Kyle MacLachlan’s Paul Atreides in “Dune” (1984) and Timothée Chalamet’s Atreides in “Dune” (2021). (Photos via Warner Bros. Pictures/IMDB, Universal Pictures/IMDb)
In 1984, Universal Pictures released “Dune,” directed by David Lynch and starring Kyle MacLachlan and Patrick Stewart. Entering the space opera genre a year after “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi,” “Dune” was poised to carry the mantle, potentially heading to box office domination of the ’80s.
It was not, however, very good.
Poor storytelling, visuals and low profits led to “Dune” being shelved as a viable film until 2021, when Timothée Chalamet took on the role of Paul Atreides, the son of an intergalactic Duke and newcomer to the planet Arrakis, better known as Dune. “Dune” (2021) was met with critical fanfare, and the sequel “Dune: Part Two” has been released to similar acclaim.
Out of nowhere, the franchise has been revived. So what is there to know?
Well, if you feel the need to watch the 1984 “Dune” film — don’t worry about it. Though Lynch is a proven director and screenwriter, this film is aggravatingly slow. The original novel, written by Frank Herbert and released in 1965, is lengthy — about 890 pages and separated into three parts. It’s the first novel in a series spanning six novels in total. The franchise is currently written by son Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson and includes an additional 17 novels.
There are also 13 “Dune” short stories, nine comic book series and specials, two television series, three tabletop games, two role-playing games and six video games. A new television project, “Dune: Prophecy,” has been announced, as has a new video game, “Dune: Awakening.”
As always, the well goes deep. Read carefully: If you want to see “Dune: Part Two” this weekend, do not worry about anything except the 2021 “Dune” film.
And if you don’t want to worry about that either, here’s a summary of what you’ve missed: The Atreides family are space royalty and have been given ownership of a planet called Arrakis, formerly owned by their enemies, the Harkonnens. The planet is used to mine spice, a vague substance capable of getting you high and teleporting you off-planet — it’s as if The Force was concentrated into hard drugs.
Paul Atriedes is the son of Leto Atreides, played by Oscar Isaac. Leto quickly discovers mining for spice is much more dangerous than expected. It’s eventually understood that House Atreides was given Arrakis for three reasons: to throw money at the mines, to fight off Dune’s skyscraper-sized worms and, ultimately, to die.
The Harkonnens are in on the deal and retake their stronghold in the dead of night, killing Leto and forcing Paul and his mother, Rebecca Ferguson’s Lady Jessica, to flee and join the native Fremen. Meanwhile, Paul is bombarded by prophetic visions, brought on by his messianic birthright and exacerbated by exposure to spice.
In comparing the two film adaptations, the 1984 movie is marked by poor visuals and rushed storytelling. Lynch’s version summarizes the entire first novel into a single viewing experience, but the brevity doesn’t work. The entire Fremen-Harkonnen war takes all of 20 minutes, and the adaptation of the novel’s conclusion is half-baked and tonally confused.
It’s also incredibly quiet. There’s a bizarre decision to have all the characters’ thoughts delivered to the audience via voice-over. The voice-over is also delivered sporadically, which makes it difficult to tell if someone is speaking aloud or to themselves. Even more frustrating, the voiceover is always whispered, which makes understanding an impossibility.
The 2021 film is a major improvement to its counterpart. It’s slow-moving, but deeply immersive. The Middle Eastern-influenced sets are large and imposing, but what’s most noticeable is the vast emptiness of the planet’s deserts. It’s peaceful despite the eerily endless landscape, the looming threat of sandworms and a war being waged all around.
Speaking personally, “Dune: Part Two” is exciting. I love a space war movie, and I’m anxious for an alternative to “Star Wars” and “The Mandalorian.” “Guardians of the Galaxy” held that distinction for years, but closed out strong in 2023, leaving the door wide open. “Dune” has recognizable, accomplished talent in Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya as franchise leads, with incoming stars Austin Butler and Florence Pugh making their franchise debuts in the sequel. Considering the mixed reception towards recent “Star Wars” films, the promise of the original 1984 “Dune” may finally be coming true.
To learn more about the film industry and Texas film, keep reading SZNSMAG.com.
SZNS MAG 