Reviews & Columns |
Reviews DVD TV on DVD Blu-ray 4K UHD International DVDs In Theaters Reviews by Studio Video Games Features Collector Series DVDs Easter Egg Database Interviews DVD Talk Radio Feature Articles Columns Anime Talk DVD Savant Horror DVDs The M.O.D. Squad Art House HD Talk Silent DVD
|
DVD Talk Forum |
|
Resources |
DVD Price Search Customer Service #'s RCE Info Links |
Columns
|
|
Kubrick Collection: Clockwork Orange(Remastered)
List Price: Unknown [Buy now and save at Amazon]
The Movie:
Taking from the novel by Anthony Burgess, director Stanley Kubrick came up with this 1971 feature that went to be one of the more memorable works from the director's many well-known works. Malcolm McDowell stars as Alex DeLarge who, along with his group of "droogies", engages in criminal and anti-social activities - anywhere from beating up drunks to fighting with rival gangs to breaking into houses and raping the women. As the film opens, the group is drinking drug-laced milk which "sharpens them up for a bit of the old ultraviolence."
Things go not quite as Alex planned one night and he gets taken off to jail - a set-up by his former mates, who leave him for the police to pick up. Instead of choosing to spend fourteen years in prison, he hears about the government's new rehab program. Eager to get out of the jail, he signs up for the program only to find out that it involves brainwashing him to be against all of the activities that he was previously involved in.
Once he gets sent back out into the world, the world begins to have its revenge on him; those who he previously tormented are now able to make his life a nightmare. The performance by McDowell is impressive, and Kubrick's use of classical music (Beethoven) is, as with other films from the director, quite good and occasionally powerful.
Originally rated X when released, the film was finally re-rated in the 1990's for an R. Kubrick's horrifying and fascinating picture has a great deal to say about violence and society while having an impressive visual style and remarkable performances.
The DVD
VIDEO: Although I've only browsed the original edition of "A Clockwork Orange", this new edition is a noticable improvement over the rather rushed looking older release. Still, things aren't perfect - there's a bit of lack of business in one area - the 1.66:1 transfer is still not anamorphic, which is unfortunate. That aside, sharpness and detail still looked pretty good overall; there wasn't really any depth to the rather "flat" looking image, but I only noticed a scene or two that looked on the soft side.
There are still some problems with the presentation here, but not as many as the original release. Print flaws pop up less frequently here - there are only some minor instances of grain and a couple of slight marks every now and then. Only some very, very slight edge enhancement appears, but pixelation is absent from the image.
Colors throughout the film are rather bland looking, but still look natural and only rarely faded. Some problems aside, this is a noticable improvement over the previous presentation.
SOUND: "Clockwork Orange" is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 on this new release, in comparison to mono on the original edition. While the new 5.1 presentation does open up the proceedings somewhat, it still mainly stays within the front three speakers and doesn't go much further than that. Surrounds are used very lightly for the music, but that's about it - for the most part, their use isn't even really that noticable.
Fidelity is limited and inconsistent. Some of the scenes appeared clean sounding and passable, while some other scenes in the film had rather thin sounding dialogue and general sounds. It's not a bad presentation and thankfully, the remix doesn't play around too heavily or unecessarily with the surrounds.
MENUS:: Although the main and sub-menus are basic, with film-themed images, at least a piece of score plays behind the main menu.
EXTRAS: The trailer and awards text. That's it, that's all.
Final Thoughts: "Clockwork Orange" still remains one of Kubrick's best works and I'm pleased that Warner Brothers took the time to present it in better fashion here. I'm rather dissapointed in the new disc's lack of features, but for those who were dissapointed by how the first edition looked, they will be at least somewhat more satisfied with how this remastered edition looks.
Taking from the novel by Anthony Burgess, director Stanley Kubrick came up with this 1971 feature that went to be one of the more memorable works from the director's many well-known works. Malcolm McDowell stars as Alex DeLarge who, along with his group of "droogies", engages in criminal and anti-social activities - anywhere from beating up drunks to fighting with rival gangs to breaking into houses and raping the women. As the film opens, the group is drinking drug-laced milk which "sharpens them up for a bit of the old ultraviolence."
Things go not quite as Alex planned one night and he gets taken off to jail - a set-up by his former mates, who leave him for the police to pick up. Instead of choosing to spend fourteen years in prison, he hears about the government's new rehab program. Eager to get out of the jail, he signs up for the program only to find out that it involves brainwashing him to be against all of the activities that he was previously involved in.
Once he gets sent back out into the world, the world begins to have its revenge on him; those who he previously tormented are now able to make his life a nightmare. The performance by McDowell is impressive, and Kubrick's use of classical music (Beethoven) is, as with other films from the director, quite good and occasionally powerful.
Originally rated X when released, the film was finally re-rated in the 1990's for an R. Kubrick's horrifying and fascinating picture has a great deal to say about violence and society while having an impressive visual style and remarkable performances.
The DVD
VIDEO: Although I've only browsed the original edition of "A Clockwork Orange", this new edition is a noticable improvement over the rather rushed looking older release. Still, things aren't perfect - there's a bit of lack of business in one area - the 1.66:1 transfer is still not anamorphic, which is unfortunate. That aside, sharpness and detail still looked pretty good overall; there wasn't really any depth to the rather "flat" looking image, but I only noticed a scene or two that looked on the soft side.
There are still some problems with the presentation here, but not as many as the original release. Print flaws pop up less frequently here - there are only some minor instances of grain and a couple of slight marks every now and then. Only some very, very slight edge enhancement appears, but pixelation is absent from the image.
Colors throughout the film are rather bland looking, but still look natural and only rarely faded. Some problems aside, this is a noticable improvement over the previous presentation.
SOUND: "Clockwork Orange" is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 on this new release, in comparison to mono on the original edition. While the new 5.1 presentation does open up the proceedings somewhat, it still mainly stays within the front three speakers and doesn't go much further than that. Surrounds are used very lightly for the music, but that's about it - for the most part, their use isn't even really that noticable.
Fidelity is limited and inconsistent. Some of the scenes appeared clean sounding and passable, while some other scenes in the film had rather thin sounding dialogue and general sounds. It's not a bad presentation and thankfully, the remix doesn't play around too heavily or unecessarily with the surrounds.
MENUS:: Although the main and sub-menus are basic, with film-themed images, at least a piece of score plays behind the main menu.
EXTRAS: The trailer and awards text. That's it, that's all.
Final Thoughts: "Clockwork Orange" still remains one of Kubrick's best works and I'm pleased that Warner Brothers took the time to present it in better fashion here. I'm rather dissapointed in the new disc's lack of features, but for those who were dissapointed by how the first edition looked, they will be at least somewhat more satisfied with how this remastered edition looks.
|
Popular Reviews |
Sponsored Links |
|
Sponsored Links |
|
Release List | Reviews | Shop | Newsletter | Forum | DVD Giveaways | Blu-Ray | Advertise |
Copyright 2024 DVDTalk.com All Rights Reserved. Legal Info, Privacy Policy, Terms of Use,
Manage Preferences,
Your Privacy Choices
|