A "Clockwork Orange": Kubrick's Practice Examined [Paperback]

This book is my reading of 'A Clockwork Orange' and I look in detail at the technical aspects.

I also examine how the meaning is produced in the film and make reference to the locations used.

A Clockwork Orange is an extremely useful film for new practitioners and enthusiasts to study. Every element in it is worthy of examination and by doing so, we can learn how a film maker's art is developed and about the choices that are made in order to bring a film to the screen.
During this examination of the film, I shall be pointing out aspects of Stanley Kubrick's film making process and attempting to show that nothing that we see on the screen or hear on the soundtrack is accidental or left to chance. It is my contention that every scene has something to show us as film makers and viewers and that within each scene individual shots can also be analysed.
To do this it is vital that, when watching the film, we ask ourselves a number of questions. We should be constantly questioning what it is that we are seeing and hearing and asking what choices have been made in the construction of the film. We can examine the technical aspects and see how the decisions about their uses affect the messages that are being transmitted to us as an audience. I shall be talking about Kubrick's use of the camera, his choice of angles, lenses and movement and how these elements affect the way that we view the different scenes in which they are used.
One striking element is the number of times a shot that I call deep-space-perspective is used. This is where the composition of the shot is arranged in front of a space that recedes into the far distance. I shall be asking why Kubrick seems to have a particular passion for this type of composition and noting examples of its use in his other films.
The use of light and shade and particularly certain lighting techniques will be looked at.
It will be interesting and useful to look out for the occasions on which elements from one scene are repeated in another.
Along with this, we should watch for the use of mirrors, both physical and when talking about characters.
Even thirty years later, the strong political messages that the film contains still have a resonance and we need to examine both how they were received at the time and what relevance they have for us today.
The visual style of this film is very strong and can tell us a great deal about the characters and their environments. In particular, Kubrick's use of colour is noteworthy.
As far as editing is concerned, we shall again see that choices have constantly been made as to which type of shot to use in conjunction with others, how long to hold them on screen and how and when to cut to the following scene.
The final and possibly most important point on the visual side is Kubrick's method of getting us to identify and sympathise with the main character of Alex. We should keep an eye out for the occasions on which our sympathies are aroused and when we feel that we have become part of the action. When we have identified them, we should then ask how these effects are produced and why we have been asked to become involved in the film in these ways.
This brings me onto the important but often ignored aspect of film making, the sound. Alex's voice-over runs throughout the film and it is worth noting how it changes with the different moods of the film.
Music plays an important role in all of Stanley Kubrick's films and A Clockwork Orange is no exception. I shall make the point that if we listen to the various different pieces of music, how and where they are used, we should be able to decipher links to other scenes as well as being aware that they have been chosen to convey specific messages.
Finally, I have included references to some of the locations used in the making of the film. The choice and use of these tells us how Stanley Kubrick was very concerned about the 'look' of his film and that finding particular kinds of architecture can influence the overall atmosphere of a production. In specific cases, it is also interesting to see how these places have changed over the years.