A Clockwork Orange: Anniversary Edition

Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Anthony Burgess' bestselling satirical novel about the nature of free will in a futuristic England remains controversial 40 years after its initial X-rated release in 1971. In a career-defining role, Malcolm McDowell stars as 15-year-old Alex—leader of a gang of young thugs—who is jailed for murder, and then subjected to a new drug "cure" (the Ludovico technique) that makes him nauseous at the thought of violence. Stripped of his freedom of choice, Alex becomes little more than a machine cloaked in an organic husk. Brimming with iconic cinematic images (and making it impossible to ever watch Gene Kelly's Singin' in the Rain routine with innocent eyes again), A Clockwork Orange—which nabbed Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay—makes its second appearance on Blu-ray in this handsome 40th anniversary double-disc edition. Packaged in a 41-page digi-book with photos and trivia, extras include a new interview with McDowell and the new featurette “Turning Like Clockwork” (on the film's cultural impact), as well as audio commentary by McDowell and film historian Nick Redman, the excellent British documentary “Still Tickin': The Return of Clockwork Orange,” a “making-of” featurette, and a pair of feature-length documentaries on the director and star: Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (2001) and O Lucky Malcolm! (2006). Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. [Note: A Clockwork Orange is also included in the nine-film Stanley Kubrick Collection, priced at $74.98 on DVD and $148.98 on Blu-ray.] (R. Pitman)