It was no coincidence that “Atlas Shrugged Part 1” made its box-office debut on tax day, April 15, earlier this year. So it was only appropriate that the DVD release would fall on Election Day.
Harmon Kaslow, the movie’s producer, visited Heritage’s Bloggers Briefing today to talk about the film and preview “Atlas Shrugged Part 2,” which is slatted for a fall 2012 release. He also visited our Robert H. Bruce Radio Studio to share his thoughts on Hollywood, how the Internet has transformed movie marketing and the relevance of Ayn Rand in today’s culture.
Listen to the interview with Harmon Kaslow on this week’s Scribecast
The special-edition DVD includes several exclusive features. Kaslow hopes the Google Affiliate Network offers fans of Rand an opportunity to promote the work virally. Several organizations, most notably FreedomWorks, are also helping to distribute the DVD.
“We’ve now reached a point in time where it just seems like everything that’s going on in this country parallels what was being described in the book,” Kaslow said, noting the book was written more than 50 years ago as a parody of New Deal policies.
The goal of the film, Kaslow said, was always to inspire people to read Rand’s book. That alone is a different approach from most Hollywood films.
“Hollywood does not make message movies. ‘Atlas Shrugged’ is a message movie. It’s about a philosophy,” Kaslow explained in the interview. “It’s designed to inspire people to think about things and think about the implication of things, and what’s going to be the effect if we go down various paths.”
The podcast runs about seven minutes. It was produced with the help of Hannah Sternberg. Listen to previous interviews on Scribecast or subscribe to future episodes.
Jefferson said: "Mankind are more disposed to suffer evils while evils are sufferable than right the institutions to which they have become accustomed." At what point will it become obvious our only recourse is resistance?
Harrison:
What do you think OWS is? I forgot, you are just a corporate stooge. Carry on!!
But you can't hold a whole fraternity responsible for the behavior of a few, sick twisted individuals. For if you do, then shouldn't we blame the whole fraternity system? And if the whole fraternity system is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our educational institutions in general?
I put it to you, Harrison – isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do whatever you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America. Gentlemen!
[Leads the Deltas out of the hearing, all humming the Star-Spangled Banner]
It is important to note that Ayn Rand's atheist philosophy goes directly against that of the Heritage Foundation. Free markets and limited government are principles that can't be sustained without a Biblical foundation.
Ayn Rand and her Objectivist school reject Christianity in favor of "reason". One easy way to quickly refute those ideas is to show how 95% of the "rational" Founding Fathers of America were Christians, and even the "Deists" like Franklin and Jefferson believed that God had an important role to play in morality and government. Even Thomas Paine, our most anti-religious Founder, criticized the atheist school system in France, appealed to the Scriptures in Common Sense, and he thought "the morality that he [Jesus] preached and practised was of the most benevolent kind" and "has not been exceeded by any".
Hollywood doesn't do message movies??? Have I been on another planet and missed something. What are the messages in: Wall Street, Wall Street 2 – Money Never Sleeps, The Rainmaker, Boiler Room, Glengary Glenn Ross, Rogue Trader, Other Peoples Money, Trading Places, Margin Call, Working Girl, The Game, Inside Job, Pretty Woman, Pursuit of Happiness, American Psycho, Brewsters Millions, Erin Brockovich…I can go on and on….Aren't these all about some financial tone or message?
I love the film, can't wait to see parts 2 and 3. Absolutely inspiring.
I agree with Angela. I am really looking forward to parts 2 and 3. Am going to purchase part one.
I disagree with George.