You are absolutely right, it was not a student but an elderly scholar, probably professor
of crystallography in one of the London colleges  or Universities. Maybe Imperial (so we can also trace this person). Anthony Burgess, the author,
probably projected someone he knew into the book. In the movie there is a scene of Alex's gang
beating an elderly scholar, but the list of books that were in his possession is not there. 
I think it is still counts. I whatched the film after I have reading the book, and "knew" that crystallography
book is there.
;--) 
Dr  Felix Frolow
Professor of Structural Biology and Biotechnology
Department of Molecular Microbiology
and Biotechnology
Tel Aviv University 69978, Israel

Acta Crystallographica D, co-editor

e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Tel:           ++972 3640 8723
Fax:          ++972 3640 9407
Cellular:   ++972 547 459 608

On Apr 16, 2010, at 11:33 , Philip Leonard wrote:

> I have a vague recollection of a student carrying books about
> crystallography getting beaten up at the start of Clockwork Orange. This
> might only be in the book though...
> 
> This opens a whole new can of worms! How many films would contain
> references to crystallography if only the screenwriter hadn't decide to
> omit the reference in favour of something else more fun.
> 
> Phil.
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: CCP4 bulletin board [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> harry powell
> Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2010 5:16 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [ccp4bb] X-Ray films
> 
> Hi
> 
> Not a question about films for recording X-rays on, but a question  
> about films about X-rays, Crystallography and related subjects!
> 
> I was wondering what ccp4bbers favourite movies involving real  
> science, especially crystallography might be? If they're from  
> Hollywood, though, I'd guess it should be "favorite"...
> 
> I'm a little tired, but the only one I can think of at the moment is  
> actually based on results from fibre diffraction - "Life Story", with  
> Jeff Goldblum. There must be others, though.
> 
> Harry
> --
> Dr Harry Powell,
> MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology,
> Hills Road,
> Cambridge,
> CB2 0QH
> --
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