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Details
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE
Malcolm McDowell's ever-present swordcane appearing in dozens of scenes. Ebonized with large walnut burl at apex, 36 in. tall, 3 in. in diameter at the bottom, and 4 in. below the burl, with brass and silver plate fittings. The top when removed reveals a highly finished 7 in. stainless steel blade (13.25 in. overall), especially manufactured for Kubrick in London by Wilkinson Sword. The blade is decorated with flourishes and a royal coat of arms. One of the most recognizable and significant props of all time from this wonderful, nasty and unbelievably controversial movie. Kubrick had such a hostile reaction on the film's opening that he at first sought to hold up the general release of his own movie. People near the director at the time say he went into virtual hiding as he waited for the furor to die down. And even viewing the film now after nearly 30 years, one can well see what the fuss was about. Based on the book by Anthony Burgess, A Clockwork Orange offers an apocalyptic view of out of control youth violence, and visits the measures taken by the State to deal with it through mind control torture. There are few sympathetic characters in the dark, quirky, violence-laden reality of the film, which Kubrick describes thus: "The central idea of the film has to do with the question of free-will. Do we lose our humanity if we are deprived of the choice between good and evil? Do we become, as the title suggests, A Clockwork Orange?" He adds that "...recent experiments in conditioning and mind control on volunteer prisoners in America have taken this question out of the realm of science fiction. At the same time I think the dramatic impact of the film has principally to do with the extraordinary character of Alex, as conceived by Anthony Burgess in his brilliant and original novel. Aaron Stern, the former head of the MPAA rating board of America, who is also a practising psychiatrist, has suggested that "Alex represents the unconscious: man in his natural state. After he is given the Ludovico 'cure' he has been civilized, and the sickness that follows may be viewed as the neurosis imposed by society."
Malcolm McDowell plays Alex, a twisted violent nerdowell with classical pretentions and Nietzschean overtones. His idea of fun is to roam the streets with his 'drouges' looking for rape and pillage and bits of random ultra-violence. And nearly the whole time he and his mates are marauding the streets of London, he carries the swordcane. Only one original swordcane was made for the film. The other drouges carried balsawood replicas of this original, which also came into the hands of our consignor and which no longer exist. In one particularly defining sequence, the blade is exposed as McDowell disciplines a subordinate who had presumed to challenge his authority. First he thrashes each member of his gang in turn with the cane, sending them all into the water of a nearby canal. He then opens the blade, which he has secreted behind his body, and the Wilkinson sword emblem is clearly visible in close-up. He then extends a sympathetic hand to his subordinate, and in one excruciating moment carves an horrific gash into the other man's hand. This is one of Cinema's all time greatest props, fabulously evocative, unmistakable as anything else. If one artifact can ever be said to evoke an entire film and go hand and hand with it, then this is it. Accompanying the piece is a VHS tape zeroed and with titles of the blade sequence referred to above. For good measure a DVD of the complete film is also included; and finally, an original poster from the film as follows:
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, Warner Brothers, 1971, one-sheet, minor paper loss on outside left border, minor stress with slight separation at folds, Condition A-, 41 x 27 in. The poster aptly sums up the film's chosen territory: "Being the adventures of a young man whose principal interests are rape, ultra-violence and Beethoven."
A Clockwork Orange (2)
Malcolm McDowell's ever-present swordcane appearing in dozens of scenes. Ebonized with large walnut burl at apex, 36 in. tall, 3 in. in diameter at the bottom, and 4 in. below the burl, with brass and silver plate fittings. The top when removed reveals a highly finished 7 in. stainless steel blade (13.25 in. overall), especially manufactured for Kubrick in London by Wilkinson Sword. The blade is decorated with flourishes and a royal coat of arms. One of the most recognizable and significant props of all time from this wonderful, nasty and unbelievably controversial movie. Kubrick had such a hostile reaction on the film's opening that he at first sought to hold up the general release of his own movie. People near the director at the time say he went into virtual hiding as he waited for the furor to die down. And even viewing the film now after nearly 30 years, one can well see what the fuss was about. Based on the book by Anthony Burgess, A Clockwork Orange offers an apocalyptic view of out of control youth violence, and visits the measures taken by the State to deal with it through mind control torture. There are few sympathetic characters in the dark, quirky, violence-laden reality of the film, which Kubrick describes thus: "The central idea of the film has to do with the question of free-will. Do we lose our humanity if we are deprived of the choice between good and evil? Do we become, as the title suggests, A Clockwork Orange?" He adds that "...recent experiments in conditioning and mind control on volunteer prisoners in America have taken this question out of the realm of science fiction. At the same time I think the dramatic impact of the film has principally to do with the extraordinary character of Alex, as conceived by Anthony Burgess in his brilliant and original novel. Aaron Stern, the former head of the MPAA rating board of America, who is also a practising psychiatrist, has suggested that "Alex represents the unconscious: man in his natural state. After he is given the Ludovico 'cure' he has been civilized, and the sickness that follows may be viewed as the neurosis imposed by society."
Malcolm McDowell plays Alex, a twisted violent nerdowell with classical pretentions and Nietzschean overtones. His idea of fun is to roam the streets with his 'drouges' looking for rape and pillage and bits of random ultra-violence. And nearly the whole time he and his mates are marauding the streets of London, he carries the swordcane. Only one original swordcane was made for the film. The other drouges carried balsawood replicas of this original, which also came into the hands of our consignor and which no longer exist. In one particularly defining sequence, the blade is exposed as McDowell disciplines a subordinate who had presumed to challenge his authority. First he thrashes each member of his gang in turn with the cane, sending them all into the water of a nearby canal. He then opens the blade, which he has secreted behind his body, and the Wilkinson sword emblem is clearly visible in close-up. He then extends a sympathetic hand to his subordinate, and in one excruciating moment carves an horrific gash into the other man's hand. This is one of Cinema's all time greatest props, fabulously evocative, unmistakable as anything else. If one artifact can ever be said to evoke an entire film and go hand and hand with it, then this is it. Accompanying the piece is a VHS tape zeroed and with titles of the blade sequence referred to above. For good measure a DVD of the complete film is also included; and finally, an original poster from the film as follows:
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, Warner Brothers, 1971, one-sheet, minor paper loss on outside left border, minor stress with slight separation at folds, Condition A-, 41 x 27 in. The poster aptly sums up the film's chosen territory: "Being the adventures of a young man whose principal interests are rape, ultra-violence and Beethoven."
A Clockwork Orange (2)
Provenance
From Bill Butler, as presented to him by Stanley Kubrick; Mr. Butler was nominated for an Academy Award for his brilliant editing of A CLOCKWORK ORANGE.