In the Shadow of DUNE (1984)
 

I think it's great that people are pumped for the new DUNE movie, but the reference point is now, and for the rest of our lives shall be, Lynch's beautiful train wreck of a film. In the same way that Dracula (1931) put an iconic stamp on the story, so has the '84 film. In a way, it is now the source material (especially visually) for the story.

Thus, what we see have seen, and will see, is a replication, amplification, modification, or inversion of Lynch. This is true in the sense of the actual genetic influence of the film (i.e., filmmakers working from it as a reference point for invention) and also in the sense of its evaluation (i.e., the critical and popular reception of the film).

The 1984 film, for example, features a Guild agent stating "The Spice must flow" as an imperative in an expository "secret report." This line would be featured in EON's 1991 dance track The Spice (on the Void Dweller album). This was a sort of "call." The Sci-Fi network would offer a response in the high school theater-quality production of DUNE with Paul Atriedes announcing "The Spice will NOT flow" to the Guild and the Emperor in the mini-series in the year 2000 (when we all had flying cars! I mean ornithopters!).

If Villeneuve's careful, respectful treatment of Blade Runner indicates anything it is that we can expect his DUNE to be different, but in a manner that is a response to Lynch. If anything, I think Blade Runner 2049 failed because it failed to cut its own trail. And I suspect that the new film will likely fail for the same reason.

Re: In the Shadow of DUNE (1984)
 

Good OP, Corax. Even though I read Dune before I seen the movie and then I read all of Frank Herbert's Dune series novels, in my mind Dune is the world that David Lynch showed us...It's ingrained in my mind and I doubt any other vision of Dune can (to me) look like anything but a knock off. It's like two strikes against the new Dune before it even gets viewed. I'm not even excited for it, but still I hope it does something special enough to warrant the Dune brand label.

I agree with the basic premise, but I'll never consider BR49 a failure. Not many sequels can perfectly capture the essence of the original. That's something Villeneuve even beat Cameron at concerning Scott sequels.

Re: In the Shadow of DUNE (1984)
 

Do you consider "Children of Dune" to be better than the lynch version?


I'm also excited about "the many saints of newark", i might see that in theatres...

I think SciFi got their act together for that miniseries. It was a great improvement over the first entry. I see it as very much in the orbit of the Lynch film. It is definitely worth a watch, IMO.

That stated, the Lynch film seemed to come out of nowhere. And as much as it confused and disappointed original theater audiences, it made an indelible mark. We were transported into this very weird universe. It wasn't just "Truckers in Space" (ALIEN) or "Swashbucklers in Space" (Star Wars). There was a depth to the original film, especially in those magnificent sets and costumes, that made those bizarre lines people were saying seem "real." It was, in its own way, iconic.

The book is very different from the film, isn't it? I have tended to think of the Lynch version as being an "official history" propaganda piece which views Paul through the eyes of a "true believer" (I mean, the dude can make it rain by wishing it). The book is this wonderful ecological, economic, and sociological story. It's like Fernand Braudel's The Mediterranean made into fiction and set in space. The book is also very clear about the exploitational relationship between various parties (and this becomes even clearer in the later books). Even so, I am in the same boat as you. When I reread the book, I cannot help but have flashes from the '84 film pop into my head. Lady Jessica for me, for example, is Francesca Annis. Perhaps this is a weakness of my own imagination? Even so, I also think this reflects the power of Lynch's vision on film.

I also hope that the new film surprises (in a good way). People spent decades claiming that it was unfilmable (Jodorowsky's Dune surely was), but I think that HBO could make a good miniseries of the original book.

When will someone finally adapt the best book in the series, God Emperor?

Re: In the Shadow of DUNE (1984)
 

I've grown to really like Lynch's Dune. There's so much about it that clicks aesthetically that the fact that it's silly and hard to follow (although less so on a rewatch) is easy to look past.

Re: In the Shadow of DUNE (1984)
 

An Example: "Call and Response"



In 1984 we get a grotesque depiction of the Baron reveling in covering himself in dark fluid


https://external-content.duckduckgo....6pid%3DApi&f=1

The 20201 trailer teases a similar image. The only difference is that the Baron is submerged rather than taking pleasure in having equipment drip all over him.



https://external-content.duckduckgo....6pid%3DApi&f=1


There is no mention in the original book of the Baron enjoying basking in motor oil.



We're in the orbit of Lynch's vision here.

Re: In the Shadow of DUNE (1984)
 

Sting in speedos!

An amusing story. You likely already know it, but I cannot help but share it.



https://youtu.be/Fb_LO7gJo-4

I'm glad you posted that. The 180 minute version of Dune I've just watched doesn't include that scene (it just cuts straight away when the black fluid starts to pour.) This seems to be one of those films that exists in many different forms. The longer version also has a 5 minute prologue that not only details the universe Dune exists in, but then goes on to describe the plot of the first two-thirds of the film itself - which is unusual to say the least.

I loved the visual style though - that's something that comes across in any version.

From another Dune thread...

I reckon I'll enjoy it.

I hadn't heard this one. Patrick Stewart has the best stories.

Re: In the Shadow of DUNE (1984)
 

I also only can recommend the original Lynch theatrical version. The other version is a hack job, even if it does impart more back story and information to a new Dune viewer.

The sleeper has awakened!

Re: In the Shadow of DUNE (1984)
 

Spice Driver Edit in 4K. Too crisp not to share. This is the cut of DUNE we didn't get in '84.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faHQA_0d9Mo

Re: In the Shadow of DUNE (1984)
 

Thanks for posting that link to Dune Spice Driver Edit in 4K. Have you watched it? If so, are scene sequences re-edited in a different order? About the extra material have you viewed that? I'm wondering where they would get access to that? Probably from a Dune (1984) BluRay extra features?

Easily my favorite cut of this film at this point. Now I must watch this 4K version!

Yes, it's stitched together from deleted scenes and incomplete scenes. It's pretty much in the same order as the original.