Atlas Shrugged: Part I - November 08, 2011 - Review

[lkmg]

Atlas Shrugged: Part I Blu-ray

Atlas Shrugged: Part I Blu-ray Review

20th Century Fox has announced that they will release the 2011 drama Atlas Shrugged: Part I on Blu-ray. The film is low-budget adaption of the first part of Ayn Rand's 1957 politcally nuanced mystery novel of the same name.

Atlas Shrugged: Part I was directed by Paul Johansson, who also stars as the story's mysterious character, John Galt. Also starring in the film is Edi Gathegi (X-Men: First Class), Patrick Fischler (Mad Men) and Taylor Schilling (Mercy).

The Blu-ray release will feature DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 with a 2:35:1 aspect ratio. Special features have been confirmed to include:

Audio commentary with writers John Aglialoro and Brian Patrick O'Toole and producer Harmon Kaslow.
Road to Atlas Shrugged
I Am John Galt
"The John Galt Theme" Slideshow

Atlas Shrugged: Part I will hit retail on November 15th with a list price of $29.99.

[Trogdor2010]

People read Ayn Rand?!?!!

[Show spoiler] Just wanted to see if people react.

[growler]

Many Rand haters posting on the news section comments re this movie:
https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=7347

Interesting how many trash the book "Atlas Shrugged" when commenting on the movie they likely did NOT see. (Why see the movie if you hated the book?)


Library of Congress Survey: Most Influential Books, Bible is #1 & Atlas Shrugged is #2.

http://www.amazon.com/Library-Congre.../133GLJVXVIBLN

I really liked the movie but then, I love the book. The movie is only part 1 out of 3. The book is simply too long to film as a single movie. I recommend seeing the movie but, it would be even better to see it after reading the book. The virulent HATRED towards Objectivism (The philosophy of Rand depicted in The Fountainhead & Atlas Shrugged) is evident by the many ad hominem attacks against the late author, Ayn Rand. To learn about her philosophy & decide for yourself check out aynrand.org.

From the web site “Introducing Objectivism” -- a short description of Objectivism given by Ayn Rand in 1962.

1) Metaphysics -- Objective Reality
2) Epistemology -- Reason
3) Ethics -- Self-interest
4) Politics -- Capitalism

“If you want this translated into simple language, it would read: 1. “Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed” or “Wishing won’t make it so.” 2. “You can’t eat your cake and have it, too.” 3. “Man is an end in himself.” 4. “Give me liberty or give me death.”

My philosophy, Objectivism, holds that:

1) Reality exists as an objective absolute—facts are facts, independent of man’s feelings, wishes, hopes or fears.

2) Reason (the faculty which identifies and integrates the material provided by man’s senses) is man’s only means of perceiving reality, his only source of knowledge, his only guide to action, and his basic means of survival.

3) Man—every man—is an end in himself, not the means to the ends of others. He must exist for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself. The pursuit of his own rational self-interest and of his own happiness is the highest moral purpose of his life.


4) The ideal political-economic system is laissez-faire capitalism. It is a system where men deal with one another, not as victims and executioners, nor as masters and slaves, but as traders, by free, voluntary exchange to mutual benefit. It is a system where no man may obtain any values from others by resorting to physical force, and no man may initiate the use of physical force against others. The government acts only as a policeman that protects man’s rights; it uses physical force only in retaliation and only against those who initiate its use, such as criminals or foreign invaders. In a system of full capitalism, there should be (but, historically, has not yet been) a complete separation of state and economics, in the same way and for the same reasons as the separation of state and church.”

For Rand’s books or movies her philosophy is CENTRAL. That is why Objectivism is critical to this movie & any discussion of the movie.

[blu-mike]

[vegeta88]

I will definitely rent the film because I really enjoyed the book. I was disappointed with the route they ended up taking with the low budget and unknown actors. The second especially could have been avoided with some big name actors being interested in roles (Charlize Therone, Angelina Jolie, and Bad Pitt).

growler, glad you liked the movie. Hopefully I will as well since I liked the book and other writings by Ayn Rand. Interesting little analysis on Rand's objectivism.

[pseudonym]

Originally Posted by growler

The book is the 2nd best selling book of all time (#1 is the bible.)

That's impressive. It isn't actually true, but still, impressive.

I really liked the movie but then, I love the book. The movie is only part 1 out of 3. The book is simply too long to film as a single movie. .

There will not be three Atlas Shrugged movies.

[HyperRealist]

If Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck recommend it, it has to be good.

[Show spoiler]

[vegeta88]

Originally Posted by pseudonym

That's impressive. It isn't actually true, but still, impressive.

I have seen that misconception/misprint that it is the second best selling book of all time behind the Bible. Not true, as you point out. But I think it is more important that it is listed (by some) as the second most influential book behind the Bible.

There will not be three Atlas Shrugged movies.

As of July this year (after the first part tanked) the director is still planning on making part 2. I have not read anything to the contrary so they might finish the three parts in which case, yes, there will be.

Originally Posted by HyperRealist

If Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck recommend it, it has to be good.

[Show spoiler]

What's your point? Frank Miller, Penn Jillette, and Angelina Jolie praise the book too. Lots of people recommend it. Lots of people recommend against it. I don't really get the this.

I also don't get the "Of course FOX is releasing this". Fox also released Avatar a film with a very different message.
EDIT: ^ That some people are saying, not those that I am quoting.

[growler]

Originally Posted by pseudonym

That's impressive. It isn't actually true, but still, impressive.


There will not be three Atlas Shrugged movies.

I had edited my post within 30 minutes, Sorry about that error. Not 2nd best selling rather 2nd most influential. It does sell very well each year however.

Library of Congress Survey: Most Influential Books, Bible is #1 & Atlas Shrugged is #2.

[rock, stone]

I don't understand how this movie (reportedly) wasn't any good? Did the working class sabotage it?

I think the filmmakers should go on strike until poor people stop preventing this movie from being the second most influential movie ever made.

[TriuneImpurityRites]

Originally Posted by growler

I had edited my post within 30 minutes, Sorry about that error. Not 2nd best selling rather 2nd most influential. It does sell very well each year however.

Library of Congress Survey: Most Influential Books, Bible is #1 & Atlas Shrugged is #2.

Influential doesn't always mean positive outcomes to humanity. In this sense, I'd agree these two are probably #1 and #2.

[Deciazulado]

Atlas Shrugged: Part I Blu-ray

[HotRats]

[QUOTE=
Library of Congress Survey: Most Influential Books, Bible is #1 & Atlas Shrugged is #2.[/QUOTE]

That's a survey. It tells you more about the people surveyed than the books. The survey is rather light on Shakespeare, Sun Tzu, Machiavelli, Mao, Mandela, Marx, the Torah, the Qur'an, Martin Luther King and Gandhi to name a few. Lord Of The Rings is at number 5 on the list.

Irrespective of whether you agree with Rand, her writing is deathly. The prose is leaden and humourless and she puts "dire" into dialogue. Plotting is implausible. Length is interminable. Not a good foundation for any film.

[pseudonym]

Originally Posted by vegeta88

As of July this year (after the first part tanked) the director is still planning on making part 2. I have not read anything to the contrary so they might finish the three parts in which case, yes, there will be.

No there won't. I have no idea what the director said. If someone actually pays to produce and release two more of these things after the first one crashed and burned so epically, I will gladly eat my hat.

The free market has spoken, right?

[fdm]

Originally Posted by pseudonym

No there won't. I have no idea what the director said. If someone actually pays to produce and release two more of these things after the first one crashed and burned so epically, I will gladly eat my hat.

The free market has spoken, right?

Depends on how deep their pockets are and what their agenda is. If it was just to make money, yeah, you'll probably not be tasting that hat any time soon.

[vegeta88]

Originally Posted by pseudonym

No there won't. I have no idea what the director said. If someone actually pays to produce and release two more of these things after the first one crashed and burned so epically, I will gladly eat my hat.

The free market has spoken, right?

I was skeptical as well, but after the 'crash and burn' the director said it would still happen.

The free market has spoken. People have the freedom to put out a product even if the first version did not make money.

[Post Prod]

You still need money to make a film.


You would have to be very ideologically attached to Ayn Rand to chase a bad investment.

[vegeta88]

Originally Posted by Post Prod

You still need money to make a film.


You would have to be very ideologically attached to Ayn Rand to chase a bad investment.

And enough people are. fdm pointed out that deep pockets and an agenda are all they need for another movie. As has been pointed out, the book has been extremely influential (for better or worse), so there are many who want to see the movies made. Maybe they are hoping for a sound financial return or maybe they simply want to produce the films. Maybe, unlike most producers and studios, they want to make the film to make the film rather than sell a product.

I use the word "maybe" not in suggesting that is the truth or even speculating it might be true. I am just saying it is a possibility.

[growler]

I wonder how many people commenting here have actually SEEN the movie or read the book. Not just read reviews of either.

Reading "The Fountainhead" or watching the movie "The Fountainhead" will give you a taste of Objectivism/Ayn Rand. If you don't like the ideas in that movie/book you will probably not like "Atlas Shrugged." If you are intrigued or like those ideas, read "Atlas Shrugged" & see the movie.

It should at the very least get you to THINK about the concept of the individual vs. the collective.

[SadatX]

Originally Posted by vegeta88

I was skeptical as well, but after the 'crash and burn' the director said it would still happen.

The free market has spoken. People have the freedom to put out a product even if the first version did not make money.

Pretending like you're still going to make a sequel is what we call "saving face." Pretty much anyone who has ever released a bomb has said this.

Yup, this film will sure get made all right. I heard it's opening the same weekend as The Last Air Bender II and Green Lateran II. I've been assured by the people who made those films that sequels are coming. I'm taking them at their word.