It has been years since I have heard plans or progress in producing an Atlas Shrugged movie. I think the problem is the script for the movie. For the script writing will be the most difficult task. I do not want to undercut the movie for almost all of the chapters in the book are extremely crucial.
I would like to suggest a trilogy for Atlas Shrugged the movie. The subtitles will be:
Non-Contradiction
Either-Or
A is A
As you have noticed, these are the major parts of the book.
FYI the Baldwin Entertainment Group at least as of 9/04 was working on script development for an AS movie. Here is a link to an interview with the screenwriter on the project, J. Hart, who did the screenplay for Contact.
These are the main foci of each section of the book, respectively, are they not?
How about:
Atlas Shrugged: Who is John Galt?
Atlas Shrugged: The Motor of the World
Atlas Shrugged: Atlantis
Anyone who wants to take the responsibility on adapting Atlas Shrugged to the screen, will have to have a tremendous self-esteem, a deep understanding of both literature and cinema, experience, and fearlessness.
The guy will have to make changes that will undoubtedly will make some Objectivists mad, like cut out great scenes, or merge some characters together. As it is, Atlas Shrugged is not a trilogy, but a “twentilogy” at least.
If “Atlas Shrugged” the movie ever gets made I would recommend Leonardo Dicaprio as Hank Rearden after seeing his performance (twice, so far) in “The Aviator”. A couple of scenes like when Howard Hughes(played be Dicaprio) was at the dinner table with Katherine Hepburns family and when he has to testify before Congress reminded me of scenes from AS involving Rearden. Besides some deficiencies in the movie brought up in other threads I wouldn’t be surprised if the screenwriter of The Aviator was a fan of AS. I got the same feelings watching those scenes as I got reading simialar scenes involving Rearden. Normally I dislike Dicaprio’s acting and I almost didn’t go to see the movie because he was the star. But when I saw those scenes I instantly thought: He should play Hank Rearden!
The guy will have to make changes that will undoubtedly will make some Objectivists mad, like cut out great scenes, or merge some characters together. As it is, Atlas Shrugged is not a trilogy, but a “twentilogy” at least.
Well think of it this way. The Fountainhead, an 800-page book, was fit by Ayn Rand into 90 minutes on screen! I think a trilogy, with 2-2.5 hours per each movie, will be more than enough for AS’ 1,200 pages.
Also let’s not forget that Lord Of The Rings pulled it off, and its total page count was even longer I think.
Well think of it this way. The Fountainhead, an 800-page book, was fit by Ayn Rand into 90 minutes on screen! I think a trilogy, with 2-2.5 hours per each movie, will be more than enough for AS’ 1,200 pages.
Also let’s not forget that Lord Of The Rings pulled it off, and its total page count was even longer I think.
I was thinking the exact same thing. The movie would be forced to become more of a synopsis of the novel rather than the novel itself. It would be interesting to see “Who is John Galt?”
