Luis Buñuel named the only movie about “what the modern world really means”
Capturing the meaning of the modern world in a runtime of two hours is no easy feat. Many filmmakers have made modest attempts to do so, and some have come close – Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Lobster provided a biting and off-putting look at dystopian dating, while David Fincher’s Fight Club encapsulated toxic masculinity and capitalism. But, according to Luis Buñuel, there’s only one film that has truly channelled the meaning of the modern world.
To attract the praise of Buñuel is an impressive feat in itself. The Spanish director was a pioneering figure in surrealism, fusing the style with tales of contemporary society and influencing filmmakers for generations to come. The likes of Martin Scorsese and Wes Anderson are among those who have cited him as an influence.
It’s no surprise, with his thematic interests and mammoth reputation, that Buñuel’s pick for the “only movie about what the modern world really means” came from Stanley Kubrick. A fellow film giant, Kubrick amassed acclaim in abundance for his work, from sci-fi staple 2001: A Space Odyssey and horror classic The Shining. Even Buñuel was a fan.
There was one film that the Spanish director was particularly enthusiastic about 1971’s A Clockwork Orange. Buñuel once deemed the film his “current favourite”, although he was initially sceptical about the picture. “I was very predisposed against the film,” he admitted: “After seeing it, I realise it is the only movie about what the modern world really means.”
Starring Malcolm McDowell, the film follows his character, Alex DeLarge, through horrendous acts of violence and attempts at aversion therapy. It comments on human evil, on the morality of free will or a lack thereof, on loyalty and on language. It certainly comments on modern society and psychology, as Buñuel suggested, taking a look at its darkest corners.
The director himself suggested that the “central idea of the film has to do with the question of free will. Do we lose our humanity if we are deprived of the choice between good and evil? Do we become, as the title suggests, A Clockwork Orange?”
The film prompts audiences to contemplate these questions, questions about humanity, which remain just as relevant today as they were on the film’s first release. It’s this that has kept the film in our cultural consciousness for so long, maintaining its place as a classic for over half a century.
Revisit the trailer for A Clockwork Orange below.
