A few years ago I learned that Atlas Shrugged was going to be made into a movie. I’ll admit: I was skeptical. I had a very stern conversation with a friend of mine about how the director had a huge movie on his hands and he’d better not mess it up or us literary folks would be angry. Atlas Shrugged is a classic, and until Paul Ryan came along, was revered as a great story regardless of politics.
I had wondered for years whether it would be made into a modern-day movie. At one point I heard that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were going to be cast as Dagny Taggart and Hank Reardon, which made me a bit mad. It was too “Hollywood” for me. At the time, Scarlett Johansson and James Franco were just gaining in popularity and I envisioned them as the main characters. They both have that old-timey and timeless classic appeal, physically.
Regardless, the movie was picked up, cast (without my choices), and released in several parts. And I must confess that I liked Part I. I know it got terrible reviews and literary critics will hate me, but I did. My husband has never read the book and enjoyed it from a purely movie’ish standpoint, and I was able to separate the massive book from the film and enjoy it right alongside with him. So I was looking forward to the second movie.
Big mistake. Remember when I said that the director had a big movie on his hands and had better not mess it up? He did. Well, actually, everyone did. The second movie was made with an entirely different cast and director. I mean an entirely different cast. They were completely different movies. And now they have announced a third and have yet to announce the cast! AND, they are talking about adding in scenes left out of the book (a conversation with Dagny and a priest) and perhaps making Part III a musical. A MUSICAL! WHAT?! I am beyond words. BEYOND WORDS.
The first cast and production crew walking away.
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. The original director, Paul Johansson (of One Tree Hill fame), stepped in 9 days before filming began to replace the fired director that preceded him. He clearly had no vested interest or respect for the novel as the epic masterpiece that it is. But the real kick in the gut is that he also played John Galt. You can’t just change John Galt! The whole book is centered around John Galt. The reason for the switches? Why, money of course! The actors in the first movie became more popular and the production company couldn’t afford them. It seems to me like this is something they should have figured out before even starting the first film.
In all honestly, I will probably watch the 3rd installment (unless it’s a musical) because I’m already so livid that I may as well add fuel to the fire. But what about you? Have you seen the movie(s)? What did you think?
This is how I felt about the movie adaptation of ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’. The swedish movie was great, the american version irritated me so much that I couldn’t even appreciate Daniel Craig!!
Mel recently posted..Madame de Treymes by Edith Wharton
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Oh, no! I have only seen the American version, so I have nothing to compare it to. But I’ve heard that before, so I’m afraid to watch the Swedish version because I KNOW it will ruin the other (and the rest aren’t out yet!)
Twitter: RebeccaScags
I just need to get on with it and read this book. You’re probably mad at me for not reading it anyway and you ALWAYS talk about it!
Rebecca @ Love at First Book recently posted..Park the Car in Harvard Yard (next to the bookstores of course)
Twitter: Leah_BSV
I haven’t read Atlas Shrugged (it’s just not something that’s ever appealed to me), but I can see how the way the movies have been executed would be incredibly frustrating! It seems like very little thought went into the planning of them. A completely different cast, a musical? Very strange.
Leah recently posted..Quotable Friday: from The Awakening
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I know! A MUSICAL!
I have no desire to watch a film adaptation of Atlas Shrugged, but especially not this one. It sounded bad from the get-go.
Heather recently posted..Fight Song Blog Tour: Joshua Mohr Reads a Chapter from His New Novel
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Well now you don’t have to worry about whether that was the right decision. It was!
Twitter: MyLifeinBooks79
What? WHAT! Why even bother making it if you can’t keep the first cast? Haven’t seen second one yet, but I will. And if the third one is a musical, no way. I like musicals, but that is so uncalled for.
Jennine G recently posted..Teacher Got Taught
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Exactly!!!!!