City of Ember - Must See Libertarian Film

[tbrambo]

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/373/cityofemberbookny3.jpg



I recently watched the film remake of the novel City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau. A children's Armageddon-style story.

Around the middle of the film unmistakably libertarian themes began pouring out. I really could not believe it. I don't know if this was on purpose or not, but it's there. This underground city of dying light, "Ember", is loosing it's power, and it's only hope for survival is in a long-lost book given to the people by the "Builders" of the city.

The analogy was so refreshing. The Builders were of course our Founders, the long-lost and ignored book is the Constitution.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkSFsbv6eUg&eurl=http://www.dailypaul.com/node/77486&feature=player_embedded

I was also happy to find a well written article on the same subject on LewRockwell.com by Peter Sipes....

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig9/sipes1.html

[libertarian4321]

It certainly demonstrates the cluelessness of government.

[hillertexas]

I just netflixed it. It releases on dvd Jan 20.

[dr. hfn]

sweet

[Matt Collins]

Yes, I'll add it to my NetFlix too

[Elwar]

Ok, I just watched this movie and I don't quite come to the same libertarian conclusion. Mainly because when I saw Timothy Robbins early on I knew that it surely couldn't be libertarian, perhaps some liberal theme.

(spoiler for those who haven't watched it)
By the end of the movie I had a good feeling that it was a movie about communism. Basically the government leaders in the beginning create another city saying that theirs has gone to shit (free market gone crazy). Communism needs that socialist transition from free market to communism to take place, they decide on 200 years. They set up a socialist society and leave the paper with the instructions for the future (communist manifesto?). In the beginning the mayors are all on the same page and by the end the government becomes corrupted (as tends to happen in the socialist model) and it's up to the people to take that last step by following their instructions. They end up getting away and reaching this communist utopia by following the instructions.

That's just my take on it, I just can't see a libertarian movie having Timoth Robbins in it, produced by Tom Hanks, written by some french dude.

Also, the color "ember"...not quite yet "red" perhaps? Who knows.

Though I can see the anti-government aspects of it as well.

[Jeremy]

I read the book last year in my Children's Literature course. Pretty good

[Anwar_S]

I thought this movie was influenced Ayn Rand's 'Anthem'. Lots of similarities present between that book and the movie.

[frasu]

Ok, I just watched this movie and I don't quite come to the same libertarian conclusion. Mainly because when I saw Timothy Robbins early on I knew that it surely couldn't be libertarian, perhaps some liberal theme.

(spoiler for those who haven't watched it)
By the end of the movie I had a good feeling that it was a movie about communism. Basically the government leaders in the beginning create another city saying that theirs has gone to shit (free market gone crazy). Communism needs that socialist transition from free market to communism to take place, they decide on 200 years. They set up a socialist society and leave the paper with the instructions for the future (communist manifesto?). In the beginning the mayors are all on the same page and by the end the government becomes corrupted (as tends to happen in the socialist model) and it's up to the people to take that last step by following their instructions. They end up getting away and reaching this communist utopia by following the instructions.

That's just my take on it, I just can't see a libertarian movie having Timoth Robbins in it, produced by Tom Hanks, written by some french dude.

Also, the color "ember"...not quite yet "red" perhaps? Who knows.

Though I can see the anti-government aspects of it as well.

My thoughts too...