100,000 Atlas Shrugged DVDs Mistakenly Promote Self-Sacrifice

Ayn Rand's dogmatic 1957 novel Atlas Shrugged, beloved by simpleton frat boys and self-serving millionaires alike, was made into a movie that was released earlier this year to predictably derisive reviews. ("The dialogue seems to have been ripped throbbing with passion from the pages of Investors’ Business Daily," quipped Roger Ebert.) But Objectivism adherents were no doubt enthralled, and the DVD version recently hit shelves in a variety of different editions. There's just one slight problem: the copy on the DVD describes the movie as "Ayn Rand's timeless novel of courage and self-sacrifice comes to life..." That's right, "self-sacrifice"—the very thing that Ayn Rand spent her whole life fighting against!

"It’s embarrassing for sure and of course, regardless of how or why it happened, we’re all feeling responsible right now," Scott DeSapio, Atlas Productions’ COO and Communications Director, tells an Atlas Shrugged fan blog. "You can imagine how mortified we all were when we saw the DVD but, it was simply too late—the product was already on shelves all over the Country. It was certainly no surprise when the incredulous emails ensued. The irony is inescapable."

The production company is planning to replace more than 100,000 title sheets on the DVDs, lest purchasers accidentally absorb some sick, twisted message of generosity. But what to do if you've already spent your hard earned money (what's left of it after taxes, anyway!) on the DVD? Thankfully, Atlas Productions has set up a web page for consumers of the DVD to request a replacement title sheet free of charge. The new title sheet will more accurately read "Ayn Rand's timeless novel of rational self-interest comes to life." Now they they just need to tweak it to "Ayn Rand's dated polemic about rationalizing selfishness comes to leaden life!" and it'll be really accurate.

[DISCLOSURE: We haven't actually seen the movie, we're just judging a DVD by its cover. Via Gawker]

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in Arts & Entertainment on November 11, 2011 4:10 PM

Comments [rss]

James C

criticism? ....... progressive bullshit

drew_o

Generosity is fine. But not at gunpoint.

Pickman Renard

One guy drives on public roads, votes (for Ron Paul), enjoys the protection of law, and then when it's time to pay for all these things he refuses to do so. He isn't shot; he just gets taken to court and forced to pay, and arrested if he still won't.

Another guy moves into an apartment, refuses to pay the rent, and the same thing happens to him.

According to Objectivists/Libertarians/Randroids, the former is 'initiation of force' and therefore evil, while the latter... Well, it's obviously the same thing, unless you dishonestly define failing to pay the rent as 'initiation of force', making deadbeats violent criminals.

So stop whining that you're being forced to pay your taxes at gunpoint. It's not true. The penalty for being a deadbeat isn't being shot, and you aren't being forced, taxes are conditional on living in the country and/or having citizenship, which you can renounce.

mtnrunner2

So... those who advocate freedom can't use public services that their money was forcibly taken to pay for, but others can? Think again.

Glenn Jameson

Care to tell us how America maintained the mechanisms of state for the century before the 16th Amendment, Pickman? And are you seriously trying to convince us that the enforcers of the IRS don't carry guns?

irvin rynning

Love the haters .. no wonder this country sux: Bush then Obama, the peas of the pod-mentality

edgie168

You're always welcome to leave.

Also: Ron Paul is about as Libertarian as I am white.

Freddie Ja

atlas shrugged is the opposite of dogmatic, that is the entire point. if you got your head out of your OWS loving ass you might make a good point once in a while.

StarryGordon

How is it not dogmatic? Everything in the book is either Rand's dogma acted out by two-dimensional comic-book characters, or a silly, vacuous caricature of other opinions and ways of life.

Fluffhead513

Ah, Ayn Rand, inspiration to educated trust fund kids all across America.

chuzzlewit

shit, RUSH just almost had to go rewrite their first 11 albums.

J_Temperance

I downloaded a pirated rip on a bittorrent because it has Julia Louis-Dreyfuss' brother in it, the middle aged white guy with the enormous eyebrow, and that guy from Barton Fink - Michael Lerner

Glenn Jameson

Temperance is a looter, a scavenger, a parasite feeding on the efforts of others. Greedily coveting the products of other people's labour, he is the opposite of the *rationally* self-interested man.

Sulayman

Ah, piracy. Exactly what Ayn Rand would have done in her every-man-for-himself philosophy.

Glenn Jameson

... is that right, Sulayman? Care to provide a reference to support this absurd claim?

Colonel_Ingus

"beloved by simpleton frat boys and self-serving millionaires alike"

Well, I wasn't a frat brother. And I do all the cooking... so I guess I am technically self-serving...

Eric MH

This flick was a dud even before its released, now the DVD will most likely tank. But if it ends up on Netflix Instant, I'll probably watch.

SFNY

At least have the decency to watch a pirated copy on Megavideo or something.

randomtransplant

In the name of "Rational Self interest" just steal the book from the library, too.

Glenn Jameson

Mr Transplant seems to think it's *rational* to steal property belonging to another. Perhaps in a dog-eat-dog Randomworld, where ethics are non-existent, theft may be a logical act of survival. In a civilised world, however, like the one Rand endorsed, where property rights are inalienable and universal, the rationally self-interested don't rely on the interests of others to survive, employing *reason* instead of force to achieve their success. Without these rationally self-interested producers, looters like Randomtransplant would have nothing to steal.