Stanley Kubrick: Ranking His Films From Worst To Best

A Clockwork Orange is a dystopian crime film adapted from Anthony Burgess' masterpiece of the same name. The movie tackles themes of criminality, mind-control, and psychiatry as it follows the life of the charismatic Alex. The plot details his journey from leader of a criminal gang to the subject of a mind-control experiment by the state. It is clear that the purpose of the film is not to encourage or glorify violence, but to point fingers at those in charge, highlighting the danger of trying to change the immoral behaviour of individuals by any means.

Despite this, the movie is undoubtedly the most controversial work by Kubrick, not just for its depictions of “ultra-violence” but also its scenes of extreme sexual assault. Famously, the director pulled the film from UK audiences due to a series of copycat crimes and protests outside his home.

Much like his many other movies, this was released to critical praise. However, due to the controversy stalking the movie, A Clockwork Orange was given an X rating in the US. This led to Kubrick removing a 30-second section from the film which helped it achieve an R rating for later release.

Even with the dystopian themes throughout, the film carries a level of authenticity. But, it fails to be crushing even in its darkest moments as it carries Kubrick’s proven black-comedy chops. Would I recommend this film to my mother? No, but it is still one of his best.