Dune? Thoughts? Opinions? Spoilers?

He has? I may watch it then. I am usually so disappointed viewing films after always having read the books first. How far into the series does it go? Just the first? That may well mean more films if he has

Only gets halfway through the first book. It's listed as "Part One" in the opening credits. Ends with Paul and Lady Jessica arriving at, but not yet entering Sietch Tabr.

A lot of scenes were cut, but the plot points were woven into other sections. There are a bunch of new scenes that fill in things that were just hand waved over in the book, like how Duncan Idaho was able to escape Arrakeen and find Paul and Jessica in the desert.

Heard a review on NPR last night. The critic was totally into recommending this film. Saying most Sci Fi movies are not excellent, but this is excellent and more than worth seeing on the big screen.

I'd really like to see it but not sure I'm ready to go back into a theater yet. Our local movie theater in my small town has not re-opened and I'll have to drive to another city to see it if I go. I'm glad to hear that it doesn't stray too far from the book.

I loved the original from 1984 and always wondered why they never made a follow up because it was so good, I can't wait to see the new modern version on HBO Max, thank you for the review David!!

David,

Just signed up to HBOMAX last night! I Will watch it this weekend! Terrific book and looking forward to this production! ALL the reviews I've heard so far, really are impressed with this production, even those that aren't SCIFI nuts!

Rich

In the trailers, all I saw was good looking young actors in fight scenes.

The exposition is what made the book great.

I much prefer the original. I don't like this ...I find it indigestible, but it is nevertheless of undeniable richness and complexity ...
Dune is the perfect example of how a different reading of a text, despite the almost absolute fidelity to the narrative, can lead to diametrically opposite results.

Stefano,

Movies are the Food for the EYES and books, Food the MINDS....apple and oranges....someone's "vision" for a book, can never meet or equal the readers own vision....and that's good.

Rich

Stefano

If you're referring to the Lynch film as "the original", most fans of the book think of it as an abomination.
This film is not a remake of Lynch's travesty.

I have read all the books.

I was not a big fan of the Lynch version.

Looking forward to seeing the Villeneuve version.

I am a big fan of his work.

No, I have not seen the new film but yes I read the book and seen the older film.

The original story was a parody of modernity: in particular, modern political alliances, social interaction at an elitist level, and religious prophetic revolution.

I read quite a few of the sequels and prequels as well.

I'd recommend:
"The Machine Crusade"
It's a long science fiction novel but very entertaining with some great insight in AI and the direction humanity and its relationship with technology could go.

Spoiler? If one reads the books, film can't capture the imagination of the authors or the imagery that the reader conjures up in their minds.

Glad to hear you liked it. I've been wondering what Dune fans think.

When I was in HS in the late 70s, when talking to other Sci-fi fans the question was always "Dune or Foundation?". Generally you either a fan of Dune or Isaac Asimov's Foundation series. Very different kinds of stories but both rooted in politics and intrigue. I am a Foundation fan. Never much cared for Dune. I don't think I was even able to get through the first book. However there's always been mutual respect and the conversations usually led to the difficulty in bringing either to film. If I recall, Frank Herbert liked how the Lynch film was done. It was the fans that didn't like it.

That said few films remain faithful to the books they are based on. When I have read the book, I never go in to a film with any expectations. I let it stand on it's own.

How many remakes are there now?

I really liked the first release from 1984. The 2nd, wasn't it a mini-series? I vaguely remember but think I liked it. So, I look forward to this newest production.

Curious why it's been re-done.....again. There are other scifi stories that I also wonder why they have not been re-done, or others that should be done, but haven't yet, like Rendezvous with Rama.

I am a fan of both sets of books. But not movies. I read Harry Potter and they missed SO much out that I think should have been there. However this film trailer looks really good and of course Jason is in it so I HAVE to watch

Just in case, Spoiler alert. I approached the movie with both elation and fear. Movies from novels are normally so disappointing... You have to compromise because a book like Dune can never be completely translated into a movie. I did like the movie but I missed what was left out. Not only what did not happen but also that which happened but did not convey the relevance it had in the novel. The ominous atmosphere of knowing Leto is lost before starting is almost not there for example, the scene of the Gom Jabbar is almost ridiculous without background...

Still I think it is a good movie, an honest effort to be truthful to the core of Dune. Was dying to see them and loved the 'thopters too, although they are more like dragonflies than birds. In the end I was only as disappointed as it was inevitable to be. I hope they shoot the second part and end the first book. Which as you know is not yet guaranteed to happen.

Books I liked in movies, The Princess Bride, Master and Commander, Dances with Wolves (I actually prefer the movie), The Silence of the Innocents,The Shining...

I so hated Lynch's Dune I didn't read the books till ten years later.

I have not read the books, so I went in "raw" so to speak. I liked it far better than the previous attempts, which left me flat. The visual imagery and FX are really good. My favorite theater was showing it, complete with its huge screen and 100,000 watt sound system, which DID get a work out. I can't speak for how closely it sticks to the original but as the first chapter in a new epic franchise, it's far more appealing than any attempt at rebooting Star Wars or LOTR, which are its closest equivalents. Our theater had a crowd of fans, most of whom seemed to be pleased enough at the end to raise a cheer. If you have any taste for epic scaled, high concept, sci-fi fantasy, this should feed your need for a while.

In one of my other lives, I write movie reviews under a pseudonym, and I suggest that you check out Movie Forums for more impressions.

Not much to add to what's been said already until I see it myself, which, being a big fan of the novel, I've been eagerly awaiting. One of the advantages of having read it some 40+ years ago is there will be little conflict with how minutely faithful this new movie version is or is not to the novel ;-))

It was great. Looking forward to part two. It felt like a cinematic event even if it was in our living room on HBO Max. Unlike the David Lynch version - which he was kind of forced to direct and had to leave a lot on the cutting room floor to bring the epic story arc into one film - this version has room to breath by spanning it over two films.

It's one of those movies that's worth seeing on the big screen, with an audience. I even have a decent HT system in my basement, but some movies need size and some movies need audience reactions. Dune needs both. Fortunately we have several non-chain theaters in Baltimore city that do big movies well. Having 3 shots in our arms and masks, we did it. The big theater spaced out the audience so that only groups that came in together were in consecutive seats, had plenty of popcorn and beer and was ready to have an audience.

The audience was enthusiastic and that really helps with big movies like Dune. Get some food in the food hall across the street, watch a big movie on the big screen with big sound....it was almost like before the Plague.

Just finished it tonight! Super movie and since it's been decades since I read the book, really no issues with what the movie portrays and when. Great acting and actors! I agree with Doug, this would be great in a theater, but don't do theaters anymore.....my little 50" has to do!

Rich

So much to say here. I have not read the books. My experience was the 1984 movie, along with the TV mini-series which I like better than the movie, so I was going into this figuring with Villeneuve I would not be totally disappointed. I like his approach. First, I can say that the few critics I read were right SEE THIS IN THE THEATER IN IMAX. He filmed it to be viewed on IMAX and I can see that. There were all these shots you just new were more grand than the small screen (watched this on HBO, mistake) could really capture. The music was incredible, very reminiscent of Arrival - not sure if it was the same guy or not doing the music. I enjoyed the extra scenes which I think helped. I especially loved the more realistic take on Paul's character - reluctant to go where he will eventually go, rather than the 1984's Paul who is so ready to kick butt and be GOD. That's how I saw that, so I appreciated the slow burn with his character. Speaking of slow burn, this first movie is all about the slow burn. My God. Now, I didn't feel bored, but there wasn't much action, which was ok, just mentioning it. This is really a set up for the second one - which I hope will be made. Great acting btw. One thing I have to mention, is the damn pronunciation of Harkonnen. Bugged me so much because I've watched Lynch's movie many times, so it's like cannon to me to have his version of the name. Turns out, Frank Herbert himself pronounced the name with the emphasis on "Hark" like in the new movie. So I'm going to have to deal with it. All in all a good movie and I would say much better than the 1984 version all in all.

IMAX would be cool to see since the movie really lends itself to the biggest presentation you can get. The music was done by Hans Zimmer, who has done music for a bunch of big scale movies like Dunkirk, Gladiator and Interstellar, not to mention incidental music for The Simpsons.