A Clockwork Orange (film)
Updated: 12/10/2025, 9:21:40 PM Wikipedia source
A Clockwork Orange is a 1971 dystopian crime film written, produced, and directed by Stanley Kubrick. It is based on Anthony Burgess's 1962 novel. The film employs disturbing and violent themes to comment on psychiatry, juvenile delinquency, youth gangs, and broader social, political, and economic issues in a dystopian near-future Britain. Alex (Malcolm McDowell), the central character, is a charismatic, anti-social delinquent whose interests include classical music (especially that of Beethoven), committing rape, theft, and "ultra-violence". He leads a small gang of thugs, Pete (Michael Tarn), Georgie (James Marcus), and Dim (Warren Clarke), whom he calls his droogs (from the Russian word друг, which is "friend", "buddy"). The film chronicles the horrific crime spree of his gang, his capture, and attempted rehabilitation via an experimental psychological conditioning technique (the "Ludovico Technique") promoted by the Minister of the Interior (Anthony Sharp). Alex narrates most of the film in Nadsat, a fractured adolescent slang composed of Slavic languages (especially Russian), English, and Cockney rhyming slang. The film premiered in New York City on 19 December 1971 and was released in the United Kingdom on 13 January 1972. The film was met with polarised reviews from critics and was controversial due to its depictions of graphic violence. After it was cited as having inspired copycat acts of violence, the film was withdrawn from British cinemas at Kubrick's behest, and it was also banned in several other countries. In the years following, the film underwent a critical re-evaluation and earned a cult following. It received several awards and nominations, with four nominations at the 44th Academy Awards, including Best Picture. In the British Film Institute's 2012 Sight & Sound polls of the world's greatest films, A Clockwork Orange was ranked 75th in the directors' poll and 235th in the critics' poll. In 2020, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Infobox
Directed by
Stanley Kubrick
Screenplay by
Stanley Kubrick
Based on
A Clockwork Orangeby Anthony Burgess
Produced by
Stanley Kubrick
Starring
mw- Malcolm McDowell Patrick Magee Adrienne Corri Miriam Karlin
Cinematography
John Alcott
Edited by
Bill Butler
Music by
Wendy Carlos[a]
Productioncompanies
Polaris Productions Hawk Films
Distributed by
Warner Bros. (US)Columbia-Warner Distributors (UK)
Release dates
19 December 1971 (1971-12-19) (New York City) 13 January 1972 (1972-01-13) (United Kingdom) 2 February 1972 (1972-02-02) (United States)
Running time
136 minutes
Countries
United Kingdom United States
Language
English
Budget
$1.3 million
Box office
$114 million
Tables
· Reception › Accolades
Academy Awards
Academy Awards
Award
Academy Awards
Category
Best Picture
Nominee(s)
Stanley Kubrick
Result
Nominated
Best Director
Best Director
Award
Best Director
Category
Nominated
Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium
Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium
Award
Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium
Category
Nominated
Best Film Editing
Best Film Editing
Award
Best Film Editing
Category
Bill Butler
Nominee(s)
Nominated
British Academy Film Awards
British Academy Film Awards
Award
British Academy Film Awards
Category
Best Film
Nominee(s)
Stanley Kubrick
Result
Nominated
Best Direction
Best Direction
Award
Best Direction
Category
Nominated
Best Screenplay
Best Screenplay
Award
Best Screenplay
Category
Nominated
Best Editing
Best Editing
Award
Best Editing
Category
Bill Butler
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Production Design
Best Production Design
Award
Best Production Design
Category
John Barry
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Cinematography
Best Cinematography
Award
Best Cinematography
Category
John Alcott
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Sound
Best Sound
Award
Best Sound
Category
Brian Blamey, John Jordan, and Bill Rowe
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Directors Guild of America Awards
Directors Guild of America Awards
Award
Directors Guild of America Awards
Category
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
Nominee(s)
Stanley Kubrick
Result
Nominated
Evening Standard British Film Awards
Evening Standard British Film Awards
Award
Evening Standard British Film Awards
Category
Best Film
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award
Best Actor
Category
Malcolm McDowell
Nominee(s)
Won
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Award
Golden Globe Awards
Category
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Award
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Category
Malcolm McDowell
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Director – Motion Picture
Best Director – Motion Picture
Award
Best Director – Motion Picture
Category
Stanley Kubrick
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Hugo Awards
Hugo Awards
Award
Hugo Awards
Category
Best Dramatic Presentation
Nominee(s)
Stanley Kubrick and Anthony Burgess
Result
Won
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
Award
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
Category
Best Film
Nominee(s)
Won
Nastro d'Argento
Nastro d'Argento
Award
Nastro d'Argento
Category
Best Foreign Director
Nominee(s)
Stanley Kubrick
Result
Won
National Film Preservation Board
National Film Preservation Board
Award
National Film Preservation Board
Category
National Film Registry
Nominee(s)
Inducted
National Society of Film Critics Awards
National Society of Film Critics Awards
Award
National Society of Film Critics Awards
Category
Best Film
Nominee(s)
3rd Place
Best Director
Best Director
Award
Best Director
Category
Stanley Kubrick
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award
Best Actor
Category
Malcolm McDowell
Nominee(s)
Nominated
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Award
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Category
Best Film
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Director
Best Director
Award
Best Director
Category
Stanley Kubrick
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award
Best Actor
Category
Malcolm McDowell
Nominee(s)
Runner-up
Online Film & Television Association Awards
Online Film & Television Association Awards
Award
Online Film & Television Association Awards
Category
Film Hall of Fame: Productions
Nominee(s)
Inducted
Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards
Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards
Award
Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards
Category
Best DVD Commentary
Nominee(s)
Malcolm McDowell
Result
Won
Satellite Awards
Satellite Awards
Award
Satellite Awards
Category
Best Classic DVD
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Saturn Awards (2008)
Saturn Awards (2008)
Award
Saturn Awards (2008)
Category
Best DVD Collection
Nominee(s)
A Clockwork Orange (as part of Stanley Kubrick: Warner Home Video Directors Series)
Result
Nominated
Saturn Awards (2012)
Saturn Awards (2012)
Award
Saturn Awards (2012)
Category
Best DVD Collection
Nominee(s)
A Clockwork Orange (as part of Stanley Kubrick: The Essential Collection)
Result
Won
Saturn Awards (2015)
Saturn Awards (2015)
Award
Saturn Awards (2015)
Category
Best DVD or Blu-ray Collection
Nominee(s)
A Clockwork Orange (as part of Stanley Kubrick: The Masterpiece Collection)
Result
Nominated
Turkish Film Critics Association Awards
Turkish Film Critics Association Awards
Award
Turkish Film Critics Association Awards
Category
Best Foreign Film
Nominee(s)
5th Place
Venice International Film Festival
Venice International Film Festival
Award
Venice International Film Festival
Category
Pasinetti Award (Best Foreign Film)
Nominee(s)
Stanley Kubrick
Result
Won
Writers Guild of America Awards
Writers Guild of America Awards
Award
Writers Guild of America Awards
Category
Best Drama – Adapted from Another Medium
Nominee(s)
Nominated
| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
| Academy Awards | Best Picture | Stanley Kubrick | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Nominated | |||
| Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium | Nominated | |||
| Best Film Editing | Bill Butler | Nominated | ||
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Film | Stanley Kubrick | Nominated | |
| Best Direction | Nominated | |||
| Best Screenplay | Nominated | |||
| Best Editing | Bill Butler | Nominated | ||
| Best Production Design | John Barry | Nominated | ||
| Best Cinematography | John Alcott | Nominated | ||
| Best Sound | Brian Blamey, John Jordan, and Bill Rowe | Nominated | ||
| Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures | Stanley Kubrick | Nominated | |
| Evening Standard British Film Awards | Best Film | Won | ||
| Best Actor | Malcolm McDowell | Won | ||
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama | Malcolm McDowell | Nominated | ||
| Best Director – Motion Picture | Stanley Kubrick | Nominated | ||
| Hugo Awards | Best Dramatic Presentation | Stanley Kubrick and Anthony Burgess | Won | |
| Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Film | Won | ||
| Nastro d'Argento | Best Foreign Director | Stanley Kubrick | Won | |
| National Film Preservation Board | National Film Registry | Inducted | ||
| National Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Film | 3rd Place | ||
| Best Director | Stanley Kubrick | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor | Malcolm McDowell | Nominated | ||
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Film | Won | ||
| Best Director | Stanley Kubrick | Won | ||
| Best Actor | Malcolm McDowell | Runner-up | ||
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Film Hall of Fame: Productions | Inducted | ||
| Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards | Best DVD Commentary | Malcolm McDowell | Won | |
| Satellite Awards | Best Classic DVD | Nominated | ||
| Saturn Awards (2008) | Best DVD Collection | A Clockwork Orange (as part of Stanley Kubrick: Warner Home Video Directors Series) | Nominated | |
| Saturn Awards (2012) | Best DVD Collection | A Clockwork Orange (as part of Stanley Kubrick: The Essential Collection) | Won | |
| Saturn Awards (2015) | Best DVD or Blu-ray Collection | A Clockwork Orange (as part of Stanley Kubrick: The Masterpiece Collection) | Nominated | |
| Turkish Film Critics Association Awards | Best Foreign Film | 5th Place | ||
| Venice International Film Festival | Pasinetti Award (Best Foreign Film) | Stanley Kubrick | Won | |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Best Drama – Adapted from Another Medium | Nominated | ||
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