Atlas Shrugged

[SicEmBaylor]

Atlas Shrugged the movie is scheduled for release in 2008.
According to the producers it's going to be a three-parter ala LOTR. The first part is going to end with the building of the John Galt Line.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are interested in playing Dagney Taggart and John Galt. I hope to God they do not.
http://www.objectivistcenter.org/cth-13-1741-Summer_Seminar_Atlas_Shrugged_film.aspx

It has been a long long time since I've been this excited about a movie.

Here are my picks for some of the lead roles:

Hank Rearden - Tom Selleck
Dagny Taggart - Diane Kruger
Jim Taggart - Alec Baldwin
Francisco d'Anconia - Adam Rodriguez or Carlos Bernard (Tony from 24)
Hugh Akston - Anthony Hopkins
John Galt - Joaquin Pheonix (I heard that suggestd instead of Pitt and it sounds better than anyone else I could think of)
Ellis Wyatt - Ron Livingston
Lillian Rearden - Jane Adams
Ragnar Danneskjöld - Viggo Mortenson

[12]

I predict much shrugging on this thread.

[SicEmBaylor]

:sigh:

[SoonerInKCMO]

I remember when I was young, naive and idealistic and into Ayn Rand. ;)

[JohnnyMack]

I remember when I was young, naive and idealistic and into Ayn Rand. ;)

I remember when I was young, naive and HAD TIME to read Ayn Rand. My bedside table looks like a book cart I'm so behind.

[crawfish]

I remember when I was young, naive and idealistic and still knew Ayn Rand was full of ****.

[Beano's Fourth Chin]

What? Who doesn't love 45 page soliloquies in 6 point font?

[Beano's Fourth Chin]

I can't believe I spelled soliloquies correctly.

[12]

I'm just pleased to see much shrugging on this thread.

[colleyvillesooner]

I remember when I had no idea what this thread was about. 5 secs ago.

[Frozen Sooner]

Jolie has been cast as Dagny.

It amuses me that she claims to be an admirer of Rand's, yet fails to live her life by any of Rand's principles.

And this movie is going to be a train wreck.

[handcrafted]

I predict severe floppage for this movie.

[King Crimson]

Jolie has been cast as Dagny.

It amuses me that she claims to be an admirer of Rand's, yet fails to live her life by any of Rand's principles.

And this movie is going to be a train wreck.

yeah, i don't think most of the "Hollyweirdos" probably realize that in the "philosophical" neocon circles Rand and others are used to justify vulger, gloves off free market capitalism and war as an extension of foreign policy as such....which, ostensibly, the HW's claim to be against.

didn't they already make an AYn Rand movie a few years ago?

[Frozen Sooner]

OK, I'm going to have to wonder how Rand's violent opposition to interventionist foreign policy is used to justify war as an extension of foreign policy.

At least, from what I remember she was very opposed to interventionism.

[King Crimson]

the neocon *philosophes* pick and choose (and abuse) many thinkers.....see Fukayama's reading of Hegel and Aristotle...for example. consistancy of faithful readings of texts is not their strongsuit.

edit: i'd also suggest that "righty" discourses on intervention and non-intervention tend to historically vary from one extreme to another.

[SoonerInKCMO]

What? Who doesn't love 45 page soliloquies in 6 point font?

45? You must've read the abridged version.

[King Crimson]

http://www.newwest.net/index.php/main/article/4106/

a longish thread on Rand/neocon appropriation. i don't vouch for the quality or authority. but, outlines some offenses taken by "objectivists" to neocon use (or abuse) of Rand. a simple google also finds much stuff from on-line journals and political news sites.

FWIW.

[StoopTroup]

Floppage isn't the 1st thing I think of when Angelina is the topic.

[SicEmBaylor]

yeah, i don't think most of the "Hollyweirdos" probably realize that in the "philosophical" neocon circles Rand and others are used to justify vulger, gloves off free market capitalism and war as an extension of foreign policy as such....which, ostensibly, the HW's claim to be against.

didn't they already make an AYn Rand movie a few years ago?

I wouldn't call it neocon at all especially since Rand considered war to be a total waste of time. She was a free-market capitalist, but the book was written way the hell before such a thing as neoconservatism existed. I'd further point out that traditional neocons are fine with sacraficing free-market principles for the sake of important foreign policy goals.

Check your premise. ;)

And by the way, I love the book but don't necessarily accept all of her tenents. In fact, I do not.

[StoopTroup]

Is Angelina from Branson?

[leavingthezoo]

:shrug:

[StoopTroup]

http://blogs.salon.com/0002007/images/shrug.jpg

[King Crimson]

I wouldn't call it neocon at all especially since Rand considered war to be a total waste of time. She was a free-market capitalist, but the book was written way the hell before such a thing as neoconservatism existed. I'd further point out that traditional neocons are fine with sacraficing free-market principles for the sake of important foreign policy goals.

Check your premise. ;)

And by the way, I love the book but don't necessarily accept all of her tenents. In fact, I do not.

i'm not stating whether or not i think it's "neocon" or not "neocon". my point, and i've made it before, is that the "neocon" position is a hodge-podge of abusive, strategic, and inaccurate readings of the history of western economic thought, political and moral theory, and history of philosophy to use post priori as justifications for pre-exisiting, contemporary foreign policy goals....as if they were an historical fulfillment of those past logics in the present. which is highly specious and quite abusive to the humanist tradition IMHO. Rand is one such example.

Yes, Rand is a free-marketeer in the pure sense of the Scottish Enlightenment and heir of sorts to Adam Smith....but the same logic used in neocon legitimation/appropriation tends to sound a lot more like Hobbes "war of all against all" extended to foreign policy. it's not an unproblematic elision.

and if you are saying history generally and specifically (Rand, Hegel, Nietzsche, Smith etc.) is not appropriated in manifold ways to justify the present (neocon position)....then, I think you've really missed the train.

edit: and no, to my last point, the so-called neocons are not the only ones to do it. everyone does.

[StoopTroup]

I feel McNally is more cutting edge.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005BHRU.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

[King Crimson]

http://blogs.salon.com/0002007/images/shrug.jpg

:D

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http://www.fyvie.net/images/shrug_thumb.jpg

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http://www.fotosearch.com/comp/IGS/IGS469/IS652-017.jpg

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http://www.hbo.com/larrydavid/img/episodeguide/slideshow/ep13/ep13_jeff_shrugging.jpg

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http://www.ihr.org/webpics/bush_shrug.jpg

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http://www.inmagine.com/thumbnails/digitalvision/dvs024/dvs024041.jpg

[GottaHavePride]

I've never read any Ayn Rand. Probably won't ever bother. I mean, I could, but that would seriously eat into my Terry Pratchett reading.

[TUSooner]

I predict severe floppage for this movie.
I don't recall the book having any nude scenes.

oh wait.... :O

[DrZaius]

Jolie has been cast as Dagny.

It amuses me that she claims to be an admirer of Rand's, yet fails to live her life by any of Rand's principles.

And this movie is going to be a train wreck.

Was she suppose to....

I reallly admire Wile E Coyote but I don't go around launching myself at people using giant springs or drive my vehicles off cliffs.

Besides Directors and Producers have train wrecked more films than actors have.

[DrZaius]

Not that there is anything wrong with that

[OKC Sooner]

And by the way, I love the book but don't necessarily accept all of her tenents. In fact, I do not.

Ayn Rand had rental property???????

[Frozen Sooner]

Was she suppose to....

I reallly admire Wile E Coyote but I don't go around launching myself at people using giant springs or drive my vehicles off cliffs.

Besides Directors and Producers have train wrecked more films than actors have.

Um, yeah. You generally at least adopt something of someone you admire's life. Or at least try to emulate it.

What about Wile E. Coyote do you actually admire?

[Frozen Sooner]

i'm not stating whether or not i think it's "neocon" or not "neocon". my point, and i've made it before, is that the "neocon" position is a hodge-podge of abusive, strategic, and inaccurate readings of the history of western economic thought, political and moral theory, and history of philosophy to use post priori as justifications for pre-exisiting, contemporary foreign policy goals....as if they were an historical fulfillment of those past logics in the present. which is highly specious and quite abusive to the humanist tradition IMHO. Rand is one such example.

Yes, Rand is a free-marketeer in the pure sense of the Scottish Enlightenment and heir of sorts to Adam Smith....but the same logic used in neocon legitimation/appropriation tends to sound a lot more like Hobbes "war of all against all" extended to foreign policy. it's not an unproblematic elision.

and if you are saying history generally and specifically (Rand, Hegel, Nietzsche, Smith etc.) is not appropriated in manifold ways to justify the present (neocon position)....then, I think you've really missed the train.

edit: and no, to my last point, the so-called neocons are not the only ones to do it. everyone does.

This may be the most learned thing I read today.

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Um, yeah. You generally at least adopt something of someone you admire's life. Or at least try to emulate it.

What about Wile E. Coyote do you actually admire?

Perserverance in the face of incredibly odds. Dedication to a goal. Attempting to put a stop to the blatant speed limit violations of the Road Runner just to name a few!!!

[Frozen Sooner]

Perserverance in the face of incredibly odds. Dedication to a goal. Attempting to put a stop to the blatant speed limit violations of the Road Runner just to name a few!!!

Well, yeah. That's kinda the point I'm making. If those are the qualities you admire about Wile E. Coyote, those are probably things you'd like to put in to practice in your own life.

Personally, I'd like to strap a rocket pack to my back and chase flightless desert fowl on roller skates.

[Mongo]

[QUOTE=DrZaius]Was she suppose to....

I reallly admire Wile E Coyote but I don't go around launching myself at people using giant springs or drive my vehicles off cliffs. QUOTE]

I think he is more interested in the qualities of the free market society. A coyote with no obvious income could bargain to recieve quality goods from a multi-lateral conglomerate company in a worry free, fast delivery method. Then turn around and use said goods to elevate his food intake and rid the world of a pesky flightless bird who pollutes this Earth with the sick amounts of smoke produced from its bi-pedal transportation.

I dont know, that is my humble interpretation.

[OCUDad]

Mongo smart. Mongo talk pretty.

[King Crimson]

Mongo smart. Mongo talk pretty.

but, wile e. has the unswerable lingering question "how does he afford these products from ACME"? he has no natural resources in the desert....

[proud gonzo]

:les: RAGNAR!!!

[SicEmBaylor]

I've never read any Ayn Rand. Probably won't ever bother. I mean, I could, but that would seriously eat into my Terry Pratchett reading.

I've never heard of her.

[OCUDad]

I've never heard of her.She invented Zima.

[GottaHavePride]

I've never heard of her.

He's probably the best-selling living fiction author behind only J.K. Rowling.

[Desert Sapper]

but, wile e. has the unswerable lingering question "how does he afford these products from ACME"? he has no natural resources in the desert....

Perhaps he opened a casino.

[yermom]

i'm strangely reminded of Battlefield Earth

[SicEmBaylor]

He's probably the best-selling living fiction author behind only J.K. Rowling.

Eh, see that's my problem. My literary knowledge doesn't extend very far in the non-fiction realm. I never read much fiction as a kid, and I don't read much of it now.

See, I had actually read a lot of the politics behind Atlas Shrugged before I finally pushed myself into reading it which I resisted since it was fiction. I was pleasantly surprised though; the story was great and didn't take away from the message at all.

I imagine it's a great book that people would enjoy reading even if they care nothing for the political/economic theory behind it.

[royalfan5]

Two questions on this
1)Are they going to do the whole John Galt speech?
2)Is the soundtrack going to be all Rush?

[SicEmBaylor]

Two questions on this
1)Are they going to do the whole John Galt speech?
2)Is the soundtrack going to be all Rush?

1)I sincerely hope not.
2)The band or the radio "conservative"?

[royalfan5]

1)I sincerely hope not.
2)The band or the radio "conservative"?
The Band. Neil Peart was a huge Rand fan. He basically gave her co-writing credit on 2112.

[SicEmBaylor]

The Band. Neil Peart was a huge Rand fan. He basically gave her co-writing credit on 2112.

Ohhhh, I did not know that. I'm not sure I've ever heard a Rush song but now I'll have to check them out.

I don't know if I mentioned this previously but they are doing the movie in a 3 part series ala LOTR. The first of which, the producers have said, will end with the opening of the John Galt line.

[OklaPony]

Ohhhh, I did not know that. I'm not sure I've ever heard a Rush song but now I'll have to check them out.
AAAAAAGGGGHHHHH!!!!!

That's it, turn in your official SF.com card and hit the road, Jack!

[TUSooner]

I remember when I was young, naive and idealistic and into Ayn Rand. ;)
Me too, except I dont remember when YOU were that way.

Now the movie just doesn't interest me much.
Since when would Rand interest anyone in the Peoples Republic of Hollyweird?
Will it be a parody? :confused:

[royalfan5]

Me too, except I dont remember when YOU were that way.

Now the movie just doesn't interest me much.
Since when would Rand interest anyone in the Peoples Republic of Hollyweird?
Will it be a parody? :confused:
On the upside, Dagny puts out a bunch, and that hopefully means lots of nekkid Angelina.

[SicEmBaylor]

On the upside, Dagny puts out a bunch, and that hopefully means lots of nekkid Angelina.

But not until the 2nd movie I'm afraid.
Depending on exactly what they mean by the movie ends with the opening of the line. I picture the last scene being on the platform after the successful run.

If that's the case the secks will come in movie 2/3.

[royalfan5]

But not until the 2nd movie I'm afraid.
Depending on exactly what they mean by the movie ends with the opening of the line. I picture the last scene being on the platform after the successful run.

If that's the case the secks will come in movie 2/3.
I though she boned Rearden before that. I'll get out my copy and look it up.

[SicEmBaylor]

I though she boned Rearden before that. I'll get out my copy and look it up.

Nope, their first time was just after the opening of the Galt line when they stay at the
Colorado oil guy's place.

I'm intimately familiar with the passages. :D

[SicEmBaylor]

I'm about to start re-reading Atlas Shrugged. It seems wholly appropriate at the moment.

[royalfan5]

I'm about to start re-reading Atlas Shrugged. It seems wholly appropriate at the moment.

You'd be better off reading the Fountainhead instead.

[SicEmBaylor]

You'd be better off reading the Fountainhead instead.

I don't like Fountainhead nearly as well.

[soonerbrat]

i'm about to start reading "American Psycho"

[LosAngelesSooner]

Joaquin Pheonix retired from acting. He's only working on his music now. FWIW

[royalfan5]

i'm about to start reading "American Psycho"

Have you read any other Bret Easton Ellis's other books?

[soonerbrat]

Have you read any other Bret Easton Ellis's other books?

no, I haven't. I bought this one in September to read on the plane to Vegas and haven't even gotten past the first chapter yet.

I just haven't had time to sit and read a book for a while.

[royalfan5]

no, I haven't. I bought this one in September to read on the plane to Vegas and haven't even gotten past the first chapter yet.

I just haven't had time to sit and read a book for a while.

I think Psycho is the best, but I enjoyed Rules of Attraction and Less than Zero as well.

[soonerbrat]

if I ever finish this one I'll check those out. I love to read