Conservative Book List --- What's Howard Reading?

     After watching Part I and in anticipation of Part II, I've decided to read Atlas Shrugged.

     This Ayn Rand classic still holds up after 50 years.

Conservative Movie News, Atlas Shrugged: Part II

     According to several sources, Atlas Shregged: Part I was successful enough that Atlas Shrugged Part II is scheduled for production.  Part II is scheduled to be released in time for the 2012 Presidential Election according to The Hollywood Reporter .

     Production of Atlas Shrugged: Part II is expected to begin in April.  A teaser trailer has already been made.

A Conservative Movie Review: Atlas Shrugged: Part I

     I once anticipated the release of The Informant!, a movie based on a book by Kurt Eichenwald (Serpent on the Rock, Conspiracy of Fools).  The book is a riveting story about how Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) colludes with other large agri-businesses to control the prices of corn, animal feed and basically everything we buy in grocery stores.  A funny thing happened during the making of the movie.  Somebody at the studio decided that the movie did not have enough action scenes.  They re-edited the movie, added light- hearted music, and turned a smart, complex drama into a comedy.  Luckily there was no big studio involved in the making of Atlas Shrugged:  Part I.

     My companion at the movie remarked about how the movie was "dark," both in tone and setting.  I don't know how intentional this was, but it matched how I envision Rand's work when I read it.  I think that the makers of this movie did a very good job of conveying Rand's tone.  That being said, although I find Rand thought provoking, I also find Rand wordy at times.  The movie also captured this feature well.  I am personally annoyed by the trend of stretching movies and creating unnecessary sequels to get more ticket money (Kill Bill, The Matrix, etc.).  Although I don't think more ticket money is Mr. Aglialoro’s motive, I feel that one good, long movie could have been more satisfying than a trilogy.  Gone With the Wind comes to mind.
     In Atlas Shrugged: Part I, Dagny Taggart runs the largest railroad company in America.  Her best and most competent workers start to disappear. She is drawn to industrialist Henry Rearden. Together, using the untested Rearden Metal, they rebuild the critical Taggart rail line in Colorado.  Viewers are left wondering why all the best minds are disappearing and of course, Who Is John Galt?   
     I definitely enjoyed this movie and feel it was not the waste of time that most movies appear to be.  The people who made this movie definitely did more justice to Ayn Rand than the makers of The Informant! did to Kurt Eichenwald.  Atlas Shrugged is not an action movie, except for very fast trains.  It is not a comedy, either.  It is one of the most thought provoking movies of recent years.  I enjoyed the movie and my companion who is not a fan of Rand stated that they wished they didn't have to wait for Atlas Shrugged: Part II.  Be forewarned that the dialogue in this movie is reminiscent of the banter in 1940's films and that some of the characters will seem long winded by modern standards.  Conscious Conservatives, fans of Ayn Rand, libertarians and people who enjoy older movies like 12 Angry Men, Death of a Salesman or Double Indemnity should like Atlas Shrugged: Part I.