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Ayn Rand's "Red Pawn" -- Samuel Goldwyn Films has listed "Ayn Rand's Red Pawn" as a project "in the works." Per a spokesperson for the company, it's in development but is, for the moment, "on the back burner." In the 1930's, Ayn Rand wrote the script for "Red Pawn." As Barbara Branden describes it in her "Passion of Ayn Rand" biography of Rand: "Red Pawn is a flamboyantly dramatic story, more typical of the later Ayn Rand than anything she had so far written, about a beautiful woman who becomes the adored mistress of the commandant of a Soviet prison for men convicted of political crimes; she becomes his mistress in order to free her husband who, unknown to the commandant, is one of his prisoners. It contains, in sharp, abbreviated focus, the dramatic twists, the plot inventiveness combined with keen philosophical insight, that were to reach their climax in 'Atlas Shrugged.'" Ayn Rand's "The Husband I Bought" -- Ayn Rand's novella, "The Husband I Bought," will be the basis for a film to be directed by Stephan Elliott (Priscilla: Queen of the Desert). Filming is scheduled to begin in London on 9/15/00. The film will star Charlize Theron (Cider House Rules) and Vincent Perez (I Dreamed of Africa). Fahrenheit 451 -- Based on a Ray Bradbury novel, the film will be about a future world in which books are banned by the State. Harvey -- A woman tries to have her eccentric brother institutionalized. Strong social tolerance theme. High Times Potluck-- A quote from Victor Colicchio, screenwriter for this film: "We're making an intelligent, pot-friendly comedy...It's a funny movie but it's also important to get our message across that no one should be arrested for smoking pot, that hemp should be legal and that sick people should be able to get the medicine they need." IMDB Listing Logan's Run -- Two citizens of a twenty-third century automated welfare state reveal the lie on which their static society is based and so destroy it. Megalopolis -- Francis Ford Coppola is reportedly directing a new film entitled "Megalopolis." Per Coppola's own description: "The setting is modern New York. It deals... with the idea that the future world we're going to live in is being negotiated today... It's a little bit like an Ayn Rand novel." Apparently, it's the story of an architect who dreams of building the city of the future out of a low-cost (probably controversial) plastic compound. Film production is scheduled to start in the fall of 2001 (or January, 2002 at the latest). Among the stars reportedly reading for roles are Nicolas Cage, Russell Crowe, Robert De Niro, Paul Newman, Parker Posey, and Kevin Spacey. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress -- "It's 2076. Do you know where your lunar labor is? Staging a revolution to overthrow their Terran cousins who are oppressing them, that's where." Based on the Robert A. Heinlein novel. The Prisoner -- "A secret agent decides he's had enough of the business and wants out. Before he can enjoy his new found freedom he finds himself trapped in The Village, where everyone has a number and no name. He has to escape, because he's not a number, dammit, he's a free man!" Film addresses such themes as the individual and society, the philosophical nature of freedom, and the concentration and abuse of power. Rebels -- David L. Cunningham (To End All Wars) has agreed to direct "Rebels" for Walden Media. The film will be a true account of Revolutionary War hero Ethan Allen. When the British begin to commandeer farms to resell at exorbitant prices, Allen leads a rebellious group of men known as the Green Mountain Boys to take action. The film will go into production in Spring, 2002. The Stanford Prison Experiment -- The screenplay is based on an actual experiment conducted at Stanford University in the summer of 1971, in which randomly chosen 19- and 20-year-old students were divided into camps of either prison guards or prisoners. What was to be a two-week experiment was cut short after six days because of the level of cruelty and sadism that erupted among the guards. This experiment has been used as an example of the corrupting effect of unchecked power. Stranger in a Strange Land -- "A human born and raised on Mars returns to the planet of his genetic heritage in order to 'grok' what makes humanity tick." Based on the Robert A. Heinlein novel. The Watchmen -- Warner Brothers is said to be making a film based on Alan Moore's comic book "The Watchmen," which is (along with his other book, "V for Vendetta") popular among libertarians. Per the premise: "It's the 1980's and it's a different world. Superheroes have been outlawed. The only ones still in operation are under direct control of the United States government. Suddenly, those heroes both still in action and retired find themselves targets by an unseen enemy, who wants to kill them one by one." X-MenII & X-MenIII-- Twentieth Century Fox is two sequels to "X-Men," a superhero/comic-book adaptation. Here's the premise: "The X-Men are genetically gifted human beings -- the world's newest and most persecuted minority group. An enlightened individual, Professor Charles Xavier, has founded a school and safe haven for these powerful outcasts. Here, new initiates are taught to harness their unique abilities to promote tolerance and to combat the mounting hysteria that threatens to destroy their kind. Bound by a strict code of honor, Xavier's X-Men struggle against hostile government agencies as well as mutant supremacist Magneto and his radical factions which seek to subjugate and ultimately exterminate humankind." You can get more news on "X-Men" at the official X-Men homepage. Also check out the associated site Mutantwatch.com. |
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Copyright © 2003 by Jon Osborne.
