2081: Everyone Will Be Equal

[Colonel Rebel]

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.

[Zip]

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.

[JMeganSnow]

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.

[Greebo]

This looks VERY interesting. This is from Vonnegut? For some reason, I thought he was more pro-collectivist.

[brian0918]

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

[The Anthem]

I've always loved dystopians. This one looks very good.

[01503]

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

[Qwertz]

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

[KevinDW78]

I subscribed for updates because I REALLY wanna see this. It looks awesome!

[Tenure]

The Ballet made me think of Ayn Rand's next novel she was thinking of writing.

I want to see this.

[Jake]

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/

[Chops]

I subscribed for updates because I REALLY wanna see this. It looks awesome!

Same here. It looks pretty great.

[BrassDragon]

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?

[John McVey]

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

[IchorFigure]

Aha. That explains it. It's a short, not a feature.

Gahh ; ; It looks really interesting. Still looking forward to it.

[Clawg]

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...

[Jake]

There's another movie with a very Harrison Bergeron-like theme: Equilibrium with Christian Bale and Sean Bean. I enjoyed it.

[Persephone]

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.

[Clawg]

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.

[Persephone]

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

[Mammon]

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.

[KurtColville]

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?

[Persephone]

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

[Gabo]

When will this movie be released?

[Jake_Ellison]

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.