Nicky Cheese

Wow. It took a little over two hours but I did it.

I read the John Galt speech, 50+ pages of Objectivist philosophy, found in part III, chapter VII of Atlas Shrugged. Pretty brutal. Although, I suppose compared to other philosophical treaties — like say, anything by Kant — it’s a breeze. Ugh, Kant. The mere thought… Yes, make that a lovely, cool breeze on a dewy, warm, summer day.

2 hrs though? Yeah, I’m a slow reader. But not bad considering it took two years to write the section.

“I knew it was going to be the hardest chapter in the book,” she told an interviewer in 1961. “I underestimated. I thought, with a feeling of dread, that it would take at least three months. Well, it took two years.” Rand began outlining the speech on July 29, 1953; it was not completed until October 13, 1955.

Anyways, news. The purpose of this post. Atlasphere just put up an interview with John Aglialoro, executive producer of the upcoming Atlas Shrugged film. Of the noteworthy:

• Angelina Jolie, while still very interested in playing Dagney Taggart, has not signed a contract. Says Aglialoro, “We have a letter of intent.”
• Rumors of a trilogy are gone. “It will be one movie, lasting roughly 2½ hours.”
• Filming date: “Fourth quarter of 2008 or 1st quarter of 2009″
• Open in theaters: “Probably you’re talking about the Fall of 2009″
• Setting: “It will be set in modern-day American.”
• Budget: $70 million
• Expected response: “I think the extreme right and the extreme left will unite in a rare unity to denounce the movie and its philosophic message.”

Ha. That sounds about right. I’m no Randian, but I’m already excited.