It looks like a film version of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged will finally be a reality! At least the first 147 of 1000+ pages…
Fifty-some-odd years after its publication, Atlas Shrugged is still selling briskly, and is still controversial. Rumors of a film version–including one starring Angelina Jolie as Dagny Taggart and Brad Pitt as John Galt–have so far come to nothing.
But now, it looks like Atlas Shrugged, Part 1 will be released sometime next year, made possible by a cast and crew of relative unknowns. Check out this behind-the-scenes short from Reason.tv:
(Brandon, April 22, 2010) “Promoting reason, critical thinking and freedom of inquiry through the medium of film”
This is the mission statement of the Freethought Film Festival Foundation. The organization has received its determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service, granting exemption from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to the Freethought Film Festival Foundation are retroactively tax deductible from August 24, 2009, when the organization was incorporated as a non-profit in the State of Florida, and going forward.
The main focus of the Freethought Film Festival Foundation is to host an annual, International Freethought Film Festival. Through this effort, it is anticipated to be the launch of a newly recognized Freethought Film category for other film festivals to include in their own future programming. Films that encourage reason, critical thinking and freedom of inquiry, now have a home.
A judge has ruled the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional, handing Dan Barker’s Freedom from Religion Foundation a victory in its lawsuit against the federal government. President Obama (who participated in the NDP last year) immediately said he would participate again this year. The feds will appeal, and it’s likely this will be settled in the Supreme Court (although, the way that body has been ruling lately it’s likely the decision will be overturned). And for those that are interested, there’s a counter-observance the same day as the NDP called the National Day of Reason.
Sort of. Here’s a sneak peak at “Southern Reason,” a work in progress by aspiring documentarian Andrew Bush. “Southern Reason” is a look at the experience of being an atheist in the American South. David and I were flattered that Andrew asked us to serve as his guinea pigs. He’ll be conducting other interviews (hopefully) with prominent Southern atheists and will make the finished product available later this year.
Andrew is also hoping to do a little “crowd sourcing” to spruce up the film. If you have music or images (for which you own the copyright) that Andrew can use for “Southern Reason,” send them to movie@americanfreethought.com.
Allison’s back–yay! She joins us to discuss the new Charles Darwin bio-pic Creation, starring real-life husband-and-wife Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly as Charles and Emma Darwin. Creation is based on the nonfiction book Annie’s Box (published in the US as Darwin, His Daughter, and Human Evolution, and reissued in conjunction with the film as Creation) by Darwin descendant Randal Keynes. Creation is currently in limited release, so check your local art cinema to see if and when it might play in your neighborhood. For more visit CreationtheMovie.com.
Thanks to the many fellow science fans who joined us for the Creation screening at Atlanta’s Landmark Midtown Art Cinema. And thanks to Royal Orchid Thai Cuisine for accommodating our unexpected horde.
The new Charles Darwin bio-pic “Creation” (starring Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly) opens in Atlanta on February 19th. The guys from the American Freethought Podcast (John C. Snider and David Driscoll) would like to invite you to join us on Saturday, February 20th, to see this film, with dinner and drinks at Royal Orchid Thai Cuisine (literally right next door to the theatre) immediately following. Dutch treat.
Or at least so says Christopher Hitchens, responding to Robertson’s claim that the devastating Haitian earthquake (which may have killed upwards of 200,000 innocent people) was the result of “a deal with the devil” made during the Haitian Revolution in 1791. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs called Robertson’s remarks “utterly stupid.” Barry Lynn of Americans United said they were callous and grotesquely insensitive. And Keith Olbermann says Robertson is full of “senile crap.”
We interview Margaret Downey, former Atheist Alliance International president and founder of the Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia (FSGP.org), about her experiences coordinating the annual Tree of Knowledge in Chester County, Pennsylvania, which is intended to offer an alternative to the traditional Nativity scene displayed on public property. For more about Margaret visit secular-celebrations.com.
Aliens landed at Roswell. The Apollo moon landings were faked. HIV doesn’t cause AIDS. And 9/11 was an inside job.
Americans love their conspiracy theories almost as much as they love their religion. Once a crackpot idea grabs the public’s attention, no amount of data, science and common sense will talk them off of whatever ledge they’ve crawled onto–and no one has perfected the art of blithe denialism more than the so-called 9/11 Truthers.
The new Charles Darwin bio-pic “Creation” (starring Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly) opens in Atlanta on February 19th. The guys from the American Freethought Podcast (John C. Snider and David Driscoll) would like to invite you to join us on Saturday, February 20th, to see this film, with dinner and drinks at Royal Orchid Thai Cuisine (literally right next door to the theatre) immediately following. Dutch treat.
Or at least so says 
We interview Margaret Downey, former Atheist Alliance International president and founder of the Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia (
Review by John C. Snider © 2009
Podcast #82 – Creation
Friday, February 26th, 2010Thanks to the many fellow science fans who joined us for the Creation screening at Atlanta’s Landmark Midtown Art Cinema. And thanks to Royal Orchid Thai Cuisine for accommodating our unexpected horde.
Tags: annie's box, charles darwin, creation, david mcallister, evolution, jason bourque, jennifer connelly, paul bettany
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