Atlas Shrugged Filming Wraps Up

The Atlas Society - The Center for Objectivism ^ | July 26, 2010 | David Kelley

[Ed Hudgins]

I spoke with Dagny Taggart the other night. “It’s a huge honor to be part of this film,” said Taylor Schilling, who plays the heroine in John Aglialoro’s independent production of Atlas Shrugged. Tuesday evening, July 20, marked the completion of filming. We caught up with Aglialoro and his team in a weary but ebullient mood as shooting wrapped after an intense five-week schedule.

The movie covers Part I of Ayn Rand’s novel, with two more films in the planning stage to tell the rest of the story. With six months of editing still to go on “Atlas Shrugged, Part I,” Aglialoro expects it to be ready for release by next March—unless it is accepted for Cannes or other major festivals, which would probably mean a June release.

In entrepreneurial courage and talent, the film project to date is fully the equal of the story it tells, Dagny’s heroic struggle to build the John Galt rail line.

Having optioned the film rights to Atlas in 1992, Aglialoro (pictured above with producers Harmon Kaslow and John director Paul Johansson) has worked with a number of studios and independent producers, with one project after another coming to grief. In the ten years I have been advising him about scripts, I have read at least six distinct scripts for everything from TV miniseries to feature films. Hopes ran high for a deal with Lionsgate Films and Baldwin Entertainment for a single feature-length film, with a good script by Randall Wallace and Angelina Jolie as the lead. After that effort fizzled, Lionsgate undertook a lower-budget miniseries last fall. But the script…

[For the rest of the story plus a video interview with Aglialoro, visit The Atlas Society website!]

[Gen. Burkhalter]

Who is John Galt?

[NellieMae]

I hope that the story is told as it should be.

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

There was a time I’d have thought this bad news. However, under current conditions, even a crappy rendition of Atlas can only be helpful.
Rand sure saw clearly what was coming our way. We must hope the film removes the scales from other people’s eyes.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"Whether it’s religion trying to control our spirit or government trying to control our lives—they take so much of the nectar from each life. It’s like a gun to your head, and you have to bargain constantly for permission to live and expand and find self-fulfillment."

This is the one thing I do not like about Ayn Rand is her outright hatred towards religion. I personally believe it comes from her childhood where the Church in Russia was a willing co-conspirator along with the Romanovs in the oppression of the people.

What this gentleman should realize is the difference between religion and government in this society is that people choose to go to a church. They are forced to do things by the government. Should a follower of Ayn Rand not rejoice in someone's free choice and exercising it for religion?

[Red Badger]

[MarineBrat]

FReeper Book Club: Introduction to Atlas Shrugged
Part I, Chapter I: The Theme
Part I, Chapter II: The Chain
Part I, Chapter III: The Top and the Bottom
Part I, Chapter IV: The Immovable Movers
Part I, Chapter V: The Climax of the d’Anconias
Part I, Chapter VI: The Non-Commercial
Part I, Chapter VII: The Exploiters and the Exploited
Part I, Chapter VIII: The John Galt Line
Part I, Chapter IX: The Sacred and the Profane
Part I, Chapter X: Wyatt’s Torch
Part II, Chapter I: The Man Who Belonged on Earth
Part II, Chapter II: The Aristocracy of Pull
Part II, Chapter III: White Blackmail
Part II, Chapter IV: The Sanction of the Victim
Part II, Chapter V: Account Overdrawn
Part II, Chapter VI: Miracle Metal
Part II, Chapter VII: The Moratorium on Brains
Part II, Chapter VIII: By Our Love
Part II, Chapter IX: The Face Without Pain or Fear or Guilt
Part II, Chapter X: The Sign of the Dollar
Part III, Chapter I: Atlantis
Part III, Chapter II: The Utopia of Greed
Part III, Chapter III: Anti-Greed
Part III, Chapter IV: Anti-Life
Part III, Chapter V: Their Brothers’ Keepers
Part III, Chapter VI: The Concerto of Deliverance
Part III, Chapter VII: “This is John Galt Speaking”
Part III, Chapter VIII: The Egoist
Part III, Chapter IX: The Generator
Part III, Chapter X: In the Name of the Best Within Us
Coda: Ten Years After
Afterword and Suggested Reading

[B-Chan]

I’m looking forward to the prequels, when they show how John Galt was turned to the Dark Side of the Force.

I also hope they give him an adorable animal sidekick, like a baby panda or something.

[Red Badger]

He doesn’t show up until PART III.................

[Red Badger]

Or a smart-a$$ Donkey...............

[Joe 6-pack]

"Should a follower of Ayn Rand not rejoice in someone's free choice and exercising it for religion?"

Curiously, for many followers of Rand, Objectivism is their religion.

[circlecity]

I don’t think there is three movies worth of content in Atlas Shrugged. Rand, while a good writer of prose, was also a self indulgent writer and “over wrote” Atlas. The book could have been done in half the space of its 1000+ pages and lost nothing. Over half the book consists of very long speeches and soliloquies from its characters which are very repetitious of each other. Don’t get me wrong, I love the book but many find it too tedious to finish because of the problems I raise above. I think many would find three movies of the book the same.

[stylecouncilor]

Bookmark

[tanstaafl44]

recommend “Colony 14” by Don Fredrick

259 pages, well written and says it all

[Poser]

I agree that the book could have been about half the length without any loss.

[peggybac]

“The Hollywood press has taken a dismissive view of the project. How could an outsider hope to produce a successful film with so little time, a reported budget of $5 million, a director with limited film experience, and a cast without stars?”

This coming from Hollywood press who knows Hollywood prides itself on low budget, artsy independent films? This is ridiculous.

[kevao]

Who is John Galt?

I once posted that on a similar thread. And someone answered me, with a Wiki link and everything!

[Stand Watch Listen]

Who is John Galt?

Paul Johansson = John Gault

Taylor Schilling = Dagny Taggart

[240B]

Ayn was an alcoholic. It was only lucky for all of us that she wrote. She was also a rapacious chain smoker.

We do not know for sure, but she most likely died from alcoholism.I can see her going off on a rant through one of her characters over and over.

I will see this movie. I hope it is worth it.

[GonzoGOP]

Who is John Galt?

Considering how late he enters the book, as a character rather than a catch phrase, you won't know until the second movie comes out. There are supposed to be three movies, and if you look at the three natural breaking points in the story Galt doesn't even have a line until half way through the second movie. Of course he makes up for it with a three hour monologue at the end.