1.1.4 Literature Review

The response from critics has been mixed, and their discussion of the music used in the film minimal. De Vries (1973) is of the opinion that A Clockwork Orange is little more than pornography. He states that the film is blacker than the novel, and that Kubrick brings his own negative view of the human race to the film. On music, he says that in the novel Alex's love of music is not a redeeming quality, but rather a tribute to the "primitive emotional power of great music" (De Vries, 59). For De Vries, the beautiful music cannot disguise the pornographic intent, and that it is obvious that Kubrick is trying to stir up exaltation and associate the visuals with the music. "It is a powerful conclusion, but most of the power comes from that incredible music, which would make a film of virtually anything seem exciting." (De Vries, 66).

Dancyger (1997) mentions A Clockwork Orange briefly in his book on film and video editing. He uses the famous example of "Singin' in the Rain", a song which most audiences associate with joy and pleasure, however its use in this movie makes the visuals even more horrific. Atkins (1983) also mentions the "Singin' in the Rain" cue, and says that it is an ironic echo of the stereotyped usage of Beethoven in other films.

Falsetto (1994) analyses A Clockwork Orange in terms of visual techniques more than visual and aural techniques. He describes Alex as portrayed as a performer, emphasised by the choreographed movements of the violence. There is little distinction between Alex's fantasy world and the 'real' world. An interesting detail is that he mentions that film techniques such as camera angles, lighting, editing and voice over "convey the impression that the world is filtered through the consciousness of Alex." (Falsetto, 153). This is significant, as my study will show that audiation is a part of Alex's consciousness.

Chapman (1999) has very little to say about the music in A Clockwork Orange. He notes that both A Clockwork Orange and 2001: A Space Odyssey make extensive use of classical music, but does not attempt to write about it, except to say "The most kinetic and violent sequences, moreover, are set to music, ranging from Rossini's "Thieving Magpie" during the joyride in the stolen car, to "Singin' in the Rain", which Alex sings mockingly during the assault on Mr. and Mrs. Alexander." (Chapman, 130). Chapman's retelling of the plot is inaccurate and even misleading at times.

Levinson (1996) is concerned with the narrative function of film music, and uses A Clockwork Orange as an example. He believes that the synthesised score acts in a narrative fashion, by setting an appropriate mood, suggesting something of the effect of the moloko (milk laced with drugs), and perhaps hinting at the future grim doings of the narrator. However, in his opinion, the pre-existing music does not serve a narrative function (instead he calls it "additive" music). Most of these cues invite us to see the violence as a joke. He doesn't believe that the music could possibly be narrative because it would suggest that either Alex was positively inhuman or far more intelligent than he believes Alex to be. In his opinion, the use of this music is purely satirical. He also mentions how the subversive aspects of music are explored self-consciously in the film, through the brainwashing episode.

French (1990) reviews A Clockwork Orange very favourably. In his opinion, Alex is "…touched by high culture… the way Alex made his bedroom a shrine to Beethoven." (French, 85). According to French, it is a "clean-cut moral tale…" (French, 86). French, who is reviewing the movie in Sight & Sound, does not even mention the music, except in the context of the plot, where Alex is deprived of listening to Beethoven. Since this article is in the magazine Sight & Sound, which generally discusses the film's music, one would assume some brief analysis of the music, but French has avoided the issue.

According to Walker (1971), the music of A Clockwork Orange is an integral part of the film. He says:

Walker (1971) analyses the use of music in the film with regard to violence, and of the "Singin' in the Rain" scene asserts that "… in this scene, Kubrick has turned the frightening realities of home invasion, rape and assault into an experience akin to that of an ambivalent form of "entertainment"." (Walker, 1971, 275). He also agrees with other critics, that the movement in violent scenes is balletic, but he takes it further, saying that this has reduced the actions to a metaphor for violence. Of the William Tell Overture sex scene, he says "It is a jokey interlude, and the speeded-up William Tell Overture… has exactly the right weight and frolicsomeness for the casual nature of group sex." (Walker, 1971, 282-284). One other noteworthy insight in his analysis is to do with symbols of Beethoven that we see within the first part of the film. The doorbell of the Alexander's home sounds the first four notes of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, first movement, and the Cat Lady's weapon of choice against Alex is a silver bust of Beethoven. Walker believes that these occurrences portend the really deadly blow of the Ludovico treatment, and the use of Beethoven against Alex to drive him to suicide.

LoBrutto (1997) quotes Kubrick extensively in his chapter on A Clockwork Orange, which allowed a few insights to be made regarding the intentions of the director. Kubrick has said that the first part of the film is organised around the "Thieving Magpie" (exactly like an overture), and in his opinion makes the violence seem an almost informal dance. He goes on to say:

Kubrick wanted to make the violence as stylised and balletic as possible. He points out that the attempted rape in the theatre is on a stage, which the characters move around on, and so has overtones of a ballet. The speeded-up orgy is intended as a joke, and the fight between Alex and his droogs was slowed to a "lovely floating movement." (LoBrutto, 360). He was very concerned not to graphically represent violence. In Kubrick's opinion, the outrage against the film stemmed from the joy that Alex and his droogs display for the pain they inflict upon others. The music certainly seems to add to the impression of joy. Kubrick justified his use of music in this way by saying "Alex is having a wonderful time, and I wanted his life to appear to us as it did to him…" (LoBrutto, 366). On this note, Malcolm MacDowell (who played Alex) said that whilst thinking in the character of Alex, he thought immediately of "Singin' in the Rain" for that infamous scene, by associating it with the happiest song he could think of from childhood. Lastly, the use of the synthesiser is explained as a futuristic filter for the past. The Moog was very modern in 1971, and this satisfied Kubrick's desire for classical music while retaining the futuristic feel.