Amazingly boring Ok, the special effects are great for the time this movie was made, but that's really all this movie has going for it. I am most disappointed by having to give this a full star rating. The plot is mechanical with a lame voice-over back story. The characters shallow and lacking any legitimate motivations or redeeming quality. Honestly, I can't see what all the hype is about.
A story too complex for a standard movie The novel Dune is far too complex to be compressed into the standard 2 or 3 hour movie.
However, David Lynch has in fact successfully managed to summarize not only the basic story concept, but accurately captured the essence and spirit of the characters, the settings, and general atmosphere as depicted in Frank Herbert's most excellent book. The well-crafted soundtrack also greatly enhances this very worthy depiction, and a striking soundtrack can sometimes make all the difference for a film.
Some purely cinematic improvisations were added in order to make an attempt to sell the film to the audience of the time (the use of sonic-enhanced energy weapons, etc.). This will be noted by erudite fans of Mr. Herbert's writing, but the end result was in fact fully endorsed by the author himself. As Herbert's stories are generally more inclined to be of the most intellectual aspects of science-fiction, they are not easily condensed into simple action-oriented features such as Star Wars and Star Trek.
Dune...is merely chapter one in a series of ongoing novels, a tale of human evolution and human potential. Interweaving aspects such as theology, ecology, political and military science, Dune was a book which actually needed a mini-series in order to put everything into perspective. This was finally done in 2000, but it lacks the power that Lynch's visually spectacular film presented.
David Lynch was right!?! Well after reading several reviews from people who had great intentions and obviously are Dune fans, I have to tell you ... on my copy of this movie which I bought last month(extended version) it also has the original movie on one side of the double sided disk... Boy did I get lucky!!... David Lynch was right not to put his name to the extended version...that being said I am glad I bought this dvd ... it still has great value with the original movie on it... One thing the original has is the flavor if you will of the book... having read the book first there is a mystic quality ... its like reading the bible....there is this general acceptance of events in a mystical fashion that makes the original movie true to the book...if you didn't read the book you may be missing that quality and the extended version might really work for you. Lord of the Rings was the same way.. there was plenty missing from the book content of the series but Jackson was true to the flavor .. the mystic quality of the books. We saw the same thing with the movie Wing Commander... Chris Roberts was true to the original writing for the PC games, yet, if you had never played the games you might have looked at the movie from a much different perspective. The original Dune Movie has this Mystic quality .... the material is doled before you to give you these feelings and the feelings guide you through the story. This Story is a Messianic journey, a mystical tale, the book reflects that tone and so does the original movie. Knowing that,had I made the original movie, I certainly would not have put my name on the extended version, however, there are plenty of fans of the original movie that have never read the book! David Lynch was right!?! I think it is a matter of perspective.. but, I'm sure glad they put the theatrical edition on the flip side of the disk.. whew!! I gave this 4 stars...I also still play the PC games.. Dune 2(Dos) and Dune 2000 and I loved the book series.Dune (Extended Edition)
The extended version is the better of the two. The 2 hour 17 minute theatrical version is awful, compared to the 2 hour 57 extended version.
The main reason is that the theatrical version contains a scene which you do not want to watch, for it is sickening. It is a scene depicting the abuse of a boy by a man. It is a scene of R_obert A_lpha P_epper E_dward. Why other reviewers would speak fondly of the theatrical version, I do not know. For it is sickening.
The extended version however, has redeeming qualities, for what it leaves out, and what is added.
Most interesting is the character Paul Atreides, who comes across as a Princess in the form of a young man. He is treated like a princess by his father, and the other male guardians appointed him.
If you think about it, a princess is educated, tutored. She might also be taught all manners of self-defense. This is how Paul Atreides is brought up. He is taught that he is weak, and must defend himself.
A "prince" on the other hand, might be taught war, to be aggressive, how to rule over others, how to kill his enemies, etc. But this is not Paul's fate. He is the son of a Benajezzerite, a female being with extraordinary mental and psychic abilities.
Paul is taught fem-think: That the fate of males is to end up as slaves, ever-warring with each other and engaging in acts of commerce and engineering, all to build palaces for females, who shall keep their distance from them. Paul is a curious blend of male and female, able to see his own uniqueness, and the possibility of a brotherhood, a coalition of males with feminine virtues, such as co-operation. Other males serve him out of love, and not fear, as if he was a daughter to be prized. When Paul meets the Reverend Mother, he is not afraid of her, as most males would be. His mother is unique, for she has not been able to keep her distance from his father, but because she fell in love with him, chose to bare a son in defiance of the sisterhood. Her love towards her son, is a mother's love towards a daughter. Hence, both his father and his mother raise him up as a princess, and he shall become the ultimate prince. Ironically, when Paul meets his wife, literally the woman of his dreams, he meets a woman who is a soldier, loyal to her tribe. But the way she says "tribe" it sounds like she will defend them out of pride, but acknowledges that they are a bunch of hicks. She has been raised, as a boy might be raised.
The males in this age have been brought up differently, to be soldiers, artisans, rulers of other men, etc. Whereas generation after generation of females have been taught the "Weirding Way". They have evolved on a spiritual scale unknown to males, save for Paul. The Benajezzerite sisterhood are upset with Paul's mother, for she was to only give birth to a daughter. And now they fear that an ancient prophecy may have been fulfilled, and ponder the implication that Paul Atreides might be the universe's "super-being".
The Judeo-Christian references are apparent throughout. Upon the earth, a woman chooses her man, and not the other way around. For a man feels a NEED for a woman, whereas she may only WANT him if he is useful. This is true because the woman was created FOR the man, and not the other way around. In the Bible, only two women are said to have LOVED males, Rachel and Michal. And their love is a similitude of another woman's love for a male. The Church is the Body of Christ. And Holy Mary is Our Mother.
When a man looks at a woman, he is looking into a mirror. For the man was created in the image of God. The woman represents what he was not able to see before she was created. The Lord Jesus said, You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you. Orthodox Jews believe that God has a feminine side, but that you are not to look in this direction. The soul of the Lord Jesus is male. Whereas our souls are female. The Church is the Bride of Christ. A man, and a woman, both have a female soul, but their fleshly nature demands that they play a part, and in so doing, a similitude is created. The relationship between a man and a woman, in love with each other, is a similitude of the relationship between Christ and the Church. If a man is not forgiving towards his wife, should the Lord Jesus Christ forgive him his sins. Women are judged by a different standard than men, for they are the weaker sex. They are weak, for a woman will have power over a man who desires her. The man in the garden hearkened to the woman's voice.
(In this movie, Paul has been taught by his mother, how to use THE VOICE. A man's soul is female: See, Psalm 34:2, KJV. The effeminate shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Males who sing, uncover themselves, revealing their feminine side. I once saw a photograph by Helmut Newton, depicting these women on a cat walk, wearing only high heels. It was an amazing photograph, for they gave the appearance of being covered, because of their attitude. There are other holy mysteries hinted at in this movie. So many, you might wonder if the actors did not commit blasphemy. Perhaps it is best to think of this movie as a sermon you might receive, if you were foolish enough to drop a lot of acid before going to a Billy Graham get-together.)
Why did God create the woman? Was it so that the man would no longer be alone? Per chance he would fall in love. And by falling in love, better understand God. God is Love.
Again, you don't want to see the shorter, extended version. It is horrible, and horrific. I recommend scratching that side, so you won't have to see it accidently.
One of my favourite lines is near the end of the film, when Paul says, "Give the Harkonnen, a blade". The way the actor who played Paul said that, makes me laugh. For it sounds like something a "super-model" might say to an enemy of hers, as in, "It would please me greatly if this girl would shave my legs". Paul, underneath that male flesh, is a lesbian dominatrix. He sees that the other males are doomed, and that it is his inheritance to rule over the females. As the Dune prophecy suggests, "He who controls the spice, controls the universe". The female population, is the true spice, but the other males chased after that which is earthly, they worshipped narcotics, committing idolatry. They drank from the well-water the world had to offer. But they who choose the life of the world, die. But Paul is different. He has immunity. The life of the world is death. And when he drinks that potion, he does not die. Paul, the son of a Benajezzarite, escaped the hell that befell the other males of Dune. He did so, because of his royal bloodline. His mental prowess gave him a kind of immunity. My other favourite line is, "And we will kill until no Harkonnen breathes Arkinian air". Is it not the dream of every Israelite to see the whole of the earth be rid of the enemies of Israel, once and for all? It was the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Don't watch the theatrical version. It was really bad. The extended version, was really good. Nevertheless, judging from the what the other reviewers wrote, not everybody understands what this movie is really about. And if you can read this review, why not study the Bible instead? Movies are like wine. A little wine now and then is OK, but you really want to stay sober. Stay Real.
THE BEST. THIS MOVIE IS GREAT. NOTE: IT IS LONG, SO YOU NEED A LITTLE PATIENCE. THE ACTING IS THE BEST. GREAT PLOT. GREAT COSTUMES ETC.... IT DOES HAVE SOME GREAT COMBAT AND ACTION SCENES AND SOME GREAT SUSPENSE. THE STORY IS LONG. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A BUNCH OF BLOOD AND GUTS, THIS IS PROBABLY TOO INTELLECTUALLY COMPLICATED FOR YOUR TASTES. THE FIRST TIME I WATCHED IT, I THOUGHT IT WAS OK. I WATCHED IT A SECOND TIME THE VERY NEXT DAY. I LOVED IT. WHY, I UNDERSTOOD THE PLOT AND DETAILS DURING THE 2ND VIEWING.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
