Grabbed me a copy of Frank’s best seller and held off reading it. So far I’m really impressed with the lore and characters.
I have not seen the new films though I’m told by friends they are quite good.
What are your thoughts on the Dune book and films adapting from it?
I’m a fan of the original books, much less so the ones written by Herbert’s son in the expanded universe. Drastically different writing and level of complexity.
I am not a fan of the new films for many reasons. They are not bad, to be clear. However, IMO they stripped out the most important and driving aspects of the Dune universe which is the politics, maneuvering, manipulation, and insane wealth of the Great Houses. The new films are primarily action flicks with invented parts that didn’t happen, belabored parts of the story that didn’t need it while ignoring other parts that should have had more impact. I’m also not a great fan of some of the actors. Chalamet IMO can’t seem to be anything other than a whiny, moody goth-y kid like in so many other of his films. He lacks presence in the role. Zendaya just glares and scowls the whole time. Bardem does a great job, though. Walken…looked like he didn’t “get it.” Momoa, really was written poorly and yet was given made-up scenes that weren’t in the book. They gave the guild navigator’s distorted bodies a miss. In a way I think they did a disservice to the importance of the Worms, they are incredibly important in the books, given fair accounting in 1984 Dune, and reduced to pretty much war elephants in New Dune.
Anyway…I have lots of criticism for the new films. Lynch’s 1984 Dune had plenty of weird stuff and really cringy sfx, like the baby sinking in tomato sauce for one, but one thing it nailed was helping the viewer understand the universe, the politics, they why things were they way they were. They also made stuff up like the weirding modules, which were interesting additions, but didn’t exist in the book.
Yeah, I get it, in true Hollywood fashion each director has to put their own take on a story, and unfortunately that “take” means they’re going to make change just for change’s sake. The new movies are visually amazing. The ornithopters are great, they got that right finally instead of the weird gilded boxes from 1984, the worms are far more impressive and scary….but IMO the story just isn’t there other than “action movie”.
I’ve read the series twice, seen 1984 Dune at least a dozen times and the new ones twice. JMO, fwiw.
Dune books are great if you’re more into the political landscape and how that affects the characters over action.
The 80s movie is great if you like shitty over ambitious directing with enough voice overs to last you a lifetime. Oh and Sting.
The new movies were more aligned with the story of the books not exact but more true to the stroy. Better than the David Lynch variant for sure. These movies and the 90s/2000s? Miniseries are the video adaptations that are not really Bad - imo
Eta: there’s a George R. R. Martin quote about what inspired A Song of Ice and Fire - he is talking about Tolkien and the Hobbit/Lord of the Rings series… He mentioned how he was more interested in the politics after the war. Where did the orcs go etc… This is kinda the vein of Dune imo. The main character is Arrakhis IMHO. The stroy is one of politics.
Went on a west coast road trip last summer and started the audio book in the car to see if my kids, 11 & 8 at the time, would be into it. They loved it so much it was pretty much all we listened to for a week. We got trough two and a half books before getting home.
The first three books are really great, and some of the best world building ever. The book is wonderful first person where you get to be in the characters head while the political games-manship plays out. You really understand where character motivation is coming from, probably the biggest difference from the movies.
I thought that the films were identical to the books up until the end. The screenwriter changed the ending. Regardless, I think it was an acceptable change and I thoroughly enjoyed the movies.
No way, so many problems with the timelines and stuff. My biggest problem was with the personal shield. The slow and steady blade my ass. The actual fighting when the shield is used is fast an furious and definitely not how it’s described in the book. Plus his sister is not born and she never creeps out the Fremen and doesn’t kill the Barron.
I was anxiously anticipating the creepy talking murder baby/toddler and was disappointed when she never appears.
I was hoping that the movies would include Fade having to kill everyone in his favorite brothel to please the Barron. If we want to have a scene where we discover Fade IS a monster too, that would have done it.
Right the ending of part 2 is where the veered off from the book. It’s been a couple of years since I read Dune so I don’t remember much about the combat.
Book 4 was my fave :)
The books have been in my “to read” list for so long now but I’ve never read past the first page…
The audio books are probably the best I have heard. More like a radio play with different voice actors and light audio design. Would highly recommend if you’re having trouble getting into the world.
I’ve only read the first book, but I enjoyed it quite a lot.
I similarly have not seen the newer movies, I’m waiting for my wife to finish the book first.
Loved the books and read them multiple time from Dune 1 to “Chapter House”. Even try one from the son of Herbert, and it was utter shit.
Knowing the books make the movie more enjoyable…
But you realize how much is missing. The most badass stuff are left out
spoiler
The plan of the baron with Raban and Freyd. The intricacy of fight with Luke and Freyd. And… omg, The Feenring couple, the master killer of the emperor who could be a kwizatz too! And the awesome Leto Mentat is completely left out…
What the movie created: a religious vs science subtext, which give Chani a more interesting character than in the book where she is just a blank love interest. And they did dirty to the mother of Luke, but it is a very nice interpretation.
The new films are shit but they look pretty.