Author Topic: Dune: Book, Movie, Miniseries. (Read 12828 times)

Feanor Fire Heart · « **on:** May 01, 2015, 04:13:38 PM »

Dune. Frank Herbert inspired George Lucas's Star Wars, Games Workshop's Warhammer 40,000, as well as other scifi and fantasy stories with his novel about a Duke's son on a vital desert planet.

I remember being a little boy back in the 90s and seeing the cover art for the movie in blockbuster and wanted to see it but never got a chance to. While staying at my sister's place for a week, her and her husband put in their DVD of the miniseries and had me watch a chapter a day for 3 days. I was just amazed and sucked in by the end of the first of 3 movie chapters. by the end of the third day I was mystified by this unique universe. After watching the miniseries in I then picked up the movie to see how it is. After they crash the thopter I just have to turn it off. I just couldn't get into it. The characters and cinematography was just too weird. I introduced Dr. Fiancée to Dune about a year ago by watching the mini series. She just loved it! When we finished, BBC just so happened to be showing the movie the very next morning. We caught it at the beginning, but again by the time of the thopter crash we were just sick of it. Even with Picard there it was just unbearable. I finally got around to reading the book last summer and thought it was amazing and the miniseries was quite close to the source material.

I do know that the movie has a cult following. The Nostalgic Chick did a review of it back in 2010 or so. She voiced her opinion, largely negative, and received a huge backlash from the movie fans. So bad that she removed the video and put up a new video apologizing. When I try to search the internet for gifs or pictures of the Dune miniseries, they are so few and even if I type "miniseries" I am still flooded with movie gifs and pictures. It has lead me to believe that most people prefer the movie over the miniseries, and perhaps I am just in the minority. I posted an "unpopular opinion puffin" on imgur saying I prefer the miniseries over the movie and was surprised that it was not an unpopular opinion at all.

One of these days I would love to try to give the movie another chance and then perhaps make a youtube video comparing the movie with the miniseries. I was shocked to see that there isn't any already! I would talk about who has the better costumes, character portrayals, overarching story, special effects, etc. Still trying to figure out how I want to do this but wouldn't mind getting some outside input here on their thoughts of all 3 depictions of Dune.

Long story short what is your opinion on the book, the movie, and the miniseries of the beloved universe of Dune?

Midaski · « **Reply #1 on:** May 01, 2015, 05:32:13 PM »

I saw the film when it came out and really liked it, but never read the book or saw the mini-series.

Let's not forget it was 1984 and cinema and the special effects have come a long way since them. It had some stellar actors in the cast too.
David Lynch always had a slightly weird slant on anything he did.
I watched Twin Peaks as well.

After both of those, I found it quite hard taking Kyle MacLachlan seriously in Sex and the City, or the other notable movie on his resume - "Showgirls"

It was also the first film I remember with the clichéd "Choose which hole to put your hand down" which also happened in Flash Gordon, and the was it "The Scorpion King"?

Gneisenau · « **Reply #2 on:** May 01, 2015, 09:59:33 PM »

When I watched the movie for the first time I thought it was rubbish. I was young and just didn't "get it", what with the fat flying man, people killing each other by belching, Captain Picard shouting angrily while stroking a pug, and an extremely hot Virginia Madsen narrating the intro and never being seen again. The Toto theme was awesome though.

I still think it is largely rubbish. But some parts and some scenes are really well done, and it looks very good at times.

Padre · « **Reply #3 on:** May 01, 2015, 10:12:48 PM »

I read the books before the film came out. Loved the books, and when I saw the film, back then, enjoyed it. There were cheesy moments that didn't work, but the rest was good. For its time. Twin Peaks, however, I thought for years was the best tv ever made. IMO Lynch can get it right. And Lynch is always memorable - even people who don't like his stuff seem to remember it well.

S.O.F · « **Reply #4 on:** May 02, 2015, 01:10:51 AM »

I've done book and film, at least for the orignal, and it feels that while both are quite different they work and make sense. I've not watched much of the Dune mini-series which iirc is the second book before the big book 3 reveal...just something never been interested in.

I do like that the biggest straight homage in 40k is that AI war,,,not the whole sad lame galaxy problem under a creepy Emperor (Golden chair is better than Worm-man really).

Feanor Fire Heart · « **Reply #5 on:** May 02, 2015, 01:50:40 AM »

Quote from: S.O.F on May 02, 2015, 01:10:51 AM

I've not watched much of the Dune mini-series which iirc is the second book before the big book 3 reveal...just something never been interested in.

There are 2 mini series. The first one is just the original book Dune and has William Hurt as Duke Leto. The second miniseries is like 2-3 of the sequel books that come after the original book and stars James Macvoy. I liked the first but the second got very weird...and incesty...

basically the first miniseries is the movie but more indepth.

*cough * Part 1 *cough*

shavixmir · « **Reply #6 on:** May 02, 2015, 09:53:02 AM »

I saw the film when it first came out.
Sting's in it, isn't he?
Everything he touches turns to crap.

Karl Voss of Averland · « **Reply #7 on:** May 02, 2015, 04:02:15 PM »

Not in the mood? Mood's a thing for cattle and loveplay, not fighting!

Gankom · « **Reply #8 on:** May 02, 2015, 04:07:13 PM »

I've read the book and saw the first film. I watch it every few years usually. I like it and from I remember wasn't it a pretty big deal at the time in regards to special effects?

I've actually been looking for the mini series for awhile (The first one you mentioned Feanor) to give it a try. Dune is right up their in classic sci fi for me so more the merrier.

I liked Patrick steward in the movie, and generally thought it was pretty good. I watched it before I read the book the first time, and some parts can get a bit confusing that's for sure.

Grutch · « **Reply #9 on:** May 05, 2015, 01:50:10 AM »

Dune was brought to me through the Lynch film. As a young artistic teen, I loved the strange costumes, characters, and universe. There are plenty of documentaries out there covering the production of the Lynch film and I believe given more money for the FX budget, some edits of various scenes, it could have been a true masterpiece. In the end it was a personal defeat for Lynch who struggled with De Laurentis and Studio to get the film made in Herbert's vision.

I quickly read the book after the movie came out and mused how Lynch could have portrayed more hand to hand knife and sword fighting and how Paul and Jessica taught the fremen Bene Gesserit melee techniques. How did the sleek bird like Ornithopter get portrayed as a flying brick with some sculpted eagle wings glued on? They really couldn't squeeze more money to get the fold space scene done right? The casting is actually top notch in the film with exception to Richard Jordan as Duncan Idaho. Though he was a skilled actor, he was not a good fit for the dashing swarthy charming man who Duncan Idaho is in the book.

I have read the entire series painted works of art in relation to dune and even made a stilsuit out of old used wetsuits one haloween (it was torture to wear it for more than an hour). I love Dune through and through.

patsy02 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 05, 2015, 02:27:27 AM »

Quote

Ornithopter get portrayed as a flying brick with some sculpted eagle wings glued on

Beautiful

Gankom · « **Reply #11 on:** May 05, 2015, 04:30:30 AM »

Coming to a Warhammer 40k game near you soon.

patsy02 · « **Reply #12 on:** May 05, 2015, 04:41:02 AM »

Not enough skulls.

valmir · « **Reply #13 on:** May 07, 2015, 06:44:40 AM »

Quote from: patsy02 on May 05, 2015, 04:41:02 AM

Not enough skulls.

That's for GW to add. It's where the IP comes from.

Gneisenau · « **Reply #14 on:** May 07, 2015, 08:30:42 PM »

Didn't work against Blizzard though...

patsy02 · « **Reply #15 on:** May 08, 2015, 09:39:27 AM »

Please, Warhammer 40k is such a ripoff from Starcraft.

Blizzard should just sue GW and get their IP back.

Syphon · « **Reply #16 on:** June 09, 2015, 04:37:26 PM »

I read the series up to the point where Paul's twins decided they shouldn't need each other anymore and act like they weren't even twins. At that point I yelled "DONE!" and threw away the book. Good thing I did, based on the shenanigans with one of them becoming a sandworm and starting a cult of fishwomen or something.

Gneisenau · « **Reply #17 on:** June 09, 2015, 09:15:43 PM »

Quote from: Syphon on June 09, 2015, 04:37:26 PM

At that point I yelled "DONE!" and threw away the book.

It's called "DUNE".

Syphon · « **Reply #18 on:** June 10, 2015, 08:30:18 AM »

How dare you mock my speech impediment >(

Feanor Fire Heart · « **Reply #19 on:** November 22, 2016, 12:02:50 AM »

Legendary Pictures have acquired the film rights to Frank Herbert's Dune as of today.
http://variety.com/2016/film/news/legendary-dune-frank-herbert-1201923648/

Warlord · « **Reply #20 on:** November 22, 2016, 12:30:04 AM »

Interesting!

I saw the movie for the first time earlier this year.
It was... interesting. Some good concepts, some good execution, some poor. I haven't touched Dune in any other way though - keen to see what legandary do with it.

BAWTRM · « **Reply #21 on:** November 22, 2016, 08:19:05 AM »

Legendary Pictures eh? I guess we'll have to...............................wait for it.

Grutch · « **Reply #22 on:** November 22, 2016, 08:30:40 AM »

Please Guillermo del Toro, please oh pretty please direct this project.

Zach Snyder, stay the fuck away! Go shoot another Frank Miller film.

Brad · « **Reply #23 on:** November 22, 2016, 09:44:09 AM »

I read the book as a teenager and found it incredibly dull. Never bothered with any film or television adaptations.

Aldaris · « **Reply #24 on:** November 22, 2016, 09:56:36 AM »

I actually liked the David Lynch version. Kind of. What there was of it. The visual style impressed me a lot, it was weird and unique enough to get the setting across in a very memorable way.

Will be interesting to see if they can pull off a decent new movie that has the visuals, but also manages to convey the setting and story.

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Author Topic: Dune: Book, Movie, Miniseries. (Read 12828 times)