What can you say about a film that follows a protagonist, Alex, and his droogs into physical and mental chaos, set in an environment constructed as “our” bleak future and ends with a deeply pondering theme: the State vs. free will? There are so many avenues that I could explore in Kubrick’s extremely provocative A Clockwork Orange, but this essay must bring a comparison or contrast with this film to two intricate articles, Louis Althusser’s “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses”, and, Randy Martin’s moment of relative “Where Did The Future Go?”, both charming and complex titles I might add. I have decided to focus on the aftermath of capital or capitalism shown subtly in Orange with the support of one of these articles, Martin’s. Incorporating two articles would be asking too much for a two-page paper. This is no easy task.
When discussing the aftermath of Capitalism, that is the negating aspects of it, what is the beforemath? The beforemath of capitalism is painted as depicted in Martin’s article: “The fortunate (successors of capitalism- generally U.S. and Europe) would be freed from work in the form of retirement and leave the earth secure in the knowledge that their kids would do better than they had” (1). This is a positive depiction of a financial led society where economy is just as much as important to the family home, if not more, than religion. What does this have to do with Orange? Martin’s article goes on to discuss, if it means to, the current financial situation of today, 2008-2009, rest in peace, and coins an enlightening phrase: “Today we suffer imperialism’s renaissance”, this is preceded by a claim that the last time finance, or capital, “led
the charge” it was called “imperialism”. Martin’s interesting word choice of “renaissance” (a generalization of a cultural movement between the 14th and 17th Century consisting of rationale thinking-- whatever that means) sheds light on the language depicted in Orange where the dialogue resembles that of a renaissance society, particularly in England. And England, I might add, was and still is a forefront to imperialistic tendencies in the financial arena— In recent times, England’s colonization of India for its cultural natural resources. Here is some of that language in Orange: “Appy-polly-loggies. I had something of a pain in the gulliver so had to sleep. I was not awakened when I gave orders for wakening”. You might say the distortion in language in Orange is a contrast view to the “imperialist renaissance”, but in actuality, there is a direct correlation with the distortion in language to the imperialist financial society, or aftermath of capitalism, displayed on the surface in Orange that enables it; the disjointedness of capitalism in the future causes a disjointedness in language, where right is done by the people in power, and wrong is whatever is left behind, and sometimes used, to make an example of for profit- the last stance for capital in a deteriorating society, with an exception of a few. Take, for example, when Alex is put in an experiment where violent thoughts and actions might be prevented forcefully through brainwash. If you place close attention to the scene, you may see many men in suits in the background that could be there for the “experimenting” voyeurism, but also, to take advantage of the opportunity to make money- a new venue. Perhaps, I am reading too much into it, or speaking without sense. You tell me.
Another point where the aftermath, or consequence of capitalism is projected in Orange is the apathy or naiveté’s of Alex’s parents in the film. This goes back to Martin’s idea where the “fortunate”, the parents who work will be able to provide more than ever for their children’s
future as part of the financial dream. Will it seems in the film, Alex’s parents, or any parent, are not anywhere to be seen, they are, to the viewer’s mind, not there, while deducing that the parents are working all the time with no time to spare for their children, that the capital has taken over their lives- even the dark, gritty environment where Alex and his parents live support this. Another scene is when Alex is at the record store where, like today, kids are spending their parents’ money. But in this case, Alex has robbed and violently beaten his victims for the money- the only way for him to “buy stuff”, while gaining a disturbing gratification in torturing his victims.
"A Clockwork Orange". Kubrick, Stanley. Warner Bros. 1972.
Martin, Randy. "Where Did The Future Go?". www.logosjournal.com/issue_5.1/martin.htm
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