A Clockwork Orange (1971) *
Anthony Burgess’ dystopian novella, A Clockwork Orange, from the 60’s, and it’s subsequent cinematic adaptation, A Clockwork Orange (1971), by director Stanley Kubrick, in the 70’s, were both very controversial works.
Malcolm McDowell played the lead role of the eccentric, ultra-violent and artistic Alex DeLarge.
Q° 1. If the film were to be re-made today :-
(i) with an adult Alex DeLarge character, based on the original 71’ movie, which of these British actors should reprise McDowell’s superb act?
a) Ewan McGregor
b) Jonathan Rhys Meyers
-or-
c) Daniel Radcliffe
(ii) with a 15 year old Alex – the Large character (in the novella the lead doesn’t have a last name, but once refers to himself as ‘Alexander The Large’, in an obvious reference to his phallic-centric ego), based on the 60’s novella, which of these 21 year old actors (as taking an actual teenager to play such a violent character might not be acceptable, unless the said teen is mature enough to play the role with the necessary detachment, so as not to affect his own psychological state) would be convincing enough as this underaged delinquent?
a) 21year old Brit, Freddie Highmore
b) 21 year old Brit, Eugene Simon
-or-
c) 21 year old all-American, Logan Lerman
Q° 2. In Stanley Kubrick’s film adaptation, the last chapter of the novella is missing. It is said, that he most probably read the American publication of the book, instead of the original British one, as in the United States the book was published minus the last chapter back then. Would you have preferred if he had included Burgess’ ending, or do you like the movie the way it is, with it’s creepy, twist in the tale, ending?
Q° 3. When Anthony Burgess wrote the book, he set it in the near future, i.e. roughly the 70’s. Now that we’ve come four more decades into the future, would you like to see a re-make set in the actual 70’s decade; with actual styles of the 70’s, of floppy hair, side-burns, bell bottoms, wide ties, the mustards, the greens, the browns, the geometric designs et al. And would you like to see the characters speaking in colloquial English instead of Burgess’ inventive Nadsat language?
Nuwan Sen’s Film Sense
Q&A: Your Opinion Matters
No Nonsense with Nuwan Sen 
Fun topic!
1. Ewan McGregor. Perfect!
2. He’s too pretty which would make Eugene Simon an interesting choice.
3. I like the ambiguity and speculation. Leave the ending inconclusive…
🙂
Thanks!!
Great, I like the idea of Ewan McGregor as well. In fact when I watched the movie, back in 2006, Malcolm McDowell felt a bit like McGregor.
But for the teenage character, I’d like to see how Logan Lerman manages the nadsat with a cockney accent. And, yes I like the idea of an ambiguous ending, letting us decide. But I did love the creepy ending in the movie, and when I read the book, two years ago, I loved that ending as well.
Thanks again, but you’ve missed my last question. Please let me know what you think of a movie version set in the actual 70’s.
Cheers
NS
“all-American”. Logan Lerman is 100% Jewish. That’s relevant because the U.S. didn’t let the families of three of his grandparents into the U.S., while their lives were at risk elsewhere in the world because they were Jewish. The U.S. only let them in ”after” World War II. So they should get no credit for his existence.
Yes, am aware that Logan Lerman is Jewish. But he was born brought up in the United States. What I mean by all-American, is that this young Jewish actor feels all-American. The way he talks, he walks, he behaves in every way, – he feels like an American. And as an American, I’d like to see him ape the British cockney accent, with the inventive nadsat language. But thanks for clarifying that the States were not willing to help his ancestors pre-World War II. I wasn’t aware of that.
Again speaking of all American. Cary Grant was born and brought in the United Kingdom, but as a Hollywood star he felt soooo American, I consider him an all-American actor too. But British actress Elizabeth Taylor, Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman, Dutch-Irish actress Audrey Hepburn; all three Hollywood stars, never felt out and out all-American off screen. On-screen, depending on the character, they of course felt whatever they were meant to be.
So I hope this clarifies, why I consider Logan Lerman an all-American boy.