Frank Herbert's DUNE Director's Cut: Worth a blind purchase? (1 Viewer)

[Damin J Toell]

The miniseries (with the exception of some minor additional story threads) is much closer to the source.

Except for all that crap with the Princess and the complete lack of water discipline (e.g., not wearing full masks in the open desert).

DJ

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

and the complete lack of water discipline (e.g., not wearing full masks in the open desert).

As I recall, the Fremen in the Lynch version didn't have masks in their stilsuits at all. And turning the Weirding Way into a gun? What was that?

 

[Dave F]

Matt - If you are a Sci-Fi fan, it is worth getting, if for no other reason than it will give you enough information to jump in arguments like this. Personally, I prefer it to Lynch's adaptation, but your mileage may vary.
-Dave

 

[Damin J Toell]

As I recall, the Fremen in the Lynch version didn't have masks in their stilsuits at all.

At least they were portrayed as acting consistently. In Harrison's version, they were portrayed as if they knew better, but just didn't care enough to do it right all the time. I got a much stronger feeling of Fremen fidelity from Lynch. Harrison's Fremen were just plain sloppy with their water.

DJ

 

[Matt_P]

Thanks for all the replies so far. It seems opinions are quite mixed regarding this topic. Tastes certainly differ. I think I'll have to pick up this set just so I know what you folks are talking about (I know the basic plot of Dune, but not too many details...never got a chance to read the books).

Keep it coming!

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

In Harrison's version, they were portrayed as if they knew better, but just didn't care enough to do it right all the time. I got a much stronger feeling of Fremen fidelity from Lynch. Harrison's Fremen were just plain sloppy with their water.

I understand what you're saying, but I still think the uneven portrayal of the stilsuits is better than Fremen who don't apparently need to conserve water.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I assure you, you see more than that in this scene!

Damn you, David--I don't need to spend another $20!!!
Aaaaaaargh!!!

(Matt, the first book is definitely worth reading. I also read the second, and I hear they go downhill pretty fast after that. . .and anyone who likes Dune may also like Chung Kuo, of which I've only read the first so far.)

 

[Eric T]

I've read the entire Dune series twice, and accurate or not, I liked Lynch's Dune much better than Sci-Fi's Dune. Sure, Lynch took a lot of liberties with the details, and even with the storyline, but stylistically it's just really cool to watch. I thought that the sound-powered wierding modules were an awfully neat idea...in fact I saw the movie before reading the books and I was a little disappointed that they weren't in there! I watched part of the mini-series when it was on TV, but it just didn't capture my attention. I'll probably rent it and give it another try, just because I am a Dune fan. I wish that Lynch would have had the resources to do a top-notch 4-hour production of his version. For me it would have been better than the Star Wars series.

 

[DavidAC]

I think I slightly prefer the Sci-Fi version mostly because it has the 265min runnning time (295min with the directors cut woohoo!) over the 135min of Lynch's version, it was able to tell the story of Dune much better, plus the special effects much much better than Lynch's version. Though I do enjoy Lynch's version because of the all around great acting and the moody atmosphere I would go with the Sci-Fi version, you get more for your money plus it stays pretty true to the book more so than Lynch's Dune. Its a pity we couldnt have gotten a Dune movie combining the good elements from both the Sci-Fi version and Lynches version.

 

[Tim_Prasuhn]

Well, heres my two cents.

Both versions managed to succeed where the other failed.

Lynch's version nailed the atmosphere and casting perfectly, while the mini-series short-shrifted the Harkonnen vileness (both in atmopshere and in character portrayal) to a great degree and miscast a few people here and there (most especially that old guy who played Piter DeVries. Where the hell is Brad Dourif when you need him?).

The mini-series is about as close an adaptation of the book as you can get. A few liberties were taken, but they were nessesary liberties (ie, like LOTR's changes between book and screen). The Lynch version is at best a cliffnotes version, and an incomplete one at that for those who have read the books. The plot has been changed significantly and many many events are missing.

Personally, I like em both a lot. They compliment each other well. The new Dr. Cut of the Mini Series kicked my rear today. It's very very good. For 18, buy away.

 

[Damin J Toell]

A few liberties were taken, but they were nessesary liberties (ie, like LOTR's changes between book and screen).

I disagree. There was no need whatsoever for the modifications to Princess Irulan. Other than to add romance to get more viewers, of course, but that seems like a rather illegitimate reason to me.

DJ

 

[Cristiano Leal]

Speaking about scene captures, on September 5th of 2001 I posted my review on a brazilian site about the R4 version of the Dune minisseries released here in Brazil.
I even did a face-off between both versions (Brazilian and American). Well, the brazilian version has about 20 minutes of extra material not found in the first US release. It's also in 16X9 and in DD 5.1, plus, it has subtitles in English, Postuguese, Spanish, Corean... I
t has a trailer (16X9)for the minisseries, and a photo gallery (in 16X9)with the music by Graeme Rovell on the background. There are also 2 documentaries.
At that time, I even sent some messages to a few R1 sites, asking if they wanted me to try a translation to English, but got no responses...
Anyway here's the link for the review (text in Portuguese, I'm sorry to say) but at least you will be able to see some captures of the extra material, includind the one showing some nudity.
Enjoy!
Link Removed
Mmmm.. I think I'll gonna have to buy the new R1 special version, to make a new comparisson between all the 3 of them!

 

[Jeff Kohn]

Hey, does anybody know if this new release is anamporphic, and what sound format it has? I liked the mini-series but didn't buy the original DVD release because it was 4:3 letterboxed with DD2.0 sound.

--edit--
did some checking on the web and this appears to be a new anamorphic widescreen transfer with DD5.1 and DTS sound. Looks like I'll be picking this one up.

 

[Jeremy Conrad]

Hey, does anybody know if this new release is anamporphic, and what sound format it has? I liked the mini-series but didn't buy the original DVD release because it was 4:3 letterboxed with DD2.0 sound.

The new one is anamorphic and has both Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks!

 

[David Lambert]

I even did a face-off between both versions (Brazilian and American). Well, the brazilian version has about 20 minutes of extra material not found in the first US release. It's also in 16X9 and in DD 5.1, plus, it has subtitles in English, Postuguese, Spanish, Corean... It has a trailer (16X9)for the minisseries, and a photo gallery (in 16X9)with the music by Graeme Rovell on the background. There are also 2 documentaries.

I think the cuts are close to identical now, if not spot-on. Definatley anamorphic 16:9 and both DD 5.1 and DTS 5.1. No subtitles or miniseries trailer, and the supplements are different.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

I don't see why everyone complains about this. They beefed up a female role, just like with Arwen (though at least with Arwen much of the stuff she did appeared in print elsewhere, which is bad about Irulan since it was spun new out of whole clothe)

That's EXACTLY the problem. When adapting a novel if it says "Paul said "I will kill you Harkonnen!" I want to see
PAUL
I will kill you Harkonnen!
in the script
At least with Arwen she was combined with other characters. There was no invention done. I hope the next time someone shoots Dune that they do the freaking Gladatorial part ;(

 

[Coressel]

That's why the only version I watch is the Smithee version. Much much better.

I finally saw the 4-hour version just last year, and I laughed out loud at the opening credits... big, dramatic music with "An Alan Smithee Film" on the screen. Very funny.
It only made me yearn for Lynch's original cut which I haven't seen in 10 years.

I thought the miniseries of DUNE was very interesting and I liked the stagey look of the sets and effects. I've never read the books, so maybe I should dig into them, then watch the Lynch film and this miniseries again. But at this point, I remember being more intrigued and even entertained by Lynch's DUNE than by the series.

One thing I don't think I like about any film version of DUNE is that they seem to take themselves so seriously. Don't people laugh or at least find irony in certain situations? Are Herbert's books as dead-pan and biblical as the films seem to try to be? Or am I misreading something?

 

[Todd Terwilliger]

I'll say that the one thing I was disapointed with in both versions of Dune were the complete lack of any Arab actors as the Fremen. I've always thought that was criminal.

 

[Coressel]

Well this thread made me hungry for Lynch's DUNE, since I've been on a David Lynch frenzy lately. I just found it at a local store for $14.99 and have just watched the first 40 minutes of it. Again, it seems to me that this film is 10 times more interesting than the 4-hour "Smithee Cut" and has much more character than the miniseries.

For that reason, I think I will pick up the new DUNE just to compare!

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I'll say that the one thing I was disapointed with in both versions of Dune were the complete lack of any Arab actors as the Fremen. I've always thought that was criminal.

While we associate Fremen like characters with Arabs in general, that wouldn't neccessarily be so... all humans originated from Earth thousands of years ago. Presumably, it would be a diverse mix of people that would settle everywhere. Therefore, the Fremen wouldn't neccessarily be Arab, though I'll admit that's the mental picture I got as well.