Topic: Dune: Book, Movie, Miniseries. (Read 18786 times)

sitnspin · « **Reply #50 on:** 24 Apr 2020, 09:49 »

Teenagers are difficult to work with on a movie set. There are all kinds of rules and laws when it comes to working with minors that make shooting a film with them as a main character troublesome. It is also difficult to find teenage actors with the amount of experience casting directors are usually looking for. There is also the added problem, in case you are doing a franchise or series, of how fast they age.

Tova · « **Reply #51 on:** 24 Apr 2020, 19:00 »

Taika Waititi seems to have a knack for successfully casting young actors into his excellent films.

They could have shot both films now if they were concerned about aging actors.

On the other hand, I doubt that Timothée Chalamet gets into many pubs or bars without being challenged to show ID. So I don't think his casting is totally inappropriate.

Akima · « **Reply #52 on:** 05 May 2020, 18:17 »

Quote from: sitnspin on 24 Apr 2020, 09:49

Teenagers are difficult to work with on a movie set.

The Harry Potter movies demonstrate that these problems are manageable.

hedgie · « **Reply #53 on:** 05 May 2020, 18:36 »

And there are some directors who are quite able to work well with young people, and get amazing performances. Look at the Swedish films "We Are The Best", and "Fucking Åmal", for example.

sitnspin · « **Reply #54 on:** 05 May 2020, 20:42 »

The problems are obviously not insurmountable, but given the option it is unsurprising that most productions would rather avoid them altogether when possible.

Case · « **Reply #55 on:** 06 May 2020, 03:11 »

Quote from: LeeC on 14 Apr 2020, 16:32

The books was notorious for leaving out details on how people were dressed and what things looked like (maybe an offhanded comment on Paul having black hair like his fathers), but I do remember they said that house Atreides uniforms/clothes were black and their symbol was a red hawk. Looks like they got the black down. Plus some battle armor is a cool idea considering melee combat is a thing. I am also really digging these stillsuits.

I think I recall something about the Atreides being descended from Alexander the Great, and having 'olive skin'? Not sure that's in F. Herbert's books, though, could be in the sequels that his son wrote with KJA (Yes, I read some of them - sometimes I suffer insomnia and will read anything that happens to stray onto my Kindle. And yes, they're bad ...).

As to looks: The Dune Universe is set 10.000 years into our future. There's genetic studies of La Brana 1, a hunter-gatherer who lived in Spain 7000 years ago - blue-eyed, closest genetic relation apparently modern-day Scandinavians and ... dark-skinned - "African variants for the pigmentation genes" (also lactose-intolerant).

Or meet 'Cheddar Man', the 'first modern Briton':

Who knows what people in 10.000 years will look like?

Tova · « **Reply #56 on:** 27 Jun 2020, 19:37 »

MELAAAAANGE

LeeC · « **Reply #57 on:** 28 Jun 2020, 07:29 »

Quote from: Case on 06 May 2020, 03:11

Quote from: LeeC on 14 Apr 2020, 16:32
The books was notorious for leaving out details on how people were dressed and what things looked like (maybe an offhanded comment on Paul having black hair like his fathers), but I do remember they said that house Atreides uniforms/clothes were black and their symbol was a red hawk. Looks like they got the black down. Plus some battle armor is a cool idea considering melee combat is a thing. I am also really digging these stillsuits.

I think I recall something about the Atreides being descended from Alexander the Great, and having 'olive skin'?

Agamemnon actually and I think they do mention it in the Dune book either in the story itself early on or somewhere in the back with the extra content.

Farideh · « **Reply #58 on:** 28 Jun 2020, 14:42 »

Quote from: Tova on 15 Feb 2019, 21:16

I'm interested in this, so I'll chime in for now by saying that I've read the first Dune book only.

Ditto.

I once tried watching the movie, and my father almost physically blocked me off from the screen while yelling: "No, it's a terrible movie! You'll hate it!"

Tova · « **Reply #59 on:** 29 Jun 2020, 04:14 »

Do you know, I've never seen it.

Perversely, the negative reviews that previously discouraged me from seeing it now make me want to watch it.

JoeCovenant · « **Reply #60 on:** 29 Jun 2020, 04:24 »

Hi... I'm Joe and I'm a Dune non-hater....

Is it as good as the books? Not remotely.
But is it, for it's time, a decent enough crack at opening the saga? I thought so.
For one of those "Unfilmable books" I thought it did okay.
BUT, I've always been a little sad that the version with Giger's set concepts was never brought to fruition.

All that said, if ever a film needed remaking with modern tech, and "we don't much care how long it runs" mentality... Dune is it.

Case · « **Reply #61 on:** 29 Jun 2020, 11:37 »

Quote from: Farideh on 28 Jun 2020, 14:42

Quote from: Tova on 15 Feb 2019, 21:16
I'm interested in this, so I'll chime in for now by saying that I've read the first Dune book only.
Ditto.
I once tried watching the movie, and my father almost physically blocked me off from the screen while yelling: "No, it's a terrible movie! You'll hate it!"

I see what he means - I guess anybody who has been through both the book and the movie would - though that seems a bit extreme to me.

It's not as good as the book. It deviates from the book in weird, awkward ways. Sometimes weird, awkward and reallyreally bad ways. The closing scene is beyond terrible. It doesn't even try to do justice to many of the myriad philosophical themes Herbert crammed into that one monster of a book (*).

But the visual aesthetics, the feel of Arrakis, are brilliant (... except, yknow, when they're not... ) . And he does a good job transporting the sheer weirdness of the Dune-Universe to the screen, the audacity of a vision so different from everything else. It's a pretty mixed bag, IMO - the things Lynch gets right are glorious, those he gets wrong are pretty horrible.

I think it's better to watch the movie before you (re-)read the book, otherwise the 'modifications' that Lynch made are probably pretty jarring, and likely to ruin your enjoyment of the things he does get right.

And I think that while the movie isn't strictly speaking a part of the Dune canon, it does have its place in the Dune experience.

(*) Though I guess one could argue that Herbert didn't always succeed in bringing his vision to paper, either - I've been through Dune four times,, but I don't feel I ever really 'got' his vision of how clairvoyance in the Dune verse works, or all the implications he was trying so hard to convey. I guess some things were much clearer in his mind than they are on paper. Or maybe it's just me?

Farideh · « **Reply #62 on:** 29 Jun 2020, 14:29 »

I'm terrible when it comes to 'watching movies based on books that I've already read'. I'm such a stickler for the details, to the point that I just walk away so I don't ruin the movie for my husband. He doesn't really like it when I keep a running commentary of how a certain scene isn't in the book, or is in the book and should've been included in the movie, or that they took such massive liberties with the story line (looking at you, 'Ready, Player One')

Tova · « **Reply #63 on:** 29 Jun 2020, 19:41 »

I'm actually the opposite. I do not in general think it is to the benefit of a film to try to stuff in every detail of the book being adapted. It's the filmmaker's job to ask how each detail in a book either progresses the plot or characterisation, and ask themselves whether there is a more concise and cinematic way of achieving the same goal. The language of cinema is very different to that of a novel, and the only way that a film can be "as good as" the book is to adopt that language and play to the medium's strengths.

Farideh · « **Reply #64 on:** 29 Jun 2020, 21:02 »

Good point, I explained myself badly.

Yes, it's impossible to put every little book detail into a movie. Even smaller books would turn into 12 hour movies at that rate, and let's not even talk about LotR. What mostly annoys me is when the movie storyline differs wildly from the one in the book, to the point where the biggest similarities are the names of the main characters. I've seen some very good movie adaptations, like 'The Hunger Games', or 'Rosemary's Baby'.

Then again, I sometimes take offense at movies for depicting things differently than the way I imagined it. That's my problem, not the movie's

Case · « **Reply #65 on:** 30 Jun 2020, 09:29 »

I'm similar, especially as regards the running commentary - what is it with people who don't like a running commentary? - though maybe a little less put off by deviations, judging by how you describe your experience.

I don't know anyone who'd prefer the movie to the book, so watching it is not a must. For me, having seen the movie before reading the book strongly enhanced the experience, but I still consider the book(s) the real deal. I see it rather as an 'addon' to the books. The visual anesthetics are (mostly) very, very good - there's a reason why parts of the imagery from that flick have become so iconic, and still persist in peoples' minds today, even after the (better, and more faithful) adaptation into a miniseries

I'd say give it a try - but don't watch it with your husband (especially not if he hasn't been through either book or movie). Get yourself a glass of good wine, and see if you can make it through all the way. At worst, you'll just find it horrible, but that won't ruin the book for you. At best, your mind's eye will have some pretty good setpieces and imagary at hand the next time you read the book. .
(If, ototh, you don't plan to re-read Dune again at some point, I don't think you'll gain that much from watching the movie.)

As far as adaptations go, It's not in the same league as Paul Jackson's LOTR - not even in the same solar system, tbh - but it does try, and sometimes, it succeeds.

Farideh · « **Reply #66 on:** 30 Jun 2020, 14:00 »

I might give that a go

At worst, I 'waste' a bit of time

Case · « **Reply #67 on:** 30 Jun 2020, 16:12 »

Sorry, didn't mean to patronize you - I do get carried away sometimes, I'm afraid.

Farideh · « **Reply #68 on:** 30 Jun 2020, 16:42 »

Rest assured that I did not feel patronized. Any suggestion that amounts to 'watch a movie and drink some wine' sits well with me

LeeC · « **Reply #69 on:** 02 Sep 2020, 17:55 »

A teaser trailer has leaked and is visible in theaters. It revealed that a full trailer will release Sept 9th followed by trailer clips of the movie, and reading around the net the movie is slated to come out in theaters Dec 18th. I was able to catch it on twitter and it gave me chills! I. AM. SO. HYPED!

Unfortunately WB has been going ham on take downs of the video on youtube, twitter, and other social media so its hard to find for me to link.

Edit: I found this one on reddit and its from someone that captured it with his phone in a theater.
https://www.reddit.com/r/dune/comments/ikgiu5/dune_teaser_trailer/

Its a very rough recording, but I am still hyped!

LeeC · « **Reply #70 on:** 09 Sep 2020, 09:35 »

Trailer drop!

hedgie · « **Reply #71 on:** 09 Sep 2020, 11:08 »

Damn, I hope that it's safe enough to go to a cinema when this thing comes out.

oddtail · « **Reply #72 on:** 09 Sep 2020, 11:34 »

The trailer is pretty neat. And I'm in for any movie Dave Bautista plays a role in. For some reason I have a deep fondness for his acting, despite having seen him in, like, GotG and the new Blade Runner only.

Farideh · « **Reply #73 on:** 09 Sep 2020, 13:51 »

I've got chills!

Then again, I've always been a sucker for a good trailer

LeeC · « **Reply #74 on:** 05 Oct 2020, 16:03 »

Looks like they're pushing release back to 2021. I think they're hoping it will be safer then what with the pandemic and all.

Farideh · « **Reply #75 on:** 05 Oct 2020, 16:30 »

That makes sense, but I don't like having to wait longer

Farideh · « **Reply #76 on:** 25 Mar 2021, 12:18 »

Movie release is set for September. Dang, that's 6 months from now!

LeeC · « **Reply #77 on:** 25 Mar 2021, 14:53 »

Its double sad that due to Covid, it was suppose to come out last September and part 2 this September.

Farideh · « **Reply #78 on:** 25 Mar 2021, 15:35 »

They split it up into 2 parts? The things I learn.

LeeC · « **Reply #79 on:** 22 Jul 2021, 07:22 »

October!!!

LeeC · « **Reply #80 on:** 22 Aug 2021, 12:00 »

hedgie · « **Reply #81 on:** 22 Aug 2021, 12:50 »

Stilgar, do we have wormsign?

LeeC · « **Reply #82 on:** 20 Oct 2021, 13:05 »

Well Dune comes to theaters in 2 days, so far I am hearing good things.

Farideh · « **Reply #83 on:** 20 Oct 2021, 13:22 »

Can't wait!

LeeC · « **Reply #84 on:** 20 Oct 2021, 16:05 »

I find it weird that it is only part 1 but part 2 has yet to be green lit. I am hoping it does well.

hedgie · « **Reply #85 on:** 20 Oct 2021, 19:03 »

IIRC, some of the overseas folks have had a chance to see it already. I know that I’m champing at the bit for it to come out here.

Tova · « **Reply #86 on:** 20 Oct 2021, 19:56 »

I am yet to see it, but I have tickets booked.

LeeC · « **Reply #87 on:** 23 Oct 2021, 21:00 »

Okay, I have seen the movie. I liked it. This is probably the best casting of any of these characters. There was definitely a focus on atmosphere and visuals. I think the script from the mini-series is better though. I feel spoiled because of it. There were scenes in the mini series that I felt should have been in here (perhaps they are deleted scenes and will come out later like the LotR extended editions?), not that the movie suffers from it, I just wanted more.

(click to show/hide)

It was a good movie and probably the best out of the 3 depictions in regards to style and visuals. I just wish they showed more! If part 2 is as long as this movie is, then it will be longer than the mini series (by a few minutes). And yet, the mini series feels like the better script. It told more and showed more in 2 and a half hours in the mini series than this movie. Again, I am spoiled. This movie was great, but I just wanted more.

That said, I like everything they did in the movie. I felt they could have built up the spy-situation a bit (which I also felt the miniseries pulled off well) and wish we saw more of the weirding way (perhaps in the sequel), but it was honestly a great movie especially if you have had no introduction to the universe. The Sardukar were great, the armies all looked awesome, the thopters were perfect, the costumes were amazing, the hunter-killer was believable, the acting was brilliant, and the score fit like a glove (or stilsuit).

(click to show/hide)

I think I only have mixed feeling because I am nitpicking it to death based on the book and mini-series which had more scenes and explained more.

I must also report that I saw it in the shittiest movie theater I have ever been in and it was hard to hear the actors sometimes. I am not sure if it was the theater's sound system or not, but it would have been great in a few scenes to have had subtitles on or perhaps if I was wearing headphones it would have come through better. So take this with a big grain of melange. I wish I saw it in IMAX, but all the IMAX theaters were fully booked and I really wanted to watch it opening weekend. Oh well. I think I can re-watch it at home on HBO.

Tova · « **Reply #88 on:** 24 Oct 2021, 02:16 »

It's been a long time since I read the book, and I've never seen the mini series you're talking about, so I don't anticipate having the problem you're describing.

LeeC · « **Reply #89 on:** 24 Oct 2021, 05:06 »

I envy you, I hope you like the movie and can't wait to read your opinion about it.

hedgie · « **Reply #90 on:** 24 Oct 2021, 10:47 »

It’s one of those things where I found that it was 90-95% of the way there, and the missing/altered bits were driving me crazy. I had to take a mental step back, and realise that it’s good as a film, and probably the best that we could expect from Hollywood.

Tova · « **Reply #91 on:** 24 Oct 2021, 15:29 »

If "the unadaptable book" is getting 90-95% of the way there, then I'll happily take that.

LeeC · « **Reply #92 on:** 26 Oct 2021, 13:14 »

DUNE: Part 2 has now been green lit.

LeeC · « **Reply #93 on:** 03 Nov 2021, 09:29 »

I re-watched the movie at home and I have to say, it looks a hell of a lot better at home on my TV than that movie theater I saw it in. I liked it better this time around and I can't wait until part 2. I think my biggest problem is that I had an unrealistically high expectation for the movie. Comparing it to the mini-series isn't fair as they are pretty much opposites. The mini series explains a lot more because they didn't have the visual effect nor production budget that 2021 has and so they focused more on explaining the characters and plot, whereas the 2021 does have the budget to do all those things and tries to show more in regards to Caladan, the Atreides, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if in part 2, those explanations I was hoping for will come into play, but I am also trying not to set those expectations either. I do worry however that they are making Paul out to be a messiah not unlike what Lynch did when that's not really what his story is about.

LeeC · « **Reply #94 on:** 19 Apr 2022, 09:40 »

A list of some deleted or cut scenes from the 2021 movie:

Those mentat scenes should have been kept in, same with Paul and Jessica's combat practice and those moments with Dr. Yueh. I hope we get an extended version, but I'm not holding my breath. Looks like they shot some before and after banquet scenes too.

LeeC · « **Reply #95 on:** 14 May 2022, 12:29 »

Some casting for Dune part 2 were announced recently.

The Emperor: Christopher Walken

Princess Irulan: Florence Pugh

Feyd-Rautha: Austin Butler

Jeph Jacques's comics discussion forums

Author Topic: Dune: Book, Movie, Miniseries. (Read 18786 times)