Based on Anthony Burgess’s novel of the same name, A Clockwork Orange was written, directed & produced by the influential & controversial Stanley Kubrick in 1971. It depicts a future dystopian Britain where ‘ultra-violence’ is the sport of violent gangs. The film is a commentary on psychiatry, gang-culture, economic inequality & other socio-political themes. Central to this is the concept of the individual- will versus State-control. The central character Alex (portrayed by Malcolm McDowell), whose interests in life are ultra-violence & Beethoven, leads a gang of thugs known as ‘Droogs’ ( derived from a Russian term meaning ‘pal’ or ‘buddy’) & their violent binges eventually lead to Alex’s arrest & imprisonment. The State then tries to re-habilitate him using controversial psychological conditioning. Alex narrates much of the film using a language invented by Burgess called Nadsat. It is a street-lingo comprising Russian & Cockney rhyming- slang. It reflects Burgess’s bewilderment upon returning to 1950s Britain from India after a long absence. The film was ordered banned by Kubrick himself, who feared it might lead to imitative behaviour in the UK.