UNITED KINGDOM: AFTER 25 YEARS CONTROVERSIAL STANLEY KUBRICK FILM "A CLOCKWORK ORANGE" IS RE-RELEASED IN BRITAIN

Record ID: 389386

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: AFTER 25 YEARS CONTROVERSIAL STANLEY KUBRICK FILM "A CLOCKWORK ORANGE" IS RE-RELEASED IN BRITAIN
  • Date: 16th March 2000
  • Summary: LONDON, UK (MARCH 16, 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALEXANDER WALKER, FILM CRITIC, LONDON EVENING STANDARD "A Clockwork Orange" is even more relevant in the year 2000 than it was in 1972 when Britain first saw it because more and more governments today are trying to control their individual citizens. That's what the film is all about. It's about the c
  • Embargoed: 31st March 2000 13:00
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  • Location: LONDON, UK
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVAAB2KTMF6JE3HEUZYCXHXEZKM5
  • Story Text: A generation of movie fans used to seeing Stanley Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange" on grainy bootleg videos will now be able to see the film in all its big-screen glory.The controversial film is being re-released in cinemas in the UK for the first time in more than 25 years.
    At the time of its first release "A Clockwork Orange"
    caused so much controversy that director Stanley Kubrick decided to ban it in the UK.
    Consequently, the movie was withdrawn from circulation in Britain until today (March 17) when it is being re-released for the second time to a British audience.
    Senior European Vice President of Advertising for Warner Brothers, Julian Senior says "We decided to re-release the film because it came off screens in 1974, it's a unique film in Britain, it's a unique film in any country and it was right and just that more people should get a chance to see it instead of doing coach trips to Holland or looking at bad-pirated videos."
    "A Clockwork Orange" is the story of Alex and his anti-social friends out on rampages of rape and violence.The film makes a simple look highly menacing - the bowler hat, the single false eyelash, the white collarless shirt, braces, codpiece and army boots.
    When Alex goes to prison, he is brainwashed by state officials into surrendering his will to them.Alex makes a qualified recovery at the end of the film.
    Kubrick's biographer and friend Alexander Walker says, "A Clockwork Orange is even more relevant in the year 2000 than it was in 1972 when Britain first saw it because more and more governments today are trying to control their individual citizens.That's what the film is all about.It's about the control of people.And consequently the film says some very pertinent things - how do you reconcile individual liberty with state control."
    John Marriott, Chairman of the Britiain's 'Film Critics' Circle' contradicts Walker."I think that as a film it's pretty overrated.It has moments of extraordinary, original, striking brilliance but it's very loosely structured and once Kubrick lays out his themes in front of you he then repeats himself ad nauseam so you get endless examples of the same and the film runs out of steam very quickly.As I say if you run some of these moments in isolation - fantastic.They look very good, it's a very handsome film but strung together it's quite a loose picture"
    Audiences are likely to go and see the film out of curiosity after it had been banned for so long.
    "I said to Stanley 'this film is part of our cultural history Stanley.It's already been seen but a generation has grown up that hasn't seen it in the best conditions - which is in the cinema.You should re-release it.Stanley always shook his head and said 'no way Alex.That film is not going to be seen while I'm alive'", says Walker.
    The power of a director to ban his own film is rare in the industry.John Marriott says "To have control over your distributor and say I'm taking my picture back, that's very rare.All you can say is that artistically and commercially Kubrick had a unique relationship with Warner Brothers that produced all his films."
    The film opened in the UK on March 17.
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