Posted on 02/11/2007 2:15:16 PM PST by saganite
Ayn Rand is one of the most controversial writers in modern American literature, known for her tireless advocacy of the right to selfishness and her hatred of big government. She has been derided and loved in equal measure and her books have sold millions of copies, attracting followers as diverse as banker Alan Greenspan, President Ronald Reagan and architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
Her most famous book, Atlas Shrugged, has long been a target of Hollywood producers and attracted such big names as Faye Dunaway, Raquel Welch and Sharon Stone. But each project collapsed in the face of turning a 1,200-page philosophical novel into a watchable movie. Now that is to change. The latest attempt to film Atlas Shrugged is set to star Angelina Jolie in the role of Rand's railroad heiress heroine Dagny Taggart. Unlike past efforts, this one seems likely to succeed. A two-hour screenplay is almost complete and filming is to start this year with release in 2008. It is being written by Randall Wallace, who wrote the Mel Gibson epic Braveheart, and is backed by Lion's Gate Entertainment.
Atlas Shrugged is one of the most controversial books in modern literature. It is a passionate defence of Rand's belief that the world is best served when individuals act entirely in their own rational self-interest. Or, to put it more bluntly, they act selfishly. Rand, who died in 1982, founded the objectivist school of philosophy and still has millions of followers. Atlas Shrugged and another novel The Fountainhead promote her views. In financial circles Atlas Shrugged has been dubbed 'the bible of selfishness'.
(Excerpt) Read more at observer.guardian.co.uk ...
I'm looking forward to watching it.
I'm still dying to know in what year this "futuristic" novel written in the 50's will be set. Will it be re-adjusted to current times?
From Wikipedia:
Atlas Shrugged is a film in active development by Baldwin Entertainment Group and Lions Gate Entertainment. Based on Ayn Rand’s 1957 novel, a two-part draft screenplay written by James V. Hart is now being fully developed by writer-director Randall Wallace.
Angelina Jolie has been confirmed to play the role of Dagny Taggart, and Brad Pitt is rumored to be cast as John Galt. Both are fans of Rand's works. It is projected that Atlas Shrugged will be released as a trilogy, with staggered release-dates for each of the three films. Lions Gate Entertainment has picked up worldwide distribution rights. The first film is expected to be released in 2008. [1]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas_Shrugged_(film)
I'll pass, Randian economics are Darwinistic economics.
Good luck on the project though...
Selfish (free) individual bump.
I despise her as an actress, but I have to admit that Angelina Jolie could make a respectable Dagney. Of course, the burning question is Who is John Galt?
I'm interested to see how Hollyweird will take a well-known major libertarian treatise, antithetical to everything that Hollyweird stands for (Marxism), and interpret it in a way that bolsters Marxism as the proper world view. And trust me, they will.
"the bible of selfishness?" That's not what I got out of it when I read it (admittedly quite a while ago). Some do project their desires on others, or others' work, and I think that is the case here.
It will come out looking like "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow". In fact, Jude Law will probably be John Galt. ;)
Check out Walter Hill's movie "Streets of Fire" to see how a production designer can mix past and present.
LOL...nothing like an objective review! The Left's philosophy, as witness Hillary! and French candidate Segolene Royal's campaigns, is the bible of universal dependency, which is just fine with The Observer Guardian.
Still light years ahead of Keynsian economics. :-)
My thoughts exactly.
Tom Cruise.
There, fixed it. Damned liberal punk writers.
Finally, we know.
Who is John Galt?
Brad Pitt!
I agree but per FR rules I had to include the original title of the article even though I also disagree with that characterization.
I always wondered whether John Galt said that to his co-workers. "You're John Galt, you idiot! Now how about having a beer with us after work, if you're not too busy with that time machine or whatever it is you're supposed to be working on, Galt."
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