A trip through the Dunes

Sat through a viewing of Dune, both the David Lynch 1984 version and the Sci-Fi TV mini-series version. Must be the influence of being in LA and I mean far inland LA (an hour from UCLA, LA) where for the most part it's the dry arid suburbs.

Each of the versions have their own pluses and minuses. I don't think it's possible to really do a movie of Dune, unless it becomes a Lord of the Rings type endeavor/obsession.

I had watched the 1984 movie before reading the book. It actually makes less sense if you've read the book prior to watching. I picked Dune up later at a garagesale for 50 cents. Garage sales are great places for books. It seemed like everyone was trying to get rid of it as every other sale had a copy.

Sci-Fi channel does stay with Herbert's writing much more than Lynch's version, but it has a tendency to drag it out (it was a miniseries afterall which covers 3 DVDs). I also like how they bring out more of the culture of these people, particularly the Fremin as this desert culture. Real life news events of the Middle East readily come to mind as Other Worlders battle and struggle over the Spice, a commodity essential for space travel. The acting though feels more like a soap opera than epic cinema. I also like how they interpret the story along the lines of how the women behind the great men have played their role in this history, specifically the concubine loves, Lady Jessica and Chani. Even the Emperor's daughter, who is merely a narrator in the Lynch version, takes on a greater role in diagramming the true Harkonen plot.

Though the Lynch version is like a cliff notes version of Dune (how else can you get it in one movie), and it ends on a strange beat that only makes sense if you've read the book, the characters are more engaging and the overall production quality is better even though it's 16 years older than the Sci-Fi version. After watching full length of the mini-series, you start to think that excessive mental thought voice-overs are not a bad thing. Besides it illicits 80s nostalgia with Toto doing the musical score and a very fine, fit young Sting as the Harkonen nephew, Feyd. Patrick Stewart, who finds his way into all sorts of sci-fi cult roles, is in it too as loyal Guerney. Besides nothing is creepier than Paul's little sister with Bene Gesserit mother knowledge doing that special voice that invades people's minds. It's better than a Jedi mind trick.