How many years has it been since you played the role of Alex?
Twenty something...(Laughs) twenty five years.
They want to ban the new edition of A Clockwork Orange in Italy. Should they just prohibit the film to minors under 18 years old?
Personally I am against every kind of censorship, the only censorship that is right is for minors is car censorship, but if the Italian State, or the censor or whomever, thinks that it is important that the people younger than 18 years should not be allowed to see A Clockwork Orange, then I suggest that we have had succeeded with our film. Can you explain what exactly means? If they think that the film is therefore powerful enough for those who see it, to induce them to imitate it, after over 26 years from its debut, then indeed it must be an extraordinary film.
From 1971, to 25 years later, did you have some intuition that you were in some way participating in a film that would be part of history?
I felt that it would become an extraordinary film, but I thought that I would have had that feeling more times in my career, but that one was the most extraordinary film in which I have taken part in, with the greatest director and with a cast equally great. But if I had to say would I have thought I would come to the Venice Festival of the Cinema 26 years later, in order to speak about this film, surely not!
Can you explain what the expression "A Clockwork Orange" means?
It's a phrase a Londoner would say, "as queer as to clockwork orange", that is strange like a mechanical orange, where "queer" does not mean gay or homosexual, but strange, a bit uncommon.
I do not know if you have seen any films here at the Festival, but which actors in them are your favorites these days, which roles are the most rewarding?
I have not seen many, but I can say that I have always disagreed with the critics because they never know how to distinguish the role from the actor who interprets it. However the critics are not the only ones whom do not know to make this distinction, it has always been like this: the actors who perhaps put a lot in work in the creation of great roles, like Dustin Hoffman, are always rewarding to you, but the true art of creating something that is to make it seem that there is really no creating at all. For me the best person at it is Tim Roth, if you want to put someone in the encyclopedia of the great actors who play the role effortlessly. Actors want to make a big effort, but it usually is never seen by the public.
Translation © 2007-08 Alex D. Thrawn for www.MalcolmMcdowell.net