A Clockwork Orange, Lost in Adaptation ~ Dominic Noble 

Honestly, for me the book's ending is even worse than movie ending, pessimism-wise. Here's a guy who is not feeling sorry for what he did as a teenager; he's bored of it, he doesn't want to do it anymore, he "grew out of it" but he has escaped majority of his punishment and did nothing to offer sufficient act of contrition. There's some bleak horror in that, to think maybe the boring responsible adults you meet every day once tortured or raped someone as teengers. The horror of knowing your former school bully, who traumatised you for life, now is an adult and has wife, job, kids on the way. Far more insidious and nasty to me than the most shocking ultraviolence.

I almost find that last chapter more horrifying. Imagine, all the boring adults you know might have that horrible darkness within them.

Clockwork Orange: beethoven is important to the story The dom: *plays Tchaikovsky*

MOVIE TRIVIA: The iconic brainwashing scene, where McDowell had his eyes pinned open, actually injured the actor. He had his cornea scratched, by the medical devices that were pinning his eyes open, as the original "doctor" was just an actor and put the medical eye device in wrong as he had no idea how to use them. The doctor we see in the movie was actually a real doctor they got in to do the scene safely after McDowell was harmed.

Honestly, when I was reading the book I didn't see the last chapter as a redemption. If anything, it just made me more disgusted thinking about how such a monstrous person is given opportunity to live a nice and quiet life while he had robbed so many people of it in the past.

I heard one of the benefits of Burgess making up nadsat was that it supposedly didn't tie the book down into one time period and so the teen slang would remain timeless and less cringy. And it would be avoiding the equivalent of modern authors including slang phrases like "lol" or "YOLO" and having readers 10 or 20 years from now going, "what?" I also heard a secondary meaning to the title is the idea of mechanizing, programming, or controlling something organic, just as the state tried to brainwash Alex into good behavior.

American over here When I read the book in high school, it included the 21st chapter and I thought it made the book even more terrifying Alex seemed to show no remorse for all his crimes To me, it felt like he was able to easily move on from his past and pursue a quiet life whereas his victims would live in trauma and injury for the rest of their lives

Honestly I get the feeling this author gets how sociopaths work more than most, there are tons of cases of serial killers just getting married and having kids and just kinda tireing of killing and raping. It happens in real life, even if it sounds bizarre.

Dom: This movies main character loves Beethoven *Plays Tchaikovsky* Beethoven: Am i a Joke To You?

Some more fun things about the title: The malayan word orang translates to man, meaning you can read the title as "A clockwork man", which is essentially what Alex is being turned into. A person lacking free will and forced to follow his programming. Burgess worked for a long time in Malaysia so this is probably not a coincident

I read this book in college and my professor made sure we got the version that had the last chapter, she then had us read everything but he last chapter before class and discuss the book and then read the last chapter in class and discuss our new feelings. it really does give an interesting change in perspective when the last chapter is added.

Wow. I find the British ending MORE nihilistic. It never seemed to me that Alex was redeemed, or growing past the violence. I always thought it was saying that even the "nice" settled-down middle class people were actually raping murderers, and that NO-ONE is good.

I can completely understand your not wanting to be known for the 50 shades videos. But your sense of empathy in them was what made me a loyal watcher. For a while it was trendy to review those books light heartedly. Most youtubers I saw comment on it did so in a "isn't it funny how bad this is" sort of way. You were one of the first (and definitely the first male) reviewer I saw take the dangers seriously. You didn't treat it like a joke. You genuinely cared that this could lead to real life trauma and abuse. Your review felt like being looked after. That's why I stuck around and I'm willing to bet I'm not the only one. Being publicly caring is a vulnerable act and not one we often reward in men. Bravo. Please know it was important.

The 21st chapter honestly makes it sound like this sort of behavior is actually normal for teenagers in the book's world, which is probably the most horrifying thing I can think of.

The book ending change is odd as now-a-days I associate dark endings with being British and "happy" endings as being American.

Your trigger warning was the best trigger warning I've ever heard. I mean that. Kindness and consideration are not weaknesses.

The snake was added because Kubrik figured out Malcolm McDowell was deathly afraid of them.

I like your skull.

I was going to get the book, but then. "In the book the girls were ten" I'm out.

Honestly I'm so impressed with your nadsat delivery. It sounds so nonsensical that there's no way I could memorise so many lines and make them sound natural.

Something about this character having anything resembling a happy ending rubs me the wrong way

Hey Dom, thanks for telling the “trigger warnings make you soft” crowd to piss off. It’s always nice to find out that your favorite creators are actual decent people.

I like how the word “droog” has a double meaning because it’s pronounced same as the word “drwg” which means “bad” in Welsh.

You know say what you want about the Clockwork orange book but I think it’s kinda admirable that after such a horrible real life experience the author instead of giving up on humanity came out of it with the conclusion that even the most vile human being can change and be better as long as they decide to do so by themselves.

I can never hear Singing in the Rain the same way ever again...

While I haven't read the book or the final chapter, chapter 21 has to me always sounded like it's a bit darkly saying "there are no consequences. People who do completely depraved acts and prey on other people aren't punished in the end. Why would you have expected them to be?"

I think the extra chapter is more unique and gives the story a bit more of an interesting nuance rather than just “the psycho is back to getting away with psychotic shit; are you shocked guys? ARE YOU SHOCKED?” Whereas the idea that doing that shit is ultimately... childish is something I haven’t seen as much of.

21:00 are you _sure_ about that? I don’t see it as “redemption” or even that Alex can choose to be good... the key to the last chapter is that little Alex has grown up... and has become the Old Man. It’s actually a rather sad ending. Whether Alex really did all of the things in the book/film or they are all hyper exaggerated (unreliable narrator and all), the bottom line is: sooner or later, you will get old, and have to pay bills, be responsible and become boring. The Nadsat is what every younger generation sounds like to the older one: making nonsense gibberish words to sound different just to _be_ different. Yet, in the end, the government is always going to be there to manipulate you, your parents are going to be passive/aggressive in how they care about you, and eventually your friends move away and you’re left all alone to fend for yourself. So you have 3 outcomes: Alex “wins” and lives “happily ever after”, never changing and never growing old; Alex grows out of his youth and becomes his parents, as he begins to disdain the youth he once used to be; or Alex never survived that fall and everything you see in the end is his “heaven”

I still can’t believe you only have 150k subscribers. You’re honestly one of my favorite RU-vidrs!

A man with the last name Alexander becomes a writer, grows old, and get badly beaten A boy with the first name Alexander gets badly beaten, grows old, and becomes a writer hm

Achievement Unlocked: Dom reference Hot Fuzz.

I actually heard about A Clockwork Orange in Sunday school as a teenager. Seeing the biblical fantasy part has finally made me understand how it came up

I was a Junior or Senior in highschool when I read this. I checked it out at school and the librarian just looked at me with concern like "yo, you good?" XD

I skimmed through the comments and was shocked that no-one complimented The Dom (Mr. Nobel) for his awesome cat tie pin.

Alex uses the word "horrorshow" at least twice in the narration. He uses it to describe the car that they stole, and the violent movies they forced him to watch in prison. I think some of his droogs use it in some of the dialog as well. "Horrorshow" probably is a corruption of the Russian "Khorashow". A lot of nadsat vocabulary was based on Russian.

The main reason I prefer the book over the story is the amazing flow from not understanding a word to reading Nadsat fluently. It is such an interesting literary mechanism that I don't think the movie managed all that much. Lovely video, as usual!

2:04 I'm the guy who's never seen this movie (or read the book) because of others telling me I'd hate it, so I appreciate your video on it.I love you Dominic the Dom Noble

I read the book in Canada. It had the missing chapter. Completely changed the story. Sitting in a tea shop looking at a picture of a baby and realizing he wanted to be a father, and that his son would go through everything he did before finally growing up. Turned it into a coming of age story.

Teenage me loved the "shocking" ending. Older me appreciates chapter 21 as an extreme example of growing up.

The snake was only added because Kubrick found out McDowell had a phobia of them

My translation of Dom's "Nadsat" talk in that scene at 19:54 in order of each statement. (I haven't read the book, but I want to...I'm just presuming.) 1, Have I gone mad? Married?! What nonsense! Surely you are lying and too full of it to be married, Pete. What kind of situation lead you to such a decision? 2. You're having a laugh. A good one at that. My mind just can't believe it. 3, Well I'll be damned. Either way it was very a good time to meet you my dear old pal.

I absolutely love it when Dom gets distracted by his cats. They're so cute!

Alex singing Singing In the Rain came from Kubrick telling MacDowell to sing an upbeat song. This was only song he could remember all the lyrics to, at the time. MacDowell got his corneas scratched during the reconditioning scenes. It was an actual eye doctor putting the eye drops in his eyes

"...It's just shock and horror." And that's why some see the last chapter as a godawful cop-out to a nihilist masterpiece.

I love this channel, not just for the amazing content or even how I can tell how much work and care goes into the final product, but for how amazing of a person you are. In my experience, people don’t handle serious topics that require trigger warnings with the same care that you do. You are clearly passionate about making sure these topics are handled with the appropriate care while also being able to ad a degree of levity and at appropriate times, humor. That above all else, is why I continue to come back to this channel consistently.

I remember watching this in film class. It was one of films that affected me a lot (though full metal jacket affected me more). And I am not sure where I fall under which version is better, as I am generally a person who believes in redemption and growing but there are also lines that one does not cross and Alex played leap frog over that line several times. Part of me hoped that he was just executed in prison instead of going through torture and indignity afterwards. But the creepy mind-altering stuff does make for an interesting story

That trigger warning defense is the hottest thing you've ever done, Dom.

Fun fact about that drowning scene that is shown several times: There was a tube inside the bath for Malcolm to breath through. They were suppose to push him in, he'll grab it with his mouth, and so would be able to breath while they beat him. However, the tube was clogged up in some way, meaning Malcolm had to hold his breath for the entire duration of the scene, making all his reactions 100% genuine.

I don't really think it's trigger warnings themselves that annoy people so much as how it's been devalued for trivial annoyances by the first World problems people. Legit trauma warnings are always necessary.

Saw the title and was instantly excited. Can't wait to learn more about this gem

"Anthony Burgess, like all the coolest people come from Great Britain." You can't forget about the colonies.

When you really think about it, wasn't Alex exercising free will in both endings -- free will being a main crux of the story?

As always, very well done especially with the disclaimer.

When I was about 13/14, I got into a weird desire to watch all of Kubricks films. My mother wouldn’t let me watch this film, so in high school I decided to get the book. Shoutout to my high school for not only having the book but also letting me check it out at the tender age of 14. That was their mistake.

I really hated the final chapter of the book. Previously (having only seen the movie) this was a story about circles of abuse, Alex abused everyone and was in turn abused by at least the state worker if not arguably more people- at least from his point of view. Then when he got into a position where he couldn't abuse anymore EVERYONE abused him quite violently. none of the people were interested in justice or in dealing with he underlying issues that lead to the violence and abuse that Alex represented they only wanted to stop the symptom. In the end it is that very fact that allows if not forces Alex to go back to his old ways. Only at the end he has political backing as well so he's gotten even worse. Abuse is his only way to wield any power and he's arrived at a point where he has to do so if only in self defense. Only all of that is invalidated by the last chapter. Alex doesn't want to change. He even starts a new gang, and nobody or nothing motivates him to change. He just does. The final chapter struck me more as a shrugging "boys will be boys" attitude than anything about redemption i felt the message was that young people are just like that sometimes and no matter the abuse they deal out or are subjected to they'll just grow out of it in the end.

I like how when he’s in the record store you can see 2001 sound track

So on that ending...... Alex is still evil human being in the British ending. Yeah, he probably thinks in the moment that he's going to stop being evil and teach his kids better, but there really isn't anything to suggest that the character isn't just in a slump or, if we are to buy into the idea that his feelings are just him growing up, then it's more likely that he's just tired of overt acts of evil and is ready to move on to more administrative evil. I see it less as the most vile person having the capacity to become good, and more of the young life of a future CEO of an oil/coal company or the founder of a PMC or a Trump cabinet member.

Damn! David Prowse was built like Heracles!

I used to look after a person whose favourite film was a clockwork orange. He'd only ever watched it once, made no secret of the fact he wouldn't watch it again, but he absolutely lauded it as a masterpiece

I remember watching this as a teenager and thinking: What is clearly adult man doing in school?

Hey dom, will you ever do a lost in adaptation for the count of monte Cristo?

Honestly I will probably forever dislike both versions. The movie was an utter chore to sit through, and my experience hasn't been helped by running across fans whose response to people not liking it is to mock them for "not getting it." Alright, if you people want to talk that way, I agree with the stance that this movie glamorizes a criminal. It's not intentional, but if other franchises can be criticized for unintentional problematic elements then I fail to see why this movie is above such criticism. Some of the tricks used to make us sympathize with Alex flew over my head simply because I liked seeing him get beat up. At the same time, Alex's redemption in the book is unearned. It's not even really redemption, it just depicts being evil as a phase he just grew out of. That is not how the human mind works. I truly despise Alex as a character. Despite getting the movie focused on him, he is a flat one note character who has nothing to him beyond being a sociopathic hedonist. Why do people see him as a great character when the movie does nothing but remind us what horrible person he is.

I haven’t read the book yet but I plan on reading it eventually. Based on what you said though I think the ending’s message could be that you can’t forcefully change who someone is, that they change on their own. He doesn’t change because of the treatment, but because of his personal boredom. I agree that it isn’t much of a “redemption,” though.

Talking so much about how much Alex loved Beethoven, and then later I notice Tchaikovsky playing as the background music and I had a moment of utter confusion. Lol. I legit stopped the vid and rewound to see if Tchaikovsky had been playing the whole time and I hadn't noticed.

As a "victim" of multiple kinds of violence, I thank you for giving a warning in the beginning. I love your videos, and your voice is so calming, I can listen to this with ease. Thank you so much for doing these videos!

I like you take on the people who complain about trigger warnings.

Hearing about that original ending made me laugh out loud. I could honestly picture the story going either way, and both endings are fine in my eyes.

I know its Britain's middle finger, but I can't help but laugh at it. It just reminds me of so many kind of cute things.

Is it just me, or does Dom look like a young John Hurt? If there's plans to do another film adaption of 1984, then Dom would be a fine choice as the leading man. No joke.

I really appriciate all the effort that must have gone into translating parts of your script into nadsat! Just a really cool touch :)

My favourite scene is in the milk bar where a posh singer sings beautifully, Dim mocks it, Alex hits him and smiles in apology to the singer. The singer and her posh accomplices are stunned by the mixture of artistic appreciation and violence.

Been waiting for this for so long, so thankful for whichever patron requested this! I love the book and film as individuals and was so excited to see the Dom break it down

I think the last chapter is incredibly important. I wish they had included it in the film adaptation. I

The way I see it: If Alex does learn his lesson and reforms after being cured, the story not only ends on an optimistic note, but also successfully promotes the chaplain's belief that chosen goodness is better than forced goodness. If Alex stays evil, then the chaplain's an idiot for prioritizing one criminal's free will over the safety and well being of all his past and potential future victims. Either way, as is, I don't care if Alex is the protagonist and narrator. I never felt the slightest bit of empathy for him because I feel none for those who have none. Frankly, the only parts of the film I enjoyed watching were the scenes where he was being tortured, because it was so cathartic to watch him get his comeuppance. I think the story would've worked so much better if he had been the antagonist instead, and we were allowed to follow someone far more likeable as the protagonist.

Super dope you tackled this. I remember having to dissect the book and film via discussion in a psych class in college.

I assumed that A Clockwork Orange took place in an alternate reality where the Soviet Union overtook The United Kingdom and that's why teens speak with a slang that incorporates Russian words. If another adaptation is considered then I would want an animated Russian language version that is still set in London, implying that the public was forced to learn the language after the nation was overtaken. It would be interesting to find out what kind of slang the teens would speak in this version.

Been waiting for this one! So glad to see Dom do my favourite film and one of my favourite books :)

Somehow when I was doing my research on Burgess and this book years ago on my first read, I had missed the "incident" that happened to his wife. Even though the book is intensely dark and unpleasant, I've always had a fondness for it - and the film - for all the moral questions it leaves me with. I like to sit and think over themes in most of my media, but knowing what happened to Burgess's wife, however... It feels way too personal now, like Burgess was working through his trauma and here I sit, almost 60 years later, reading it for "thought." Eugh.

I love the short rant about the long document signing scenes! As always, great review Dom.

Your whole show is so awesome. And your skits within it make it so much more to enjoy. Thank you for being!

I feel bad for The Dom (sorry you'll always be The Dom to me) dislikes his fame from the Fifty Shades reviews because I have legitimately rewatched those more than any video on RU-vid ever. I hate that series with a passion and it helps me when dealing with trauma to hear someone so throughly tear it to pieces, very cathartic.

Aww, your kitties are adorable

"Is this a good adaptation?" "Yes, well actually no, but that's okay."

Both the book and the movie are right sick, but it is a film and literary masterpiece

Lovely analysis and, as always, I appreciate the thoroughness, eloquence, perspicuity, and delicacy with which you approached this particularly grotesque and sensitive subject matter. As a personal fan of the novel and its adaptation, I still always felt there were a few elements of Alex’s mentality and perception of his society discussed in the complete version of the story that weren’t as fully or explicitly translated into the film, though, overall, I think I do prefer the movie’s ending. More specifically, following Alex’s first encounter with Mr. Deltoid, he expounds upon his sheer enjoyment of what his government has deemed performative “badness”. Alex’s revealed philosophy is exceptionally telling in this scene, as he seems to somewhat imply that the designation of his brand of turpitude as a punishable infraction is conceptually comparable to the repression of self or individualism at the hands of those in control. According to him, morality is essentially decided by a corrupt, authoritarian leadership who allows certain people to act in pursuit of their own self-interest or desires as long as those behaviors are in adherence with the enumerated laws imposed by an innately oppressive, inequitable system of governance. In a sense, it appears Alex is questioning why these so called “good” individuals can choose to do what they like while he cannot. Thematically, this thought process certainly contributes to the overarching conversation on choice, personal freedom, and who has the right to determine the standards and enforcement of ethicality in a society. After all, authoritarianism unavoidably establishes regulations, definitions of criminality, and punishments for deviance that are injudicious and cruel, which lead to cycles of unrest, violence, prison overcrowding, and the further revocation of rights. The government proceeds to blame societal ills on some intangible, devilish source of “evil” and ignores its own culpability in breeding discord amongst its populace. From this perspective, Alex actually has a bit of veracity to his reasoning and justifications. However, in consideration of the original ending whereby Alex essentially “grows out” of his years of insolence and assumes his future sons will follow the same trajectory towards eventual adulthood, it almost seems as though Anthony Burgess believes or hopes that youthful degeneracy and contumacious behaviors are natural, transient phases of growth that are independent of the general state of lawlessness in a society or its apathy towards the proper cultivation of young, malleable minds. All forms and gradations of criminality, through this lens of analysis, can therefore be redeemable purely through the passage of time. As a conclusion to a novel seemingly desirous of exploring the complexities and ambiguities integral to the discussion on the causes and treatment of violence and contravention, this scenario is arguably a little simplistic and thematically inconsistent with the narrative threads demonstrated earlier on. Additionally, while there is some truth to this specific perception of crime and those who commit it, Alex’s characterization as a sadistic psychopath represents a distinctive exception. His intrinsic compulsion to inflict pain and draw blood categorizes him as someone who would likely pursue his sanguinary interests no matter how much he aged mentally and physically. Resultantly, Burgess’s final chapter appears quixotic and rather insensitive, as Alex’s particular crimes are ineffably severe, unforgivable, and inexcusable by simply referencing his lack of physiological development or even pointing to the shambles his current world is in. Therefore, though extremely dismal and pessimistic, Kubrick’s ending represents a more accurate depiction of a failing government’s attempt at rehabilitating a self-possessed, irredeemable, remorseless murderer through chemically induced and torturous means. I guess, to summarize, these various elements of commentary in the complete novel, which pertain to the intersection of criminality, personal freedom, youthful rebelliousness, and the morality of generating falsified “goodness” in a sadist, have slight issues in their underlying compatibility and cohesion. These are just my personal opinions and interpretations, though! I could most definitely be flawed in my reasoning and perspectives.

My thought on the American versions message is that "evil won't stop being evil, but will suffer." Every bit of our humble narrators past bite him in the ass in the end, and he will likely become the victim of similar young men in the future. More bleak yes but not just a glorification. That is just my opinion however and you are free to disagree. Also the "Singing in the Rain" scene is like the only improvisation I know of that Kubrick ever allowed. He was, after all, a perfectionist.

I really appreciate your trigger warnings, Dom. I mean, I'm fortunate enough not to need them, but I'm grateful that you use them for people who sadly do.

So that's what A Clockwork Orange is about.

HE DID THE THING! JOG ON!

The trigger warning rant was weird.

It would probably surprise a lot of people who know me that A Clockwork Orange is one of my favorite films. That said, I think it would be a very effective litmus test for whether or not you want to keep company with someone: if they laugh at the "Singin' in the Rain" scene, run far, far away.

This is wonderful that you took on a horrific classic like a clockwork orange. I bet this was something on your to-do list for a while. Good job too!

A guy told me once that the Catholic Church considers watching this film a cardinal sin. So all the boys going to Catholic school watched it as an act of defiance.

I love your unflinching support of trigger warnings, mental illness, and things pretaining to them. Thank you. Great review as always.

Oh Dom, I’ve been waiting for you to do this.

This is the one and only time I know for a fact I can't watch a vid of yours, but I'm sure it's fantastic and insightful as all your other work!

As always, thank you for using trigger warnings correctly.

Fun fact: Horrorshow is phonetically similar to the word good in Russian, хорошо (khorosho)

OMG just when I thought I couldn't love you more, you do an episode about my alltime favourite movie ever. You're just the best!!

It's 'Bur-Jess'. The '70's were a great time to be a teenager, we'd have given you the old surprise visit...