There wasn’t much doubt before, but now it’s official – the new film “Atlas Shrugged” won’t threaten “Avatar” for box office supremacy. The screen adaptation of Ayn Rand’s 1957 text may not even make back its production costs during its theatrical run.
After two weeks, the film has hauled in a shade over $3 million on a modest number of screens. That’s actually good for a small budgeted film with no big stars and a politically dense subject. But considering the book’s fan base, the content’s right-of-center hook and some buzz in the conservative blogosphere, it’s hardly time for a Champagne shower.
Here’s a few things future “Shrugged” -style movies can do next time to secure a wider fan base:
- Get cheaper: Some films squeeze every last penny from their budgets. But “Atlas Shrugged” doesn’t look like a film that came in under $10 million. The finished product resembles a slick TV effort, at best. Today’s indie productions can do amazing things with much less coin.
- Embrace the blogosphere: The folks behind the film should have contacted WWTW long before I contacted them. That may sound arrogant, but I’m one of only a handful of right-of-center film critics, and I could have given my audience more exposure to the film in the weeks – and months – leading up to its release. The “Atlas” folks did make inroads with Big Hollywood and a few other sites, but their efforts should have been more broad.
- Lose the Petrified forest of acting: In 2011 no one will put up with aggressively stiff acting in a feature film unless it involves Arnold Schwarzenegger, heavy military fire, or both. But, alas, that’s what nearly every critic spotted in the movie.
- Transparency 101: Many big budget films release early stills, trailers, teasers and other sneak peeks to whet their audience’s appetites. The same could have been done with “Shrugged.” Online diaries, viral videos and other guerilla marketing moves wouldn’t cost a fortune and might have revved up interest in the project.
(Photo: Taylor Schilling plays Dagny, an unapologetic capitalist trying to save her railroad company in “Atlas Shrugged.”)
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
You know, it wasn’t until I read about this on the blogs that I even heard of Atlas Shrugged. I’d never heard of the books or the development of the film. So without the blogs I never would have heard of it.
Also, given the films limited release and my budget constraints, I am limited to waiting until further releases on DVD et. al. before I can see it. Which kind of sucks but that’s life.
You know, a limited ad campaign with the simple message “Who is John Galt?” or whatever his name was would have built awareness faster than just about anything else.
Think about it, a 10 second tv ad, or an ad on a blog, or a billboard with the message “Who is John Galt?” would have created a buzz with people wanting more information.
And, when you consider the ad buys of Avatar, Pirates, the new Batman film etc. this simple message would have been cheap. It creates awareness, but isn’t so in your face about it, which will make the public want to learn more.
Great point. Those who wouldn’t know John Galt from John Elway would be intrigued. Those who love the book would be eager to see what happens next with the movie.
I spotted the “stiff acting” in the on-line linked trailer. I thought maybe it was just me (the book was very difficult to get through for me and I have yet to do so. I found the Bible less difficult, even with all the “Begats” and multiple stories of the same event told in different perspectives and glaring contradictions: “Those not with me are against me”/”Those not against me are for me”).
I will attempt the book once more. I hope I get through it this time…I am beginning not to give an India Dam “Who John Galt” is.
“Atlas Shrugged Part One” was better when it was called “Iron Man 2.”
Was it wooden acting? Or just the fact Ayn Rand writes dialogue exactly according to the same principles as Ed Wood? If Ed Wood had written sermons, that is…for mullahs…
You forgot “Don’t make movies that only appeal to hidebound ideologues and expect to make money.” Imagine a film version of Das Kapital made for whatever budget and released in the US. Would you expect it to be a hit? No, because most people aren’t interested in this sort of thing. Exactly the mistake that Atlas made.
For that comparison to make sense, Das Kapital would have to have been a work of narrative fiction.
Okay, well imagine a film version of Pilgrim’s Progress, then—except Rand’s a bit more heavy handed (Zing!).