This movie about how three rebellious teens in a British boarding school react to a hidebound society is difficult to analyze. The theme of revolt of the free-spirited against a repressive society is there, but what is real or imagined, what is fantasy or fact is not clear. In the final analysis I came just to accept this as a work of art whose qualities I came to appreciate.
There are many memorable scenes, some of exquisite beauty, some of harsh cruelty. The scene with the riders on the motorcycle is one of the purest representations of freedom ever recorded on film. But, don't break it down or it loses its effect. The motorcycle was stolen, someone stood to lose money on the deal, the pristine grass they were on was being torn up, the machine was polluting, standing on a motorcycle is dangerous, and so forth. So, just ignore all of that and appreciate the artistry of it - this goes for the movie in general.
No matter what you think of the film, it would be difficult not to be captivated by Malcom McDowell's magnetic performance. He had quite a run there, what with this film, "O Lucky Man!," and "A Clockwork Orange," in a period of five years. And who will be able to forget the scene in the Packhorse Cafe between McDowell and Christine Noonan - it has to be one of the greatest sex scenes ever filmed. And in black and white no less.
I think it is misguided to compare the revolt of these three students with the school shootings in recent years. The school shootings have been committed either by highly unstable individuals or by those desiring revenge for personal slights. Here I see the motivations as a revolt against a repressive society - the educational system, religion, the military, you name it - and not against individuals per se.
The filming is quite accomplished and the music compelling, particularly the excerpt from the Missa Luba.
The effect the final scenes had on me completely typifies my reactions to the movie in general. On the one hand I was horrified, but on the other I was laughing. I found the scene with the priest and the knight in armor running for cover disturbing on a personal level, but gleefully humorous on the level of the idea of upending dogmatic religion and centuries old traditions. And how realistic are those final scenes? The headmaster gets shot in the head, but in the very next scene there is no evidence of his being where he was standing. I imagine the final scenes had an appeal to the "don't trust anyone over thirty" generation at the time.
The fact that you can take this for real, for absurdest comedy, for satire, or in many other ways, speaks highly of it.
You are disposed to answer the questions, "What is freedom and how much does it mean to you?"
There are many memorable scenes, some of exquisite beauty, some of harsh cruelty. The scene with the riders on the motorcycle is one of the purest representations of freedom ever recorded on film. But, don't break it down or it loses its effect. The motorcycle was stolen, someone stood to lose money on the deal, the pristine grass they were on was being torn up, the machine was polluting, standing on a motorcycle is dangerous, and so forth. So, just ignore all of that and appreciate the artistry of it - this goes for the movie in general.
No matter what you think of the film, it would be difficult not to be captivated by Malcom McDowell's magnetic performance. He had quite a run there, what with this film, "O Lucky Man!," and "A Clockwork Orange," in a period of five years. And who will be able to forget the scene in the Packhorse Cafe between McDowell and Christine Noonan - it has to be one of the greatest sex scenes ever filmed. And in black and white no less.
I think it is misguided to compare the revolt of these three students with the school shootings in recent years. The school shootings have been committed either by highly unstable individuals or by those desiring revenge for personal slights. Here I see the motivations as a revolt against a repressive society - the educational system, religion, the military, you name it - and not against individuals per se.
The filming is quite accomplished and the music compelling, particularly the excerpt from the Missa Luba.
The effect the final scenes had on me completely typifies my reactions to the movie in general. On the one hand I was horrified, but on the other I was laughing. I found the scene with the priest and the knight in armor running for cover disturbing on a personal level, but gleefully humorous on the level of the idea of upending dogmatic religion and centuries old traditions. And how realistic are those final scenes? The headmaster gets shot in the head, but in the very next scene there is no evidence of his being where he was standing. I imagine the final scenes had an appeal to the "don't trust anyone over thirty" generation at the time.
The fact that you can take this for real, for absurdest comedy, for satire, or in many other ways, speaks highly of it.
You are disposed to answer the questions, "What is freedom and how much does it mean to you?"