The reference is to the trio of movies produced to tell the Atlas Shrugged story. I think a six-part mini-series would have been a better way to approach it, and a better way to retain the same cast members. The issue would be to find a streaming service with a broad enough audience that would be willing to host the series.

I am getting ready to read AS again (5th or 6th time?). I have a hardcover edition from the 19th printing that may be able to take one more reading without falling apart. I am not sure I fully understand the message even yet. I am shocked that I find things that I don't remember or remember differently every time I read it.
I think that Project X represents how a government has to increase its use of force proportional to the mandate that its citizens live contrary to their own self interest.
I would not shorten Galt's speech by one word, not Francisco's money speech. In my view Rand devised the whole book as a lure to readers to those two speeches.

I doubt that Rand had any hope of changing socialists to her point of view. Socialists minds are wired differently and by adulthood, the circuits cannot accept the concept of an individual. I think she was trying to rein in the Reardens and Taggarts that were too bust to see that they were supporting the parasites and not even complaining.

Mini-series? I must have missed the memo.

Anthem preceded Atlas S. and connected violence to the socialist concept. In her mind the connection was well established may not have needed further fleshing out in the story line.

I am hoping the new mini-series will make some subtle changes, otherwise its audience might not expand much from the existing niche.

I understand your point. The connection between socialism/collectivism and violence should have been better-developed. I agree, actually. Now that I'm well-seasoned (been around a while) I've figured that out on my own. But, it's not spelled out very clearly very often...

I don't remember the "torture is the purpose" line from 1984, but I remember getting that feeling more from Toohey in the Fountainhead. I found it horrific that he didn't seem to want anything besides destorying others. Wynand was like that, but you could understand why. Someone hurt him, and he was going to show everyone he does run things. Toohey was harder to understand. He just didn't want people to live their dreams. That was the purpose.

I agree project X was to demonstrate the potential for violence. I also think it was the cause of one of the failings of the book.
The books purpose should be to change minds. However, nobody who thinks like a socialist thinks that their ideas would lead to that extreme. So the imagery alienates them from the real socialism threat. They see (or read) that torture scene, and they do not relate to it, they think that is "not my socialism", so in my mind it keeps the book isolated to those who are already supporters of Rand's ideas. Great shame.

I agree the speech is much too long. It was nicely condensed in the movie script. We must remember though, Rand was writing in a time when human attention spans had not been shortened by the internet environment.

In listening to Galt's speech I can't help but be reflective. I have withdrawn from society as much as practical at this point. This is because I'm sure, from my own personal experiences, that society has abandoned reason and evidence. I'm torn about coming forth with what I know. Or do I just let things unfold as the math says they will? As stated in Galt's speech - those who go with the mystics get what they deserve. It's interesting to see society trundle along when answers to their supposedly toughest questions are right under their noses. Like Dagny said....I studied engineering. When I see something, I see it.

Ayn Rand was brilliant...

"The torture is the purpose". Sounds like the modern mainstream media's motto.