Atlas Shrugged

[Yippee38]

I didn't know that it was being made into a movie. Part 1 is to be released tomorrow.
http://www.atlasshruggedpart1.com/

Trailer here:
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W07bFa4TzM&feature=player_embedded[/ame]

 

[Orion Crystal Ice]

I haven't seen the trailers...a lot of big fans of the book (such as myself) who claim to have seen it have given it just terrible reviews...and it's easy to imagine this being butchered... definitely on the fence about this. I'll look at the trailer when I get home.

 

[Comic Book Dude]

Dreadful book....probably be a dreadful movie too.

 

[Bamafan]

I'm not sure Rand's 30 page long soliloquies are going to translate well to the big screen.

 

[AeonicSlumber]

Dreadful book....probably be a dreadful movie too.

Honestly, my political views aside, this book isn't functional enough in the literary canon for enough people to care to warrant a big investment in good directors, actors etc. Thus, the movie probably will blow due to nobody talented working on it. Even if I was a fan of the book (and believed in her message), I'd be bummed by this movie.

 

[Orion Crystal Ice]

*watch*

well, that was a waste of two minutes. Mainstream film is so far down the tubes it isn't even funny. Ok, I did love 'Tron: Legacy'............

 

[Pellaz]

I have low expectations for this also, although a GOOD adaptation would be pretty damned skippy if it could be pulled off.

Also, I can't imagine any of the motion-picture unions signing off on this. (!)

 

[Jibrille]

*watch*

well, that was a waste of two minutes. Mainstream film is so far down the tubes it isn't even funny. Ok, I did love 'Tron: Legacy'............

It isn't even a mainstream film. Only a $10m budget with no major studio backing. The film has basically been in developmental hell for almost 20 years with a last minute director change only 9 days before filming started. The guy who did direct is mostly a shitty actor (known for being on One Tree Hill) and I believe this was his first directing gig.

 

[Cheiron]

Honestly, my political views aside, this book isn't functional enough in the literary canon for enough people to care to warrant a big investment in good directors, actors etc. Thus, the movie probably will blow due to nobody talented working on it. Even if I was a fan of the book (and believed in her message), I'd be bummed by this movie.

A lot of Atlas Shrugged books have been sold.

For example, "Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #21 in Books"

Total sales of the novel in 2009 exceeded 500,000 copies

 

[Jibrille]

A lot of Atlas Shrugged books have been sold.

For example, "Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #21 in Books"

Total sales of the novel in 2009 exceeded 500,000 copies

She's got a fairly large following. It especially has grown in the last few years with increased interest in libertarianism and the Tea Party. Hell, there's even a dating site for Rand fans.

Overall I'm not really big into her stuff but I really liked Anthem as a work of fiction. Both Rush's "2112" and Arch Enemy's Anthems of Rebellion are said to be influenced by the book.

 

[Comic Book Dude]

A lot of Atlas Shrugged books have been sold.

For example, "Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #21 in Books"

Total sales of the novel in 2009 exceeded 500,000 copies

Yep....and every time Adam Sandler releases a new movie, it goes to #1....or when Britney Spears cuts a new cd, it usually goes to #1. Sales and popularity in this country don't really mean much in regards to the over all intelligence of the American public.

 

[Orion Crystal Ice]

I want to say: It's good to keep in mind that nearly everything the Tea Party claims to represent, is completely misrepresented, and when anyone follows that misrepresentation, they are encouraging ignorance and generalist tyranny. I'm just making a standalone statement, not hostile, not towards anybody (don't worry!), only saying this because they were brought up in this context and I thought it important to make that note.

 

[AeonicSlumber]

A lot of Atlas Shrugged books have been sold.

For example, "Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #21 in Books"

Total sales of the novel in 2009 exceeded 500,000 copies

Total sales since it came out way back when as of 2009?!?!?! That's a horrible number unless they're referring to the number of books sold in that year alone. In that case even still I am not sure.

 

[Jibrille]

Total sales since it came out way back when?!?!?! That's a horrible number.

Those are 2009 #s. Number is somewhere around 7m.

 

[Justin G]

I want to say: It's good to keep in mind that nearly everything the Tea Party claims to represent, is completely misrepresented, and when anyone follows that misrepresentation, they are encouraging ignorance and generalist tyranny. I'm just making a standalone statement, not hostile, not towards anybody (don't worry!), only saying this because they were brought up in this context and I thought it important to make that note.

What is "generalist tyranny"?

 

[Orion Crystal Ice]

The art of laziness, the dumbing down and disrespect to/of your power as an individual to learn, in favor of 'belonging' to a group who distorts a specific single truth by citing exceptions to it's own rule (although a CONCRETE rule), for their own selfish gains (typically, as a cheap/effective way to close a mind to an idea). 'Duh' example of an opinion like this: Every metalhead is an idiot and their music is only a bunch of growling. Simpler, faster, more effective, and group friendly than doing research into the factual nature of metal or even a real-life fan statistic by way of polling. The retardation of ideas and the mechanism that slows the progress of our collective intelligence to an absolute crawl. In art, religion, politics, you can find this the most. This is kind of a par-for-the-course method these days because the public regards anything else as journalism and not worth their time lest it shatter their precious opinion. We treat the problem as the elephant in the room because of a generalist view in itself: we've been told all our opinions and rights to them might suffer if we demand a greater standard.

 

[Justin G]

I get your overall point about generalization, but I'm not seeing the part that makes it tyranny.

 

[Orion Crystal Ice]

Because it's the rule as opposed to the standard for the laymen in society. We discourage the concept of absolutes - which itself actually stems from a generalization against religious philosophy, that is, finding it fit to discard any/all portion of 'religion' on the account of people/ideas that do not represent it - and said discouragement eventually echoes into every idea and standard we may or may not have. With all 'ideas' of all people being 'equal', and those ideas in themselves being defined as liquid, the end result is an across-the-board *neutrality* pandering to all in equal amounts ('all' simply being a majority number), which manipulative people can easily use to their advantage to help destroy thoughts and concepts. Why would people do this? Because there are simply ill-meaning and manipulative people in the world who are repulsed by concrete facts and ideas, and would rather twist existing ones to meet their standards or lack thereof. Why those people are that way I don't immediately know offhand, but that's not what this is about anyhow. It is tyranny because it is simply the way of things and once we eliminate these ideas and meanings, as well as their encouragement, we are easily, easily controlled, dumbed down, and subverted. I enjoy metal because metal to me has always been not about kid rebellion, or anti-religion, or pro-partying, or any other common idiom, but rather the *discontent with the status quo of this greatest of herd mentality*. As we may guess, right now....there is a great deal of irony in heavy metal. But that is a whole other thread.

 

[Orion Crystal Ice]

Now, the common conflict between persons is this: I can say, rightfully so, if you've read what I've said above, that, e.g. certain religious people, certain military personnel, certain musicians - whatever - have messed everything up for everybody in terms of 'what we think'. I would be correct in saying this, HOWEVER, for the INDIVIDUAL to not take personal responsibility and charge of his/her own opinion, to not have their foundation of thought on a static topic be the essence of said topic rather than what any whoever has declared the topic is, is a deathblow to integral thought and therefore credible action, and puts more power in the hands of those the individual has the dislike against. This is where it starts, whether one makes the effort, or does not, and on a mass scale, if one does not make the effort, it becomes a social disease which elevates us backwards as intellectuals and individuals. We cannot know what we are talking about, after all, if we are talking about literally nothing. The solution is: How can we identify and deter the elements in our society that condemn courageous, sober thinking, and steer an individual away from his/her potential to know truth?

 

[BenMech]

call me when there's a film version of Anthem , err, Rush's 2112.