I am woman, hear me roar
Another ride to Carrum Downs, to take Alfie back to the library (the DVD, not a person hehe). I'm not yet seeing any visible changes to my body, but my fitness is coming on in leaps, and today I was able to ride up a hill up which I've so far had to walk my bike, so my strength is improving too. :D
**Spoiler alerts for Alfie**
PS, now having seen both versions of Alfie, I must say the original is vastly superior. Michael Caine's Alfie was such a jack-ass - I hated him many times - but I still teared up a few times. Oh my goodness, his face when he went into the abortion room, you just knew he was looking at something terrible. And to think they filmed that in 1966! Especially his comment about the baby looking so perfectly formed (about 3 months gestation). I'd have expected more a normalisation of abortion, a white-washing if you will. From other comments I've seen on this film, it has been said it was pointing out the horrors of the backyard abortionist, but it wasn't. The woman was in pain, but there didn't seem to be any lasting damage; the abortionist (Denholm Elliot, what a surprise appearance there) was cold but not dirty; his leaving after starting the labour and before the completion, well, how's that any different to administering RU486? Women are left to deal with that on their own, right? No, the true horror of that scene was Alfie's realisation of what they had done.
And his recounting of Harry's pain whilt waiting for his wife every week. It killed me to think of him (Harry) listening out for her footsteps whilst pretending to be unconcerned.
I wonder what the heck happened to Alfie to make him that way, b/c he spends a lot of time saying that if you need someone they're going to kick you in the guts (to paraphrase). Somebody did a real number on him to make him that way, not that it excuses his behaviour. Referring to "birds" as "it"; abusing then mentally and financially. I'm sure the modern Alfie toned down his arse-holity, but that watered the film down enormously.
**Spoiler alerts for Alfie**
PS, now having seen both versions of Alfie, I must say the original is vastly superior. Michael Caine's Alfie was such a jack-ass - I hated him many times - but I still teared up a few times. Oh my goodness, his face when he went into the abortion room, you just knew he was looking at something terrible. And to think they filmed that in 1966! Especially his comment about the baby looking so perfectly formed (about 3 months gestation). I'd have expected more a normalisation of abortion, a white-washing if you will. From other comments I've seen on this film, it has been said it was pointing out the horrors of the backyard abortionist, but it wasn't. The woman was in pain, but there didn't seem to be any lasting damage; the abortionist (Denholm Elliot, what a surprise appearance there) was cold but not dirty; his leaving after starting the labour and before the completion, well, how's that any different to administering RU486? Women are left to deal with that on their own, right? No, the true horror of that scene was Alfie's realisation of what they had done.
And his recounting of Harry's pain whilt waiting for his wife every week. It killed me to think of him (Harry) listening out for her footsteps whilst pretending to be unconcerned.
I wonder what the heck happened to Alfie to make him that way, b/c he spends a lot of time saying that if you need someone they're going to kick you in the guts (to paraphrase). Somebody did a real number on him to make him that way, not that it excuses his behaviour. Referring to "birds" as "it"; abusing then mentally and financially. I'm sure the modern Alfie toned down his arse-holity, but that watered the film down enormously.