Posted on 09/09/2007 9:59:29 AM PDT by grundle
New York, NY (CNS) - Lionsgate has signed "House of Sand and Fog" director Vadim Perelman to direct the film adaptation of Ayn Rand's iconic novel "Atlas Shrugged." According to trade magazine Variety, Perelman will also rewrite a draft of the script penned by "Braveheart" writer Randall Wallace. The latter will remain involved with the project.
The film follows, Dagny Taggart, a railroad executive to be played by Angelina Jolie, who strives to keep her family-owned trans-continental railroad company alive amidst worldwide strike involving industrialists and thinkers.
Howard and Karen Baldwin ("Ray"), who hold the rights to Rand's most ambitious novel, are producing the film with Media Talent Group's Geyer Kosinski, Jolie's manager.
Oddly, I just finished reading this book recently. Will the movie be 36 hours long?
Actually, I expect Galt’s Utopia to become a hippie commune and the evil politicians to become conservative Republicans.
If they had made this movie 50 years ago with Barbara Stanwick as Dagny, Gary Cooper as Hank, and Raymond Massey as Galt, it would be a classic today. Now it will be a joke, like the crapper I saw last night with Leo DiCrappio as Howard Hughes. The TV movie with Tommy Lee Jones as Howard was light years better. Note to Hollywood: Howard Hughes was not 5 feet tall!
Ditto that, m’friend, sad to say.
“I’ve read somewhere that both Jolie and Brad Pitt (scheduled to play John Galt or Hank Reardon) ‘loved the book.’”
I’m skeptical that they read all 1100 pages in any meaningful way. After all, we’re not talking about a sports page or “People Magazine” here.
Lose the flashbacks to Dagny's childhood/adolescence, except perhaps one. Lose Quentin Reynolds; his part reads like an afterthought on Rand's part. Lose Wyatt -- only good for the symbology of Wyatt's Torch. I'd say to lose Floyd Ferris, too, except for that invaluable speech/warning he gives Reardon on p 411 (paperback). Conceivably could lose Cheryl Taggart -- Rand just uses her as a device to show (for the nth time) the flaws in Jim Taggart's character. And, you HAVE TO shorten, drastically, Galt's radio speech -- it's 50,000 words by itself.
These elisions ought to shorten the effective length of the book to 800 or so pages. Just a start, I know, but, as they say, one has to start somewhere.
I'm firmly convinced that Rand had Gary Cooper in mind for Reardon. He had already played Roark some years earlier, and the Cooper mythos is nearly identical to Rearden's philosophy: hard work, straight dealing, self-reliance, never say quit, etc.
Remenber the film “Mr Blandings builds his dreamhouse”?
“If it aint Wham, It aint ham!” L0L
One bad problem is some people will see the movie and think it is the same as the book.
Although, it might work the other way, too. A decently made film (we should live so long) would certainly promote sales of the book and, who knows?, some few people might actually read the whole thing.
Did you see it? Simply awful.
Hideously bad choice.
The following is not a criticism, just an observation of how we all have different likes and dislikes when it comes to actors: My wife and I cannot stand Lauren Becall as an actress. I think she has no emotional range whatsoever and is one of the most highly over-reated actresses ever.I felt she ruined Key Largo and virtually ever other early movie she was in.
It is funny how we all see the same thing differently.
So it seems L0L
“Charles Atlas Shrugged?”
< }B^)
Check the “10 dvds for a buck” bin at the dollar store?
If Angelina is in shorts with a couple of guns at her side, never mind.......
She's about the age, but I can't see her in the role, either.
Gillian Anderson, maybe. She's another airhead, but it doesn't come across in her acting.
Perhaps Beckinsale or Blanchett?
I fear it will be “Atlas Shrugged” in name only. I don’t think this hollywood group is capable of comprehending Rands theme in the novel.
They should cast Hillary Clinton as Ivy Starnes.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.