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The comic elements added to the rape scene

posted 9 years ago by cartesianthought
5 replies | jump to latest

At first I was really offended by it, but then I realized, that was the point.

Rape happens so often in movies, we're desensitized. Kubrick re-sensitizes the viewer. Kubrick could have gone the route of movies that take themselves a little bit too seriously and had just portrayed a plain rape scene with dreary colors, heft in directing and harrowing music. Kubrick could have just followed the rules but he wasn't trying to be an ordinary customer.

The reaction to most rape scenes is pretty much "aw man, that sucks". The response that TCO elicited was more along the lines of "THIS IS HORRIBLE!!! I CANT BEAR TO WATCH IT!!". That's how rape should be received.

[–] sean42787 9 years ago

Interesting take

[–] Naphthous 8 years ago

I'm not so sure. When this was made, there was much less of an established Hollywood way of depicting rape, which you suggest Kubrick was contrasting with.

I'm not sure what you mean by comic elements, either. What exactly was remotely comical about it?

I can't think of anyone whose movies take themselves more seriously than Kubrick's (okay, maybe the awful Aronofsky and von Trier), and I say that as a huge fan.

[–] Barbed_Wire_Strawberry 8 years ago

Clockwork is a satire. What is it satirizing? I think it has mainly to do with the whole art vs reality debate - whether art influences morality or vice a versa. The key to Alex is that he is a performer - the rape, the beatings - all performances. Artworks to Alex. The comic element is the enjoyment and theatrical performance by Alex. The 'viddy well' comment is to F Alexander AND the audience. Alex is saying 'enjoy the voyeurism' - with ironic distance. Ironic given that Alex is later forced to 'viddy well' (but MADE to feel sick) whereas the audience might feel sick without being drugged.

Then again, as Kubrick said, Alex could be taken to represent the ID. Man in his natural state, and the Ludovico is a metaphor for 'the neurosis composed by society' in not indulging our every desire, however violent or anti-social.

Good comment OP. Kubrick saw the difference between actual violence and film violence, but probably saw the trend of desensitization in society, and the relationship between violence and sex, including but not limited to rape.

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[–] 8 years ago

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[–] Barbed_Wire_Strawberry 8 years ago

Very insightful comment, deathcreeper. Didn't understand something, champ?

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