RoR: Forum

This is really exciting!

Post 1

Friday, February 25, 2011 - 12:21pm

On the other hand, a poster on Objectivist Living had this response:

"I also attended the private screening of the Atlas Shrugged Movie in Culver City tonight. �I attended the 7 pm screening. �I'm still speechless and a bit at a loss for words. �Unlike the reviews that have come out thus far, I am saddened at what I saw and parts of the philosophy being butchered or completely changed altogether, lacking substance and shallow. �Francisco was a good choice and well chosen for the part. �He's the only one in my view that did a halfway decent job, flowed very naturally and conveyed conviction in what he was saying in his scenes, although the speech to Hank at the party was so short and nothing like it should have been. The discovery of the motor at the factory was also disappointing in how it went down. �Literally a 5 minute to 10 minute part at the very most and it was over. �The love scene between Dagny and Hank and their first encounter was the most disappointing, and if remembering correctly which I know I am, the philosophy, etc., was completely changed and censored perhaps. �Amazing....

"I'll comment more on the movie later. �But what was most telling is at the end of the 7 o'clock screening that I attended, the audience was silent and it took a few people to start the applause as if forced and then others followed suit. �Some in the audience leaned forward in their seats and put their head into their hands and obviously unhappy. �There was no liveliness and happiness amongst the audience afterwards as is so typical when seeing a really good movie, let alone a good movie. �As everyone proceeded out of the theater, there was very little talking, just silence. �I'm saddened and floored and at a loss for words. �I'll write more when I can."

Post 2

Friday, February 25, 2011 - 2:00pm

I never read The Golden Compass but heard that the movie similarly butchered the book.

I still plan to see this movie.

Post 3

Friday, February 25, 2011 - 2:38pm

William:

There are lots of ways to read that 'disappointment.'

1] Sky high expectations and hopes, dashed by the implementation.

2] Anger that reality is so closely following political art; leaving the fantasy of a movie to the reality of a world trying its best to turn Rand's 50+ year old romantic wave-off into an unwanted modern prophecy.

"Some in the audience leaned forward in their seats and put their head into their hands and obviously unhappy."

Unhappy at what? That the movie was terrible, or terribly similar to the headlines we are all living with?

I can't tell from the review...

I can imagine it being some of either.

What I can't imagine is this: if the movie makers did the incredible, and managed to turn ten million dollars into a credible presentation of the ideas in her book, that at the end of the movie, folks who understood either the book or the movie would run gleefully out of the movie theater to celebrate modern political trends, with big, happy smiles on their faces.

If the movie is effective, people will leave with grim looks on their faces, looking for a figurative axe...

Also, doesn't Part 1 end with Wyatt's Torch? As I remember, hardly a 'feel good' moment. Rather, in one context(the context that the story's then main protagonists yet found themselves struggling in), it conveyed a sense of dread, of loss, if not of pending doom, of at least a drastic setback.

How should one leave Part I? Optimistic?

OTOH, is there a sense of bias in the reviewers(that is, that they all know the story cold, and were purely reacting to the implementation?) I don't know/can't tell from the review.

regards,
Fred

(Edited by Fred Bartlett on 2/25, 2:50pm)

Post 4

Friday, February 25, 2011 - 5:35pm

Well, Branden loved it, as did someone named "John" who only just finished reading the book:

http://www.nathanielbranden.com/catalog/articles_essays/atlasshruggedmovie_reviews.html

Branden review

http://www.verumserum.com/?p=21923

"John"

I'd love to read N. Branden's thoughts on it, if he was able to attend the viewing.

Some people just can't wait to be disappointed. The O/L poster's focus of how other people reacted is telling of what he probably hoped for anyway.

(Edited by Teresa Summerlee Isanhart on 2/25, 5:40pm)
Not B., but N. Branden!

(Edited by Teresa Summerlee Isanhart on 2/25, 7:27pm)

(Edited by Teresa Summerlee Isanhart on 2/25, 7:28pm)

Post 5

Friday, February 25, 2011 - 8:24pm

John Sexton - Big Hollywood

Matt Welch - Reason Online

Post 6

Friday, February 25, 2011 - 9:25pm

I'm very excited to see the movie and the general public's reaction to it.

Post 7

Saturday, February 26, 2011 - 1:00pm

I wouldn't place too much faith in Angie's comments, the reviewer from Objectivist Living. I just thought they were worth posting as an alternative impression. I understand that she has since expanded on her original remarks, perhaps qualifying them. I had her original post forwarded to me, as I don't frequent OL, so if you're interested you can always go there and read what else she has to say.

Post 8

Friday, March 4, 2011 - 7:49pm

Rand Paul has seen the movie and discusses it with Peter Schiff on his blog.

Sam

Post 9

Saturday, March 5, 2011 - 8:59am

Andrew Bernstein has remarked on his first viewing of the film in Facebook, shown here.

(Edited by Stephen Boydstun on 3/05, 9:10am)

Post 10

Wednesday, March 9, 2011 - 4:22pm

Tonight (Mar. 9, 2011) on Sean Hannity John Stossel will be discussing Atlas Shrugged.

Sam

Post 11

Wednesday, March 9, 2011 - 7:01pm

It was a terrific interview, at least five minutes long. I think the sale of AS will greatly increase after this. I hope that the discussion will be on line soon.

The teaser.

Sam

Post 12

Wednesday, March 9, 2011 - 8:25pm