Have we had a Dune thread yet?

Not sure why the David Lynch version gets such bad reaction. I’ve watched it a few times and quite like it. Over stretched itself a bit with the special effects, but no different to alot of other movies of that time, but the latest Start Wars movies show you that you don’t need perfect special effects to make a good movie. For the Dune purists I’m sure it was massively over simplified and missed out alot of the story…not sure I’m reading it for the first time ahead of watching the movie.
But this version looks great. Cant wait to see it.

there’s some good stuff in the David Lynch film, the baron harkonnen is suitably gross but all that weirding module and fixed wing ornithopter nonsense kind of let it down. The trouble with these kinds of film is they can just get swamped in exposition. Least they skipped the dinner party this time.

I’ve re-read the book in preparation.

I am most definitely not reading the book – that would surely be terrible preparation as the film will never live up to that expectation. I love the book and will read it again sometime down the line – but if the book is fresh in my mind I’ll be full of “that’s not right” or “what happened to X”

As soon as I’ve made the decision that watch it I’m staying the hell away from the source material, reviews and trailers. I’ll enjoy the film much more that way and I can indulge in peripheral material afterwards.

Its excellent 🙂

Reminded me of BR2049, but then you’d expect that. Seems to linger over things but is paced perfectly. The time flew in, and I’ll of course be going to see it again ASAP to digest everything.

And I really want an ornithopter.

“Bless the Maker and his Water”

View post on imgur.com

Just got back. As neither a fan nor a critic I really enjoyed it. Definitely needs the big screen (and sound) experience. I watched the original film many years ago and thought that was ok too. Also read the book, again many years ago and quite enjoyed it. In fact I fancy reading it again but it is lost somewhere in my book shelves!

Watched the original film again last night and was surprised how much I liked it. Seen it a few times before but it’s still ok. The main thing that lets it down is the second half is very rushed. I’m hoping the new one is everything that Star Wars isn’t.

Reminded me of BR2049, but then you’d expect that.

Oh dear that’s what I was worried about. He has form for making snooze fests e.g. Arrival

Love the book. Adore it.

Film was great.

Read the book. 🙂

You need a bit Hong Prine

Saw it last night, loved it. Brilliant copter and ship design, overall very impressive visually. Tight, efficient action sequences. Music (soundscape?) integrates well with the story. Very little tiresome exposition (WTF was going on with those sacrifices?!!) Shame it stopped when it did, I could have sat there for another couple of hours to finish the story 🙂

Oh dear that’s what I was worried about. He has form for making snooze fests e.g. Arrival

I thought Arrival was one of the best films I’ve ever seen.

Couldn’t get past about 10 or 15 mins of BR2049 though, felt like I needed to take some valium to tune into it.

Do I go to see Dune or not?

Fantastic,so glad I re-read the book before going to see it.
It’s such a complicated story to try and get across in film ,but I think they did a great job.
Just really glad that they didn’t make Josh Brolin sing and play a Baliset 😉

Reminded me of BR2049, but then you’d expect that. Seems to linger over things but is paced perfectly. The time flew in, and I’ll of course be going to see it again ASAP to digest everything.
And I really want an ornithopter.

Agree ^^

Shame it stopped when it did, I could have sat there for another couple of hours to finish the story

and this^^

I tried and failed to read the novel back in the ’90s. I didn’t get very far and couldn’t get along with the pacing, particularly with how many pages were spent inside characters’ heads. For me the excessive internal dialogue drained many scenes of any drama and tension they might have.

I finally got round to reading it again last year. I got through it this time but my overall opinion didn’t change that much. It was interesting rather than enjoyable.

I am reminded of a comment once made by an author I like. They rarely write what their characters are thinking as they want them to be seen and judged by their actions rather than by what they think of themselves and their motives. Dune clearly takes a very different approach to this, it’s as valid as any other approach but it didn’t seem to work for me in its case.

After reading the novel I watched the old movie. It has some nice visual ideas but again it didn’t blow me away.

A big sci-fi epic sounds like something I’d love to see and love right now but I’m not sure that Dune is going to hit the spot for me.

I was set to treat my nephews to a couple of tickets to this then pizza and maybe a couple of beers, till this nasty cough came up and thats been put on hold 🙁

All in all I reckon it will be way much better than the original. We’ll get there.

I thought Arrival was one of the best films I’ve ever seen.

Couldn’t get past about 10 or 15 mins of BR2049 though, felt like I needed to take some valium to tune into it.

Do I go to see Dune or not?

I also really liked Arrival (although I wouldn’t go as far to say it was one of the best I’d ever seen) and couldn’t get into BR2049 (although will try again! Love the original BR)
Watched the first hour or so of Dune last night on the telly & that was enough to convince me to turn it off and go watch the rest at the cinema 😃

Shame it stopped when it did, I could have sat there for another couple of hours to finish the story

yeah that is a shame, maybe some places will do a double feature for the sequel!

Just saw it again, and its even better second time around.

My opinion (and its just that) is that it almost perfectly reproduces the book, flaws and all. Every way the film fails is how the book fails.

I know how fanboi this sounds, but OMG its spectacular.

I’ve just seen it and I agree, it is spectacular. Loved it. Visually stunning, hews very close to the plot of the book with only a few bits removed for clarity and a better cinematic story. How many years till part 2?? I really hope it gets made…!

Saw it on Thursday night. I haven’t read the book for a few years so fine detail was slightly hazy, took a minute to figure who was who.

It’s was so bloody good though. I can’t remember the last time I watched a film and immediately thought “when can I make time to go see that again”.

watched it – didn’t like it. Started off ok but actors don’t have the same presence as the original ones. The mum is ok but Duncan is terrible. Dragged on for far too long without adding anything extra too the story. The rescue of the men from the spice harvester was bland and there was a lack of grit to the whole movie. Original version was much more enjoyable to watch. Typical crap Hollywood remake.

I thought it was very good. Clearly paced for a two, maybe even three part story. Costume design was fabulous, the Emperor’s entourage especially was just amazing. Disappointed we didn’t get to see some characters that were missing from the film, but they didn’t take away from the whole , and I really just wanted to see what some-one like Villieneuve would come up with as his vision for them so it wasn’t the end of the world.

Music was great overall design was very “Villieneuve”, if you enjoyed BR2049 (which I did) you won’t be disappointed. My only criticism was it dragged a bit in the third act. My partner, who’s never read the book or seen the original or Lynch versions thought it was really good, and could follow the plot, and enjoyed it for not being  “pew pew Star Wars”

Thought it was pretty faithful to the spirit of the book.

Went to see it at the IMAX yesterday and loved it. Very reminiscent of BladeRunner 2049, but that’s not a bad thing IMO, and to be expected with same director and sound guy.
Didn’t drag at all, and like some of the comments above, I could have sat on to watch part 2.
A solid 8/10 from me.

Got to see this yesterday at a Curzon cinema – not quite IMAX standards, but not far off. Huge screen and bone-shaking sound system. Never read Dune or seen any of the previous films, so didn’t know what to expect, except a big, slow sci-fi epic. But it was far far better than that. Utterly absorbing, exciting, visually awesome, fantastic film. Loved it. Really hope the second one gets made!

Visually stunning and good effort to make it a sci-fi film. Even though they skipped the imperial conditioning plotline (which is central to how the harkonnen are able to attack arrakis) and gloss over the relevance the spice it was likely necessary in order to make the story more accesible. In order to be truer to the book you’d need a 10 episode miniseries.

Re-reading in prep, this sounds fantastic. 🙂

In order to be truer to the book you’d need a 10 episode miniseries

Yup,they then could spend more time on how cruel and devious the Baron is,the Bene Gesserit long term game plan and Paul coming to term with his power/fate.<< and that’s just the first third of the book. 🙂

We can only hope 🙂

Once again,so glad that I re-read the book before seeing it.

Watched it last night, really enjoyed. For me, this film has brought the atmosphere of the book to life. I haven’t read the book for 30 odd years, but the movie really seemed to capture how I envisaged the book. (Not seen the 80’s version).
Can’t wait for the second instalment. Will go and watch this one again soon.

In order to be truer to the book you’d need a 10 episode miniseries.

And let’s be honest, it would be as dull as ****, No one needs to know those sorts of intricate details, and I thought the film a pretty good job how telling the audience what the point of spice is, to the extent that my partner who knows nothing about the book or the Lynch film could follow what was going on easily.

I saw it yesterday at an IMAX. Thought it was as good an adaptation of the book (although it’s been years since reading it) as your gonna get at the moment. Went with the bro in law who isn’t particularly sifi geeky and although he enjoyed it, he felt it was unnecessarily long although the effects were epic.

Personally I thought it was a good mix of trying to bring big space opera type sifi to the masses, whilst staying as true as possible to the book and genre generally. Should/could make for a good continuation in future films.

My only criticism was it dragged a bit in the third act

This ^ – I thought it was all fine until just past the attack on the city, then it just dropped off a cliff. I’m sure it will make more sense when part 2 comes along, but I could have done with stronger pacing than the last 45 minutes had……

…..I could have done with a hell of a lot less of the “slo-mo, look back over the shoulder, surly 12 year old misery guts Zendiagram trying to lure/repulse white space jesus” that I’m sure is “the whole point” and more floaty Harkonnen

Those that have seen it – any good for kids (12 & 11)? Neither have read the book (or seen the lynch movie), but have seen the trailer and expressed a desire to see it. I think it’ll be too adult for them (??)

I reckon I could’ve taken my kid to see it when he was 11/12 – there’s nothing that would shock or offend. Be a far better introduction into Sci-Fi than bloody Star Wars!
Only thing that my kid would’ve struggled with is the noise! He always hated the Vue cinema’s loud bass noises and the whole film is full of that.
(Pretty sure it’s a 12A and that seems about right to me.)

Woody,have you read the book?
I think they might enjoy it more if you gave them some of the story details in advance.

I think they might enjoy it more if you gave them some of the story details in advance.

Don’t think that’s needed really. I haven’t read the book and the intro voice-over gives a decent overview of who and what’s what.
Kids can just marvel at the big ol’ space ships n that. I know I did 😀

Tried and failed to read it (like I do with a lot of sci-fi!) 😀.

Agree about the volume, I take earplugs for us all when we go to the Vue.

If they enjoy and can sit through those old big films like Ben Hur then they will enjoy it. Back story does help, like why the lack of computers / replaced by human computers etc  which wasn’t explained in the film etc….

Its essential a teenage coming of age film, something that was lost in the David lynch version, so most teens should get on with it.

I took my 13 and 14 year olds. They enjoyed it but did get a bit lost in the battle scenes, not just who was who, but also the why.

did get a bit lost in the battle scenes, not just who was who, but also the why.

Emperor decides to hand production of spice to the Atreides – so crucial to space faring and gives the controlling house massive amounts of wealth. Harkonnens wreck the ability to produce spice and Atreides have to rebuild it. Emperor sides with Harkonnens and launches attack on Atreides, wrecking production of the crucial spice even more.

I’m still trying to work it out myself! (And I read the book years ago..)

I made the mistake of buying some series box set when in Asda. I actually thought it was the original and a rebranded front cover till i got it home and discovered it was a US made series. Not the same feel to it and I gave up a couple of episodes in.
Might give it another go, maybe I was just being a bit harsh in judging it against the book and the original movie.

any good for kids (12 & 11)?

I think they might get a bit bored if I’m honest.

Its essential a teenage coming of age film

Really?  Dune is about the abuse of power that those handed unlimited control can wield and how it takes on a life of it’s own, a commentary on the “White Saviour myth” perpetrated by western culture/religion, and the destruction that colonialism, hegemony and total power brings on people. It’s not ” Paul does some growing up when Dad gets a rubbish promotion”