“DUNE” (1984) is a terrible film

I liked the film. But then I had read the book.

Best part was the Heighliner scene with the Spacing Guild creatures.

It's high camp. Played totally seriously, even when the special effects were laughable or the dialogue turgid. And Kyle MacLachlan at a young peak of beauty.

Glorious fun.

OP It gave me a headache. It's awful!

Op's water is foul and putrid

The first 30 minutes or so are a masterpiece and then it collapses into a turgid mess. But Kyle is angelically beautiful, the cast is never less than fully committed and the score is magnificent.

The first scene, where the Emperor and the Guild Navigator have their vile conversation, is still one of the the creepiest moments in science fiction film; note how planet Gedi Prime appears to be Earth with a ring and that the location of the Imperial seat appears to be Saudi Arabia.

The bizarre fashions and freakish architecture also are surprisingly convincing.

It's been decades since I've seen this film, but I always enjoyed Siân Phillips' performance, and love the character design. As for Mclachlan...I've never seen the appeal...in regard to his acting abilities or physical appearance (though his ass did look great in "Showgirls").

[quote] The first 30 minutes or so are a masterpiece and then it collapses into a turgid mess.

I agree - as soon as they get to Arrakis the film loses coherence.

The sets are steam punk city!

I think there are still brilliant tonal moments throughout, R7, but the film loses its eerie quality. And this may just be me, but the story overall seems a bit too close to purveying an theocratic-fascist ideal to be enjoyable on the face of it.

It's a better film than the current version. More fun anyway.

R10 please stop pretending you’ve seen it.

I loved the film but I was in high school and hadn’t developed any taste

I thought it was awful when I saw it. Had I not read the book many times over, I would have been completely lost.

I said in another Dune thread that this book will never be successful as a film.

LINDA HUNT (hissing): "I am the Shadout Mapes -- THE HOUSEKEEPER!"

Every single gay man in the theater I saw this in applauded that line.

We loved it back in the olden days because.

1. We could take drugs in the movie theatre.

2. One of the actors shows off his buttocks— and we were STARVED for erotica back in those olden days.

Poorly cast too.

There was scary monster which looked like a mega bowel movement in a big Victorian-style glass tank.

[quote] Poorly cast too.

I thought it was well cast, but the direction and story were lacking.

Spacing Guild

Casted

I love the name " Atreides".

I wanted to adopt as my name and I'm not in any way Greek.

The movie is confusing as fuck.

The navigator is a huge ugly vagina. Hideous.

[quote] I'm not in any way Greek.

Neither Paul nor the Duke were Greek so adopt away! For all you know you may be the first in the line of Atreides.

The voiceovers revealing the characters' thoughts were so awful. Were they in the original screenplay?

"DUNE" (1984) is a wonderful film

[quote] Neither Paul nor the Duke were Greek

The Atreides line goes back to Imperial Rome

It was worth it for the weird visuals, by 1984 standards it was top shelf stuff.

Has anyone seen the Jodorowsky Dune doc? His vision sounds insane in the best way! Salvador Dali, Mick Jagger, Udo Kier, Orson Welles, and music by Pink Floyd.

Wasn’t there a mini-series in 2000?

^

yes, starring pretty Matt Keeslar.

Of course the real star of Dune is the pug...

The film itself is appreciated for the sum of its parts not the movie itself which is a bit of a mess -but it has great camp value. I probably would never watch Villaneuve's Dune again but this I'll catch on tv if I'm in the mood.

[quote] “DUNE” (1984) is a terrible film

Of course it was terrible, it was made by that pretentious wanker named David Lynch.

Lynch is a as much a pretentious wanker as Michelangelo Antonioni.

R34 sorry but the book is lame too.

I loved the complexity of the movie— which was likely just terrible story telling, making it seem complex

Sting looked so much better with his clothes on

Interesting that the movie used so many terms that describe Afghani fighters

The imperial warship as a great Art Deco geometric triangle- what’s not to love? The visuals are outrageous.

I wanted to like it. I was going to be the one who liked it and feel all wise and superior. But it was not good. Lynch bit off more than he could chew. The special f/x were cheesy and too many looong silent sequences that were okay for Eraserhead but not this.

But: I still think it could be re-edited into a decent movie (unlike Heaven's Gate, which is hopeless).

Lynch's black comedy style clashed with sci-fi. His career took a blow and he only recovered with The Elephant Man.

[quote]It's a better film than the current version. More fun anyway.

The 1984 version is a mess but it has verve. The current one doesn't.

The current one has been seen by almost no one as it’s not out yet.

It leaked on the torrent sites over the weekend, and it's been been out overseas for weeks. Plenty of people (including me) HAVE already seen it.

R43 I’m sure….

Sorry you've already been left behind, R43. DLers have been talking about it on the other thread since the leak. I have no reason to lie to randos, but if it comforts you to think no one has seen it, go on.

Does anyone remember the TV edit (Lynch not involved), which added about 60 more minutes of footage back into the movie?

DUNE, which is the most turgid novel ever written by someone not named Ayn Rand, defeats everyone who tries to adapt it.

There's some info about alternate versions/edits at the link.

There's also a fan edit on YT with some of that footage included.

I mean, who doesn't love a levitating homosexual vampire hellbent on taking control of the known universe?

Dune was just featured at the Chicago Film Fest. The people I know who saw it (film buffs who see all the CFF films), loved it.

Not for OP.

Here's the link to the fan edit which includes the TV edits and few more scenes. The plot is a bit more coherent for those who haven't read the books or care to.

Okay, watched Dune.

It was okay. Had awesome visuals. Wasn't as miscast as I had feared. I would have done away with Chalomet and Mamoa. Mamoa should never be given a speaking part outside of a comic book movie --- he's a piss poor actor and he mumbles. Chalomet wasn't awful...just terribly one dimensional. He was the weakest compared to everyone but Mamoa.

I was hoping it would end soon about halfway through. Good first half and then it just slogged along...and this was just part 1 🥺.

Really, really weird thing and I don't think they thought this through...the Fremen are all POC so it makes Paul Atredies comes across as a white savior. 😮😂. Liat Kynes was perfectly cast though.

The perfect Dune would combine the visual elements of this and Lynch's with the script of the 2000 miniseries and more diverse Fremen.

Okay, watched Dune.

It was okay. Had awesome visuals. Wasn't as miscast as I had feared. I would have done away with Chalomet and Mamoa. Mamoa should never be given a speaking part outside of a comic book movie --- he's a piss poor actor and he mumbles. Chalomet wasn't awful...just terribly one dimensional. He was the weakest compared to everyone but Mamoa.

I was hoping it would end soon about halfway through. Good first half and then it just slogged along...and this was just part 1 🥺.

Really, really weird thing and I don't think they thought this through...the Fremen are all POC so it makes Paul Atredies comes across as a white savior. 😮😂. Liat Kynes was perfectly cast though.

The perfect Dune would combine the visual elements of this and Lynch's with the script of the 2000 miniseries and more diverse Fremen.

You forgot Sting talking to a giant vagina

I just watched it and Chalamet is terrific. His facial expressions, his tone, his ability to convey emotion through his eyes… he was great. Anyone hating on his performance is just hating to hate. Grow up. You’re old men.

[quote]You’re old men

Oh, dear.

[quote] His career took a blow and he only recovered with The Elephant Man

The Elephant Man came a year or two before Dune. Lynch bounce backed very quickly with Blue Velvet.

I watched the first 30 minutes on HBO Max and it’s a snooze. Miss Timotay Chalamet is a mumble sporting an Anne Frank hairstyle. Color me bored.

I’m liking the new one. Surprisingly. I hated the 1984 movie and find the book ridiculous

It tries to be a Star Wars but it’s a weird combination of serious and dumb action scenes. Jason Mamoa is actually the best actor in the film.

That huge blond vagina is revolting.

Shut up or I'll sue you and Whoopi and Joy.

It’s unfortunate that Timotay is so miscast. He is more frail than anyone I can think of.

Chalamet is perfectly cast. Paul is a teenager and is slight and Chalamet looks young. Ironically he and Kyle MacLachlan were both around 24 when they played Paul. I prefer Kyle but TC is closer to the book's description.

R64 Is he described as dull, lifeless, bland, monotone?

[quote] Chalamet is perfectly cast. Paul is a teenager and is slight and Chalamet looks young.

Is Paul also untalented actor, and does his hair keeps falling in his face?

Aren't you trolling the wrong thread?

[quote] Anyone hating on his performance is just hating to hate. Grow up.

That's telling 'em, Fourteen-Year-Old Girl!

I shall troll Tim-meeee on ALL threads!

Timotay is embarrassing in fight scenes or anything an athletic actor could do

R70 That walking on the sand scene is golden.