A Clockwork Orange

Work Title: A Clockwork Orange
Medium: Film
Episode Title:
Year: 1971
Writer(s): Stanley Kubrick Kubrick
"Original" Writer: No Writer(s): Anthony Burgess
"Original" Writer: Yes Own work?: No
Summary:

The frightening, chilling and tantalizing film (a morality play) raises many thematic questions and presents a controversial parable: How can evil be eradicated in modern society? The main character Alex engages in violent acts with his friends that land him in jail and render many murdered and maimed. The powers that be put the user through a film-watching, drug-induced procedure that is intended to reform him and avert him from future crimes. The nightmarish psychological myth asks, if the state can deprive an individual of his free will, making him 'a clockwork orange,' what does this say about the nightmarish, behavioral modification technologies of punishment and crime?

  • Self-Written?: 1
  • Source Name:
  • Source URL:
Era/Year of Portrayal: present_day
Distinctive characteristics of the world in portrayal:

The entire film is presented in a mystical, nightmarish-like state. The characters are exagerated in costume, language, and behavior. The furniture appears ultra-modern.

Technology

  • Name of portrayed presence-evoking technology: Film
  • Description of the technology: A film watched in a straight jacket with eyes pried open and with drugs administered
  • Nature of task or activity: A film watched in a straight jacket with eyes pried open and with drugs administered
  • Performance of the Technology: Works as expected. Creates a negative reaction to certain negative themes and images, e.g. violence.
  • Description of creator(s): Male and female government medical officials in their 50s
  • Major goal(s) of creator(s): To correct bad behavior in society. To reform a criminal.
  • Description of users of technology: Male, about 20, heavy English accent
  • Type(s) of presence experience in the portrayal: social_presence
  • Description of presence experience: Social Realism. Looks and sounds as though he's in bars, homes, with real people commiting violent acts.
  • User awareness of technology during experience: User is generally aware he is using the technology but loses himself in it at times
  • Valence of experience: The user has a negative experience with the technology. He is drug induced, has his eyes pried open, and is nauseated by the images he is seeing and the sounds he is hearing.
  • Specific responses: Before: Fear, discomfort, pain, agitation. After: Fear, discomfort, pain, agitation, nausea.
Long-term consequences:

At first, the user is reformed, because he feels nauseous every time he thinks of or sees a violent or sexual act. Then because of a change in the public tide, the effects of the procedure are reversed by some unspecified technique, and he has criminal thoughts again.

Other:

Coder name: Melissa Selverian
Coder email: melissaselverian@comcast.net
Coder affiliation: Temple University