Cool News
The Behind the Scenes Pic of the Day has wormsign the likes of which even God has never seen.
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with today’s Behind the Scenes Pic!
David Lynch’s Dune is due for a revisit, I think. I only saw it once in my early teen years and I remember not being very impressed with it. I know by most people’s accounts Dune’s a flawed movie, but I just love Lynch’s output in this era and the cast is fascinating, so I think sometime in the near future I’m going to give it a spin.
Today’s shot is one of the worm sequences being filmed by the talented effects artists behind the film and is a really nifty look at some old school hands-on practical effects work.
Thanks to the folks a the practical effects group for this one. Click to enlargen!
If you have a behind the scenes shot you’d like to submit to this column, you can email me at quint@aintitcool.com.
It’s a jolly holiday with tomorrow’s pic.
-Eric Vespe
”Quint”
quint@aintitcool.com
Follow Me On Twitter
Click here to visit the complete compilation of previous Behind the Scenes images, Page Two
Readers Talkback
comments powered by Disqus-
+ Expand All
-
.......And whilst I can appreciate the art design, and some of the FX, its a confusing mess. The extended cut is even worse. Even sadder is perhaps that such a decent cast is wasted, and they often look like they don't know quite what they're doing. The only one enjoying himself (or so it seems!!) is Brad Dourif - and he seems to play stock cheesey villains without even thinking about it!! I've heard people apologise for this movie, like its some kind of hidden treasure - really?
-
Visually I find it so definitive I can't read the book without seeing his cast and production design in my head. You can see the incredible movie that could have been with just a bit more care, more running time, and more maturity from Lynch as a director.
-
July 8, 2012, 9:31 a.m. CST
Cool pic! I've never seen a BTS shot of how they filmed the Sandworm scenes.
by L.H.Puttgrass
I always thought it was an articulated model on a miniaturized set. I see I got the set right. Those dunes look good. But I had no idea that the Sandworms were actually some dude's monster schlong. Amazing.
-
Cumming Soon.
-
July 8, 2012, 9:42 a.m. CST
Very difficult adaptation of many worlds, characters and dialogues and alternate language.
by justmyluck
I really do love the scene with Jose Ferrer and the guild navigator...everything ungraciously unspools after that. Helped to see this in a theater for the sound (which it was Oscar-nominated for). The aborted Jodorowsky/Giger project would probably have been less accessible than Lynch's.
-
July 8, 2012, 9:47 a.m. CST
I remember being given a small card or pamphlet with all these terms from the movie.
by L.H.Puttgrass
Never before or since, have I seen a movie that needed a short study period before watching.
-
Kinda looks like it. This movie, after all, was made with him being around filming and production quite a bit, so he approved of all that went on. Not that is an excuse for what Lynch did, but how could Herbert let such a story become THAT?
-
July 8, 2012, 9:56 a.m. CST
Anybody else remember getting a list of terms to study before seeing the movie?
by L.H.Puttgrass
-
I enjoyed it back then
-
It's here http://www.aintitcool.com/node/56528
-
The "Dune" adaptation had a stage production kinda feel to it and I enjoyed it a great deal. "Children of Dune" became more epic and I liked it, too (but I missed the original Stilgar and Jessica actors). I only wished they continued on with "God Emperor of Dune." That would have been insane.
-
July 8, 2012, 10:19 a.m. CST
WHOA!.....Sandworms. You hate ‘em, right?....I hate ‘em myself!
by JediRob
-
I have it...I actually remember seeing it in the theater as a lad... they even had pamphlets describing characters and places.I think its a flawed masterpiece ..one Lynch sadly gives no regard to because of his EGO.The HD transfers are amazing, it would be nice to see anew directors cut or cut in general without the bad illustrated opening which is interesting but does not work well.
-
yep wonder if any are still floating around.
-
I always thought it was a great flick. Im sure it is complicated and confusing if youve never read the book but if you have, the movie follows the book very closely. The cast was great but I wish there was more Rabban and Fayd in it. To me great sci-fi films take you to a realistic place youve never seen or expected (2001, Blade Runner, Alien, first 2/3s of Sunshine) and Dune does that. For example, it takes the time to show how they load the transporter ships then "fold space" with the Navigators, surrealistic but very cool. I thought the only crappy part was that kid Alia that was poorly dubbed. Anyway, I know Im in the minority but I thought it was great, one of the best ever.
-
There are some moments of genius, and moments of "boy, they really fucked that up, but..." <p> Genius: The design of everything, and the casting of some really top-notch actors. Great stuff there. <p> Boy, they really fucked that up, but...: First, the stillsuits. They should have had hoods, masks and cloaks. But then, you wouldn't have known who any of the characters were. So I can forgive that, because they looked great. <p> Second: The wierding modules. These are a little tougher for me to defend, but here goes. The Bene Gesserit had many powers of observation, and ways to control people. The most obvious one, and pretty much the only one shown in the movie (apart from the way-too-long shot of Dean Stockwell's mustache pores,) was The Voice. The Bene Gesserit could use their voice much the way a Marine Corps drill sergeant can. They'll say something to you and you're already doing pushups without really knowing what just happened. The BG are just much more subtle about it. So, in the movie, they had to have a way to show that the Atreides troops, and later, the Fremen, had adapted Bene Gesserit skills into their way of battle. In the book, this focused more on observing the enemy closely, and using very fine muscle and nerve control in a fight. In the movie, they basically used The Voice and a megaphone to blow people up. In a movie, all the subtlety was just thrown out the window in favor of people yelling. <p> The Baron: In the book, the Baron wasn't diseased and bubbly, or especially greasy. He was just a commentary on everything Herbert thought was a negative quality. He was so fat he needed anti-gravity devices to walk. He was a greedy, proud, vengeful, sadistic homosexual glutton. Basically all 7 of the deadly sins in one fat body. They wouldn't want to show all of his perversions in a movie, and they threw out much of the subtlety and intelligence of the character in favor of a cackling fat man in an overcoat. <p> Last, there were lots and lots of "Characters just standing there, staring." The book contained a lot of internal monologue, so it's tough to get around this without a shitton of expository dialogue. Lynch followed the style of the novel, here. <p> I would have loved to see MST3K or Rifftrax work their magic on this movie. OH well, maybe someday
-
when I was a teenager. It has a great cast & an epic feel. I even like the extended version opening with the supposed preproduction artwork. This movie got me into Dune. Years later after reading the book I can see the problems with the movie. I still like it better than the Sci-Fi miniseries which I thought stunk.
-
meant to say "I loved it the first time I saw it." An edit feature would be useful but that's probably too much to ask for.
-
It's flawed in a lot of ways but... hey... It's Lynch... in space... which is pretty damn cool. The Eno/Toto soundtrack was always the icing on the cake for me. Epic.
-
July 8, 2012, 10:48 a.m. CST
Dune is great if you just put it on mute and listen to the Eraserhead soundtrack while watching it
by gunnarcannibal
-
not even Lynch thinks so. i did revisit it about 6 months ago. regretted it. it's terrible.
-
Does a version exist that actually has a decent picture. Every time I've seen it the picture is dark & grainy and just looks awful all around.
-
July 8, 2012, 10:58 a.m. CST
What are you guys talking about DUNE is definitely worth revisting. Revisit it!
by Autodidact
Maybe some of you have read the novels and that's why you're pissed off. All I've ever known of DUNE has been the David Lynch movie, and I think it's pretty great. The blu-ray is fucking fantastic!
-
Overall I still like this movie, (another in the minority), but some of that is due to having read the books first. The internal dialog was necessary in my opinion but that may have turned off some people. I didn't care for the weirding modules either. The cast was great and whoever played Lady Jessica was stunning. The Baron should have been shown as more intelligent and refined (for lack of a better word) than he was portrayed. And another Mary Poppins pick tomorrow?
-
July 8, 2012, 11:24 a.m. CST
It's really not a terrible film, just one that could have been much more.
by Randy
The visuals and cast are there, but it feels like they never figured out how to tell the story and find the right tone. It really could have and should have been one of the great scifi masterpieces of film, if not the ultimate one. I always wonder how it could have turned out with a different director that might have done a better job with the same cast and crew.
-
When this was readied to release for TV they added back much footage to make it fit into two 2 hour long time slots. The new opening is really different and better explains the set up, and many scenes are expanded. But they left in the film's goofiest shot towards the end during the big battle when some guy gets tossed from the ramparts and they have that shot from above of him landing on a sand covered mattress. I remember seeing this first run in the theatre and the place erupted in laughter when that happened. It would greatly improve the movie if they cut that bit out forever.
-
I've gotta say, I think the guy who played Stilgar in the first Sci-Fi Channel mini-series was one of the weakest links for me. Aside from just not finding him that good an actor, I also felt he looked a bit too pudgy to be a Fremen. I personally found Children of Dune's Steven Berkoff to be a much more convincing leader of (Fre)men. I do agree with you re: Saskia Reeves (Jessica). I liked her performance more than Alice Krige's.
-
July 8, 2012, 12:10 p.m. CST
@1919: Yep - In fact, you can go bid on eBay now! (link)
by obijuanmartinez
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dune-Terminology-Sheet-1983-Movie-Handout-Press-Kit-Memorabilia-Frank-Herbert-/350578461026?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51a01ac962
-
July 8, 2012, 12:14 p.m. CST
@pretentious: Would highly recommend the original 6 @ Dune novels by Frank Herbert; the other crud done by his son illustrates the axiom "TALENT SKIPS A GENERATION" - Would actually consider "Chapterhouse: Dune" (the 6th novel) in my top-5 SF books of all
by obijuanmartinez
-
July 8, 2012, 12:17 p.m. CST
This movie feels visually/atmospherically closest to the original SW trilogy
by Rebel Scumb
Its a deeply flawed film, but as many have said has elements of greatness mixed in, but whenever I watch it I always just sort of imagine its the 4th SW film, it has that very specific look and feel of scifi/fantasy films from that era that hollywood seems incapable of repilicating now, and something that would have made the prequels much better. Still though, I love the opening narration with the super hot emporess, especially how she forgets part of the narration.
-
July 8, 2012, 12:18 p.m. CST
I saw a version on TV once different from the dvd version that has voiceover narration which explains all the characters/backstories, etc
by Rebel Scumb
-
not perfect, but I love the epic nature of the movie.
-
Harlan Ellison raved about it calling it the 'science fiction gone with the wind'. What a nutter.
-
I would never have got into the books if it weren't for Lynch's Dune. The sets, costumes, music and actors were all spot on. The Sci-Fi Channel TV movie might have been somewhat more faithful to the material but the rest was so out of whack it actually felt less true to the book. I do sometimes wonder how Return of the Jedi would have turned out if Lynch hadn't turned it down to do Dune. Then again, by all accounts the shy and retiring George Lucas basically directed Jedi anyway so maybe it wouldn't have been that different...
-
July 8, 2012, 1:04 p.m. CST
Yeah, Lynch's Dune wasn't perfect but I have a fondness for it.
by mistergreen
-
And I have no idea what I did with mine. Oh, well...
-
July 8, 2012, 1:21 p.m. CST
@rebelscumb: The cinema release had Virginia Madsen's Princess Irulan doing opening narrative bit; the extended cut has an uncredited male narrator who also has some additional backstory on the Duniverse (Butlerian Jihad, Bene Gesserit & Mentat schools, T
by obijuanmartinez
-
Or is that too lowbrow for this fine, fine crowd?
-
Alicia Witt grew up quite nicely
-
July 8, 2012, 1:25 p.m. CST
dickballsworth - Nope, not a one, you can be the first.
by L.H.Puttgrass
Have yourself a blast. ;)
-
A visual stunner, with some fantastic concepts and things never before seen on screen. Still watch it every once in a while just because. :)
-
July 8, 2012, 1:29 p.m. CST
Still have original laserdisc with nice nipple shot of sean young... mmmm
by girugamesh
-
July 8, 2012, 1:34 p.m. CST
Watch the three hour cut or whatever it is - the longest version
by even9
Lynch's Dune has lots of great what if moments of imagination through out it from end to finish, but it gets abit too detached in it's narrative from memory, alternating from being great to being a bit thin. The perfect Dune would be combining the other worldliness of Lynch's version with the narrative of the sci-fi mini series version(s)
-
so you know what's coming, this movie SUCKS as an adaptation, it's a brown piece of crap as a film, it's a confusing mess, a few cool moments, that's it. Remember, if Dino is producing, it's gonna be shit, that's just the way it is (King Kong anyone?) The only exception I can think of is Bill and Ted
-
July 8, 2012, 1:42 p.m. CST
Didn't Lynch blame a producer for the outcome of this movie?
by Goodbye_America
Why has no one mentioned this yet? Was it just a fluke or were others responsible for the ultimate mess that was Dune?
-
July 8, 2012, 1:43 p.m. CST
I should be outside enjoying the heat, but I may have to toss in DUNE. Extended cut or theatrical?
by Stereotypical Evil Archer
-
Done by a fellow 3d geek, just for hell of it. First rate. http://tinyurl.com/p2oey2 Some of the best lip-sync I've ever seen. it's called Dune 2012
-
Was in this. As I recall, there was a knife duel between him and mclauclan where sting was basically wearing a diaper.
-
Thought this was a great album could've only come from Eraserhead himself
-
I had an expert on the books sitting next to me when I first saw the film, and he threw in a few observations and explanations that improved the experience. Have enjoyed the film ever since (apart from the over-the-top bad guy stuff). I'd even say I prefer it to the book, which was far too long winded, imho. That'll get me flamed, i'm sure.
-
but strayed too far from the story. Lynch's vision was stunning, his unfettered creativity sacrificed the actual story too much. If you had never read Dune the first time you saw it, though, it worked well. I hadn't, and it was only later when I read the novels that I realized how the story had been butchered. The SciFi miniseries held closer to the story, but the look, feel, mood was not nearly as good, and in some cases was actually laughable... While some of the casting was good, some casting choices were mind boggling: the chubby guy in the role of Stilgar? And the "epic" battles were pretty low rent, with an handful of guys trying to seem like thousands. I literally laughed out loud at those scenes, as they were reminiscent of Monty Python's Ladies Historical Society Re-enactments of Great Battles.
-
De Laurentiis was on Lynch's case the whole shoot. If he had been left alone the film would have been immeasurably improved. As it is we have a film missing 45 minutes of crucial character and story, the result being a slightly surreal experience. The cast, production design and music are all outstanding though. Just watch the folding space and water of life scenes, ever think we'll get something on that scale of cinematic majesty from JJ Abrams and his ilk? Nope, me neither.
-
July 8, 2012, 2:42 p.m. CST
@pretentious: That'd be FOLGERS. Here's a corker starring none other than Captain Decker himself, Stephen Collins (video)
by obijuanmartinez
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed3vswxJKgI&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLD2762D22AB526A95
-
July 8, 2012, 3:12 p.m. CST
80's Ridely Scott should have been the one to bring Dune to the screen
by Turd_Is_Floating_Underneath_The_Gravy
It should have been his follow up to Blade Runner. Alien, Blade Runner, Dune - what an incredible sci-fi trilogy that would have been.
-
July 8, 2012, 3:14 p.m. CST
Even with the flaws it was great, but could of been greatest movie of the decade
by txtone04
Herbert. Giger. Pink Floyd. Lynch...all the potential was there at one point
-
July 8, 2012, 3:31 p.m. CST
JOHN CARTER failing set any hope of a DUNE adaptation back about 10-15 years.
by MCVamp
And the more I read that wonderful book (at least once a year) the more I'm fine with never seeing another half-assed attempt.
-
July 8, 2012, 3:31 p.m. CST
I will respectfully disagree with Ellison, Dune is not the sci-fi Gone with the Wind
by mr.underwater
It's the sci-fi Lawrence of Arabia and it's fucking awesome. It was awesome when I first saw it in the theater, and it's still awesome. Also, I replayed Dune II: Battle for Arrakis this winter and it's still fucking awesome as well. They need to update the graphics and get that shit on XBLA like today.
-
July 8, 2012, 3:55 p.m. CST
@puttgrass: Actually, sixth post from the top fulfilled the need.
by DickBallsworth
Now, place your hand inside the box. And by box, I mean my pants.
-
So of course half the TBer love it. Enough time has passed where it's gained its minor cult following and you can say "I always loved the movie. I was ahead of the group!" It's the TBing contrarian way. Fuck off... The book blew me away when I read it in high school. And I remember liking the film due to it's visuals (Which are wonderful) But I coincidentally re-visited & watched the extended cut DVD again 3 weeks ago with my nephew. It's just a bad movie. Absolutely awful pacing. And while the visuals are nice to look at, they're not framed with any awe or wonder behind it. I almost get the idea that Lynch had contempt for the Dune world he was creating. And that feeling spills over to the audience. And my 12 year old nephew, who sat through 2001 (Though I was a cheat sheet for the plot) fell asleep by the half way point. Dune is just a failed post-Star Wars experiment. I'd rather watch Episode 1 instead. (And I have with my nephew. And despite obvious problems, it's better than Dune will ever be)
-
fuck
-
July 8, 2012, 4:32 p.m. CST
I don't mind it as seperate entertainment rather than an adapatation
by DougMcKenzie
The Navigators looked too alien, most people I see the movie with don't put together that they are mutated humans. Also the Buterlian Jihad absolutely was needed to be explained to the audience, in order for them to understand what the Mentats/Ixians/Bene Gesserit/Spacing Guild were and how an interstellar civilization existed without computers. Also a demonstration of the laser-repulsor field explosion would have been cool.
-
instead of Mary Poppins tomorrow?
-
July 8, 2012, 4:58 p.m. CST
Dune was NOT a failure, but it was glorious!
by Hey_Kobe_Tell_Me_How_My_Ass_Tastes
-
Gonna miss the big lug
-
Never understood the claim that it was confusing or hard to follow. The first time I saw it I had not read the book. I had absolutely no trouble understanding what was going on. It has a great cast and looks fantastic. Never understood the hate for it.
-
July 8, 2012, 5:09 p.m. CST
Dune was awesome, only the anal retentive types who wanted the fookin book on the screen bitch about it
by Hey_Kobe_Tell_Me_How_My_Ass_Tastes
Yeah that worked for watchmen didn't it?
-
I mean, there's a reason Lynch had his name taken off of it (at least when it airs on television, it's an Alan Smithee film)
-
They did a great job on the soundtrack, but it was a little too rock and roll for the film.
-
July 8, 2012, 5:32 p.m. CST
I'm kinda starting to feel about PROMETHEUS the way I feel about LYNCH DUNE...
by FlickaPoo
bold, glorious, magnificent messes both of them.
-
July 8, 2012, 5:34 p.m. CST
Fear is the mind killer, fear is the little death that brings total obliteration
by Clio
Glad I read the novel before I saw it on the big screen....never had any trouble following what was happening, unlike a lot of people who did not know the story. I agree with someone above who wrote that it has greatness in it, but is not a great movie.
-
July 8, 2012, 6:13 p.m. CST
dickballsworth - No, thanks. You can put your hands in your own pants. It's just better that way. Don'tcha think?
by L.H.Puttgrass
And the sixth post (how's it going adeceasedfan?) is responding to my post, about 8 minutes before it. By the way, are your pants shaped like a box? Are you a SpongeBob SquarePants fan? Come on! Who did you dress up as last Halloween? Admit it. You're among friends here. No one else will know...
-
I remember that. Oddly enough, while going through some boxes of stuff the other night, I actually found the damn thing. It was a single sheet with words and definitions printed on both sides. I remember being given that and thinking "What the hell? I have to study first?" I also remember my dad leaning into me about 30 minutes in and asking me "Do you have any idea what's going on?"
-
I still have not seen the extended version though. Is the blu the extended cut?
-
July 8, 2012, 6:30 p.m. CST
I.H. Puttgrass... legit LOL, well played sir (or madam)
by DickBallsworth
-
July 8, 2012, 6:31 p.m. CST
Also, I was referring to the Bene Gesserit box that Paul is tested with.
by DickBallsworth
Duh! :D
-
turd I agree, the Ridley Scott of the early 80's would have made an excellent Dune. Just looking at his Blade Runner followup Legend, which shows how majestic his Dune might have been at that time. Although, I love Legend as well, which is also a flawed but still good fantasy film like Lynch's Dune. So I'd not be happy to trade that one for Dune. flickapoo I was thinking about how Prometheus and Dune compare just before I read your post. I'd say you're spot on. If you really get down to it though, looking at Prometheus, I think it is evidence that Sir Ridley could make a great Dune now as well. Take all the great sci-fi production design majesty and scope that he was able to accomplish for Prometheus, and apply it to Dune. Hell, even the Engineers feel like they could be stand-ins for the Spacing Guild Navigators in Dune. That Giger style fits in with the Navigators, even though he originally designed the Harkonnen stuff back in the day for Jodorowsky's Dune adaptation. Another thing is the cast. I wager Prometheus has the cast of a Ridley Scott Dune in it already in some cases. Charlize Theron as Lady Jessica. Guy Pearce as Duke Leto Atreides, or maybe Ridley's buddy Russell Crowe would work here as well. Fassbender would have to be in there too. The space jockeys and the whole Giger aesthetic would need to be used again (I'm thinking for the Guild Navigators instead of the Harkonnen though). Get some talented young up and coming actor for Paul Atrieides. Noomi Rapace could be Chani, or even one of the Bene Gesserit. Ridley's experience with big historical epics (Gladiator, Kindgom of Heaven) would help him out with Dune as well. I wish he'd scrap this silly Blade Runner sequel nonsense, cause that will never work, and make Dune or The Forever War instead.
-
Rabban, Paul, and the Fremen leader with the beard whose name escapes me. I wanted the sandworm, but no store around me ever had it in stock.
-
July 8, 2012, 7:02 p.m. CST
maxjohnson1971 - Yeah, I remember thinking, "Why do I need to study before seeing a movie?"
by L.H.Puttgrass
A lot of people felt like your dad. The film throws a lot at you. It's like they were trying to squeeze everything in the book into the movie. That's an impossible task. Dune would work much better as an HBO miniseries. It's L.H. by the way, the site recently stopped using upper case letters for people's logins. I don't know why.
-
July 8, 2012, 7:05 p.m. CST
dickballsworth - It's L.H. and it's sir. And thank you.
by L.H.Puttgrass
-
They also produced an Ornithopter and Sandcrawler.
-
July 8, 2012, 7:53 p.m. CST
I had a DUNE board game based on the movie. We played it an entire summer, but...
by FlickaPoo
I'm not sure we ever did figure out all the byzantine rules.
-
sounds great to me, a Ridley Scott adaptation is the only new DUNE movie I'd be interested in at this point. That, or an ambitious cable series loosely following all the books. Maybe use the Duncan Idaho ghola as the connecting thread.
-
July 8, 2012, 9:27 p.m. CST
The first hard science fiction I ever read. The movie was fascinating, but it was not the novel.
by loki965
-
July 8, 2012, 9:29 p.m. CST
Yes, Dune is a beautiful mess. But you really can't blame Lynch for that.
by DanielnocharismaCraig
Dune, much like Game of Thrones is a beast of a novel. They could have stretched it to four hours and it still would not have done Herbert's work any real justice. The only way possible I could have seen it working back in 1984 is if the studio greenlighted a trilogy much like Star Wars. The good thing about today's tech though with HDTV's and such is that it would be much more probably that a ten hour Dune season could work out great.
-
I saw it as a kid and pretty quickly figured out there were good guys, the bad guys took power, the good guys hooked up with some native good guys and beat the bad guys. Standard Christ/chosen one/what have you narrative weaved in. Lots of cool shit throughout: Inventive action, cool creatures, some drugs, seriously fucked up villains, Sean Young back when she was hot and non crazy...and of course from a visual perspective it's probably top 5 all-time in the genre. It's imperfect because the source material is a bloated mess and as noted above it was butchered and subverted by Dino and Co. from Day 1. But the film itself is great fun if you kick back and enjoy the ride.
-
- Interplanetary guild maintaining control of an essential resource with a proxy invasion; - Monks trying to breed a messiah - the story of the matriarch; - A Duke's son finding enlightenment with nomads and becoming their savior. It could be done as a three-hour (or two-parter — split at the point Paul discovers the Fremen).
-
July 8, 2012, 10:44 p.m. CST
But you know what frustrates me the most are the powerful and influential directors/producers like.........
by DanielnocharismaCraig
Cameron, Lucas, and Spielberg. Why don't these clowns start throwing their collective coin at great works like GOT, Dune or even the story of Drizzt the Drow from the Forgotten Realms? But no. Instead we get forgetful tripe like Red Wings and Avatar. Could you imagine how much better GOT could have been if Lucas would have gotten off his fat ass and helped out with production costs? It's not like he has anything else he has to do at this point in his life. Oh, besides reminiscing on old Star Wars culture.
-
It was a mess when it opened, like others have mentioned it came with a brochure to name the characters. Not the first film to do that as Star Wars did the same thing but few remember is Star Wars did not need it for long. What keeps Lynch's Dune from being considered a classic is on every level it was quirky and a mess. From the acting to special effects. My brother liked to use the line "the sleep has awaken" to annoy the sit out of me. So you can't call it completely unforgettable.
-
July 8, 2012, 11:42 p.m. CST
I agree Thurston One: how was DUNE ever that difficult to understand?
by Monroville
The Emperor "of the Universe" damn near explains the basic plot for the first half of the movie. Even so, the movie has three movements: good guys show up on planet/ good guys get betrayed and son+mom get exiled into the wilderness/ good guys regroup, come back and defeat bad guys. And as far as saying "Ridley could have done it better" or any other number of directors... um, no they couldn't. Not because Lynch is so much better, but because DUNE is just not that filmable other than what you've already seen: for all of the details and development of the worlds themselves, the actual story is about as simple as you can get. In fact, it was Herbert and Lynch that came up with the idea of the weirding modules because it would be much more difficult to depict the weirding way in the book and went with something more direct and visual. So whether you liked them or not, even Herbert realized that you are going to have to change some things, as what works in a book won't work in a movie (how else are you going to depict the inner thoughts of a character if you don't distinguish their thoughts from their spoken words?). Though I will say that dubbed voice for Alia is pretty stupid...
-
July 9, 2012, midnight CST
@danielnocharismacraig, Tattooine was *Arrakis*, The Trade Fedration The *Spacing Guild* ... Lucas already went there already.
by justmyluck
-
Many machines on Ix. New machines. Better than those on Richese." Ah some many great design bits and set pieces in Dune. Yet the film as a whole doesn't work, have to accept that. But I agree with others, I can't read the books now without the design work from the film stoking my imagination. Oh and also agree, the follow-on books by Herbert's son and his side-kick were excrement. They took subtlety, mystery and complexity and replaced it with cheesy crap mixed with childish fanfic. Really really painful to read.
-
July 9, 2012, 1:21 a.m. CST
semi-OT: Anyone get Lynch's recent album, *Crazy Clown Time*? If you like Lynch's soundtrack work, it's worth a listen.
by justmyluck
-
http://youtu.be/2B6jgkcANRE
-
...the most efficient type on Arrakis. Basically-GRRR!
-
I was a teenager back then, ripe for crushes.
-
... of all time. Lynch's interpretation of the Frank Herbert text was second to none. Beats the cr@p out of the miniseries. The only other version i'd kill to see would be Jodorowsky's.
-
Ahh, Dune, how I love thee! I saw this movie before reading the book. Totally sucked me into the universe and made me a lifelong fan. Thanks, David Lynch and Frank Herbert!
-
July 9, 2012, 4:34 a.m. CST
Giger did concept art for a previous version of Dune which was recycled into Prometheus
by Rtobert
Particularly the head on top of the military installation on LV-223 (not the Kurtz head in the cannister room). Just google Giger Dune and you'll see the head from his Dune art was used in Prometheus
-
July 9, 2012, 4:42 a.m. CST
I still want to know how he did the "baby" in Eraserhead.
by ReportAbuse
Supposed to be a big mystery.
-
The extended TV broadcast of Lynch's Dune has some interesting footage reinserted. But Lynch hated that version so much he took his name off it. One day I'd like Lynch to revisit Dune and create a fully authorized extended version.
-
On the big screen in the IFI, brilliant stuff. I know they say it's flawed but I'd rather a flawed work of genius than some indenti-kit block buster, de-clawed and served up to the ignorant public in easy to digest chunks. I wouldn't have wanted Dune to be any other way.
-
but it's unique strengths outweigh the problems.
-
I remember to this day that the theatre had a Dune model display in the lobby. Me and my buddies would have had more fun playing with the model than watching that abomination that was on the screen.
-
July 9, 2012, 10 a.m. CST
Dunno if it was b/c I saw this in the wonder childhood of my 80's or not...but everytime it is on I HAVE to watch it. Perfect? Nope. Perfect for the 80's? YES! And the set design and visual concepts
by Dogmatic
were absolutely unparalleled before or since in the realm of science fiction. Sci-Fi's series got it more right to the novel later...but with Sci-Fi Channel production. Lynch's vision and team was over-ambitious sure...but the maddeningly beautiful film it produced is well worth it!
-
July 9, 2012, 10:01 a.m. CST
"I will kill him! I WILL KILL HIM!" "What have we here? A pet perhaps? Will she be deserving of my special attentions?" Sting ruled.
by Dogmatic
-
July 9, 2012, 10:02 a.m. CST
And I loved the change from the novel that made the Weirding Way a kind of ultra-violent version of a Jedi by the end...killing with a word. Great concepts.
by Dogmatic
-
....rent it on blu-ray. The colors and richness of the sets and costumes, in particular during the Emperors meeting with the Navigator is stunning. Great flick.....Lynch always brings something cool to the table with his movies.
-
July 9, 2012, 12:27 p.m. CST
Frank Herbert himself endorsed this flick, not sure why its hated...
by Dan
I dig it mostly. It is very odd, but so is the book, which is hard to slog through at times despite it being great.
-
Went a tad over-board with some of the production design, but its still a great achievement. I recall Siskel & Ebert ripping this apart upon release.
-
... by the producer, Dino DeLaurentiis. That's the main problem with DUNE. Lynch was trying to please Dino while trying to also please himself. A pretty difficult task considering that DeLaurentiis hated ERASERHEAD. It's actually pretty amazing that Lynch was able to get away with some of the better scenes in the film,especially the ones involving the Harkonens -- definitely the least mainstream parts of the film. As Pauline Kael once wrote, the film is at its best when it's least faithful to the source material -- in other words, when it's most Lynch-like, marginal and strange. Things like the dwarfs doing something (God knows what) to a cow, or the contraption with the cat that has to be "milked" for an antidote, or Alia killing the Baron. Besides having Dino breathing down his neck, Lynch was also contractually obligated to turn in a PG movie. "A lot of ideas go out the window when you have to avoid an R rating," Lynch remarked at the time.
-
A ginger, fat bastard that looked just like the Harkonnen...
-
Saw it in theaters. Still one of my favorite movies of all time. Didn't find it confusing, and I didn't mind the deviations from the book. Herbert himself wrote that he learned "a film and a book are two very different things" while visiting the set. Dune was also the first movie I ever rented for our VCR. Ah, the nostalgia of having to adjust the tracking to make rented videos play.
-
July 9, 2012, 3:20 p.m. CST
Lynch's Dune is not as bad as some think, not great either.
by sullafelix
Lynch deserves credit for trying to tackle such a project, the production design was unique, soundtrack was really good, and some of the acting was good. But book 'Dune' is too dense to be presented in a 2-hour feature. The miniseries was okay, but you could feel the budget restraints. A new feature would have to be two movies, and lots of cash. But I doubt anyone will make it, although the book is loved by fans, it doesn't really have any wide appeal for other people.
-
July 9, 2012, 5:11 p.m. CST
i loved dune as a kid...star wars was done..we'd take anything.,
by FleshMachine
Top Talkbacks
- WWZ blah-ditty, blah, blah, blah! AICN HORROR’s got a truly unique zombie film you should check out instead called THE BATTERY! -- 84 total posts 79 posts
- Harry's 25th Picks & Peeks of 2013!!! With THINGS TO COME, OCTAMAN, Bette Davis, STOKER, HOWLING, LIFEFORCE & more! -- 292 total posts 72 posts
- Sweet knights of Colombus!! A new trailer for ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES has been unleashed!! -- 54 total posts 54 posts
- PROMETHEUS 2 now has a writer!!! -- 688 total posts 49 posts
- AICN COMICS PODCAST: The @$$Holes take stabs at MAN OF STEEL, plus a review of Scott Snyder’s SUPERMAN UNCHAINED! -- 55 total posts 48 posts
- Wanna hear the least annoying sound in the world? Repeat after me: Universal picks up DUMB AND DUMBER TO!! -- 99 total posts 44 posts
- Father Geek says MAN OF STEEL is pretty much the best Superhero Movie ever made and I'm not gonna argue! -- 1890 total posts 39 posts
- UPDATED WITH POSTER!! GO BUY SOME LEGOS, KIDS a.k.a. THE LEGO MOVIE stacks up a trailer!! -- 92 total posts 35 posts
- Copernicus On The Science Of STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS!! -- 1232 total posts 34 posts
- Vegas gets pwned in this new banner for GODZILLA!! -- 106 total posts 25 posts