A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971)
4K UHD & Blu-ray, Out now, Warner Bros., Cert: 18
★★★★
Viidy well, droogs! The adventures of that inveterate prestoopnick Alex DeLarge (Malcolm McDowell) have been given a bolshy 4K upgrade. So sit back, pour yourself a glass of moloko plus and get ready for a spot of the old ultra-violence…
Given the controversy that surrounded the release of Stanley Kubrick’s film adaptation of Anthony Burgess’s novel A Clockwork Orange, it’s easy to forget that the film was also one of 1971’s biggest movies – pulling in just $1milliion less than Dirty Harry and just under $3million less than Diamonds Are Forever at the US box office. It was also nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, even if it didn’t end up winning any of them (The French Connection and its director William Friedkin scooped those two). Here in the UK, A Clockwork Orange’s legacy has always been coloured by Kubrick’s request that Warner Bros. withdraw it from release on these shores after the picture was linked to supposed copycat crimes in the press and in courtrooms – no matter how baseless the claims may have been. As such, the film was rarely seen on these shores for decades; its notoriety growing with each passing year. It wasn’t until Kubrick’s death in 1999 that the film returned, still uncut, to UK cinemas, before finally making the leap to video and DVD.
Skip forward another couple of decades and Kubrick’s controversial-yet-masterful social satire has now made the leap to Ultra HD Blu-ray, presenting the film’s brutalist architecture and in-your-face set dressing in greater clarity and much more detail than ever before.
It’s not necessarily an attractive film, but A Clockwork Orange looks far better here than it ever has before (even the previous Blu-ray looked rather muddy). Likewise, a new DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix does wonders for Wendy Carlos’ unforgettable synth soundtrack; although if you prefer something a little more authentic a Dolby Digital mono presentation of the original cinema mix is also included. Like Spartacus, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining and Full Metal Jacket before it, this is another welcome UHD upgrade for Kubrick’s filmography; one that arguably represents the biggest leap yet in image quality between earlier disc releases and its 4K incarnation – if only because the previous discs looked so unsatisfactory.
Extras: Sadly, despite being released late last year to celebrate A Clockwork Orange’s 50th anniversary, it seems nobody thought it worth creating any new bonus features. Indeed, the only extra included on the 4K disc is the archival commentary with leading man Malcolm McDowell and filmmaker Nick Redman, ported across from the Blu-ray release. Speaking of which, that old Blu-ray copy of the film is also included here, offering that same commentary, plus the Still Tickin’: The Return of Clockwork Orange (44 mins), Great Bolshy Yarblockos! Making of Clockwork Orange (28 mins) and Turning Like Clockwork (26 min) documentaries exploring the film’s production, legacy and the controversies that surrounded it; an interview with McDowell (11 mins); the trailer (one min); and a BD-Live link (remember those?). AvB.
GHOSTBUSTERS: ULTIMATE COLLECTION (1984/1989/2021)
4K UHD & Blu-ray, Out now, Sony Pictures, Cert: 12
★★★★★