Atlas Shrugged

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  • Chris D
    Moderator Emeritus
    • Dec 2000
    • 16877

    Atlas Shrugged

    This is fascinating. I have NEVER seen this happen before, to this extreme--Rotten Tomatoes has "Atlas Shrugged Part I" at a measly 8% on the Tomatometer, based on critic ratings, but the audience has it at 85%!!!!

    Dagny Taggart (Taylor Schilling), a powerful railroad executive, tries to keep her business afloat while society crumbles around her.


    There are some reasons why this could be happening, but I still find it very interesting.

    As for the film itself, I have no idea if it's any good. I know I myself, several years ago when I started my journey to read "great" works of literature in our society, read several of Ayn Rand's books. Personally, I find them very interesting, with many very compelling points, but feel that Mrs. Rand and the Objectivist philosophy leaves out or even purposefully ignores several important things. I don't know that I could say that I "enjoyed" the books.

    So I'm quite interested to see this movie, although I don't personally subscribe to the Objectivist philosophy. I would imagine that it will make several compellings comments on today's societies and governments, and I wonder if it will do so in as heavy-handed a manner as Ayn Rand's books themselves. Will be interesting to find out, and to see what it's quality is as a film as well.

    Very interested to hear anyones' thoughts that has seen the film.
    CHRIS

    Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
    - Pleasantville
  • Ovation
    Super Senior Member
    • Sep 2004
    • 2202

    #2
    As this is not a board that allows much in the way of political discussion, I will limit my observation to the following: I have often found that books with which I am disappointed (for political or other reasons) can inspire the creation of decent films. As such, I will reserve judgement on the film until such time as I see it (if I do) but in the particular case of Ayn Rand, I don't have a high degree of confidence that I will find the film all that enjoyable. I'll leave it at that (my views of Rand's philosophy are rather strong so I don't want to stir up trouble in a setting not designed for it).

    Comment

    • Chris D
      Moderator Emeritus
      • Dec 2000
      • 16877

      #3
      Ovation, sounds like you and I could could have a real interesting discussion about the book and movie. I don't know... maybe you and I would quickly end up agreeing with each other, and ending the discussion. But let's see what each of us thinks after watching the flick eventually.
      CHRIS

      Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
      - Pleasantville

      Comment

      • George Bellefontaine
        Moderator Emeritus
        • Jan 2001
        • 7637

        #4
        My introduction to Ayn Rand was back in my high school days during an English Lit class. Her novel, The Fountainhead, came up for study and discussion. I really can't recall much of it other than there was a good debate. Her books do seem to cause debate. Anyway, I must say the book led me to the film, starring Gary Cooper, and I did enjoy the film, so I'll just leave it at that because I haven't read Atlas Shrugged and probably won't see it until I know more about it.
        My Homepage!

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        • Chris D
          Moderator Emeritus
          • Dec 2000
          • 16877

          #5
          Huh... I didn't realize that the Fountainhead had been made into a film.
          CHRIS

          Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
          - Pleasantville

          Comment

          • George Bellefontaine
            Moderator Emeritus
            • Jan 2001
            • 7637

            #6
            Originally posted by Chris D
            Huh... I didn't realize that the Fountainhead had been made into a film.
            Released in 1949, Chris. It starred Gary Cooper and Patricia Neal.
            My Homepage!

            Comment

            • Chris D
              Moderator Emeritus
              • Dec 2000
              • 16877

              #7
              Netflixed this one tonight. Let's see if I can do a mini-review without going too long. I feel compelled to examine and discuss this film specifically in the manner that I try to evaluate all movies--as the production that the filmmaker(s) intended it to be. Had the filmmakers intended this to be purely a work of entertainment, or "just to make a movie", I'd say that they failed pretty big, and I'd only give it about 2 stars. The "feel" of the movie isn't quite up to snuff (or perhaps more accurately, not aligned with, and even that may be intentional) Hollywood standards. Acting could be better.

              But, just like the book, this is a work that makes NO pretense that it is fully intended to be far more than "just a movie". If anything, I'd say it's a message that is presented under the pretense of a movie, just as Rand's original work might be considered a speech/sermon presented in the pretense of a novel story. The story, dialogue, and underlying message are just as stiff and VERY heavy-handed as Rand's original book. Just as I recall characters in the book periodically breaking out into an overt monologue of philosophical diatribe, (thankfully not directly occurring in the movie as well) the movie makes no concealment as to what position it takes on the issues it also presents.

              In fact, I found that the movie was very true to the book. I don't think it changed any of the storylines. It was only INCOMPLETE. Not only did it end without ANY semblance of a plot resolution, (making it indeed part I of the book, fully intended to be followed by part 2 and part 3, and NOT making it a typical movie) in order to keep even this part 1 a manageable length, lots of back story and character experiences have been stripped out of it. Necessary? Perhaps. But this movie is only something like an hour and a half. It's far from being too long. If they chose to chop it up into three planned parts, there could have been much more story development as contained in Rand's book, and I think this movie would have been better for it.

              Again, to show my cards, I am NOT a believer in Rand's Objectivist theory. But I think she, and her stories, raise a LOT of very, very good issues, and have a lot of great insight into several things.

              I can see why this movie wasn't overly popular with the public, and I ABSOLUTELY can see why it was not popular with the usual Hollywood critics and political demographics. It directly flies in the face of socialist positions and much political doctrine espoused today. Such a piece is not going to be embraced, supported, or recommended by those who count on the very ideas it denounces, to sustain their processes. And again, since it is not just a work of entertainment by itself, those that want movies only to give them mindless babysitting for two hours will not find this particular movie much enjoyable.

              Me? I appreciate this movie for what it is intended to be. It could have been much better as a "flim", but I think for all the opposition that the establishment put up to making this movie, it was pretty well done for what they had, and I appreciated that they were true to Rand's book. Like Rand's message or hate it, believe in the ideals or think they're flawed, she makes a respectable point and raises points and forces introspection that is worth examining, even if you come to different conclusions.

              I give this movie :4: out of :5:, and I'm looking forward to parts 2 and 3 being made. Realistically, will that happen? Given the establishment opposition and funding problems, it may be unlikely. But I hope they are indeed made, and that they are improved, to make them great works.

              (Note: chatter on the internet suggests that projects for Part 2 and Part 3 are dead. But I went to the movie project website, http://www.atlasshruggedmovie.com/ and it says "everything changes", with a countdown to TOMORROW, Feb 2nd. We'll see what it says)
              CHRIS

              Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
              - Pleasantville

              Comment

              • George Bellefontaine
                Moderator Emeritus
                • Jan 2001
                • 7637

                #8
                Thanks for that enlightening post, Chris. Although I rather liked The Fountainhead, it may have been more due to my loyalty to Gary Cooper ( a big favorite actor of mine ) than to Rand's writings. As for Atlas Shrugged, you've piqued my interest so I'll likely give it a rent.
                My Homepage!

                Comment

                • Chris D
                  Moderator Emeritus
                  • Dec 2000
                  • 16877

                  #9
                  Well, there you go. I went back to http://www.atlasshruggedmovie.com/ just now, and they're reporting that shooting will start in April, and be in theaters in October. How is that even possible, unless it's with a handheld camera like Blair Witch?
                  CHRIS

                  Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
                  - Pleasantville

                  Comment

                  • Chris D
                    Moderator Emeritus
                    • Dec 2000
                    • 16877

                    #10
                    I suppose they did it. Atlas Shrugged Part II releases today. If anybody sees it, please let us know how it is!
                    CHRIS

                    Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
                    - Pleasantville

                    Comment

                    • bigburner
                      Super Senior Member
                      • May 2005
                      • 2649

                      #11
                      Originally posted by Chris D
                      they're reporting that shooting will start in April, and be in theaters in October. How is that even possible, unless it's with a handheld camera like Blair Witch?....

                      .... I suppose they did it. Atlas Shrugged Part II releases today
                      Perhaps they handed out bennies to the film crew so they could get a better understanding of the writer and things just sped along?

                      Nigel.

                      Comment

                      • Chris D
                        Moderator Emeritus
                        • Dec 2000
                        • 16877

                        #12
                        Even more polarizing than Part I, Rotten Tomatoes shows Part II at ***0%*** for 11 critics, and 81% for 2,643 general viewers. Apparently, the producers aren't even bothering to send the movie to critics for review. They say its because they already know what the critics will say. I'll watch the movie eventually, and see whether it's just the Rand fanboys that are rating the movie, or whether it's actually any good.
                        CHRIS

                        Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
                        - Pleasantville

                        Comment

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