Its worldview is bleak, the violence abhorrent.

And then in 1971, Stanley Kubrick went and made a film of it.

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Like Burgess novel, Kubricks movie is related in three distinct parts.

When it first came out, people were stunned, he said.

We had a midnight screening that Ill never forget.

People were genuinely shocked.

It is shocking when you first see it.

Of course, it was the key to the second half of the movie, for us.

It was one of those lucky things that was discovered on the set.

It was an outcry that led to claims thatA Clockwork Orangehad inspired copycat acts of violence and even manslaughter.

Suddenly, Stanley was blamed for every crime ever, she said.

And finally, somebody really threatened us and the police came.

I always had my head in the sand about the whole thing, but suddenly it was really scary.

There were people in front of the house and asking the children questions.

For Christiane Kubrick, Its the perfect parable of someone whos absolutely evil.

Neglect is not good enough.

Its a story about evil.

Jan Harlan, who assisted Kubrick, meanwhile, sees the film as a political tract about governmental manipulation.

Its about manipulation from the top, from all levels, especially from the government, Harlan said.

Everybody tries to manipulate, in a way.

In that respect, its incredibly modern, because were all subject to this.

Its about the freedom of man to choose, McDowell said.

Its as simple as that.

Either a moral way or an immoral way.

The films about people all mindlessly following their predefined roles.

In a way,A Clockwork Orangeis a horror film about not thinking for oneself.

Alex is, of course, morally reprehensible, but he at least has some capacity to define himself.

Hes virtually the only character in the movie that has a semblance of culture and a sense of individuality.

This is why the audience identifies with him, albeit uneasily, through his despicable acts.

He exists in a universe of fools.

Hes a creation of their stupidity, like a virus that preys on weaknesses in an immune system.

There is much that is dated aboutA Clockwork Orange.

Now forty years old,A Clockwork Orangeremains a fascinating, disturbing film.