Similarities Between the Shining and Clockwork Orange

Stanley Kubrick has directed two amazing films within The Shining and Clockwork Orange. Both of these films go against the norms of society, and portray two different types of violence; both are evident of the repetition of the violent instinct. Kubrick is known for having the same theme occupy many of his films. Jack within The Shining portrays the insanity that lurks behind closed doors, and Alex within Clockwork Orange portrays a violent streak against society and what is considered right versus wrong. Therefore, both The Shining and Clockwork Orange are significant of the fact that violence can live within anyone and can be concealed both privately and publicly.

There are many similarities between The Shining and Clockwork Orange. For example, there is the Kubrickian element of color-coding within both films. The majority of scenes within both films are accompanied by a red/white/blue color element. This color-coding is a portrayal of the American flag and perhaps freedom. The Shining is portraying freedom in multiple ways; freedom from the mind, Wendy and Danny seeking freedom from Jack, and freedom from the "shining" itself. The color-coding is also obvious from the clothing that Wendy and Danny wear within the film because both are often wearing red and blue shirts. Clockwork Orange is a portrayal of freedom from the media influence, as well as from the violence that happens within society all too often.

Another parallel within both films is the theme of doubling, which maybe in itself presents reality. It is through both The Shining and Clockwork Orange that we see an immense amount of doubling occur. In illustration of this point, there is the doubling within The Shining, which begins with Danny talking to his imaginary friend Tony into the mirror, and we are able to see a doubling of Danny's image. There is also the doubling aspect of the mazes. There is the hedge maze located outside the hotel, as well as the figurine of that exact maze within the hotel lobby, and then most importantly the maze within Jack's mind. The Overlook Hotel represents the maze within Jacks mind, and the different chambers within it. There are also the two twin girls that Danny see's through his ability with the "shining," as well as the paintings that double up on all the walls. There is a record blizzard and a record heat wave taking place at the exact same time, and then red rum, which when spelled backwards means murder. The amount of doubling within The Shining is never-ending, and a very apparent theme within the film. The doubling within Clockwork Orange is also quite obvious. The entire film is a double, all the scenes, which occur in the beginning of the film, are repeated in the ending of the film, so that there is a doubling effect. There is also the doubling of mirrors as well as the white cats that appear to double within the cat lady's house. Therefore, Kubrick uses doubling as a major element within both The Shining and Clockwork Orange.

Bathrooms are another important aspect within Kubrickian films. Both films portray the bathrooms as quite large and brightly colored. The most relevant bathroom within The Shining is in the scene when Jack is having a vision and is talking to Grady in the bathroom during the ball. The bathroom is massive and decorated with brightly colored red and white tiles, as well as mirrors all along the wall. In the first bathroom scene in Clockwork Orange the bathroom is yellow and white stripped, the yellow corresponds with death so this could also be foreshadowing for later events within the film. Either way, it is quite obvious that Kubrick is not only fond of bathrooms within his films, but also brightly colored, decorative bathrooms.

Jack and Alex can both be seen as wanderers within their films. Both men have lost their identities. It is due to the solitude that Jack has gone mad and therefore can be seen as a wanderer. Alex has also lost his identity. When he is in prison it is like he no longer has a name, he is always referred to as number, which represents his loss of identity. As well, both men are suffering and are in limbo between what they want and what they can have.

The last important resemblance between both films is the notion of monsters. Jack and Alex can both be portrayed as human monstrosities because of the violence that lies within both of them. Jack can be characterized as a human monster within the confines of his own home. It is within his private life with his wife and son that he becomes capable of an unspeakable violence. Alex can be represented as a human monstrosity within society. He is a human monster capable of such demented violence that he has the majority of society living in terror.

There are also many important differences between The Shining and Clockwork Orange. The Shining is a film based on the "shining" itself and with seeing things that haven't happened yet. It is a film about instincts versus reason/reality and the insane versus the sane.

However, The Shining is ultimately about America. It is about how quickly the American dream can turn into a nightmare. It also has a large connection with American history. For example, the alcoholism that is apparent within Jack from when we hear Wendy's story about Danny's accident, and then when Jack sits at the bar drinking and talking to Lloyd. There is a strong family aspect within the film as well. It is family, which holds so much importance within America. We see right from the beginning that Jack is the head of the family, and holds tight control over his wife and son; everything within in the film is based on what Jack needs or wants. Wendy is seen as the timid housewife who does exactly what Jack asks of her. It is also quite apparent that Wendy and Danny are quite close, but that Jack and Danny have almost no relationship at all, and it seems as if Danny is scared of Jack right from the start of the film. Therefore, within American history this film is largely about the triangle between wife, husband, and son.

The Shining also has a large focus on the breakdown of communication. There are many elements within the film that are based on communication, media, and technology. Kubrick is symbolizing the deprivation of language itself within this film. There are so many different methods of communication such as the phones and the radio that when both break-down it represents the break-down of communication and what we must do to get by without technology and this is where the "shining" comes into play within the film.

The most important aspect of the film is the "shining" itself. The "shining" within the film is the ability for a person to be almost psychic, it is a type of paranormal power that allows a person to see visions that no one else can see. We see Danny's ability to use the "shining" is apparent from the very beginning of the film. His powers though are channeled through Tony, his imaginary friend. Dick, the head cook, see's right from the start that Danny has the special ability to "shine." He tells Danny that "To shine is to hold conversations without ever opening your mouth," and that "Some places are like people. Some shine and some don't." Thus, we see from the start that Dick has the ability to "shine" as well, which explains how he knows that Danny and Wendy are in trouble, Danny channels the information to him by "shining." As the film progresses we see that Jack has developed the "shining" as well. He begins to see visions, starting with Lloyd at the bar, and then the vision of the dead woman in the bathroom who just as suddenly turns into a beautiful woman. Wendy eventually contracts the "shining" near the end of the film. She see's Dick's dead body lying in the hallway, and maybe because it is such a horrific scene she develops the "shining," and we see her vision of a man dressed in a bear-suit sitting in a bedroom. Therefore, the ability to "shine" within The Shining is the most important aspect of the film itself and has many different themes and meanings within the film.

Clockwork Orange is another Stanley Kubrick film based on the idea of violence. It is a film that can be recognized as a morality film, due to all the moral issues that are dealt within it, from right versus wrong within society to media influences on the public. Alex, the main character is a teenage hoodlum. His most significant feature being his right eye which he decorates with long black lines. This could perhaps be symbolizing youth and freedom, or the way in which he himself views society. It is quite obvious that Alex see's things differently than society does. Alex starts out the film as a person capable of extreme evilness. He and his apparent brother's see themselves as saviors in some demented way, which is clear from the statue of Jesus and the four other statues surrounding it that they cherish so much. However, being saviors that rape and kill doesn't quite correspond with the idea of Jesus, and singing the song "singing in the rain" while he rapes is another demented aspect of Alex's violence and evilness.

There are many important themes and concepts within Clockwork Orange. The first being the theme of music within the film. The entire film is accompanied by very traditional and recognizable music, such as "singing in the rain," and Beethoven's 9^th. At the beginning of the film Alex is obsessed with Beethoven; from listening to his music to posters inside his room. Ironically, though he comes to hate Beethoven at the end of the film. This is because of the aversion therapy that he undergoes and in which they accompany the therapy with music by Beethoven because they knew Beethoven was associated with Alex's previous actions and thoughts. "Singing in the rain" is a song that is heard throughout the film. Alex sings it during the first house invasion when he is raping the wife, and then when he is back in that house while he is bathing. Perhaps, this song portrays the misconception that the youth have concerning the seriousness of crimes. Alex didn't take the rape serious and singing while he did it signified that he enjoyed it. It wasn't just a power thing for him, but an act of enjoyment.

The influence of media was a major theme within Clockwork Orange as well. Alex portrays how inescapable media influence is, even when your eyes aren't being propped open, as Alex's were, a person can't help but be influenced. The question within this film is how much influence is put upon us by the propaganda? How much of the media actually influences us? It is quite obvious within this film that no matter how much you try to avoid it, you can't help but be influenced, and this is portrayed to us by the therapy treatment, which Alex undergoes. This therapy proves to us how effectful media can be on a person, whether or not you're forced to watch it. For example, Alex goes from not being bothered by violence at all to being scarred by it. Before the therapy he was capable of committing violent act after violent act, however after watching the violent acts being committed within his therapy, we see that watching is incredibly different from doing, and Alex realizes how sickening the crimes were that he was committing.

Clockwork Orange is also significant of forms of social control. This is portrayed largely by the ever-present white line. It is a method of controlling society, and especially within the prison as a way to show the inmates that they are not in control and that they better get use to that. It is conditioning for the inmates who are used to being in control, but are no longer in that position of power. It seems in the film that Alex is fighting against repression, and is symbolic of fighting the system alone. He is fighting against everything that the system represents and against the destruction of youth, therefore Alex is seen as a victim of the modern age.

Another interesting concept within Clockwork Orange is the concept of the dream. There is a strong possibility that this entire film can be a dream of Alex's. This aspect comes into play after the first house invasion. It is here that we realize that Alex could be having a guilt dream. He is guilty after the first house invasion; one of his apparent brothers asks him where he's been and he says, "I was sleeping. I slept in." Then his brother says things have to change. Then there is also the scene when Alex is in the hospital right after he attempts to commit suicide, and he asks the nurse "what is a dream?" These are all references to a dream and bring up the question of whether the entire film is a dream of Alex's after the first house invasion that he commits, which could be caused by the guilt that is on his conscious.

The narrative commentary throughout the film is another twist that Kubrick added. Kubrick uses a narrative technique within Clockwork Orange perhaps to portray the feelings of a troubled teenager. Alex tells us his story, and it is through his own narrative that we are perhaps allowed to see the story from his eyes, and in doing so we are forced to feel compassion even for someone who commits such evil crimes and violence.

The punishment component is another obvious theme shown through Alex's character. Every violent act that Alex commits in the first half of the film he is punished for in the second half. It not a planned punishment, but ironically just happens. For example, in the very beginning in the film Alex and his friends beat the old drunken man, but in the second half of the film after Alex is released the drunken man and his friends beat Alex. There is also the aversion therapy, which Alex undergoes, and which can definitely be considered a punishment element within the film. Alex is forced to sit still with his eyes propped open and watch horrific scene after horrific scene, as if having your eyes forced open for such an extended period of time isn't punishment enough, after watching so many appalling scenes he is repeatedly ready to be sick. It is a dehumanizing technique that is used on Alex, and it is quite obvious that he will be unable to survive in the real world with such oversensitive feelings on violence and hurtful acts. Therefore, he is forced to become a victim within society because he can no longer tolerate any kind of violence, power acts, or confrontation.

Joe is another interesting addition to the film. Joe basically takes over Alex's place within his family and home. Joe can be seen as Alex's conscious because from the minute Alex walks back into his house after being released and Joe realizes who he is, Joe berates him for everything he has done or said. He immediately gets on Alex's case for all the worry he has caused his parents, and for all the terrible crimes he has committed. Joe, therefore can be seen as Joe's conscious because it is his guilt coming back to haunt him for everything he has done, and all the hurt he was caused to people, including his parents.

There is also a power and powerless issue within Clockwork Orange. At the start of the film Alex is all power. He controls his brothers, and believes himself to be so powerful that he even carelessly sings "singing in the rain" while raping a woman during the first house invasion. It is obvious he has no notions or worries about being caught at all. However, after his stint in prison we see that Alex is basically powerless. The most obvious aspect of this loss of power is during the scene in which Alex is forced to demonstrate the success of his aversion therapy. He is told to lick the bottom of the demonstrator's shoe, and is powerless to resist.

The focus on eyes within the film is another important component. It is Alex's eyes, where we see the largest focus. This may be to symbolize the different ways in which youth can see society and the world. Alex's over-dramatized eyes with the make-up is an important concept within this theme as well. This could also be another portrayal of the youth and freedom that exists within society. Furthermore, the eye clamps that are used to prop Alex's eyes open during the therapy is yet another focus on eyes. Therefore, all the focus on eyes within Clockwork Orange is a portrayal of the ways in which, society is seen by Alex, in other words the ways in which, it is regarded by youth, and the differences by which it is seen by youth and by other generations.

Nonetheless, one of the most important aspects of the film is the title itself, "Clockwork Orange." The title coincides with the saying "as queer as a clockwork orange," which means that on the surface something appears normal, but inside it is artificial and unnatural. "Orang" means man, so therefore the title of the film, "Clockwork Orange" can be seen as Alex seeming human on the surface but inside he is no such thing. Therefore, the title can be thought of as representing the statement that appearances can be deceiving, and that a person may be a lot different on the inside than he seems on the outside.

Therefore, within The Shining and Clockwork Orange Kubrick has directed two similar yet very different films concerning themes, concepts, and ideas. Both films are centered around violence, yet both have many different themes concerning violence and what leads to it, or where it can take a person. Thus, it is within both these films that we see anyone and everyone has the potential to be violent or the potential not to be violent.

Bibliography

http://www-scf.usc.edu/~pike/clock/ana

http://www.aros.net/~respect/shining

http://www.cs.waikato.ac.nz/~butting/kubrick/themes

http://westwood.fortunecity.com/chloe/194/acol

http://www.urbancinefile.ccom.au/scripts/cinefile/Reviews

http://www.film.u-net.com/Movies/Reviews/Shining