Yes, it was totally a question of finances, there is no studio behind it. They are hoping for more financial support for the 2nd and 3rd movies, but are not willing to just turn it over to a ‘studio’ to make the other parts. It seems like most of the cast/crew worked for minimum scale wages because they were all so committed to seeing it done the right way. I think that spirit will carry through on the screen.
Yes, it won’t have the gloss of most of the movies today, they had to do a lot of work with green screens because they didn’t have the budget for huge sets. The larger problem with the dialog is that it is impossible to bring it as a movie and leave the original dialog intact. People don’t have the patience and attention to words in a movie, like they do when reading.
I’m not even doing a good job of explaining it in writing. I think most people today are ‘visual’ learners, I know I for sure am. Anything I see takes precedence over anything I hear. That’s why I’m terrible on the phone, I constantly lose the conversation, because something I see has interrupted the flow.
When I read, the words capture all my attention, and the ‘movie’ is created in my head. There is nothing visual to interrupt. When I watch a movie, what I am seeing, many times, takes my attention away from what I am hearing, and I lose the dialog. There isn’t time in movies for long, dense blocks of language, it would just bog down the flow.
Anyway, I am very hopeful that the movie will just capture the true spirit of Ayn Rand’s story. I’m not going to quibble word choices, or deleted scenes, or added scenes. In re-reading the book again right now, I am recognizing scenes in the book that would just not translate well to a movie. I’m just glad that the attempt was made.
The cast and crew gave their best efforts to this movie. I applaud them for that. If someone thinks they could make the movie better, I invite them to try. The best version will rise to the top, be the most successful, and make the most money. That is the beauty of competition, it forces everyone to put out the best product they can. What else could Ayn Rand ask for?
(sorry to be so long-winded)
If I quibble about any of the casting I have seen so far, it would be that Jim Taggart looks too young. (but, then again, everybody is starting to look too young to me)
I'm also surprised to see that they set it in contemporary times, but kept the RR motif.
I also like the actor playing my screen name. He played Dr. "Big Love" Cole (the black Mormon) who tried out for Gregory House's team on the TV show, House MD.
I can't wait to herar the liberals/MSM: "I thought that conservatives HATED trains..thy want to defund Obama's high speed rail program.."
I watched the trailer...obviously it was made on a tight budget. I wonnder if it would ahve been mor successful does as a period piece..set at the time the book was written.