Atlas Shrugged Part 1

Opening night at Atlas Shrugged was great. We went to Lincoln Square in Bellevue Washington. We got there early and it’s a good thing because the house was packed. I wore my Atlas shrugged tee shirt and a chain bracelet, though it wasn’t like the modern bracelet designed in the movie.

My friend and I have read the book . I’ve read it three times now.  Our husbands hadn’t. So they had an interesting take. They could follow the story well and liked it a lot. I liked it, because I’m a fan, but missed a lot of things from the book. (For example, a said ‘It left out their entire childhood’ and my husband got thins look of horror in his eyes and said ‘Thank goodness!’) So their you go. The adaptation made this book accessible to a lot of people, and I’m sure many will go on to read the it.

The movie avoids the  atheist aspects of objectivism, and greatly downplays the sometimes violent sexuality that is hinted at, though not described in detail, in the book. Occasional conversations had to contain information that is set up over several chapters in the book, so occasionally the dialog seemed a bit unnatural.

Most the things I didn’t like were changes made for no reason as far as adapting the novel to film. Some of these are…..

Hank Rearden found the motor, instead of Dagny finding it when they were visiting the factory together.

The bracelet scene. Lillian's disgust for the bracelet was evident, but she wasn’t making fun of it too here friends at the party like we read in the novel. She said she would trade with anyone but there were no takers. The Dagny confronts her and trades the bracelet for her diamonds. That is one of my favorite scenes in the book, and in the movie it seemed to be just a hint that Dagny liked Rearden, not her appreciation for the intelligence, work, and prosperity Rearden Metal represented.

Fransisco just wasn’t cool enough. He looked sloppy. My husband thought he was perhaps some kind of anti-Che type character, which in a sense is right, but in Atlas shrugged he is tall and lean, and the chubby faced sloppy look is reserved for the looters and the moochers.

And over all I would have preferred a 1940’3 period piece.

What I loved…..

Dagny was great. I wish she would have been brunette like in the book, but she was still great. Rearden and Jim were also very well cast.

If you have to adapt it to present day, they did a great job explaining why the trains were still relevant.

The government, the regulations, and the crooked businessmen who are dealing with politicians rather than relying on the quality of their products are portrayed so well.  So is each blow to Rearden as he tries so hard to be successful and is crushed at every turn by each new government bill. It made my heart ache with frustration.

Rearden’s family and Dagny’s brother Jim were just great in their awfulness. What a slimy bunch!

That last scene. Oh-it was great. It really captured the sense of frustration and futility Dagny was feeling.

So there’s my review. Soon my daughters will be home from college and I’d like to take them to see it too. I’m so glad this movie was finally made. I loved the applause at the end of the show.

When does part two come out????

-Lynnae

Atlas Shrugged Movie Trailer

The movie trailer for Atlas Shrugged Part One has been released. This is a much anticipated movie and I hope it can live up to the novel.

Watch now…..‘Atlas Shrugged Trailer’.

( My biggest disappointment in the movie is that it isn’t done in a late ‘40’s style. Ahhh, well.)

Even though I have a few core arguments against Objectivism in general, I think the philosophy regarding government controls of the market is spot on. I am sick of the moochers and looters.

I am a Christian and do believe in helping others, which you may say is contrary to the philosophy in Atlas Shrugged. However I would say that the detrimental effects (on both the giver and the receiver) come when you are forced or coerced to support someone else. Helping others because you wish to is barely touched on in the book, and not very thoroughly handled in my opinion. But the main themes are excellent. I love the appreciation for hard work, ideas, and the genius that makes the country great. It’s sad to see that drive squashed in Atlas Shrugged and realize it’s happening today in real life.

-Lynnae

Atlas Shrugged Video Contest

Check out this brilliant winner of the Atlas Shrugged video contest!

By Reg Schickel

For other runner-ups look here.

-Lynnae

A Few More Thoughts on Health Care

But first..... If you think Ayn Rand was prophetic 50 years ago, try this quote from Isaiah...

Isaiah 3:5 And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbor: The child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honorable. Verse 12: As for my people, children are their oppressors, an women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.

Now on to health care...
Here is one major change that would occur under single payer health care:

The role of a doctor is to save lives and improve the quality of life. When applied to the individual, that is pretty clear, and pretty close to what we have now. But even that 'mission statement' changes meaning when you are referring not to an individual, but to a whole society.

Saving lives changes from 'saving THIS life' to 'saving the most lives'. Improving the quality of life changes from helping one person to 'what will help the most people'. And then the health and treatment of some will always be sacrificed to help the whole of society. This is the path that leads to eugenics.

That might seem like a far cry from what Obama is proposing, but it's putting us on that path. Unfortunately even many republicans are content to go in this direction, just maybe not quite as much as the democrats. It's all very wrong. And though the money needed to fund health care is an important issue, because there will never be enough, it's not the main issue. The main issue is that we are selling our birthright of freedom for a little security that is not even theirs to give!

You're Not Alone

I know that in my last post I joked that we don't live in a free country. While it seems increasingly so, I know that this is one of the most blessed countries on earth and God enabled this country to succeed in order to create the safe harbor for the gospel to be restored, and for that I am grateful. Lets just hope we can keep it that way.
The more we allow our freedoms to erode away, the closer we come to losing our freedom of religion. I know that the outcomes of the decisions of national leaders are already known to God and that his purposes will be fulfilled. But the desire in my heart to protect our freedoms and fight for the liberty and agency of the American people must have also been planted there by the Creator.
So, while I feel very strongly about the direction our country is taking, I don't quite know how I fit in to all of this. I try to stand up for my values, defend the family, and be a good example. Sometimes I think the best I can do is let other religious conservative people know that they aren't the only ones out there.

On another note, there are renewed plans to make Ayn Rand's classic novel, 'Atlas Shrugged', into a motion picture. That's an exciting prospect. Some of the names being tossed around to play Dagny are Julia Roberts, Charlize Theron, or Angelina Jolie. I almost think a newcomer would be better, but it will definitely take some acting skills, so maybe that's not possible. After my initial doubt, I think Jolie would be the best of the three. Theron has a cutsie quality that's hard for me to get past and Hathaway seems too 'soft'. Dagny needs to be tough, thin to the point of being a little wirey, and gorgeous doesn't hurt, as long as that look of sheer determination can get through. As far as men, Antonio Banderas would be great for Fransisco d'Anconia, but he may be too old. For Henry Reardon some all American looking guy, a Kevin Costner type, but again too old. Maybe Rupert Penry Jones, but if he's not American enough then I'd give him the part of the pirate Ragnar Dannesgold. Here's some more suggestions from another blog I came across....

The book itself is a protest against government meddling in private business and how this leads to the defeat of the human spirit. I think in that sense it is an important portrayal. While I do not agree with the atheism and extra-marital relationships in the book, it is what it is, and I would still highly recommend it to those who haven't read it yet. If you don't have the time for a novel of that size, her short novel 'Anthem' is a quick read, and though different, it could be a good place to start with Ayn Rand.