AT THE CHELSEA DRUGSTORE ...

Whilst browsing the internet, bizarrely not for A Clockwork Orange but for images relating to The Road film, I somehow came across this blog - {feuilleton} By designer John Coulthart. Some excellent in depth posts here, in particular this one about The Chelsea Drugstore and A Clockwork Orange written several years ago, but still a great piece.

The Chelsea Drugstore is now a Mc fucking Donald's which is a real shame but back in it's heyday it was the place to be. Referenced in The Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want" it was opened in 1968 to much horror to the local Royal Avenue residents. The Chelsea Drugstore was modelled on Le Drugstore on Boulevard St Germain in Paris. Arranged over three floors the complex included bars, food outlets, a chemist, news-stand, record store and boutiques. It was open 16 hours a day, seven days a week. A major attraction was the ‘flying squad’ delivery service. This was made up young ladies in purple catsuits using motorcycles to make home deliveries.

This was the Aladdin's cave record store featured in the movie, in which Alex DeLarge (Malcolm McDowell) whilst taking a bunk from school goes for a browse. The one time other than his incarceration he reveals a different look to his trademark droog attire of bowler hat, boots and braces, DeLarge goes chatting up devotchka's and looking for old records in his exquisite double breasted deep purple Dickensian looking trench coat with snakeskin lapels and cuffs, pale yellow shirt and walking cane.

Thanks to Fueilleton's in depth write up I spotted a few bits which had until now, passed me by despite multiple viewings, several genuine album covers of the original shooting time appear and I was actually unaware of Kubrick himself making a cameo as seen below.


Alex spies his prey and takes them home for a bit of the old in-out in-out.

For more details check out the linked blog!