Four gala premieres, a very excited cast, and David Lynch at the White House with the Reagans—Dune had a lot going for it. And a lot working against it.
I would love to see the “lost” footage mentioned in this article. Would make a great expanded mini series for some streamer. I know after this flopped that a four hour version ended up in syndicated TV, but this article mentions there’s like seven hours of cut scenes!
I'm a big fan of the movie, i never understood why people didn't like it. It's a classic. One of the rare scifi that gives you this grandiose feeling of being in a big universe with lots of politics and interests everywhere. The new dune doesn't give you this feeling. The new one is generic scifi.
Not that I don't like it, but if a story is happening in the year 10.000 than the setting should be strange, esoteric, hard to comprehend. This old movie tried to do this, the new one doesn't have that.
I like both, but I agree 100% with your characterization of the original movie. The world of the distant future, and even the cultures within it, should feel utterly bizarre and occasionally incomprehensible. I love the original movie.
The old movie was a fever dream crossed with an acid trip.
Dunno about the new one being generic sci-fi. I mean, I think you're wrong but i wouldn't be able to guess how you formed that opinion so I can't begin to argue it.
When I watch a Villeneuve sci-fi it all feels very safe and respectable, like the folks involved don't want to stray too far from the source material and invite any controversy into the production or reception of the film.
It all feels very slick and clever the way advertising and marketing often does.
I enjoyed the film, but in no way did I feel like anyone involved had anything to say or any personality of their own.
When I watch a Villeneuve sci-fi it all feels very safe and respectable, like the folks involved don't want to stray too far from the source material
I mean there was at least one rather substantial change in Arrival from the Chiang short story that made it pretty different from my perspective. Wasn’t aware there was source material for 2049 beyond the screenplay. Adapting Dune is another animal to be sure. But I’m not sure about the generalization to all of Villeneuve’s sci-fi.
Well. I hate when directors come in to an already strong story and make a bunch of unnecessary changes for no reason. Watching the new Dune movie, I felt that it had been made by people who actually had an amount of respect for the source material, rather than as a vehicle for whatever "vision" they felt like shoehorning into it.
80s Dune was good and wild, it wasn't Dune.
It feels like the year 2200 not the year 10000.
I know that's strange to say. Everything is familiar, it could be another movie. When I watch it, my mind doesnt start to wonder about the back stories of people, buildings,... I don't have to use my brain, it's all there.