Dune: The Remake

[Listener]

So I saw Dune: The Remake when it came out on the Sci Fi channel in 2000-ish and while I enjoyed it, I didn't think it was as good as the original David Lynch version.

I just bought the DVD of Dune: The Remake.  It was on sale ($7 for three DVDs with like 12 bonus features).  I watched it, and then I watched Dune: The Original.

And I changed my mind.

The Original had a lot more of the interesting inner thoughts that were good in the book, and it spent more time with the Mentats and Dr Yueh.

The Remake had none of the Weirding Guns (voice weapons) -- the Weirding Way was more of a martial arts form.  The Mentats were less important, and the only part of the story that didn't do it for me was Yueh's betrayal of the Atriedes.  Even in The Original, we knew that Yueh had had Imperial Conditioning and was tough to break.

But The Remake did have a lot of great European actors -- in fact, I think the only American on the cast was William Hurt.

Because The Remake is about 5 hours long, there's enough time to get into all the minor characters -- Feyd, the Baron, the Emperor, Princess Irulan (aka: Virginia Madsen's Head in the original), and we also learn that Paul is not as bloodthirsty as he seemed in the "Long Live The Fighters" sequence of The Original -- at least, not at first.

The Original is a classic, no doubt about it, but if you've got the time, I prefer the remake.  $7.50/$10 for general moviegoers, $8.50/$10 for Dune fans.

Oh, and The Remake also has boobies, if you get the DVD.  For those of you into that sort of thing.  They're most noticeable amidst a field of man-ass in the scene where Paul & Jessica are first taken in by Stilgar and his people.

[Beefy]

I used to have that on DVD.  I agree it satisfies more in a way because it is able to address the subject matter more at length.  Unfortunately, what ended up being the deal breaker for me was that it just didn't compel as entertainment like the Lynch version did.  It was far more lifeless to me, even though I was excited to see them get more of the story in.

I think the actors were great, the special effects were decent, and that under the creative umbrella of the right writer and director, it could have been a home run.

I didn't bother to watch Children of Dune.  When I heard they were smooshing two books together, I couldn't bear it.

I still think the worlds Herbert created would be greater for long format viewing, like TV shows, that really have time to explore the politics and action and weirdness of it all.

[Listener]

I used to have that on DVD.  I agree it satisfies more in a way because it is able to address the subject matter more at length.  Unfortunately, what ended up being the deal breaker for me was that it just didn't compel as entertainment like the Lynch version did.  It was far more lifeless to me, even though I was excited to see them get more of the story in.

I think the actors were great, the special effects were decent, and that under the creative umbrella of the right writer and director, it could have been a home run.

I didn't bother to watch Children of Dune.  When I heard they were smooshing two books together, I couldn't bear it.

I still think the worlds Herbert created would be greater for long format viewing, like TV shows, that really have time to explore the politics and action and weirdness of it all.

I didn't even realize that Children of Dune had already aired.  I have only read the first Dune book, but if I see Children of Dune on the sale rack at the DVD store, I may get it just to see if I might be interested in buying the books.

I checked out Children of Dune from my HS library almost a decade ago, right after I finished (and enjoyed) Dune.  But I couldn't get into it, and returned it.

[ursus]

Maybe Peter Jackson is looking for a new project?

[Beefy]

Maybe Peter Jackson is looking for a new project?

He's producing the HALO movie and directing The Lovely Bones next.

[ursus]

Maybe Peter Jackson is looking for a new project?

He's producing the HALO movie and directing The Lovely Bones next.

That was meant as humor, Beef.