Gritty Men with Integrity

Ok I am still perplexed and pretty fixated at all things that were de rigueur when I was a young child - like that saying.

At the moment I cant get past the 1970's! The decade just gives weirdness and authenticity in spades.

What about those tough guys? I mean dusty dirty gritty tooth pick chewing, tobbacco munching tough guys. 3 or 4 channels on the entire network in Melbourne meant your whole world knew and sat and experienced the same limited amount of TV you did.

I have two male idols burnt into my consciousness  by today's comparison these characters are positively cliche.' Ahh but then, back in the simple simple simple days Clint and Charles ruled the day. Before committing to writing this blog dedicated to these two male idols I did consider revisiting their classic films, I gave it some serious consideration before chosing not to. I like those raw first edition thoughts, the childhood images and impressions.

As an eight year old girl I knew there was no cooler man than Charles Bronson; stout, mean, stern and unbeatable. His face had a darkened patina a leathery quality - the man was rock. Often the man wore tight t shirts, a mustachio, munched on cigar and threw a great punch. Swarthy greatness.

Charles Bronson was married to Jill Ireland and its as if I always knew that fact. I remember hearing of her passing and that their marriage withstood the Hollywood pressures and lifestyle - that's no mean feat. Looking at this image of her taken around the time they became a couple I am impressed on many levels. Don't we all adore the idea of a true love. God bless them.

Then there's Clint...
Clint Eastwood his name is synonymous with the soundtrack of 'The Good the Bad and the Ugly' by Ennio Morricone thank god for his talent too, for him our world is much richer musically, he has turned many a film into a cinematic master piece with his astonishing scores but back to the men at hand.

 Now I am sure I don't need to quote either men or state their most remarkable performances what i want to make clear here was their legendary status. No one could do cool like these guys could. Eastwood was the lean, mean, contemplative, justice delivering machine that rocked a mighty fine poncho. Sure these men diversified and played other roles but the definitive ones are branded on my cerebellum like the proverbial. Am I right in recalling the heated iron brand been used as a tool / torture device, I am sure wounds were quarterised using liquor or gunpowder set alight. I mean these guys were super tough they survived it all and I remember them very fondly - every child wanted to be them, pretended to be them, idolized or at least marveled at them. I know I did.

 As a young girl I never quite thought of either of them as handsome I think it was the rugged machismo that got at me on some undeveloped instinctual level.

This domestic image of Clint is remarkable in so many ways not just his obvious beauty and I do mean beauty - a beautiful man or woman he could make. The god given stature, the beauty spot, the budgerigar, the kitchen, the woman in the image was his wife at the time she is clearly besotted by him. Its a head shakingly amazing wow this snapshot!

This image was taken for his portfolio at the very beggining of Clint Eastwoods career and again is truly remarkable I love it and had never seen it till I stumbled across it last week.

Now a greatly respected and successful director it proves that Eastwood was and is much more than just a pretty face.


Just dig those flamboyant shorts - I couldn't resist, its the clothing designer in me. Nice seam.

STRONG MAN COMPETITIONS!

There are many things that are springing to mind lately that do not make sense. Things that were ok when I was young - they were apart of the everyday like bad teeth and hair. Of course I am referring to the 1970's yet again my grey matter can barely contemplate what went on back then and just this morning I thought of strongman competitions. Men using their mouths and bodies to create super human efforts.

This guy is clearly thin with but sports neck muscles and gums that are incredibly ripped.

I recall men pulling aeroplanes and trucks with this sort of apparatus...
and that was a good idea!

Sitting in front of the TV with my own bad teeth (before I wore braces) my gympie grin in front of my thugs of brothers belied my true confusion.

Whats going on here? My tiny brain would scream as I backed out of the room as the testosterone threatened to seep into my thin girly skin.

I knew there were men that did look like this but did I want to know one?

Was lifting a train axle that much of a good idea?

Who took the axle to that venue?

Train axle + strongman = event .... In whose brain?

I was so confused.

Many hours were spent trying to purge these images from my mind. I kept my small hands busy and hoped the memories would fade.

Today it all came back to me.

This guy Vasily Alekseyev a famous athlete the sport of weightlifting. From 1970 through 1977 he was undefeated in every major international competition and claimed 22 titles, including eight consecutive world championships and two Olympic gold medals. 

Umm okay. I still don't get it.

Now I can see how this kick might warrant some true talent and strength and am not sure If I myself copped a few in my time - little sisters don't always get off easily.

Now as far as strongman activities go I am not sure what it takes but surely the mind is saying "Look this is really not such a great idea - just stop it" Surely the brain is saying a lot of stuff like that or was it just mine?

This cant be fun...surely.
Like I understand how lifting this enormous dumbbell might theoretically look alright in a Popeye Comic sense but in real life?

And I don't want either of these guys knocking at my door (or on my TV these days).

Ok I actually am at a loss at what to say about the rock but you certainly would not want to drop it.


Its not very sophisticated is it? 

I know I may have totally missed the point and am sure it is a skill and a talent to manage these feats and not just achieve them but commit to them mentally and physically without doing any permanent damage to the body. I don't know how they do it.

You can't tell me this guys having a good time.

Well good luck to him. Meanwhile I just hope my sons never find footage of these events and if they do I will surely dissuade them from being amateur Strongmen, my only hope for them is that they become goodmen.