Spoiler Warning: Frank Herbert’s Dune NovelsIn the beginning, there was Dune. A science-fiction epic written by Frank Herbert in 1965 with thinly veiled commentary on religion, science, evolution, drugs, and political struggles over natural resources on earth. The book was a smash hit among genre fans and intellectuals alike. Speculation over a film adaptation began early on. The first effort to develop the film was in 1974, with art film rock star Alejandro Jodorowsky attached. Unfortunately his visions for Dune was too passionate and complex for a studio to comfortably fund. The trials of this effort are explored in the 2013 documentary, Jodorowsky’s Dune, often compared to The Death of Superman Lives: What Happened from director John Schnepp and producer Holly Payne, a doc exploring a similar subject. Though, Superman actually entered early stages of production before being canceled by the studio.
Dune finally made its way onto celluloid in 1984 with David Lynch’s first and last blockbuster effort. The movie divided audiences with its dense mythology, bold artistic choices, internal dialogue, and hyper condensed adaptation of the novel, especially toward the end. The film has gone on to command a loyal cult following, and there are now extended versions that help the overall pacing of the theatrical cut.
In 2000, Dune got a television mini-series makeover (featuring the late William Hurt) that was able to incorporate the entire novel. Directed by John Harrison (composer of George Romero’s Creepshow and Day of The Dead), the production lacked the resources to elevate the project to the standards of its former 1984 glory. In 2003, the TV version got a sequel, where Frank Herbert’s next literary installments, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune, were combined to create the subsequent chapter for television. This production was a step-up from the 2000 series and took more creative cues from the 1984 film, featured a great cast (including James McAvoy in the lead role), and an iconic score from Brian Tyler. Dune would not see another adaptation until 2021, when director Denis Villeneuve finally delivered what many studio executives deemed impossible – a mass audience-pleasing mega-budget production of Dune. While loyal 1984 fans kicked the desert sand a bit frustrated by the fact that a genuine sequel to Lynch’s film could have worked with an authentically aged Kyle MacLachlan, the rest of the world can now be on board the magic of Dune and root for a sequel (that arguably already exists in proper form with the 2003 series).
God Emperor Awaits
Warner Bros.
Dune was a tricky package for the masses. Not at all the George Lucas pulp extravaganza of Star Wars that Universal Studios wanted it to be in 1984, and not as sentimental as Tolkien’s Lord of The Rings, often compared to Dune for its sheer scale and sociopolitical scope. Dune is also very weird. The business brilliance of Villeneuve’s version reduces these odd elements in place of better character dynamics, repurposed dialogue, and a big emphasis on cinematic vistas accompanied by lots of drones to light up your subwoofer. It’s the most consumer-friendly version of Dune ever produced, a nearly perfect film. However, it is sometimes the imperfections that linger that make for greater rewatch value. Ugly aesthetics contrasted by beautiful ones can sometimes work. Anthems and bold scores still reign supreme, especially in the ’80s. Toto’s 1980s score with a little help from Brian Eno may never be matched for certain 1980s purists. For fans who were disappointed by the lack of guild navigators (the mutated creatures responsible for folding time and space allowing for transport throughout the cosmos), there may be no way around their weirdness in the sequel.
Hopefully, Villeneuve’s following entries have a plan for the bizarre spice-addicted navigators and human-worm hybrid biology that we’re in store for. If successful, God Emperor awaits. The yet to be filmed fourth entry in Herbert’s novels goes even further into the future genealogy of our favorite characters from Dune, who we find in a world seemingly existing at the mercy of an alien God who may have the power to will the universe into whatever reality it sees fit. The sandworm/human hybrid is the evolved state of Paul’s son, Leto Atreides II, who often complains about the bondage of prescience or the ability to know the future. The fallible nature of religion, genetically engineered face dancers and human cloning are just some of the wild themes the universe explores.
Even Deeper into Dune
Heretics of Dune (1984) and Chapterhouse Dune (1985) were the last two books written before Frank Herbert passed away, leaving his son, Brian Herbert, to take over the literary universe to which he has contributed no less than twenty-four additional novels. With promising bits of info dropping around HBO Max’s The Sisterhood series, which may arrive in conjunction with a sequel to the 2021 film, there is a creative treasure trove of possibilities for movies and TV spin-offs for at least another five generations of humans to enjoy. That is if the world continues to embrace such a brainy concept for years to come. Like any major franchise, they tend to come and go over periods of time that can span anywhere between one and thirty years, sometimes longer.
Still, Dune offers a unique form of escapism for people who enjoy pondering the mysteries of human evolution and the trajectory of our species. As Dune spoke to the politics that plagued Frank Herbert’s mind in the 1960s, perhaps there are more timely themes that filmmakers can connect with the massive Dune universe to ensure the content resonates for audiences.
Dune Done Right
Warner Bros. Pictures
If Villeneuve’s Dune success teaches us anything, it is perhaps the importance in respecting the different languages respective to cinema and novels. Filmmakers need to be given the flexibility to make changes based on tone, script, dialogue, performance, and onscreen chemistry. Film captures a very particular set of circumstances out of real life, sometimes requiring more direct messaging to inform the audience. Whereas novels guide you through limitless layers of a world’s framework, history, and internal monologues. Films simply cannot emulate this for a mass audience sitting in a seat with a limited amount of time before bodily functions need to be addressed. Perhaps if audiences were outfitted with stillsuits before entering theaters, embarking on a nine-hour cinematic journey could be possible. Maybe in the year 10191.
