A Trainwreck Foretold

The Atlasphere carries an interview with the proposed "Atlas Shrugged" movie's Executive Producer John Aglialoro. Aglialoro, who has no previous movie credits but who does manufacture high-end fitness equipment, says he expects it to be released in Fall 2009. He also claims "it will be set in modern-day American"(sic), have a budget of $70m and, he proudly proclaims if we were really still in the 1950s, "it will be in color." However, as yet no major stars are attached to the project other than Angelina Jolie and she is now likely to be pregnant, thus making this date even more unlikely. Jolie also provides us with this priceless quote: “Dagny Taggart is the most relatable character to me of all the extensive literature I have ever read.” The inevitable "Who is John Galt" question remains unanswered; oddly enough for the lead in a big budget picture, Aglialoro suggests he will be probably played by an "unknown." The script of this vast novel, long enough to be at one stage proposed as a movie trilogy, is now down to a trim 2.5 hours - barely enough to get through Galt's speech, one might have thought. Unless they're thinking of cutting...surely not!
In other words, "Atlas Shrugged" looks like doing for the entertainment industry what Founders College did for education. The real entertainment, however will be the fact that Aglialoro has chosen The Objectivist Centre's David Kelley as the consultant on this project, saying "he has been integral in helping with the philosophic judgments in approving the script, and keeping true to the Objectivist view of the message of the novel." Aglialoro is even trying to get Kelley a writing or production credit, thus guaranteeing the undying emnity of Kelley's arch enemies, and Ayn Rand's best funded, and most fanatical and vocal fanbase, Leonard Peikoff and the Ayn Rand Institute. Pass the popcorn.