Murder in a Blue World (1973) – A Clockwork Orange Knockoff or Its Own Beast?
I stumbled across Murder in a Blue World on an exploitation playlist on YouTube. It’s a Spanish sci-fi thriller from 1973, directed by Eloy de la Iglesia, and right off the bat, it’s got A Clockwork Orange written all over it. In fact, I’m not sure that it wasn’t a rip off of this 1971 film. From the gang of helmeted criminals to the dystopian setting to the twisted social experiments — it’s impossible to ignore the influence. But is it just a knockoff, or does it stand on its own? I think it is both honestly but, either way, Murder in a Blue World was fun. Grab your odd blue drink that who knows what it is and a pretty blonde nurse to swing on your arm and let’s discuss my thoughts on 1973’s Murder in a Blue World or Una gota de sangre para morir Amando.
The Vehicles, the Style, and That Wild 70s Aesthetic
One of the first things that caught my eye were the vehicles. There’s an ambulance that looks like an Oldsmobile conversion, a sports car that wants to be a Ferrari but isn’t, and a dune buggy that is yellow, odd, and cool. Later in Murder in a Blue World, there’s even a motorcycle. The criminals, wearing red helmets, drive the yellow dune buggy around as what is essentially street gang in uniform. This fits the A Clockwork Orange knock off idea I mentioned. Homes are another visual to catch. Inside the homes, you get that late 60s bleeding into the 70s look — psychedelic patterns, low furniture, and weird geometric sculptures. It’s that strange mix of sleek and gaudy that creates a great retro sci-fi aesthetic. Even the hospital scenes give you a taste of vintage medical equipment, with old-school hypodermic needles and nurse uniforms that scream classic but creepy.
The Plot – Science, Violence, and a Whole Lot of Deception
The story follows a nurse (Sue Lyon, best known as Kubrick’s Lolita), who’s wrapped up in some questionable scientific experiments and happens to be a serial killer. Meanwhile, the dune buggy gang goes around breaking into homes and committing violent crimes. Ironically, one of the members gets ostracized and becomes a witness to the nurse’s crimes. The government is trying to “fix” violent criminals through experiments — yet another nod to A Clockwork Orange. The tables turn when a dune buggy gang member is nearly killed by his old crew. Surprise – guess who is his nurse? One of the eeriest scenes involves her wheeling this now paralyzed man down a long, empty hallway, talking to him in that calm, soothing voice while he’s completely helpless and classical music plays. It’s pure psychological horror—being trapped, knowing something terrible is coming, and not being able to stop it.
There’s a money trap subplot, where blackmail turns into a never-ending extortion scheme – a criminal being criminalized by a criminal. If you ever find yourself in that situation, set a price limit—don’t let yourself get roped into paying forever because that was the nurse / serial killer’s fate. The former dune buggy rapist, who our nurse wheels to the procedure room paralyzed and waiting on an unknown fate, who witnessed here commit her crime, holds this knowledge over her head. She is pleased to learn that he too is a criminal and thinks for a short time that maybe things won’t matter but, she doesn’t get off that easy. He knows that she is wealthy and simply tells her that she will have to pay him. When asked “how much” he doesn’t give her a number.
Bullwhips and Guard Dog Tips from Murder in a Blue World
This movie is full of strange moments. The gang’s weapon of choice, even in settling personal disputes, is a bullwhip. Not exactly the most practical combat weapon unless you’re Indiana Jones or a Shaolin monk. Don’t knock this because I saw the Shaolin temple represented in Greenville, SC in high school and I wouldn’t fight a monk with one. Watch a video of a Shaolin bull whip form here. Then there’s a bizarre gay bar scene where the music choice is opera. I’m not going to any bars where opera is the music of choice – who does this? There’s also a moment that proves why you should never let your guard dog eat from strangers. A criminal lures some attack dogs with food, and just like that, no more guarding. Not happening at my house. My Rottweiler only eats from me, my family, and maybe one trusted friend. No exceptions.
Cinematic Details – The Little Things That Stand Out
Murder in a Blue World throws in interesting sights — old Coca-Cola signs, a carnival with a spinning cage ride, a Flash Gordon comic strip for sale and even and early video phone. I didn’t even know these existed in the ‘70s. There’s a scene where a retro AI computer shows up, which is a cool little retro-futuristic touch considering where AI is today. I don’t remember the details but basically you called and asked this computer questions. It never fails, carnivals in these old movies are always fascinating. On top of the general ‘70s coolness of this feature, the camera focuses on the female waiting outside as the cage approaches then blurs as it goes up and back. A recent movie I watched, Satan in High Heels, features a carnival too. You can read this one here.
Final Thoughts
Is Murder in a Blue World just A Clockwork Orange rip off? Yeah, kind of. There are several similarities, and I immediately felt them. But it’s also its own unique brand of weird. It’s got that eerie, off-kilter dystopian feel, some creative cinematography, and enough oddball moments to make it worth watching. It’s not particularly gruesome or shocking — it leans more into the murder mystery world than horror. But if you’re into strange, dystopian sci-fi thrillers, you need to invest the time in this one. I completely saw the ending coming and not at all simultaneously. Things would have been different had I been this nurse – you’ll have to watch to make you own decision on this one. You can check Murder in a Blue World out for free on YouTube here.
Would I watch Murder in a Blue World again? Maybe as background noise. If I really wanted that A Clockwork Orange experience, I’d just rent the real deal though. In fact, I need to do this and blog about it anyway. A Clockwork Orange is a classic weirdo movie and one I haven’t visited in a while. The strangest thing about this Kubrick film is that I learned while getting my BA in Psych that people are trying these techniques of pain association on criminals – whoa! But for what it is — a bizarre, stylish, and slightly deranged 70s flick — Murder in a Blue World was entertaining enough that it completely held my attention. In closing, you’re invited to follow my art journey on social media, visit my website, read more of my blogs on odd films, and consider supporting and buying my art here. Peace.