A Clockwork Orange (re-release, March 2000)

Few would argue that A Clockwork Orange is a cinematic masterpiece. Well, when it was re-released in the UK in March 2000 – after spending many years in limbo after its director, Stanley Kubrik, pulled it out of cinemas following a backlash against its original release – the papers managed to find a couple of people who hated it, more for the loss of innocence it represented because, 28 years after its initial outing, it had lost its ability to shock so deeply.

There have always been people who will take up a contrary position just to sell a column, but even as recently as 2000, I always thought that the people held those opinions and were able to express them reasonably, even if I disagreed with them. Nowadays, vile opinions have been weaponised through social media and newspapers demand outrage from their writers to attract clicks and comments. Re-reading these clippings, even 19 years ago feels like a more innocent time.

(And, yes, I'm aware of the irony.)

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