Strange Days

I never saw the original Alfie, but I watched the recent adaptation of it. I loved it, just looking at Jude Laws gorgeous mug was an erotic experience in its own right, watching his exploits was hilarious, and seeing him get his comeuppance in the end all made for a satisfactory watch.

Then....I saw the original Alfie today....I caught t about 15-20 minutes in, and I didn't really plan on watching it, but I'm glad I did. The original makes this years Alfie look like a pile of pretty shit. As poignant and pretty as Jude Law made his scenes, he wishes that he could dream, that one day he could have given a performance on par with Michael Caine. Don't get me wrong, I'm no fan of Caine, (so much not so, that I didn't even realize it was him until after about 15 minutes into the movie.) Original Alfie, made my heart stop in more than one place, had my mouth hanging open in others and Caine was really a despicable bastard as I've ever seen.

At least Jude, even at his worst was not totally uncaring, but Caine on the other hand....Despicable is really the perfect word to describe him....Disgustingly despicable. I'm finding hard to believe that he'll even be able to turn around by the end of the movie. Still watching it....about 10 more minutes to go.

Update: Ok, I thought there was 10 more minutes, the dang movie just ended right there....he doesn't "turn around", he just ends the movie with the "what's it all about" saying and the song comes in and that's it... no real regrets, no moping, no asking for forgiveness.....no neat satisfactory ending.

It leaves you wondering...wondering if he's changed, wondering if he ever got his shit together....and that...That's what makes it a better movie than the new Alfie. New Alfie, once it was over, I don't think I ever thought about it again....Old Alfie....it's going to take a while for me to stop thinking about it....thinking about what kind of man would call a woman an "it", about him walking in the kitchen and seeing the body of his aborted baby, him walking out on his son, despite the fact that he loved him more than he loved anything. Kudos to Michel Caine, Jude may be beautiful, but he's no Caine.