Viewers say they have been left disgusted by one vomit-inducing scene in Netflix’s new Marilyn Monroe movie Blonde.
The controversial movie, which landed on the streaming platform last month, stars Ana de Armas as Monroe and is based on the novel of the same name by Joyce Carol Oates.
Some viewers said they had to switch off within 20 minutes while others said they ‘regretted’ watching it. You can see a trailer for the movie here:
And one particular scene, featuring a CGI foetus, has prompted outrage on social media.
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In the scene, Monroe is apparently having an imagined conversation with her unborn child, that appears onscreen as a fully-formed baby.
“You won’t hurt me this time, will you?” the foetus asks Monroe, to which she explains that she hadn’t meant to end her first pregnancy, prompting the foetus to reply: “Yes, you meant to. It was your decision.”
The movie’s release comes just months after the US overturned the Roe vs Wade legislation, which protected women’s right to abortion - and this scene has been branded ‘anti-abortion propaganda’ by a representative from Planned Parenthood.
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Speaking to Variety, Caren Spruch, Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s national director of arts and entertainment engagement, told The Hollywood Reporter: “Every pregnancy outcome – especially abortion – should be portrayed sensitively, authentically and accurately in the media.
"We still have much work to do to ensure that everyone who has an abortion can see themselves onscreen.
“It is a shame that the creators of Blonde chose to contribute to anti-abortion propaganda and stigmatise people’s healthcare decisions instead.”
On social media viewers have been quick to slam the scene, with one posting: “I cannot stop thinking about this vomitous scene from Blonde.”
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Another wrote: “I just saw the scene from Blonde where she's talking to her foetus, and even with my extremely limited knowledge of Marilyn Monroe, I am disturbed as hell by it.”
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Blonde writer and director Andrew Dominik has denied the film is anti-abortion, saying: “I don’t think the movie is anti-pro choice. I don’t think it is at all.”
He told The Wrap that the time of Blonde’s release means people may be viewing it through ‘this Roe v. Wade lens’.
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“I think the movie is pretty nuanced actually, and I think it’s very complex, but that doesn’t fit — people are obviously concerned with losses of freedoms, obviously they are,” Dominik said.
“But, I mean, no one would have given a s**t about that if I’d made the movie in 2008, and probably no one’s going to care about it in four years’ time. And the movie won’t have changed. It’s just what's sort of going on.”
For help, support and advice about abortion, contact the National Abortion Federation on 1-800-772-9100, EST 8am-7pm EST Monday to Friday or EST 8am-4pm EST Saturday to Sunday.
Topics: Netflix, Film and TV
Claire Reid