

It's just.

It's.

Nothing's collapsed like you said.

And living in the gutter, they're living in camps.

It's just quite simply the social services for the most part have stopped.

Yeah.

So you have the trash everywhere, the band of buildings, all these things that are part of what you would see.

Not necessarily a full and total collapse.

We're back in the Stone Age, you know, living.

Living in tribes type of a thing.

Yeah.

So that.

That's the intriguing part of this whole thing.

And so.

Yeah, that's another part where it gets very real.

Yeah.

Uncomfortably so.

Uncomfortably so.

So, Okay, I got another question for you.

Okay.

And I, I mean, I'll answer too, but what does, what does Alec do when it all goes to.

You know what I mean?

Oh, I'm head to the res.

With you.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Nobody, nobody's gonna go to the Res for anything.

Yeah.

But.

Because there's no value there other than the casinos.

Yeah.

And what does that do for you at that point?

Right.

The value is only what you bring with you.

Exactly.

And so for, for me, it's, it's get out.

Like, I've got enough kind of squirreled away or put in different places that I'm okay.

Right.

I can, I can eat for a year.

Yeah.

Before, I had to go to a grocery store that no longer exists.

But it's.

It's one of those things where I just get out and go to the res and slowly die there.

That's fair.

That's fair.

I like, because I live, like, so in the middle of, like, you know, this weird community state.

I don't know what I would do.

Like, I want to think that I would be a good person, but I think I know myself better than that.

Right.

Like, oh, I'm not gonna be a good person at all.

Yeah.

Like I, I them kids.

Thanks for the cold open,.

Kids.

Oh, that was great.

No, I, But I.

Listen, human nature is to take care of yourself on your own.

Right.

And then so when everything goes to like.

And we've seen it, right.

Like, and that's what I say too.

And I.

We're not even talking about this movie, but this is what I love about.

This movie, is that it gives that conversation.

Yeah.

There's a lot to.

In fact, for all I may not like about this movie, there's one thing that cannot be denied about it and is that it is, it is a huge conversation piece.

And there are so many things to talk about surrounding this film.

And to me, that's always the one thing that always comes up every time I've ever watched this movie when I'm done, is that I think, what would I.

Where is my line?

Right?

Where is the line that I'm not willing to cross?

Or is there a line?

I don't know.

I.

Because I also know how.

How feverishly I would protect those that I care about.

Right.

And how I don't know that there's a line I wouldn't cross to make sure that my family and loved ones are safe and taken care of.

And I'm like you, I, I'm.

I'm becoming smarter the Older I get and realizing that, and I see the writing on the wall, so I have things in place to hopefully make things easier.

But.

And I'm with you.

Like, I love the idea of going out to the Res because, again, I.

You know, I've spent a lot of time in the reservations, and there's more space, and there's more.

You know what I mean?

There's less temptation around, oh, we're gonna go do this and that, because on a certain level, unfortunately, they're.

They're.

They're used to that style of living, of doing what needs to be done to take care of each other and what.

You know what I mean?

And that community is very different.

It just is.

And.

And I say that not as a bad thing.

I say that 100%.

Going the res is a pretty good idea.

So I'll probably give you a phone call when that starts to get scarier.

Like, hey, where are we going?

Which one we hitting up?

Because I'll get in the car, buddy, and I'll bring all my supplies, and you have yours and I have mine, and perfect.

We'll be all set.

But, like, that's the.

Yeah, I think that's, for me, is the question that I always go to is, like, where is that line?

Is there a line?

And.

And so is there a line of demarcation for you that you would not cross if the world goes to hell tomorrow?

Oh, no.

Everything's on the table.

But that goes back to, like, the only reason why everything's not on the table right now is because there's rules.

Right.

There's consequences for what you do, but you take away those consequences.

Yeah.

There's not a lot to go to.

And so it goes back to what you kind of said.

Right.

You protect you and yours.

Yeah.

And the problem that you.

That you start to see is in this movie is that they're the poor narrator and his buddies.

They don't have necessarily a them and theirs except for each other.

True.

So now it switches from that almost protective kind of thing to a more aggressive type of thing and go get what you can type of deal, which is what we see going through.

And so that would probably be the line if there was one.

For me, it's like, okay, get what I need, not what I can.

Yeah.

Or go for what I need, not what I can.

But, yeah.

I mean, if anybody's interested, go check out the US Bond fiasco.

That's going, oh, God, that'll get you in the similar mindset.

So many things.

It also kind of like, again.

And this is probably a Malcolm McDowell thing, right?

Just the way he plays Alex.

Yeah.

Throughout.

Everything is very, very good in this uncaring, not really concerned, type of happy, carefree, go, lucky attitude throughout the entire thing until it's literally taken away from him to be able to respond in that way.

Yeah, yeah.

So it's like.

But as soon as he can again, he's right back in it.

Well, and I think that for me is like the.

That switch, like, and.

And I go to rehabilitation, right?

So.

And I don't.

And I think you've hit the nail on the head, too.

So I think of, like, I have a couple of buddies that have spent some time in prison.

And it's an interesting conversation because you know me, I'm not.

I'll ask whatever.

So I, you know, I'll tell them, hey, like, if I cross a line of what I'm asking, you tell me to shut the up and I will gladly.

We can move on.

But I have questions, right.

And so I, you know, I've had a few conversations around.

Like, the whole rehabilitation part to me is always very interesting because I think it's very possible.

I think people can make active change in their life.

I really do.

I think I fully believe that most human beings can make a decision, recognize the poor choice and learn from it and move on to not make that same choice or similar choices based on that learning.

However, I also think that there are people that are 100% chemically imbalanced or have made active choices.

And I think that's the part that a lot of human beings can't wrap their head around, is that there are people.

And I think Alex, as we see in this movie, is one of those people.

It actively chooses to not care about a line or about a poor choice.

Like, he makes choices and his buddies and.

And it's funny because we see different sides of those choices, right?

Because we know that his little Gooners are whatever they are.

I can never.

His little crew, his two buddies, they still make a choice to go become cops because it benefits them, right?

Not because they want to save the world or make the place better.

They just want something that's going to make life easier on them.

And you can see that in the choices and how they handle him coming back and all that stuff.

Alex doesn't hide from the fact that I like doing shitty things.

And the only reason he stops is because it physically hurts him.

Just.

You know what I mean?

Like, and as soon as that lock is unlocked, he's right back.

And there are people in this world that are like that, right?

They're like, I choose to do this because I want to.

It makes me feel good.

I like it.

And off the consequences, right?

I.

It is what it is.

I go to prison, whatever.

And in talking to some of my buddies that.

A couple of these guys that have been there and they're like, it's so different.

And again, this is coming from just two people.

This isn't me trying to say this is the truth or the gospel of being in prison, but their experience and their experience and what they've told me is that those.

Those individuals are easy to find.

He goes, there's usually you'll.

You can put them.

And then the way that you have to categorize everybody is that you do out here in the real world, we go, oh, you can't stereotype and use.

That's bad and wrong.

And they are telling me that you walk into that situation and you.

That's exactly what you do.

Everybody's in a freaking box and everybody.

You live in that box because you have to.

And it's based on the choices that you make and the people that you want to surround yourself with and things like that.

So it's interesting to me because that was one of the things.

He goes, there's a small group of people that, like, people just don't.

They're kind of loners and they're like, there's always.

And from their experience, they're like, everybody's told me in different prisons, blah, blah, blah.

Anyway, there's like some people that you're just like, they're.

No, you just don't.

Right.

Like, you just.

And they don't want to disturb.

They make choices in there because they're probably never leaving.

But they also, like, want to have a.

You know, they don't want to get.

They know if they do the wrong thing too much, then they're gonna have a whole prison full of people taking care of it, right?

So they walk this fine line and.

But he's like, they scared the fuck out of me.

He goes, and he told me a story about a guy.

I'm not going to go into detail.

It's not my story to tell.

But he told me Storm, like, that didn't happen.

He goes, oh, no, motherfucker.

He goes, people would like.

And he goes, I see some of the hardest human being people that I wouldn't want to run into if I had a arsenal.

And I still don't want to mess with them.

Those guys were.

They Walked the other way when there were a couple people.

And he goes.

And I, I always think whenever I watch this movie, after hearing those stories, I go, that's Alex.

Right?

Like, that's the guy that.

He goes to prison.

And you're like, now we're good.

I, I, we steer clear of Alex.

Right.

And so it's just so interesting to me.

I say all that to say, like, I actually don't love this movie.

It's not one of my favorites.

I picked it because it fits the theme and is what it is.

But I don't love this movie because it makes me uncomfortable because of how realistic I think in a lot of ways it is.

And I don't like to face that on some level of.

Because it makes me feel bad for the human race in general that there are people like this.

And in some cases, we fucking celebrate them.

And to your point, this movie puts you in that place where you're like, oh, he's.

Let's go.

This sucks.

Wow.

They did that.

Oh, this.

Right.

Like, and so, I don't know.

It's such a weird dynamic.

And I see it popping up in the real world so much right now where we're celebrating this horrid behavior because it fits a narrative that we think is the right thing.

And that could be any side.

Like I said, you can argue from any side that it's true.

Right.

Like, anyway, it's.

It's all types is what it's happening.

It's just different areas of it.

Yeah.

Or different, you know, parts of the same puzzle.

They're all being filled in together.

And so, yeah, it's.

It's one of those things where this movie, I'm a little bit saying.

But, like, I don't like this movie, but it gets me every single time.

Like, son of a. I even know it's coming.

Yeah, I know it's coming.

I still can't help it.

I. I feel the.

I feel sorry.

And then I'm like, I know what's coming.

And I know I'm gonna hate him again, but in this specific moment, I don't.

And I feel bad for him.

Yep.

Oh.

And it's just.

Yeah.

And then it makes me feel bad.

Yeah, you feel slimy.

And like, I hate when I can relate to, like, that.

And I'm like, oh, no, stop it.

But it's real.

And I'll say this.

So it's probably been 15 years since I watched this movie, and every time I watch it, it's more and more relatable to what I see in the world and I.

That's terrifies me, like, scares the absolute out of me.

But that is why this movie still stands the test of time, I think, because people watch it and it makes you feel a certain kind of way.

And there's no way you can ignore it.

I don't care who you are, if you watch this movie, you feel a certain kind of way.

No matter what that is.

Good, bad, indifferent, it makes you feel some and that.

So say what we will about it.

That.

That's.

That's a.

That's a thing about longevity in movies.

If it makes you feel something.

Well, here's the other thing.

This is on my mind because it.

Something I watched fairly recently.

Like, it's.

This specifically.

Is that dystopian?

We kind of talked about that.

Realistic dystopian.

Yeah.

Right.

But everybody wants to pretend almost that our dystopian future is going to be like, ready Player one?

I'm picking that specifically because I watched it recently.

Gotcha.

But that's a.

That's a typically like.

Oh, that's the good dystopia type, right?

Yeah.

Like everything's more or less still functioning this or that, but it's.

And so everybody almost in pure form to this is ignoring the problems.

Yeah.

Oh, that's what.

That's where we're going.

We're going to the Happy Go Fund Dystopia.

Yeah.

Anniversary.

And so it's like you said, stood the test of time for 50 years because that.

That needle's just getting a little bit.

A little bit closer.

Every single big decision that's made.

And we're not going to end up in the Happy Go Fund Dystopia if we end up in dystopian world.

Probably a lot more similar to this.

Yeah.

Oh, it's gonna be gross.

Human beings are terrible.

Yeah.

Selfish by design.

So should we rate it?

Let's do it.

Oh, my gosh.

I gotta go first.

I hate going first.

That's the only downfall of winning a month, is.

Gotta go first.

Find yourself going first a lot more often.

But we tied this month.

Right.

So it wasn't.

So anyway, A Clockwork Orange.

I'm gonna give it a three.

I.

It's.

This is a weird movie for me because I'm.

I'm.

I'm torn on my rating because a big part of me wants to give it higher because it does have elements that make it relevant across time.

But it was still probably very relevant.

Right.

Because the.

The inadequacy and inadequacies and disgusting nature of some human beings hasn't changed.

It's just how that presents itself.

Looks different now than it did back then.

Right.

So, yeah, we get that now on social media.

Exactly.

It's much more public now versus boxed into your communities and word of mouth.

So that's one twist.

But then there's the other piece of me that I think that, again, Kubrick got in his own way and did Kubrick things.

Right?

Like, so sometimes there's parts of the story where it gets bogged down and in.

In itself.

And I think outside of the re.

Like the Rehabilitation of Alex and, like, the lead up.

So that first probably 45 minutes of this movie.

Because, again, not a long movie, is it?

I don't remember.

This is one that doesn't.

I guess it is long.

2 Hours and 16 minutes.

It doesn't feel long to me.

So maybe the first hour of this movie, I'm like, okay, this is gross.

This.

Why is he the lead of move of this movie?

I don't like him, but I love.

And then you have Malcolm McDowell, who I love, so I'm already on the other side of this going, but Malcolm McDowell's the man.

You know what I mean?

So I love the first half of this movie because it sets the stage.

And then the second half of this movie gets so it slows down narratively because it's like the whole trying to tell us how we should feel versus just letting us feel it.

Right.

If you had just played it out.

You take out some.

A lot of the narration.

Jesus Christ.

The narration in this movie drives me crazy.

And we all know how I feel about that anyway, but it really bothers me in this movie.

And then you slow down the fact that it's, like, all interconnected.

I don't even think we need the amount of time that he spends with his old crew.

Like, that whole thing can be cut down a lot.

Get to the point and let me feel what you want me to feel.

You set it up perfectly, then let it play out.

But Kubrick, you know, we talked about it.

His perfectionism, his detail, attention to detail.

He always has to go one step further than he should in his own mind.

And you can feel that in the back half of this movie.

So I'm Gonna give it a three because I think it is really good.

And Malcolm McDowell carries it.

If it weren't for him, I would hate this movie from start to finish.

But there's just something about him that.

No, he.

He plays it so well that I hate him and feel for him and.

And there's very few people that I think actors that can do that the way that he does.

There's others, but he's one of them.

So three.

For me, I don't like this movie.

Makes me feel really gross.

And so, like, I don't like to watch it because I don't like being.

Having a mirror on some level put up in front of my face.

Like, I. I don't.

I don't love that feeling as much as you.

We all need it sometimes.

I don't love it.

So I don't know when I'll watch this movie again, but I'm sure I will.

But, yeah, it's.

It's.

It's a movie.

All right.

What's your.

What do you give this thing.

I'm gonna come a little bit higher.

Three and a half.

And it's.

It's simply because, like, I.

My emotions get played with, and I hate that.

Yeah.

But I also recognize that it takes a really good story sequence of events to have you take like this.

This movie premise is almost like a bad joke.

Right.

It's almost like Marlon Brando walks into a bar and tells Stanley Kubrick, like, there's no way you can do this.

And Stanley Kubrick says, hold my beer.

Right.

It's like, it's.

He takes one of the most despicable characters in all of cinema history, and he makes me feel bad for him.

Yep.

But it's.

It's one of those things where there's no redemption story.

Right.

It's not a redemption story.

It's just simply playing with your emotions makes you feel bad for the worst person who has ever existed in cinema.

Yeah.

And then pulls the rug out from under you and says, gotcha, bitch.

And.

And just giggles and cackles off into, you know, Stanley Kubrick land.

Yeah.

And you're sat there sitting there going, God damn it.

Because it's like.

It's just.

Stanley Kubrick's a puppet master in this, and he's playing with everybody who sits down and watches it.

And it's.

It's almost like.

It's like, easy mode for him almost.

Right.

No, we've talked about other movies that he's had where it's like, oh, that didn't fit.

That didn't fit.

That didn't fit.

And this one is just like, out of left field.

Hits you with.

It hits you with all the good that Stanley Kubrick.

And so it's.

It's one that I hate watching.

But when I sit down and watch it, even knowing what's coming, I still get my emotions played with, manipulated, and it hates me.

But I got to take your hat off, right?

Be like, okay, well done.

Yeah, well done.

You got me.

And you continue to get me every single time I sit down and watch this movie.

And so it's like, I got to recognize that, but at the same time, I'm in you.

I hate this movie.

Yeah.

And the mirror analogy was pretty good because it's not a far leap, right, from saying, I feel bad for that dude to.

Wait a minute.

How far along on the Alex trail am I?

Type.

And so it's holding that uncomfortable mirror.

I'll be like, okay, let's see.

What's the worst thing I've ever done?

Right.

And having to go through a little bit of that self reflection because it just, you know, it's like feeling sorry for Ted Bundy.

Yeah.

Is essentially was like just absolutely legitimately going, oh, shoot, you know what?

That's kind of sad what happened to Tim Bundy.

Like, I feel bad for him.

Like, that.

That's the comparison.

That it makes you feel gross, makes you feel bad.

And so it's like.

But at the same time, it's almost like a really.

The start of a really bad joke.

Yeah.

That Stanley Kubrick did this.

And encased in this little ball.

Kind of a masterpiece for me.

And so I'll give her three and a half.

But, yeah.

I don't know when I'll watch it again.

Hopefully never.

But I know I will, because if.

For another reason, that it's just a good reminder.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Alex and the Droogs walk into a bar.

Yeah, exactly.

Yeah.

It's a.

It's a.

It's a rough.

Watch this movie.

But I will say this.

If you have not read the book, you should go read the book because.

And I will warn you, you'll feel even more gross when you're done reading the book than you do watching the movie.

But there's so much more nuance and interesting.

Like, you get so much more of what's going on as books do.

Right.

So.

But I recommend it.

Very good book.

Maybe chunk it out.

It's a rough read because again, that mirror is a little close.

Yeah.

You're like, oh, anywho, Alec, tell Everybody where they can find us when we're avoiding all contact with Droogs and Alex and not being rehabilitated if possible.

Yeah, that'd be great.

Best place to find us is on YouTube where you can see our faces as we discuss the uncomfortable truth surrounding this movie or any other movie.

Sad faces, glad faces had face, bad faces, whatever you want to call them, they're all there.

Secondly, best place to get involved with the content creation of the podcast is on Patreon at what's our virtual reviews?

We run votes every month for categories and then we run votes for movies within said categories.

So Patreon what server reviews?

Join for free to vote.

Best place to get involved with the actual content creation because now these votes have consequences.

So we're all about that.

Behind a little bit of paywall on Patreon is access to almost 700 episodes of bonus content.

Everything from bloopers and outtakes all the way up to full length movies of movies that we watched so you wouldn't have to.

But remarkably, that distinction of what you shouldn't watch versus what we will upon the podcast is shrinking.

There is some bonus content behind a little bit of paywall, but there is a lot of it.

So if you're whatsoever needs are not being met, we would appreciate some Patreon added.

Special thanks to our current patrons, Rich and CB you guys are amazing for suggesting wonderful topics like this one.

Thanks Charles.

And finally, go get your W GG 10% off.

You use our code R verdict all one word because you can get your energy supplement that's made from.

I'm gonna do it Green coffee bean extract.

Nailed it.

With that I will kick it back to the titan of terror, the great bambino.

A JJ who is muted.

Of course I am.

My dog was over here gagging.

I didn't think anybody wanted to hear that shit.

So being rehabilitated pretty much.

Oh God.

Somebody played some Beethoven and she started losing it.

Anywho.

Yeah, and what a.

We didn't even talk about the fact that one of my favorite all time classical compositions is what triggers the poor bastard that I'm like no, don't do it.

Anywho.

Thank you Alec.

Everybody go check all those things out.

A lot of fun.

We do some weird.

We've been doing it a long ass time so there's a lot of stuff to look at and listen to and watch.

But as always, we appreciate you tuning in.

Catch you on the next one.

Hasta la vista, baby.

Cinematic out.