Dune Mini series' - worth watching?

[neon_suntan]

I seem to have seen all of the Sci-fi movies that've been released in the last few years that I wanted to see.. and now that one or tow series are either cancelled or on a season break I'm at a loss for a good sci-fi entertainment. I quite liked the Lynch Dune movie and have even sat through the extended made-for-tv cut!

SO with that in mind is the Dune mini-series worth watching not to mention the follow up mini series Children of Dune

[Lady Chrystal]

Yes.

To both.

[Rockula]

Yes.

To both.

Agreed. So much so that I think I'll watch them again tonight. It's just a shame that they stopped at that point. I'd liked to have seen what they could have done with God Emperor...

[Lord Wraste]

If you're a fan of low budget, old school BBC sci fi, then yes. Go for it.

I personally hated it. I'm a big far of the original Lynch movie, so I'm biased.

[Siliconous Skumins]

I had to stop watching the "updated" version. I just didn't like two of the key characters in the way they where portrayed - The Baron was underwhelming (he is *supposed to be* a disease riddled, obese, flying sex pervert with more vices than a Bangkok brothel, with sick twisted perversions of suffering and sadism, and a perchant for young men / boys), and Duncan Idaho just came across as a washed up has-been, long since past his best (which of course he should be anything but!).  

The Portrayal of the Baron I can forgive, while Ian McNeice is a good actor, he just wasn't right for the part of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. I suspect this may have been more of an intentional decision in casting, trying to distance themselves from certain controversies of the original 1984 film, and to be more consistent with the novel.

But Duncan was the deal-breaker for me. He is supposed to be a much feared and respected soldier of the highest skills, but he come over as some washed up, stroppy old drunk instead. He had no 'presence'.

Overall the remake is good and well made, but I just couldn't see past those two main characters.  

SS

[J. Wilhelm]

Funny I was thinking of Dune a couple of nights ago.  Kept wondering on Frank Herbert's choice of names.  10,000 years after the "Butlerian Jihad" + some undisclosed equally long period into the future and we see names like Duncan Idaho.  Why not Wyoming, or Nebraska?  

[neon_suntan]

Funny I was thinking of Dune a couple of nights ago.  Kept wondering on Frank Herbert's choice of names.  10,000 years after the "Butlerian Jihad" + some undisclosed equally long period into the future and we see names like Duncan Idaho.  Why not Wyoming, or Nebraska?  

His family wanted their Own Private Descendants?

[MWBailey]

Funny I was thinking of Dune a couple of nights ago.  Kept wondering on Frank Herbert's choice of names.  10,000 years after the "Butlerian Jihad" + some undisclosed equally long period into the future and we see names like Duncan Idaho.  Why not Wyoming, or Nebraska?  

His family wanted their Own Private Descendants?

Maybe they were potato farmers, originally. (Idaho, you see. Oh, don't stare at me like that)

[Lord Wraste]

Funny I was thinking of Dune a couple of nights ago.  Kept wondering on Frank Herbert's choice of names.  10,000 years after the "Butlerian Jihad" + some undisclosed equally long period into the future and we see names like Duncan Idaho.  Why not Wyoming, or Nebraska?  

His family wanted their Own Private Descendants?

Maybe they were potato farmers, originally. (Idaho, you see. Oh, don't stare at me like that)

I always figured it was because the Arteides family were pimps....


I'll show myself out. 

[rovingjack]

The story content covers sooo much that is missing from the movie. The movie for time constraints dumbed down some things, glazed over others, and cut a lot out. It's still one of my favorite movies of all time, because even after that it's increadibly nuanced. The sets and costuming and props are great.

The miniseries bugged the hell out of me. with thin cleanroom suits for still suits and neon lighting. The costuming was a bit more peacock then I liked in the gritty world of Dune though truthfully it does make more sense in a courtly Empire.

But the story is so much fuller.

I really did like the story of Children of dune and how they did it it, but again it has that Scifi CGI and neon feel to it. Actually puts me in mind of George Clooney as Batman Vs Arnold as Mr. Freeze. It really almost ruins it... almost. They did the story justice though.

I also feel the Baron was a disappointment, Duncan wasn't impressive either. Though I don't recall Duncan Idaho being all that spectacular in the first movie either, so I wasn't expect much from him here. The characters you saw as being bigger than life in the original will come off a bit flat, but the story will be worth it.

If only we could have the Art and power of the original with the story of the miniseries.

[Professor Phineas Brownsm]

funny thing is I only watch the 1984 film only the other day.... might have to read the book at some point!

[Lady Chrystal]

funny thing is I only watch the 1984 film only the other day.... might have to read the book at some point!

It's worth reading. There is so much more in the book than could ever appear in a few on-screen hours. It's addictive - and there are all the (not so good but also worth reading) sequels.

Book a month off work and treat yourself.

[Siliconous Skumins]

rovingjack - You are right about duncan not being all that impressive in the 1984 movie either, in fact he didn't get much in the way of screen time, but he *was* better.    Actually I think it's probably just me on that one, I grew up with the movie as a child, but only read the book about 12 years ago when I was an adult. So I have mental image of Duncan from the book, characterized like he was in the original film. Basically something that doesn't exist...   

funny thing is I only watch the 1984 film only the other day.... might have to read the book at some point!

DO! 

I can highly recommend it, though it is a little drawn out in places, it does fill in SOOO much of the backround and story, and you get a better idea of the environment and technology. It's a little hard to shake off the original movie when you read the book, but nothing too jarring. 

SS

[Professor Phineas Brownsm]

funny thing is I only watch the 1984 film only the other day.... might have to read the book at some point!

It's worth reading. There is so much more in the book than could ever appear in a few on-screen hours. It's addictive - and there are all the (not so good but also worth reading) sequels.

Book a month off work and treat yourself.

dont know about having the month off work... but I will treat myself

rovingjack - You are right about duncan not being all that impressive in the 1984 movie either, in fact he didn't get much in the way of screen time, but he *was* better.    Actually I think it's probably just me on that one, I grew up with the movie as a child, but only read the book about 12 years ago when I was an adult. So I have mental image of Duncan from the book, characterized like he was in the original film. Basically something that doesn't exist...   

funny thing is I only watch the 1984 film only the other day.... might have to read the book at some point!

DO! 

I can highly recommend it, though it is a little drawn out in places, it does fill in SOOO much of the backround and story, and you get a better idea of the environment and technology. It's a little hard to shake off the original movie when you read the book, but nothing too jarring. 

SS

I will look forward to it

[Aleister Crow]

Yes, by all means read the books. Then watch the movies again and look for everything that got changed.

Here's two obvious ones:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The book version Paul was only 15, a huge difference from both film versions.
The monstrously obese Baron used anti-gravity to keep himself upright and able to walk, but didn't use it to zoom around. He also wasn't nearly as insane as Lynch portrayed him, and I have no idea where the festering boils idea came from.

Seriously, I saw Lynch's film after reading the books, and spent a lot of time thinking "wtf?"

[Rockula]

I read the books first and loved them. Amongst my alltime favourites (the first 4 or 5 at least).
I saw the Lynch movie and loved that despite the glaring omissions and obvious plot and character changes. However, those very plot changes would have made a sequel difficult. The pat ending sort of kills it in it's tracks.
I like the TV movies because they are closer to the original narrative but admit that the overall 'clean' look was a bit jarring. But if you get past the TV origins it's worth a few hours viewing time. Still think they should have continued with at least the next 2 or 3 books.

But if the rumoured remake gets the green light I will see that as well.

[Professor J. Cogsworthy]

I've never understood why someone would pay for movie/TV rights to a story and
then change almost EVERYTHING.


Just write a script on your own and call it something original.

[4_0_4]

I seem to have seen all of the Sci-fi movies that've been released in the last few years that I wanted to see.. and now that one or tow series are either cancelled or on a season break I'm at a loss for a good sci-fi entertainment. I quite liked the Lynch Dune movie and have even sat through the extended made-for-tv cut!

SO with that in mind is the Dune mini-series worth watching not to mention the follow up mini series Children of Dune

I saw both , IMO first was pretty good - the 2nd not so much - then again I hated Dune film by Lynch ( and I am a lynch fan )

4o4

[rovingjack]

Here's two obvious ones:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The book version Paul was only 15, a huge difference from both film versions.
The monstrously obese Baron used anti-gravity to keep himself upright and able to walk, but didn't use it to zoom around. He also wasn't nearly as insane as Lynch portrayed him, and I have no idea where the festering boils idea came from.

If memory serves me:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The boils are mentioned in one of the books as an affliction given to the baron by a benegeserte as revenge for something, his corpulance was also part of the same affliction as he was supposed to have been a vain a man before, and was part of his nuerotic decline later from taking his pride in his visage away. The over the top madness I think was transferrance of the scenes that were in the book for showing Harkkonan culture and mindset and partly picking up the lack of development of Fayd and Raban (or however they were spelled)

I think my biggest sense of injustice in the movie was the underdevelopment of Gurney, and Thufer the Atriedes Mentat. As well as some of the other folks like Kines (?) the ecologist.

[4_0_4]

I liked the fat bloke in the flying chair ..

Suzie Saradon was in it too

4o4

[Aleister Crow]

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The boils are mentioned in one of the books as an affliction given to the baron by a benegeserte as revenge for something, his corpulance was also part of the same affliction as he was supposed to have been a vain a man before, and was part of his nuerotic decline later from taking his pride in his visage away. The over the top madness I think was transferrance of the scenes that were in the book for showing Harkkonan culture and mindset and partly picking up the lack of development of Fayd and Raban (or however they were spelled)

Is it in one of the prequel novels Herbert's son wrote? I haven't read those, only Dune, Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, and God-Emperor of Dune.

On the other hand, that was a long time ago that I read them, and may be forgetting it entirely.

[Hambone Noland]

Of course you should watch it. What do you have to loose? If you hate it, well then, you hate it. But even better, read the books! Frank Herbert was pretty much the man.

[rovingjack]

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The boils are mentioned in one of the books as an affliction given to the baron by a benegeserte as revenge for something, his corpulance was also part of the same affliction as he was supposed to have been a vain a man before, and was part of his nuerotic decline later from taking his pride in his visage away. The over the top madness I think was transferrance of the scenes that were in the book for showing Harkkonan culture and mindset and partly picking up the lack of development of Fayd and Raban (or however they were spelled)

Is it in one of the prequel novels Herbert's son wrote? I haven't read those, only Dune, Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, and God-Emperor of Dune.

On the other hand, that was a long time ago that I read them, and may be forgetting it entirely.

It's been a while for me as well so I'm not sure which one it was. I think I read the first two books and then the House Corino and maybe another of the House books (Harkkonen or atreides). I do remember that in the dune book they had far more of the Harkkonen culture developed and displayed by Vladamirs nephews. Their hedonism and bloodlust seem to have been worked over to the baron in the movie as a short cut and condensing tool to portray the culture with a small cast and less time. which is sort of too bad I'd have liked to see pyramid chess played.

They likewise used movie shorthand for mentats and Gurney. It's really unfortunate because it's subtle personal histories that made the characters and their relationships important to the story. Without it it all comes off as rushed in arrangment and sort of wooden almost ritualistic wording.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

"What do you call the mouse shadow on the second moon?" "We call that one Mua'dib." for example. Without the corresponding discussion of the desert mouse and his adaptations and it's reverance in fremen culture and fulfilling prophesies, it seems oddly tacked in there. The wind traps and the way they go from sort of captured ousiders among the fremen to part of the groups water cycle.

it's really all too much to fit on a single movie. I think they could have done a trilogy if they shot it today. Though the art and style of the original is by far superior.

[Duellist]

I think the miniseries is worth watching, but you really have to see the whole series, including Children of Dune, to really do it justice.

The one thing that got me was the low budget.  Right after the ornithopter crash in the desert, you see Paul and Jessica walking away and it is so obviously a tiny sound-stage; I am sure I remember seeing them slow down so they don't walk into the backdrop.  Growing up watching BBC special-effects, I could accept that though. 

Some part of me wonders how different it would have been if it had been a BBC / HBO co-production like Rome, but I can't shake the feeling that it would have been filled with added sex and blood.