Villeneuve's Dune: Part One (2019)

[Robert Zwilling]

I don't understand the praise for that first Dune movie. It was painful to watch.

One of the things that makes me like something for lack of a better way of saying it, is the effect it had the first time around. I find that for some products the appreciation factor is based on what else was available at the time. When something first comes out and is covering ground that hasn't been trampled yet, it has a better impact or more lasting impact. It looks different for some odd reason. The memories have some sort of perspective while other memories are just plain flat.

That was the first Dune I saw, and the others came later. Even though the later stuff usually has a better technical presentation I'm not particularly swayed by that. Once you wipe out the technological glory of the current operations, you are left with the initial impact, the story, and the actors.

For are a really concrete example, I find the first Star Trek series to be more likely to be watched than anything that came afterwards. Maybe the glory wore off as time went on. A bigger production is not necessarily a better production of the original idea. It probably cheats by bringing up memories I don't even remember. The Star Trek movies are different. I equally like some of the old ones as well as some of the news ones and others I'm not going to watch.

 

[Cathbad]

That was the first Dune I saw, and the others came later

I haven't seen any other Dune productions.

When I arrived at the theater to see this movie, they handed me a flyer as I entered. It explained terms the characters would be using. I did not take that as a good sign.

Then I was tortured by being forced to listen to several characters thinking to themselves - further explaining events/occurrences, because they had decided to do the book in under 2 hours. All couldn't be explained in that time limit, necessitating people talking to themselves.

I agree, visually, the movie was fantastic! But I would much rather have watched actors act out their parts, instead of thinking them out.

 

[Vince W]

I haven't seen any other Dune productions.

When I arrived at the theater to see this movie, they handed me a flyer as I entered. It explained terms the characters would be using. I did not take that as a good sign.

Then I was tortured by being forced to listen to several characters thinking to themselves - further explaining events/occurrences, because they had decided to do the book in under 2 hours. All couldn't be explained in that time limit, necessitating people talking to themselves.

I agree, visually, the movie was fantastic! But I would much rather have watched actors act out their parts, instead of thinking them out.

I heard about the handouts in some cinemas. They didn't do that where I went to see it, but I was reading Dune for the second time and had my copy with me.

Lynch's story was doomed to failure with the time limit he was forced to work with. I think Villeneuve may have to convince the studio to extend to three films once he starts shooting.

 

[Cathbad]

Lynch's story was doomed to failure with the time limit he was forced to work with.

Exactly. Pushing it into less than 2 hours absolutely ruined it.

I think Villeneuve may have to convince the studio to extend to three films once he starts shooting.

I hope he succeeds at convincing them!

At the time of the first movie, just before it came out, I and my gaming group were discussing this. Being a time before trilogies (lol), we thought it could be done as a six-hour movie, with two intermissions. Heck, besides providing enough time for the story, think of the Concession sales!

 

[Robert Zwilling]

I haven't seen any other Dune productions.

For something entirely different you could try a viewing of Jodorowsky's Dune documentary, it's all about a Dune movie that was never made in the 1970's. The graphics are good and the ideas go from I don't know about that, to yup, to perplexing, and many of the ideas were put into use in other projects.

 

[Boneman]

Kyle Mclachan spoiled the film for me... I could take Sting in a G-string (should that be 'on a G-string'?), but Paul Atreides was 15 when the film opened (small for his age, the Reverend Mother said) and in walked a gallumping adult, who showed none of Paul's sensitivities.

With the advances in CGI, I hope there's the right balance between epic and story, and please God, it doesn't turn into another Dark Tower, because they alter the storylines...

 

[Overread]

Who ever did the costume design seemed totally lost!!

View attachment 46981

I recall seeing about 5 mins of the TV series and yeah the clothing and prop design was just really odd. I saw it and thought "this isn't Dune, this is, well I don't know what it is but you don't wear silly hats like THAT in Dune! I think whoever did it certainly didn't get the vibe or theme or feel of Dune; that or they didn't make anything and had to raid the prop storage cupboard for stuff.



The original Dune Film was messy in terms of plot and pacing and honestly if you'd not read the books beforehand it likely didn't make "total" sense. However it captured the feel, the smell, the look and the style of Dune. You could smell the sweat puss and ooze of the Baron*; you can see the noble class in the dress of the old houses and the Emperor. You can see the feral nature of the Fremen etc.... The model designs were also first class - the Navigator is some strange beast monster and its transport of its ship in folding space has all the magic and mysterious science that the early Star Trek films had. A property of that era of cinema in that sci-fi often had much magic to its edge and appearance as pure fantasy.

It is like Lord of the Rings films - it doesn't get it all right but it evokes the feel and style and setting itself. It brings the world to life in a visual way that blends with many peoples mental impressions. Sure there are differences, but most would be happy seeing those self same designs appear once more in a new film with better placing and timing - esp if allowed by having several films to spread the story out properly.

*although I would say he always appears too slim in the film

 

[picklematrix]

Villenueve's films have been fantastic so far. Enemy in particular. I really hope this gets made, and is a big success at the box office. That would result in a few more great space opera adaptations.

 

[Al Jackson]

There is one story about the 1st Dune film I don't see repeated much. Ridley Scott was set to do Dune. Scott and screenwriter Rudolph Wurlitzer turned in a screenplay (the 3rd one) that had Paul and his mother Jessica in an incestuous relationship! Alia would have been his daughter! Cinefantastique back in 1984 reported that film producer Rafaella Delaurentis was livid and fired Scott on the spot. All these years later all one sees or hears from Scott is that because his brother committed suicide at that time he quit the film.

 

[Al Jackson]

It is like Lord of the Rings films - it doesn't get it all right but it evokes the feel and style and setting itself. It brings the world to life in a visual way that blends with many peoples mental impressions. Sure there are differences, but most would be happy seeing those self same designs appear once more in a new film with better placing and timing - esp if allowed by having several films to spread the story out properly.

Lord of the Rings really worked! Peter Jackson cut stuff like Tom Bombadil and the Souring of the Shire , jazzed up Fellowship of the Ring (that novel is way too slow) and other wise solved the Blivit problem!
Lord of the Rings , also, film wise , the production values have density and attention to detail. It has a richness that feels lived-in. Get the same feeling from Game of Thrones. Lynch achieved the same thing except it all goes by too fast.

 

[Narkalui]

Exactly. Pushing it into less than 2 hours absolutely ruined it.


I hope he succeeds at convincing them!

At the time of the first movie, just before it came out, I and my gaming group were discussing this. Being a time before trilogies (lol), we thought it could be done as a six-hour movie, with two intermissions. Heck, besides providing enough time for the story, think of the Concession sales!

imagine the state of the lavatories right after the second intermission

 

[Stephen Palmer]

It's because Lynch got a lot right. Unfortunately, he got more wrong. But that isn't entirely his fault. The studio interfered more than needed, and trying to fit the entire story in less than 2 1/2 hours is frankly impossible. Alterations were inevitable. They were just the wrong alterations.

I think it's more the other way. The tale meanders a bit, yes, but on the whole it's pretty good I've always thought. Visually it's amazing. The Lynch-esque body horror isn't too over the top, but it horrible where it needs to be. Sting is rubbish - of course. But overall, I like it a lot. It's one of very few non-animation DVDs that I have!

 

[Stephen Palmer]

Oh, yes - and the other thing (alluded to above) is that it conveys "epic".

 

[Al Jackson]

Exactly. Pushing it into less than 2 hours absolutely ruined it.


I hope he succeeds at convincing them!

At the time of the first movie, just before it came out, I and my gaming group were discussing this. Being a time before trilogies (lol), we thought it could be done as a six-hour movie, with two intermissions. Heck, besides providing enough time for the story, think of the Concession sales!

It is really too bad there is no room for the road-show really just reserved seat showings. Ben Hur, Lawarence of Arabia , Spartacus , others all succeeded in that format. A three or four hour film with an intermission just seems gone forever. Even knowing how exhibiters work these days it is really too bad, I really enjoyed those movies.

 

[Al Jackson]

One thing about Lynch's Dune …. Lynch is a serious film maker … I don't really count Eraserhead …. this was his second real studio movie, he had done a fine job with Elephant Man …. so over the years he really came to regret his involvement with Dune....

Lot of info on Dune Info on You Tube.

DuneInfo

 

[BAYLOR]

One thing about Lynch's Dune …. Lynch is a serious film maker … I don't really count Eraserhead …. this was his second real studio movie, he had done a fine job with Elephant Man …. so over the years he really came to regret his involvement with Dune....

Lot of info on Dune Info on You Tube.

DuneInfo

his 1984 film was a valiant effort.

 

[Cathbad]

This is how it should have went:

Producer: "We want you to do an adaption of DUNE, in a two-hour film."

Any Living Director: "Um... no."

 

[Vince W]

This is how it should have went:

Producer: "We want you to do an adaption of DUNE, in a two-hour film."

Any Living Director: "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Um... no. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA..."

FTFY.

You forgot the laughter.

 

[Cathbad]

FTFY.

You forgot the laughter.

TY for the correction!

 

[BAYLOR]

I may have try again , to read the sequels.