Colonel Rebel Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 http://www.finallyequal.com/index-flash.html Based on the short story Harrison Bergeron by celebrated author Kurt Vonnegut, 2081 depicts a dystopian future in which, thanks to the 212th Amendment to the Constitution and the unceasing vigilance of the United States Handicapper General, everyone is finally equal... The strong wear weights, the beautiful wear masks and the intelligent wear earpieces that fire off loud noises to keep them from taking unfair advantage of their brains. It is a poetic tale of triumph and tragedy about a broken family, a brutal government, and an act of defiance that changes everything. Featuring an original score performed by the world-renowned Kronos Quartet (Requiem for a Dream) and narration by Academy Award Nominee Patricia Clarkson (Far From Heaven, Goodnight and Good Luck), 2081 stars James Cosmo (Braveheart, Trainspotting, Narnia), Julie Hagerty (Airplane!, What About Bob?) and Armie Hammer (Justice League). Watching the trailer made me think of Anthem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zip Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 It made a chill go up my spine. I honestly believe that this is the future we are racing toward, of course the weights will be invisible, the noise inaudible and the tyranny much more surreptitious but the way is clear for those that manufacture "rights" out of weakness's, for inadequacies and legislate against success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMeganSnow Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 I remember reading Harrison Bergeron in grade school. It made a big impression on me: I think it was my first encounter with the whole "dystopian future" concept. The trailer looks pretty cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greebo Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 This looks VERY interesting. This is from Vonnegut? For some reason, I thought he was more pro-collectivist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian0918 Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 (edited) This looks VERY interesting. This is from Vonnegut? For some reason, I thought he was more pro-collectivist. It's hard to say. In God Bless You Mr. Rosewater (or Pearls Before Swine), the main character is a pure altruist, giving up his entire life, even sleep, to help people who never learn from their mistakes, and are never made better by his assistance (sort of like a Cassandra). I don't think Vonnegut was professing such an attitude, given the absurdity of its actualization. However, the character's wife, who is presented to the reader as knowing what's right and wrong, says that his actions are the right thing to do, and she is opposed by people the reader could not like. BUT! Vonnegut is known for screwing with his readers. Maybe he presented it as right and absurd/ridiculous in order to force the reader to knowingly defy him. Given that he wrote Harrison Bergeron, I am inclined towards this last explanation. Edited August 15, 2008 by brian0918 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Anthem Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 I've always loved dystopians. This one looks very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
01503 Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 The first dystopian fiction I read was 1984, and I liked it. I just read this short story five minutes ago, it can be found free online here: http://instruct.westvalley.edu/lafave/hb.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qwertz Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 Aha. That explains it. It's a short, not a feature. And it is MPI's very first non-documentary production. Based on MPI's release track record, it won't see major theatres. Other MPI shorts (e.g. the Free Market Cure series; The Libel Tourist) have been officially released on the web following a festival premiere. Looks interesting, though. The trailer succeeds in making me want to see it. ~Q Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinDW78 Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 I subscribed for updates because I REALLY wanna see this. It looks awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenure Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 The Ballet made me think of Ayn Rand's next novel she was thinking of writing. I want to see this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 There was a TV-movie version of Harrison Bergeron that I remember seeing with Sean Astin in it. It was pretty good. Here's the IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113264/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chops Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 I subscribed for updates because I REALLY wanna see this. It looks awesome! Same here. It looks pretty great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrassDragon Posted August 16, 2008 Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 The Ballet made me think of Ayn Rand's next novel she was thinking of writing. I'm not familiar with a next novel Ayn Rand was thinking about writing... Tenure, could you (or someone else) provide more info on this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McVey Posted August 16, 2008 Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 I'm not familiar with a next novel Ayn Rand was thinking about writing... According to the Journals, it was to be called "To Lorne Dieterling": First notes for: To Lorne Dieterling. Basic theme: The story of a woman who is totally motivated by love for values—and how one maintains such a state when alone in an enemy world. Next step of theme: The whole issue of values and of happiness. The role of values in human psychology, in the relationships among men and in the events of their lives. What it means to "live for one's own sake"—shown not on a social-political scale, but in men's personal lives. As a consequence, show the manner in which men betray their values, and show the results. Select, for the characters of the story, the key versions of men's attitudes toward values. JJM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IchorFigure Posted August 16, 2008 Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 Aha. That explains it. It's a short, not a feature. Gahh ; ; It looks really interesting. Still looking forward to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clawg Posted August 16, 2008 Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 It's interesting but I have difficulty accepting the, pardon me, ridiculous handicaps. It just makes it less believable. I'm more the science fiction guy, maybe a chip implant reducing the brain activity, genetic modification and/or 'Prozium'-like substances would make a better picture If weights can easily be removed from the body as displayed in the movie then there has to be an explanation why people don't do it in secret at their homes. Either there is total surveillance or people are convinced not to rebel and accept their 'punishment' for being more able than others by choice. This of course would require a control by society, peer pressure etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted August 16, 2008 Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 There's another movie with a very Harrison Bergeron-like theme: Equilibrium with Christian Bale and Sean Bean. I enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Persephone Posted September 7, 2008 Report Share Posted September 7, 2008 Read the story Clawg, if you haven't already . It's supposed to be satirical. I don't know how it will work as a short film, satire is not a visually oriented genre, for the same reason why it's hard to be sarcastic in a chat room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clawg Posted September 7, 2008 Report Share Posted September 7, 2008 Ok, I've read through the story. I think it works better as a story than *literally* displaying the weights and other handicaps. The difference is that a story leaves much more room for imagination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Persephone Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 (edited) I agree....I wonder if they will pull it off successfully. I can't think of one time where someone has actually managed to successfully bring satire to screen. Edited September 8, 2008 by Persephone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mammon Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 There's another movie with a very Harrison Bergeron-like theme: Equilibrium with Christian Bale and Sean Bean. I enjoyed it. I second the Equilibrium recommendation. Featuring an original score performed by the world-renowned Kronos Quartet If nothing else, I'll be getting the soundtrack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KurtColville Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 I agree....I wonder if they will pull it off successfully. I can't think of one time where someone has actually managed to successfully bring satire to screen. This is Spinal Tap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Persephone Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 (edited) Quote from a review site This Is Spinal Tap was only a modest success upon its initial release, suffering from, among other things, the failure of many viewers to understand that it was not a real documentary. This is what I mean...satire in writing is easy....satire visually is confusing Edited September 8, 2008 by Persephone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabo Posted October 19, 2008 Report Share Posted October 19, 2008 When will this movie be released? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake_Ellison Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 Cheer up people. No one can stop progress at this point. Even if America falls, or stalls, there will always be a country somewhere that’s free enough for good people to do good work. We should be critical of the world, but I see no reason to be this pessimistic: after all, look at the rate of scientific progress in the West, and the spread of western ideas to countries that a few decades ago were in the middle ages or under the deepest communist rule: if anything, the world as a whole is the best it’s ever been for a human being to be born into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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