Atlas Shrugged: The Making of a Movie
The Atlas Society emailed to let me know about an upcoming event in Manhattan on December 7th:
If you are interested in the event, there is more information on the time and place here. If you want to see more about the Atlas Shrugged movie, here is the official Facebook page.
The Atlas Society is proud to present Atlas Shrugged: The Making of a Movie. After years of anticipation John Aglialoro has completed filming Part I of what will be a trilogy. David Kelley, Atlas Society founder and CEO, consulted on a script that is true to the characters and philosophy of Ayn Rand’s epic novel.
The program will feature a ten minute first time viewing of an Atlas Shrugged film clip, which will include the first scene from the movie. You’ll hear special remarks from producers John Aglialoro and Harmon Kaslow, Kelley, and select cast members. The event will be followed by a general cocktail reception. There will also be a VIP reception with an opportunity to meet and mingle with the producers and cast members.
If you are interested in the event, there is more information on the time and place here. If you want to see more about the Atlas Shrugged movie, here is the official Facebook page.
Labels: Atlas Shrugged
posted by Helen at 11:57 AM
14 Comments:
While I was fascinated by the book, I cannot imagine it as a movie, or worse, a trilogy. The course of events was loaded with dialog and deep philosophy and a little bit of adultery. Not enough action to carry a movie.
I predict the 1st part will flopp in the theaters and the next two will not even be released on DVD until they are unearthed 20-30 years from now. (like the silent movie Metropolis being released lately).
Parts 2 and 3 might not even get filmes at all if the producers take a large enough bath in part 1.
Action..
--train wreck?
--furnace breakout at a steel mill?
--shootout?
--massive destruction by some kind of weird sound-powered weapon?
..all of which sound expensive to film.
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And all of which required a great deal of talking to explain why it was important to the story. Fighting the breakout would be incredibly boring without the descriptions of why it was being done. he walks in, sees the furnace and starts shoveling stuffinto it until he thinks he shovelled enough. Then he stops. Half the audience would think he was shoveling coal into the furnace. (the other half will be the ones who read the book).
The whole movie could practically be filmed in a darkly lit room filled with cigar smoke.
Remonds me of Dini DeLeurentis' aweful attempt at making Dune. It made no sense to anyone who hadn't read the book.
There's a long and photo-filled interview with the producer of the movie here, with lots of background information about the movie and major players behind this production:
http://www.theatlasphere.com/columns/101123-aglialoro-atlas-shrugged-movie.php
It was already done before (on TV) by the great actress Helen Mirren: "The Passion of Ayn Rand" (1999) where her performance won her both the Emmy and the Golden Globe.
Dune did not make any sense to anyone who HAD read the book, as well. Instead of self-discipline and traning being the determinants of Fedayeen fighting prowess, Hollywood geve them bigger (and really stupid) guns. Way to destroy the whole point, there, hollowwood (not a typo).
One hopes that any treatment of Ayn Rand's book would not minimize the philosophy underneath it all, as they did with Dune - since, unlike Dune, aside from the philosophy and exposition of same, there is really not much there in AS.
One can hope, though, and I do.
I'll watch it even just to see it attempted and to see if some of the speeches are as well done as the audiobook. I don't think I'll be alone, and I guarantee a decent talk radio push. I think they'll do fine.
After reading through the interview with the producer, I have high hopes that this movie will remain true (as true as can be, considering the 53 year lapse between book and movie release) to Ayn Rand's original concept.
Not sure if there are enough fans of the book to make it worthwhile for parts 2-3, though...
I think we're worrying overmuch. No, they aren't going to recite John Galt's chapter-long speech. But we can get a minute or two that sums up the book's philosophy reasonably well, and the events tend to speak for themselves.
Keep in mind, folks -- the movie is almost never as good as the book. This is probably going to be especially true for one of the most important books ever written.
I went to the Facebook page and one of the pictures I saw had a nice looking woman in a business suit, maybe Dagny rubbing a guy in a bathrobe, maybe Hank Reardon. The problem is that Hank has hair bangs. Give me a break are they modeling him on sissy momma's boy Asthun Kutcher instead of someone like say Gary Cooper? If this is any hint of how it will be I may not go, and I am a long time major Rand fan.
You can check my blog for a preview of John Aglialoro’s film adaptation of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged. Part One of the planned trilogy is due out sometime early next year. Also last month, ÆtherCzar featured an interview with screenwriter Brian O’Toole. The key point is that Aglialoro personally financed the film so that the story could be told without studio pressure to make the movie more “Hollywood-friendly.” I think cautious optimism is in order.
Alf,
Not the same story. "The Passion" was about Ayn Rand and her affair not the AS story. But without studio backing, I won't expect to see it in the theater.
Terry Goodkind's Seeker of truth series would also make a good movie series but made for TV has already butchered that story-line turning it into just another Zena warrior princess.
A review of and commentary on the clip shown by the Atlas Society is available here: http://www.theatlasphere.com/columns/101208-gleaves-atlas-preview.php
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