(no subject)

[jaala]

I'm still awake for several reasons. First, I have a natural tendency towards late hours. Second, I saw A Clockwork Orange for the first time this evening (ending very late, after 1 o'clock), and it's not easy to sleep after seeing a movie like that.

I'm insanely busy. (That's probably a given by now.) I have a rehearsal tomorrow (today!) at 1 o'clock, and I have to eat and get ready beforehand. I really cannot afford to miss sleep. What's even worse is that I have a major paper already overdue that I need to finish before Monday if I want to get any credit for it. I didn't even use my extra waking hours to accomplish any work on it today; ironically, I was too tired from staying up every night this week attempting to finish the stupid thing.

Comments

Re: A Clockwork Orange *shudder*

[jaala]

To my point of view, the movie vilified pretty well everybody in its sights--the press, the public (and its easily swayed opinions), criminals, law-enforcement, government, and so on. Though the portrayals of individuality and pleasure were compelling, they were nevertheless repulsive. If Kubrick intended to glorify them, I wasn't convinced; however, I'm not sure that he did intend this. I figured that the reason such horrific violence was included was to make it difficult to view Alex as a sympathetic (much less hero-like) character. When I began to get attached to the character I found it puzzling and also troubling, and I wonder if this is perhaps what Kubrick intended.

> However, if we MUST choose between the extremes of utter immersal in
> self-gratification and strict social control and conditioning, which is the
> better choice for the status quo?

A good question, one that is raised by every work of dystopic fiction I've ever read or seen. I don't know any concrete answer to it. Here's hoping it's only a rhetorical question. ("A good question, a fair question, and one which I intend to answer...")

I encourage you to read Fahrenheit 451. I myself would like to read it again some time.

No need to apologize for your criticism of 2001. Rant away! (It makes matters so much more interesting when people disagree.)

* * *

And now, back to my schoolwork! (If none of the above makes any sense, blame my term papers!)

Re: A Clockwork Orange *shudder*

[stelic.livejournal.com]

and I wonder if this is perhaps what Kubrick intended.

Having not read the novel behind the movie, I also wonder what the author intended.

Perhaps the purpose is to show disdain for both extremes, and subtly encourage folks to seek a less-than-perfect middle ground, where both sides must compromise.

I agree: I did not find Alex to be a sympathetic character in the least; in fact, I even found myself cheering the system at some points out of a sense of justice.

*laugh*@good/fair question quote *g*

*scribbles down note to read F451*

*chuckle*@term papers -- Good luck getting it all done!