Filmcollege #12: Stanley Kubrick & A Clockwork Orange (1971)
In the upcoming film lecture (EN), we take a deep dive into the visionary cinema of Stanley Kubrick, one of the most influential and enigmatic directors in film history. Film critic and curator Hugo Emmerzael explores Kubrick’s work through A Clockwork Orange, while also placing the film within the broader context of Kubrick’s extraordinary career.
Released in 1971, A Clockwork Orange remains one of Kubrick’s most provocative films. Its stylized depiction of violence, free will, and social control sparked controversy upon release and continues to resonate today. Adapted from Anthony Burgess’s novel, the film exemplifies many of Kubrick’s recurring concerns: the tension between the individual and systems of power, the limits of morality, and the unsettling impact of technology on human behavior.
In this film lecture, Hugo Emmerzael connects A Clockwork Orange to Kubrick’s wider body of work, from Paths of Glory and Dr. Strangelove to 2001: A Space Odyssey, Barry Lyndon, and The Shining. How did Kubrick’s obsessive craftsmanship and formal precision shape his films? What themes recur across genres as varied as science fiction, horror, war, and historical drama? And how did Kubrick continually reinvent cinema while maintaining a singular artistic vision?
About A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange (1971), directed by Stanley Kubrick, follows Alex, a young delinquent who, after his arrest, undergoes an experimental behavior therapy designed to eliminate his violent tendencies. With its brutal style, dark humor, and iconic music, the film reveals how violence, pleasure, and morality dangerously intertwine. A provocative classic that challenges viewers to reflect on what it truly means to choose.
- 19:30
Kies tijdstip
- filmspecial
In the upcoming film lecture (EN), we take a deep dive into the visionary cinema of Stanley Kubrick, one of the most influential and enigmatic directors in film history. Film critic and curator Hugo Emmerzael explores Kubrick’s work through A Clockwork Orange, while also placing the film within the broader context of Kubrick’s extraordinary career.
Released in 1971, A Clockwork Orange remains one of Kubrick’s most provocative films. Its stylized depiction of violence, free will, and social control sparked controversy upon release and continues to resonate today. Adapted from Anthony Burgess’s novel, the film exemplifies many of Kubrick’s recurring concerns: the tension between the individual and systems of power, the limits of morality, and the unsettling impact of technology on human behavior.
In this film lecture, Hugo Emmerzael connects A Clockwork Orange to Kubrick’s wider body of work, from Paths of Glory and Dr. Strangelove to 2001: A Space Odyssey, Barry Lyndon, and The Shining. How did Kubrick’s obsessive craftsmanship and formal precision shape his films? What themes recur across genres as varied as science fiction, horror, war, and historical drama? And how did Kubrick continually reinvent cinema while maintaining a singular artistic vision?
About A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange (1971), directed by Stanley Kubrick, follows Alex, a young delinquent who, after his arrest, undergoes an experimental behavior therapy designed to eliminate his violent tendencies. With its brutal style, dark humor, and iconic music, the film reveals how violence, pleasure, and morality dangerously intertwine. A provocative classic that challenges viewers to reflect on what it truly means to choose.
Over Hugo Emmerzael
Hugo Emmerzael is filmcriticus, curator en programmeur. Hij is redacteur van Filmkrant en schrijft onder andere voor MUBI Notebook, Senses of Cinema, Filmmaker Magazine en Talking Shorts. Sinds 2020 cureert hij het Forum van de Regisseurs bij het Nederlands Film Festival. Hij heeft in jury’s gezeten op de filmfestivals van Cannes, Venetië, Karlovy Vary en Moskou. Hij is in filmzalen door het hele land te vinden als bevlogen spreker die de brug vormt tussen het publiek en de onuitputtelijke rijkdom van de filmgeschiedenis.
