A CLOCKWORK ORANGE : Music and Film an ongoing occasional series - Stanley Kubrick/Anthony Burgess

A favourite book, film and soundtrack!

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE 

Alex performing "Singing in the Rain" as he attacks the writer and his wife was not scripted. Stanley Kubrick spent four days experimenting with this scene, finding it too conventional. Eventually he approached Malcolm McDowell and asked him if he could dance. They tried the scene again, this time with McDowell dancing and singing the only song he could remember. Kubrick was so amused that he swiftly bought the rights to "Singing in the Rain" for $10,000. When McDowell met Gene Kelly at a party several years later, the older star turned and walked away in disgust. Kelly was deeply upset about the way his signature tune from "Singin' in the Rain" (1952) had been portrayed in "A Clockwork Orange".

McDowell was hurt when, after he and Kubrick had had such a close relationship during filming, Kubrick seemed uninterested in continuing their friendship afterward. McDowell later attributed some of that sentiment to his being a young actor, unfamiliar with the intimacy of the filmmaking process, but admitted that he was very upset by it at the time. McDowell remained friends with Kubrick's wife, Christiane Kubrick, and, while visiting her after Kubrick's death, had a good cry over his grave site.

Author Anthony Burgess originally sold the movie rights to Mick Jagger for $500 when he needed quick cash. Jagger intended to make it with The Rolling Stones as the droogs, but then re-sold the rights for a much larger amount. Ken Russell was then nominated to direct because his style was considered well-suited for the material. He would have cast Oliver Reed as Alex. Tinto Brass was another possible director. At some point, someone suggested rewriting the droogs to be girls in miniskirts or old-age pensioners. Tim Curry and Jeremy Irons turned down the role of Alex. Kubrick once said "If Malcolm McDowell hadn't been available, I probably wouldn't have made the film." Burgess initially distrusted Kubrick as a director, but was happy with the results. He felt the film later made the book, one of his least favourite books he had written, overshadow his other work. (IMDb)

I found the clip of Singing In The Rain but decided it was too violent for my mood here . . . . . . look it up it’s on YouTube

The soundtrack by then Walter Carlos (later to become Wendy after transitioning)  was and still is a favourite soundtrack and the opening sequence above I remember with shivers in the cinema when it came out. I left feeling th whole things was a comment on society hardly on the way but already here!

Music and Irony in Clockwork Orange