The Faces of Mercy 2017
Today was a day when I had to go out and do my job and stop studying for 24-hours and earn some money.
I prepared seven videos of seven works composed by George Palmer for the production, The Faces of Mercy; plus George Palmer’s Ithaca, and Breaking the Silence – George Palmer’s Concerto for Cello and Chamber Orchestra.
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971)
2 hours after watching 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), I watched A Clockwork Orange (1971). I hoped to see things that would allow me to see more of the director or writer or creator, from one film to the next.
But, instead I saw a number of in-jokes. And they didn’t amuse me, they irritated me. I suppose that Kubrick was already thinking that sometime in the future, these little references would be amusing references to his other work.
The beating of the homeless man (the ape killing ape)
The number plate of Alex’s car “DAV”
The furniture in the writer’s apartment (similarly futuristic)
The record album in the store where Alex picks up two girls (2001 Soundtrack in the foreground)
Amongst many other visual references I think it’s all very cute but distracting.
They were the most immediate thoughts, which were of disappointment, because A Clockwork Orange (1971) is an extraordinary story, and suffers from the little jokes it makes, which undermine the power of its message – theme – story – value.
I’ve seen few films with the power this film has in describing a violent, anti-social, bored, dangerous, group of youths (beings). Trainspotting was the next most real (and distasteful) one that came to mind.
I was concerned about the ease of deceit as these hoodlums made their way into people’s homes.
The Cure
This is the element I thought was most extraordinary in the story. De-sensitize the rapists and killers and enable them to reintegrate into society.
It’s a double-edged sword.
No matter the validity of the rehabilitation method; either you create a defenseless person, or you erroneously think you’ve changed the inherent violent (anti-social) behaviour of hoodlums – but you haven’t.
One of the great films but sickening to watch on several levels.
