DUNE 2021

[Crazy Anglican]

Since this just came out here in the US. I was wondering how many of you saw it and what your thoughts were.

[Octavious]

It's no Salvador Dali

[Crazy Anglican]

Nor was it another David Lynch, luckily.

[TheFlyingBoat]

It works decently as an accompaniment to the book. Cinematography is impressive given how undeniably visually stunning it is, but they kind of lopped off the most important parts. The political intrigue and world-building is the core of the book and they cut off huge parts of it, including some parts that drastically alter character development and character's interpretations of what had happened and what ought to happen. It seemed to me they also did Jessica dirty in the way they portrayed her which was rather unfortunate. Was a lot stronger of a character in the book. C'est la vie. Fun watch, good enough if you can fill the holes yourself with what you know should happen. I think it would be a poor introduction for anyone who has yet to read the books.

[AnimalsCS]

Went with my partner to see it over the weekend (Timothee Chalamet is an easy selling point for a lot of people). Agree with TheFlyingBoat's critiques, except for the part about it being bad for someone who hasn't read the books. My partner, despite not having read Dune, enjoyed it quite a bit and might be interested in reading the book now. I don't think they would have even considered it if not for the movie.

[TheFlyingBoat]

Went with my partner to see it over the weekend (Timothee Chalamet is an easy selling point for a lot of people). Agree with TheFlyingBoat's critiques, except for the part about it being bad for someone who hasn't read the books. My partner, despite not having read Dune, enjoyed it quite a bit and might be interested in reading the book now. I don't think they would have even considered it if not for the movie.

Oh that's awesome. I am glad to hear they are interested in reading the books. I figured without any explanation of what the Landsraad is, why things are happening the way they are politically, and very little clarity about who the Bene Gesserit are or their powers newcomers would be lost, but I am glad that isn't the case, at least not for them. Hopefully a good sign for green lighting Part 2 :D

[TheFlyingBoat]

Oops looks like I missed the fact they announced it 26 mins ago. DUNE PART 2 BABY!!!!!

[tuzongyu]

I loved the stunning visuals, sounds, and music. Definitely doesn't do the depth of the books justice in terms of exposition, politics, the factions, the technologies - but what can you do onscreen? They improvement vs 1984 in how they approached the different factions with much greater nuance and depth was a huge contrast. The Sardaukar training world left a great impression on me and set the stage nicely for their brutality. Giedi's dark and cold aesthetic again showed a much more nuanced view of the coldness of the Harkonnen. The emptiness of Arrakeen from above had great parallels to the emptiness of the desert and its hidden sietches. Looking forward to part 2!!

[boylee]

Agreed with the rest of you here. Looks and feels awesome with decent casting. It doesn't capture the depth of the book, but that's true for any adaptation. I also thought it'd be a good entrance into the world of Dune for someone who hasn't read the books, although they might feel cheated by the (lack of) ending. Yet, not every movie needs to end in an epic battle, so I didn't mind that either.

[swordsman3003]

I'm going to see it a second time! and it got everyone talking to me about Dune which is cool

[Crazy Anglican]

So who do you want to see playing Feyd?

[A_Tin_Can]

It's a good story, but if you want the full context you really need to have seen the prequel, Spice World.

[Octavious]

I will face Spice World .
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where Spice World has gone there will be nothing. Zig-a-zig-ah.

[Crazy Anglican]

Ah, so that's the planet the Spice Girls came from. Good to know.

[LeonWalras]

You're walking in the deep desert
There's no one around and your thumper is dead
Out of the corner of your eye you spot him
Shia-Hulud

[Foxcastle]

He's burrowing behind you
about thirty feet back
He emerges from the sand and surges forward
He's gaining on you
Shia-Hulud

[boylee]

So who do you want to see playing Feyd?

I feel like they shouldn't even have Feyd-Rautha. I think Dave Bautista works well as the main muscle antagonist for Part 2. Conjuring up another character only to dispose of Rabban so unceremoniously as the book did would not be as good as just using the character they already introduced.

[dargorygel]

So who do you want to see playing Feyd?

Sting

[Octavious]

In a tribute to Jodorowsky's attempt in the 1970s, one of the characters is reportedly played by Banksy

[Crazy Anglican]

So who do you want to see playing Feyd?

I feel like they shouldn't even have Feyd-Rautha. I think Dave Bautista works well as the main muscle antagonist for Part 2. Conjuring up another character only to dispose of Rabban so unceremoniously as the book did would not be as good as just using the character they already introduced.

That’s an interesting idea, and I could see it as a choice that could reasonably be made. I think it would take away from the conspiracy of the story, but as has been said so often before. You can’t make an adaptation of this novel and keep all of the depth of plot and world building the Herbert put into it. Feyd is an off world character for the most part, and unless the next movie spends some considerable time on Geidi Prime (perhaps like part one did on Caladan) it might be hard to make Feyd anything more than just another Harkonnen who gets killed in the resolution of the plot.

It might have been in this thread, but I read somewhere the observation “If you imagine Paul as a sadistic serial killer, then you have Feyd.” Feyd was supposed to be Paul’s (if Jessica had born him as a daughter) husband to unite the bloodlines of the Hakonnen and Atreidies. Beast Rabban can’t really fill the role of Paul’s equal because he isn’t part of the entire scheme. That is explicitly shown in the first scene where he is told, “Don’t be too sure it’s an act of love.” He the has to ask, “what does he mean?”, Rabban is there on Dune as an instrument of coercion only. Dave Bautista, as Rabban, does a great job in that scene showing the outrage and wrath of a tyrant, but he’s clearly a tool in the baron’s hands. So, it becomes a question of do you show the baron grooming Rabban or Feyd to handle the intrigue of life as a baron of the landsraad?