Dune Extended Version DVD in May

[Jolly Rogers]

Imagine if Lynch was given the option to make it a trilogy instead.

[EggShen]

Imagine if Lynch was given the option to make it a trilogy instead.

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I've always imagined what the film could have been if Ridley Scott didn't turn this movie down. I still love the theatrical cut by Lynch, but if Ridley had made this especially when he was still in his Scifi/fantasy phase it would've kicked arse.

[Graham]

I'm gonna be a stick-in-the-mud here and say I've never liked the film version of the book. IMO it lost everything important in the characters, the atmosphere and the setting. There wasn't one bit of half-decent acting from anyone involved, which was a shame considering the cast list. Mind you, i haven't seen it since it's original release, so maybe it's not so bad by today's standards ... 

And I thought the Sardaukar's suits looked like they were made out of binliners.

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While the film could have been much better, I thought the acting wasn't too bad and the casting choices were OK.

I definitely enjoyed the movie more than the newer TV mini-series, which while more accurate to the book storywise, had terribly wooden acting and miscast actors who looked nothing like how they are discribed in the books.

My biggest complaint with the film version though was the inclusion of those 'shout' powered sonic(?) handguns used at the end of the movie. Definitely don't recall seeing those in the books.

Graham

[CoryHolmes]

My biggest complaint with the film version though was the inclusion of those 'shout' powered sonic(?) handguns used at the end of the movie. Definitely don't recall seeing those in the books.

Graham

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If you look closely and squint to the side a bit, you'll see that the guns are in the books... after a fashion.

In the book, the primary method Paul used to arm the Fremen for war with the Empire was a semi-mystical martial art called the Weirding Way. In the movies, they changed this so that Paul armed the Fremen with a Weirding Module.

Same effect, giving the Fremen outside sources of combat to suppliment their natural talents. The movie just made it a bit more literal than the novel.

[Mr March]

If you look closely and squint to the side a bit, you'll see that the guns are in the books... after a fashion.

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That's some very interesting wording. I understand you're discussing themes and concepts, but it's a misnomer to allude that guns are in the book if you interpret it with a skewed perspective. It's also incorrect to retroactively interpret the book according to the film.

Weirding modules as guns are absolutely not in the book.

In the book, Paul and Jessica teach the Fremen the Weirding Way to give them an edge their enemy lacks, which author Frank Herbert describes as a catch all term for the mystical or witchcraft. In the film, Lynch alters the concept in favor of a more politically correct, audience friendly technology (weirding modules as guns) to communicate the fighting edge Paul and Jessica give to the Fremen.

Same end result, but like I said, I don't like the way that response was worded.

[Southpaw Samurai]

Of course, the movie flirts with that by having Paul say, "This is PART of the weirding way". Of course, the whole 'Sneezing/Shouting=shooting' part is pretty much the only part they show in the movie. AAAaaaaaaaaaaaaa-CHU!

Having watched the recent DVD 'the length of which even GOD hasn't seen!' version, all I can really say is 'Why?'. Maybe it's from seeing the movie enough times and reading the book sometime in the middle of all those viewings, but I never really had much a problem following the story and what little I couldn't immediately get, I chalked up the whole religious and/or drug experience the movie was about.

I sort of miss Irulan's narration, actually. She gets shafted here altogether...strange how a character seems completely unimportant until she gets stripped out.

But pretty much this version goes like this:

(Emperor and Guild Navigator have conversation over Dune, the Spice, and Paul Atreides. Guild Navigator leave).

NARRATOR: The Emperor, just having talked to the Spice Guild Navigator and being told about Paul Atreides and how he jeopardizes the situation wonders why the Guild wants Paul dead.

EMPEROR (thinking voice over): Why do they want the Duke's SON killed?

NARRATOR: The Emperor drinks his second cup of coffee that morning. He usually never has a second cup in his throne room.

EMPEROR: (thinking voice over): Why do they want the Duke's SON killed?

(Emperor's guards come out and surround him).

EMPEROR (talking this time): We're going to do the following...blah, blah. Why do they want the Duke's SON killed?

We also get Stilgar basically explaining every action Paul is going to do when he learns to ride the worm. Yes, Stilgar would've told him how to do it, but we can get it implied and since we show the exact steps moments later, it's pointless unless you think the audience can't figure out what Paul's doing.

I have to agree with the others, though. The movie, while flawed, actually feels closer to the feel of the book than the mini-series that stuck closer to the details.

[DatterBoy]

Sonic weapons were not weopons in the book, but an edge through using the Wierding way... straight up.

The moved bugged me becausethey spet a whole lot of time letting us hear their thoughts... like they were talking to themselves...wierd.

[Matt Random]

The DVD is on the way to me. I really enjoy the Dune saga. The Herbert books are first and foremost for me. Lynch's Dune deviated considerably but I still enjoyed it. Some of the costumes are good (Bene Gesserit) and some of the costumes are horrible (Sardukar). The mini-series was interesting too. It followed the book better and had some interesting sets, some nice costumes and some silly costumes. The characters were a bit off - especially Emperor Elvis.

I'm looking forward to Dune 7 which is coming out later this year. The work of Lil' Herbert and Anderson pales in comparison when compared to the Master but I still enjoy learning more of the Dune saga - even if the vision is slightly distorted.

[CoryHolmes]

had some interesting sets, some nice costumes and some silly costumes. The characters were a bit off - especially Emperor Elvis.

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The sets and the costumes are the two main reasons I even enjoy the miniseries. It reinforced how fuedal the whole setting is.

[Seven]

Usually I like extended versions, but man, this one was just BAD. For those that didn't know, the extended version is credited to being directed by "Alan Smithee" which is just a go to name for the DSG when the original director wants their name removed from the film (mostly due to studio interference/heavy editing).

Interesting about the extended version is that the score is heavily redone. You would think that it would introduce new music or never before heard music, but instead you have the same stock music played over and over even during scenes that previously had no music (such as the scene where Usul shows the Weirding Modules to the Fremen). The stock music is really generic and plays during the new beginning scene with the really bad drawings. Even worse about the new beginning is where they intercut footage of a Harkonnen ship which is repeated over and over whenever they need to join two scenes in the new intro. While the dialogue explaining the ban on thinking machines is interesting, the drawings accompanying them look like something from an 8th grade entry into a Sci Fi art festival... from the 70s.

I forgot, but I had seen this extended version before on Sci Fi Channel before they were going to debut the new Dune TV miniseries.

[Matt Random]

The DVD arrived a couple of days ago. The case is a nice metal version of a standard case. The DVD is double sided as mentioned before. I would have preferred 2 discs since I'm bad about getting fingerprints on the double sided discs.

The bonus features are nice if brief. These include deleted scenes, production design, costume design and special effects. I especially enjoyed the Designing Dune feature.

I watched the first 10 minutes of each movie. It's been years since I've seen either. The intro of the extended version is good for those unfamiliar with Dune. I personally prefer the theater intro with Irulan. The extended version is very slow with the extra 'thought-overs'. The extra dialogue is sometimes helpful and sometimes cumbersome. I'm looking forward to watching each version since I feel that both have their merits.

[kanata67]

now with 4% more sting!!!

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I may have seen an extended version. I remember seeing a near 4 hour [if not longer] dune with sting and the rest on disney channel back in 95. Much longer than the movie I later rented at blockbuster but for the life of me I couldn't really tell what was missing. Teach me to watch dune drunk . Good movie regardless for it's time, like bladerunner and alien there was a realism that I find lacking in many of the cg movies of today.

and everybody always knows that the book is better. I'll say that right now about curious george and I will probably will never watch the movie... but I bet I'm right