Atlas Shrugged: Part I (The Movie)

[JSD]

I learned about this book from Roy H. here on Celticsblog and have been picking at it for 20 minutes a night since. I was pretty excited to find out there's a movie was coming out this spring:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480239/

Rand's dramatic classic comes to the screen after decades of endeavor. Although on a tight budget, it is well cast, and the story is given a modern setting to appeal more to today's audiences. The film represents the first installment of a trilogy, each one following the (three) sections of the novel.

As with most novels-to-film, fans will notice many characters and scenes in the novel have not made it to the screen. However, the producers have made a clear effort to retain the spirit and intent of the author, and that will be seen on the big screen...

Would you see this in the theater?

[Roy H.]

Glad to hear that you're reading the book, Jsaad.  How do you like it?

I'm a bit skeptical of the movie, just because the book hinges so much on its internal philosophy.  Still, I'll be checking it out. 

[indeedproceed]

I'd watch a movie based on Ayn Rand novel, just because itd be different and I'd never read the book.

[Fafnir]

Glad to hear that you're reading the book, Jsaad.  How do you like it?

I'm a bit skeptical of the movie, just because the book hinges so much on its internal philosophy.  Still, I'll be checking it out. 

But they could have a much better writer handle the dialogue. Plus they have plenty of sex scenes to work in too.....

[Roy H.]

Glad to hear that you're reading the book, Jsaad.  How do you like it?

I'm a bit skeptical of the movie, just because the book hinges so much on its internal philosophy.  Still, I'll be checking it out. 

But they could have a much better writer handle the dialogue. Plus they have plenty of sex scenes to work in too.....

Eh...  I don't mind Rand's dialogue.  Her characters are archetypes and a lot of times speak as if they're giving speeches (even when not giving speeches), but that's part of the book's appeal. 

Anyway, hopefully this will be better than the film adaption of The Fountainhead, which was very poorly done (despite having a pretty respectable cast.)

[Fafnir]

Glad to hear that you're reading the book, Jsaad.  How do you like it?

I'm a bit skeptical of the movie, just because the book hinges so much on its internal philosophy.  Still, I'll be checking it out.  

But they could have a much better writer handle the dialogue. Plus they have plenty of sex scenes to work in too.....

Eh...  I don't mind Rand's dialogue.  Her characters are archetypes and a lot of times speak as if they're giving speeches (even when not giving speeches), but that's part of the book's appeal.  

Anyway, hopefully this will be better than the film adaption of The Fountainhead, which was very poorly done (despite having a pretty respectable cast.)

I suppose that's why I didn't like it, the characters were boring and the dialogue was stilted.

The philosophy behind it is interesting, though fundamentally opposed to my beliefs (as well as what I can logically invision a society being functional with)

[JHTruth]

Atlas Shrugged is among my favorite novels. An existential masterpiece. Galt's ending speech is among my favorite quotes ever. However I am not totally on board with Ayn Rand or Objectivism. I think in many ways she co-opted Nietzsche's ideas and claimed them as her own. While I agree with her that there is no personal God and we are left to our own devices in terms of establishing ethics and morality, I don't embrace her ruthless elitism, the same issue I have with Nietzsche. I believe our moral code is inherent to us as a result of living with other human beings and the necessities of that.

Nonetheless, should be an interesting film if they do a good job..

[JSD]

Glad to hear that you're reading the book, Jsaad.  How do you like it?

I look forward to every night I can dive back into it. I still have a ways to go, I left off when Dagny sees Rearden in Colorado and they talk about building a bridge of Rearden Steel.

I'm looking forward to understanding more about John Galt. Aside from all the "Who is John Galt?" I've heard two stories about him, that he found the fountain of youth (told to Dagny in a coffee shop shortly after the seeing Rearden in Colorado), and the Atlantis story (told at Rearden's party). I hope I'm not missing something at this point in the story. I'm also curious about Halley and what happened to him (I'm betting he wrote that Fifth Concerto, haha). Finally and most importantly, what is Francisco d'Anconia up to? He was passionate enough to hit Dagny when she spoke of getting bad grades on purpose but now he's doing the same thing years later with the San Sebastián Mines? What gives? I'm definitely looking forward to finding out.

Thanks for the good suggestion. I didn't know this book was a Libertarian prerequisite so you probably saved me future embarrassment.

[Roy H.]

Glad to hear that you're reading the book, Jsaad.  How do you like it?

I look forward to every night I can dive back into it. I still have a ways to go, I left off when Dagny sees Rearden in Colorado and they talk about building a bridge of Rearden Steel.

I'm looking forward to understanding more about John Galt. Aside from all the "Who is John Galt?" I've heard two stories about him, that he found the fountain of youth (told to Dagny in a coffee shop shortly after the seeing Rearden in Colorado), and the Atlantis story (told at Rearden's party). I hope I'm not missing something at this point in the story. I'm also curious about Halley and what happened to him (I'm betting he wrote that Fifth Concerto, haha). Finally and most importantly, what is Francisco d'Anconia up to? He was passionate enough to hit Dagny when she spoke of getting bad grades on purpose but now he's doing the same thing years later with the San Sebastián Mines? What gives? I'm definitely looking forward to finding out.

Thanks for the good suggestion. I didn't know this book was a Libertarian prerequisite so you probably saved me future embarrassment.

I'm glad you like it.  I read Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead on an six year rotation (each book every three years).   You would think they'd get boring, but not thus far.

[JSD]

The trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W07bFa4TzM

[fairweatherfan]

Interesting, I'd check it out on Netflix at some point but not in the theater.

I read Atlas Shrugged a few years back and overall enjoyed it, both for the expression of a philosophy through a fictional parable and the frequently bizarre subtext (what I saw as pretty clear-cut author self-insertion as Dagny + multiple quasi-rape scenes were an odd pairing to say the least). 

I've never understood how so many people sincerely believe the principles of a work of fiction would translate perfectly to the real world, but I'd recommend the book to any serious reader.  No idea how the movie will manage to boil down such a monstrous text to a few hours, but I'm intrigued to find out.

[indeedproceed]

I've never understood how so many people sincerely believe the principles of a work of fiction would translate perfectly to the real world

Somewhere, L. Ron Hubbard just smirked.

EDIT: The trailer is...odd. Kinda seems like a Grisham movie or something. Also, ever since Redz linked to this youtube video, I haven't been able to take movie trailers seriously..its all I think about when I see them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbhrz1-4hN4

[JSD]

I've never understood how so many people sincerely believe the principles of a work of fiction would translate perfectly to the real world

Somewhere, L. Ron Hubbard just smirked.

EDIT: The trailer is...odd. Kinda seems like a Grisham movie or something. Also, ever since Redz linked to this youtube video, I haven't been able to take movie trailers seriously..its all I think about when I see them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbhrz1-4hN4

That's hilarious. Tp.

[JSD]

No idea how the movie will manage to boil down such a monstrous text to a few hours, but I'm intrigued to find out.

It'll still be tough, but it's part 1 of a trilogy which helps.

[Roy H.]

The trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W07bFa4TzM

Horrid and generic.

Also, the fact that they modernized it, rather than making it a period piece, irritates me way more than it rationally should.  

My wife's reaction?  "Hallelujah!  They're finally making a movie of that thing?  I can't wait to watch it, because I can't get through 1100 pages."