News on the "Atlas Shrugged" film!

The Atlas Society & Objectivist Center ^ | July 24, 2006 | David Kelley/Ed Hudgins

[Hegemony Cricket]

I agree - I have a bad feeling about it too. Most of what A.R. had to say is so extemely contrary to the beliefs of so many in hollyweird, that I just can't see them getting it right...

[r-q-tek86]

Reference The Fountainhead.

Worst adaptation of a book I think I've ever seen.

[NonValueAdded]

Nah, Kiefer is more of a Ragnar Danneskjöld character.

[KarlInOhio]

Kiefer Southerland - Hank Rearden

Kiefer would be a great Ragnar Danneskjöld. Have him go Jack Bauer on some people.

[NonValueAdded]

GMTA, and at the same time!

[KarlInOhio]

23 posted on 07/25/2006 10:26:46 AM EDT by NonValueAdded

24 posted on 07/25/2006 10:26:46 AM EDT by KarlInOhio

OK, AdminMod, I demand to see the millisecond clock!

[Red Badger]

I think he's too short to be Ragnar?..........

[proud American in Canada]

For this to succeed, it will require a filmaker of incredible talent, to know what parts of the book he can excise and still tell the story. I can't think of anyone in Hollywood I'd trust with that task.

Maybe Mel Gibson?

I need to read this book again--it's been 20 years.

[proud American in Canada]

Now that's weird. :)

[aynrandfreak]

Who has final veto on what goes in the movie? The studio? What happens when Angelina decides that a part should be written in for Dagny's work in the third world?

[highimpact]

I agree. There's simply no way to adapt A.S. to the screen in a way that holds true to the book's message.

[skinkinthegrass]

They'll probably cast Helen Thomas as Dagny Taggart.....
NO!!!!!...and no photos, please. :D

[tcostell]

I disagree. I think the book contains tons of drama and a clear battle between good and evil. It will be plot driven, but should make for a fun movie.

The only relevant question is "Can modern Hollywood make this movie when it's so clear that they won't actually understand it?"

[Spunky]

"Who is John Galt?"

There was a Development being built here in our area. I felt something wasn't quite right about the development so I asked her; "Who is the head of "American Eagle Development" out of Idaho?" She told me his name was "John Galt." I laughed and asked her if she had read Atlas Shrugged? She acted like she didn't know what I was talking about. A month later when I was looking at the development again there was a man there who said he was the developer. And his name WAS NOT John Galt. I wonder why she told me it was?

I never finished reading Atlas Shrugged, (tiny print to hard on the eyes) so was John Galt a shister?

[KarlInOhio]

We need a Dagny Taggart who is blond, a little in-your-face to the statists, and who will drive the Libs nuts.

Ann Coulter is Dagny Taggart.

[Socratic]

Baldwin and Aglialoro confirmed earlier reports that BEG will collaborate with Lionsgate....

BEG? Collaborate? Are these folks up to doing a Rand film?

[DoctorMichael]

I would definitely see the films.

However, I've always wondered though about the proper length for the screenplay of this book. Three 2-hour movies? Three 3 1/2-hour movies (like LOTR)?

Rand's style was to use her characters as foils for arguing the philosophical points she wanted to illustrate. Much the same was done in the ancient Greek philosophical tracts. Galt's 60-page speech is grand and all-encompassing, but what audiance will sit through it? Likewise, things like the speech about the meaning of Money is great is book-form, but in a movie? Editorializing could solve the problem of length. Would one, single, tightly-written screenplay of 3 1/2 hours do it justice?

There were suggestions at one point in time awhile back for a 10-part TV mini-series.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Nicole Kidman (as she looked in "Bewitched") would make a great Dagny Taggart.

But Hollywood can't possibly get this right. They just can't.

[highimpact]

Ann Coulter is Dagny Taggart.

I'd love to see that, but she probably won't agree to it because of the love scenes.

[RebelBanker]

Who will be John Galt?

According to imdb.com, they are talking to Brad Pitt for that role.