A Clockwork Orange Analysis

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FILM 3007 - FILM AND MEDIA ARTS RESEARCH METHODS (2015/ 2016) Final paper on Critical Theories and Film or Media Arts Code and Cinematic Signs in A Clockwork Orange Cheung Tsz Ching 13204599 INTRODUCTION A Clockwork Orange (1971), directed by Stanley Kubrick. The film is based on Anthony Burgess's novel A Clockwork Orange in 1962. A teenager Alex DeLarge leads a gang of ‘droogs’. They spend each night committing crimes of violence. During one of the “night out”, Alex is captured by the police, convicted of murder and rape, thus sentenced to 14 years in jail. While imprison, Alex volunteers for an experimental therapy for criminals - the Ludovico’s technique. The therapy is a program developed to “cure” criminals of their violent tendencies.…show more content…
In A Clockwork Orange, music are use to highlight the element - violence within the main character Alex. Alex’s acts of violence are accompanied with music like the musical “Singin’ in the rain” and other classical music. Violence brings him pure pleasure, just as same as music does. Music is also a symbol of Alex’s freedom. Alex lives violently, ruthlessly, and without empathy, and what differs him and adults is that he seems to have more power over his own life. During the time his mother goes off to her routine factory job, Alex chooses to have his “ideal” life, he sleeps, have sex, take drugs, and carry out “ultra-violence”. Alex loves music, that he takes his time enjoying music and wandering around record stores. Music experience to Alex, is a contact with his inner self - the rebel and animal. When Alex takes part in the experimental therapy for rehabilitating criminals, he becomes nauseated to the music he loves. Though this is an unintentional result of the therapy, it symbolize a huge change of Alex’s life. Music relates to Alex’s motives and desires. After the therapy, he could not enjoy the music he used to love anymore. That means Alex is ceased from his capability to enjoy, and also his basic human…show more content…
This is ironic as Beethoven meant to express the heights of human kindness rather than wickedness. What Beethoven intended to express through the symphony, is a totally different story with what Alex hears. The Ninth Symphony symbolize the crest and bottom of Alex’s emotion,as Beethoven meant to express the height and depth of human experience through the symphony. The bottom point of Alex, is when he jump out of Mr. Alexander’s window, intended to liberate himself from Ninth Symphony, that make him nauseated as a result of the Ludovico’s Technique. On the contrary, the crest of Alex, is when he enjoys Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony again in the last scene. He is cured from the Ludovico’s Technique. To Alex, the triumph of the final movement of Ninth Symphony symbolizes his regain of
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