Clockwork Orange

Clockwork Orange

You are lead into the opening shot by what appears to be distorted, haunting and slightly disturbing piece of classical music. The music sounds futuristic which suggests the director's movie takes place in some impending time.

The opening shot is focused on what appears to be a young male dressed in a bowler hat, but your attention is fixed on his menacing stare which is highlighted by one eye with mascara streaks. The imbalance of the stare imposes a disturbing hint of femininity to the air of threat. An essence of innocence is preserved by the youth putting a glass of milk to his lips instead of a stronger drink such as whiskey. The scene continues with a dolly out shot which shows a group of four similarly dressed youths in a uniform of bowler hats and white suits. As the camera moves away from the strange group of youths, they are seen to be drinking around a group of naked female manikins being used as tables.

As the shot pans out to show a futuristic milk bar a non-diegetic voice comes who calls himself Alex. Alex himself sets the scene, by explaining that he is in a milk bar one evening with his three 'droogs' which is Russian for friends. He describes a menu of milk+ and all sorts of other ingredients which hint at being drug like stimulants. He states that his beverage of choice is good for violence which he hints will form part of his evening.