atlas shrugged, the movie


tndbay

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According to an item in The Atlassphere website, the Atlas Shrugged movie may now be down to just one movie, and not a trilogy. If so, just imagine what it will be like (No, don't, it will hurt too much!).

The original (well, not original, just the last of its many iterations) was supposed to have a budget of forty million. That sounds like a lot - until one realizes that forty million is the average cost today for a theatrically-released movie.

The Atlas Society seems to have put a lot of their chips on the success of this movie. I hope that that bet pays off. However, it sounds like this project has not lost the curse that afflicted earlier attempts to film it.

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John; Cheryl is poorer than Taggart. She is not a relative. Were having someone be a relation was the case in one of the Jurassic Park movies where Jeff Goldblum had a black daughter. There was no explanation.

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According to this Cato Institute blog, reporting on the Script interview of the screenwriter for Atlas Shrugged, Randall Wallace, http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2007/05/23/...atlas-shrugged/

the script for the proposed Atlas Shrugged movie is just 129 pages. They note that an average two-hour movie script is 120 pages. It appears that the trilogy idea is OUT. The blogger comments, "I don't think they are going to include Galt's Speech."

As I have said in an earlier post on this topic, the reported allocation of forty million dollars for this movie is not a lot for today's movie production costs. It is the average cost for a two-hour theatrically-released movie.

I shall try to get my hands on the actual magazine (since the interview is not available online), but if the above facts are true, then in my opinion, Rand fans can kiss goodbye to any movie coming out of this project that will even remotely be representative of the book. I hope I am proved wrong, but I doubt that anything substantial can be done in two hours.

I certainly look forward to receiving an update on this project at this summer's TAS/TOC summer seminar.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Chris G:

~ I don't know, but, I think you must have misunderstood me re Bassett aka 'Dagny.'

~ You say "I don't see the problem" with a follow-up of "[Angela as 'Dag'] would be a big problem." I'm sure confused on THIS set of statements!

~ When speaking of a 'color-dif' re JT's wife (Cheryl) in an earlier post, I didn't mean Dagny, who I, next post, referred to separately (cripes; we're getting into incest here!) --- My ref to Angela/Dag was a separate subject.

~ Sheesh! One's sister as a 'trophy wife' as a consideration in a 'change of a story'? Talk about a movie different from the book!

LLAP

J:D

PS: Anyhoo, as I said before, (and even more so, NOW), all such seems Very moot.

Edited by John Dailey
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Chris G:

~ This may not be the place to press a tangent-subject, but, I've always wanted to comment somewhere on your point about Jurrasic Park re Goldblum and his daughter...and you're the 1st to open the door, here, in (of all places) an AS-movie thread.

~ I thought that Spielberg did a GREAT job in...working...that angle the way he did. So, so...blase! (I don't have the 'accent' character for that last e.) It was all so...taking for granted that the obvious, though undercurrent attitude of his was: "...that's the way the world IS, nowadays; Live-with-it, people!" --- Ie: "Like it, or lump it."

~ I absolutely loved the side comment of one of the side characters watching (non-black) Goldblum arguing with his (black) daughter; something akin to: "Ya know...ya can see the family resemblance" (ie: they both loved to argue 'anti'-the-other's-point)

LLAP

J:D

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honestly I think Angelina Jolie would be a horrible choice to play Dagny, she just isn't a very good actress,

A few weeks ago I saw for the first time a part of a movie with Angelina Jolie, and I can only conclude that she would be a complete miscast as Dagny, she is absolutely the wrong type. Not to mention that weird suction cup in her face, she really belongs in a horror movie.

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I really would rather see this made as a mini-series. They're going to mangle the story if they try squeezing it into 2.5 hours. Some people have suggested a trilogy, but honestly, do you see people getting excited for a movie called ATLAS SHRUGGED: NON-CONTRADICTION, or ATLAS SHRUGGED BEGINS? A trilogy is an awful idea. With a mini-series, though, they could focus on streamlining the enormous novel and focusing on essentials without having to omit essential details.

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I really would rather see this made as a mini-series. They're going to mangle the story if they try squeezing it into 2.5 hours. Some people have suggested a trilogy, but honestly, do you see people getting excited for a movie called ATLAS SHRUGGED: NON-CONTRADICTION, or ATLAS SHRUGGED BEGINS? A trilogy is an awful idea. With a mini-series, though, they could focus on streamlining the enormous novel and focusing on essentials without having to omit essential details.

Michelle R.,

I have always wanted to see it as a mini-series as you do. I loved the mini-series Roots and can imagine the Atlas Shrugged version which could be truer to the book without leaving out scenes or characters.

Not to mention the Classics Illustrated version!

gulch

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Gulch; The Fountainhead was done as a comic strip in the LA Times so a Classic Illustrated version of Atlas is not totally off base. The comic strip was approved by Ayn Rand. Some of the strips were included in Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life

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Gulch; The Fountainhead was done as a comic strip in the LA Times so a Classic Illustrated version of Atlas is not totally off base. The comic strip was approved by Ayn Rand. Some of the strips were included in Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life

Chris,

My son collected various comics as a child and made me aware of the quality of the art work employed in some of them. Those who did create the original Classics Illustrated comics which I grew up with were considered to be crude by comparison. As a child I recall buying only a handful of the original Classics even though they only cost a dime at the time, mid to late forties. There were altogether 167 Classics Illustrated ultimately.

The dime I recall had the portrait of winged Mercury and I recall being disheartened when the newer dimes came out with the profile of FDR instead. It was an aesthetic thing rather than political as I didn't know then what I have learned since about him. I think the FDR dime came out shortly after FDR died and I was in the middle of my first decade of existence.

I am not an artist but can picture each frame of Atlas as I read it. As I see it the Classics Illustrated version would include every word in the book! I would love to reach the minds of children before the public schools, churches and liberal colleges get to them.

www.campaignforliberty.com 30Jun 6AM 164,520, 6PM 164,680; 1July 6PM 164,948

gulch

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  • 2 weeks later...

The story is nothing new, but check the photo: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/14/auto-czar-leaves-washington-cloud-pay-play-investigation/?test=latestnews

The guy is perfect for James Taggart of any of his drinking buddies. He seems to be looking for a job anyway; I wonder if he can act.

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I just saw this and it is kinda cool. These kids are not the only ones waiting, but look at their interest.

I love the enthusiasm here.

That exchange would be perfect for the movie's trailer, anyway. Those kids have good sense to them.

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  • 2 years later...

It is perhaps the best high school trailer for Atlas Shrugged on YouTube. I posted others a couple of years before and then this in late 2009:

http://www.objectivi...?showtopic=8028

Using tools such as XtraNormal, you will be able to make your own Atlas Shrugged with the movie stars you want - Diana Rigg, Humphrey Bogart, River Phoenix, whoever. When you consider the huge world of "fan fic" in science fiction, the lack of it among Objectivists is telling. But, be that as it may, there are a lot of kids out there influenced by Ayn Rand. I was. In fact the girl in this one sort of reminds me of my girlfriend in high school when we read Rand together.

Do you think that the movie will inspire people as well as the book doses?

No. No more than a movie of Pride and Prejudice or LOTR "inspires" people to read the books. The movies may have that affect on some, of course. Indeed, I only read P&P recently after watching all of the remakes, some more than a few times. I also read Northanger Abbey after watching The Jane Austen Book Club. But really, such movies are typically made for fans. Do you think that the 2009 Star Trek movie boosted sales of DS9 on DVD? In point of fact, I just bought three Star Trek role playing manuals and a Tholian cruiser, but I was already a fan. I think that applies to Atlas, also. Some will be motivated, truly indeed, but, no, largely the movie was made and sold to a precommitted viewership.

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It is perhaps the best high school trailer for Atlas Shrugged on YouTube. I posted others a couple of years before and then this in late 2009:

http://www.objectivi...?showtopic=8028

Using tools such as XtraNormal, you will be able to make your own Atlas Shrugged with the movie stars you want - Diana Rigg, Humphrey Bogart, River Phoenix, whoever. When you consider the huge world of "fan fic" in science fiction, the lack of it among Objectivists is telling. But, be that as it may, there are a lot of kids out there influenced by Ayn Rand. I was. In fact the girl in this one sort of reminds me of my girlfriend in high school when we read Rand together.

Do you think that the movie will inspire people as well as the book doses?

No. No more than a movie of Pride and Prejudice or LOTR "inspires" people to read the books. The movies may have that affect on some, of course. Indeed, I only read P&P recently after watching all of the remakes, some more than a few times. I also read Northanger Abbey after watching The Jane Austen Book Club. But really, such movies are typically made for fans. Do you think that the 2009 Star Trek movie boosted sales of DS9 on DVD? In point of fact, I just bought three Star Trek role playing manuals and a Tholian cruiser, but I was already a fan. I think that applies to Atlas, also. Some will be motivated, truly indeed, but, no, largely the movie was made and sold to a precommitted viewership.

Because they made a stupid movie out of it. Lousy script, lousy directing, lousy actors, what else to expect but a lousy movie. I bet a great animation one could be made of it.

And oh you know about fanfic. How about that. 18,000 plus for Twilight. And now Fifty (MOTU) by James best seller. I've done 2 of them. Check my irresistible destiny link. Bel Ami crossed with House of MIrth. Porno of course. and a Twilight one also porno.

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<p>Sorry that you did not like the movie. Having watched it four times through in the last year, I still think that Graham Beckel as Ellis Wyatt was the best fit. However, my opinion of Taylor Schilling's delivery has improved. The thing with acting at the multi-mega dollar level is that they really make the time to learn the roles. They learn to ride horses if they don't know how, they take other jobs to see the work, meanwhile, they are on the payroll as stars. This did not have that, not at $10 million. But, still, it was all right, and having watched it several times over several months, I saw more depth in Dagny's delivery. I think that the worst fit was Dr. Hugh Akston. Jsu Garcia as Francisco was problematic on several levels but the scene where she tosses the wine in his face was priceless, even though it was invented for the movie. The scene with Frisco and Rearden was weak for the lack of good writing. </p>

<div> </div>

<div>In terms of the industrial background I really liked the construction of the line. The equipment laying rails was just a thrill to watch. The design of the bridge did not follow the book (a truss with an arch), but was much, much better, with the cables in tension through the ring. When it came on the screen, I stopped breathing for a few heartbeats. It had that effect each time... </div>

<div> </div>

<div>The other big difference is that the director assumes that we know the story, so we see John Galt early on and we get the news flashes of people disappearing. The mystery is lacking. But I look to famous films of famous books - <em>Pride and Prejudice</em> is easy - and being made for fans, there is no attempt at mystery, though the book depends on it. I just watched <em>For Whom the Bell Tolls</em> after reading the book, also. LOTR would be yet another. The movie is not the book and coming after by decades, it assumes that the viewer was a reader. I have done it the other way around, read Alan Dean Foster books based on scifi movies (<i>Alien</i> was one I remember easily). </div>

<div> </div>

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Michael:

I have seen it twice in the movies.

The first showing at 11:30 AM in Chelsea, the day it opened in NY. I was keeping my word to myself that I had made years ago.

There were maybe twenty (20) people in the audience. Afterwards, I spoke to three (3) of them who were followers of Rand. All three (3) were doctors, and, or, medical researchers and we all thought it was wonderful.

I then saw it again in Pennsylvania with someone who had not read any of Rand, but knew of it through my eyes. She was ecstatic and loved the movie. She identified heavily with Dagny and the themes of the movie.

My conclusion from these two (2) experiences was that the movie is an excellent medium for spreading interest to those who are not familiar with the books.

Adam

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Well, yes .... and truth to tell, when I attended the opening in Ann Arbor, one of the GOP locals had brought three friends who did not read Ayn Rand. They seemed impressed... with the political message...

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Well, yes .... and truth to tell, when I attended the opening in Ann Arbor, one of the GOP locals had brought three friends who did not read Ayn Rand. They seemed impressed... with the political message...

Michael:

Correct. To spread ideas does not have restrictions to philosophy courses. That is one piece of our arsenal.

Adam

I am no purist

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