The Handmaids tale

[DumbledoresArmy]

Anyone else planning on watching this at 9pm on channel 4?

That's the remake of the Stepford Wives that you are talking about. The original film is about the swinging sixties and stars Mia Farrow. It's worth watching (and the book is a fantastic read, Ira Levin really captures how easy it is to get a strong and independent woman with a strong and independent man to question everything).

The Stepford Wives I watched is the 1975 version with Katherine Ross- it's very good (IMO) but I haven't seen the 60's version. I've just ordered the book from Amazon.

Elendon, the original starred Katharine Ross, not Mia Farrow but yes, it is far superior to the remake.

The book was written in 1972 shoes I think Elenden felt it had a sixties vibe.

I haven't seen any of the films, have just read the book (quite a long time ago).

Sorry I'm getting mixed up with Rosemary's Baby (which was still along the same lines, with a mix of satanism put in).

I stand thankfully, corrected.

I've just looked it up - Mia Farrow was in Rosemary's Baby, by the same writer.

The Nicole Kidman remake of SW is not worthy of comment.

x-post

Rosemary's Baby

www.imdb.com/title/tt0063522/

Handmaid's Tale inspired protests in the USA

Why don't they artificially inseminate the handmaids? Why rape them?

Because the handmaid story is in the bible. Jacob's wife Rachel told him to enter her handmaid bilhah and conceive a child because Rachel couldn't. (Iirc) The state of gilead uses scripture to legitimise the human rights abuses. Artificial insemination isn't scriptural.
Also the rates of conception and birth were extremely low and sexual intercourse is the most effective way to impregnate a woman.
Thirdly they wanted to break the women's spirits. Systematic rape is a tool of war for a reason.

I know it's a lot further back but I'm seeing real parallels with the Slavery Era.

Women forceably and deliberately impregnated by owners, the often vicious response of the wpowerless wives, female slaves taken to 'stud farms' to create a generation of new slaves for free, families split, husbands watching their wives raped, babies removed as slaves classed as incapable of raising them (some would kill their babies to free them from the horror).

Keeping slaves ignorant bar relevant parts of the bible.
Back to stud farms - carefully chosen for genetics a-la the Nazi's.

Didn't Isis state that they kidnapped Yazidi women to create a new generation?

Yes, we have all seen this before.

Re Stepford Wives, I thought Ira Levin was a woman for ages cos I didn't think a man could be so feminist.

I'm also reminded of the 'comfort women' - hundreds of thousands of women who were forced into sexual slavery after the Japanese invasion/2nd world war.

What I find most frightening is the fact the book is set in the USA. A western society.
While I am aware of the historical comparisons and the current situation for many women and girls in the middle east and parts of Africa, the difference is those cultures have always seen women as property and second class citizens. While some places, such as Afghanistan have had periods of democracy interspersed with periods of groups such as the talisman in control, overall the middle east inparticular has always viewed women differently to modern western views.
I am sure most of us support these women I'm various ways...charity donations etc, but it feels very removed from our day to day experiences. I feel we have a veneer of protection... Thinking Oh well it couldn't happen here....we are different... But look at how many on here have said their dh or dp don't really get it....woukd they get it if it started happening here?

Mm, I found that 'told to leave work' scene v upsetting- some of the men sympathetic, some just getting on with work, some distressed, but ultimately letting it happen.

I'm guessing that the changes take place slowly over a number of years? And people just get used to the new normality as attitudes change and get reinforced by media and the people in charge...

"I'm guessing that the changes take place slowly over a number of years?"

Its the absolute opposite - the changes take place overnight so that by the time people realise whats happening, its happened.

Its like a sudden shove out of your life - how do you organise any kind of effective resistance when suddenly you have no money and are not allowed to travel? When there are armed police everywhere and people being bundled away aggressively in black vans to be sent to the radioactive death-sentence "colonies" for any sign of dissent?

I don't think there's too much of a stretch to think this could occur in the USA.

Yes, alongside the eastern and western seaboards the populations are generally sophisticated and urbane etc. But in the mid-west and down through the bible belt, communities are incredibly conservative and religious.

Anyone heard of 'surrendered wives'? Their philosophy is quite chilling...

The wearing of stars and Jews not allowed to work in certain jobs. It has all happened before just seeing in enacted as happening to a really relatable "normal" woman in present day in America is utterly terrifying. I can't stop thinking about it.

MaQueen...i have too been thinking about the surrended wifes movement, and also the general rise accross the west of increase in interest in traditional 'female' pursuits...

rise in interest in crafts, home baking etc..encouraged by and supported by 'brands' that peddle this lifestyle ( Kath Kidston, Emma Bridgewater etc) and what i have pondered is the juxtapostion these brands present...a return to old fashioned values like floral pinnies and home baked cakes on the nicely presented china..but these companies where set and run by highly commercial and successful women !

Back to the point i am waffling about....there is a definite rise in seeing these 'wifey' skills as valued and 'nice' ...and as the stepford wife story illustrates most men deep down would much rather have a 'nice wifey' at home.
Its not a huge leap to see how a regime could play on this .
A further train of thought i had, was the increased ability to campaign on the issue of harresment of women ( I am thinking of the recent campaign about everyday sexual harressment ..can't recall exact details) could be used effectively against us. Now i am not saying women should not speak up and campaign but watching THT made me think how women could be stopped for working or using public transport under the guise of 'for our own protection', which is definitely what is used by the state of Gilead at the beginning of the regime.

Now putting it all together...a lot of people ( mostly women) are finding great enjoyment and fulfillment in a return to old fashioned values and home making activites....a lot of women complain about daily harressment while in workplace/public places..the birthrate is falling....there are apparently increasing risk from terrorist attacks and unrest on the streets...now our 'nice' goverment is going to come along and 'advice' women to stay at home and raise their families for their own good and the good of the country. A small step to then removing freedoms...

i think i maybe getting over invested in this ! :)

I still get a bit of a chill whenever I see the more and more frequent american news stories "Girl/Woman sent home from school/mall/gym because her clothing was deemed 'inappropriate'". Ive seen examples of the last 2 on my facebook feed just this morning.
The women in question would not get a second look on their clothing here, the mall case was a tank top (not low cut or side boob), and the gym case was a sports bra/crop top of the kind you see women wearing all the time in gym adverts.

yes storm...don't see stories of boys being sent home for wearing trousers half way down the backsides...

I see the Daily Mail gave it a very quick review.

www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-4594308/CHRISTOPHER-STEVENS-reviews-Loch-Handmaid-s-Tale.html