Yes, Dune again.

[Fist and Faith]

Also, I never quite understood the need for the stories that come after, either. So there you go.

Gotta wonder if we would have found out if he'd lived. Is the general idea his son and KA did really from notes of his that they found? Not talking about whether or not they executed the idea well, but I'd like to know if it really was his idea.

[peter]

I remembered after my last post, one brief moment where the film lost me. It was n the dialogue where one of the main characters, when a palace was under attack, called out "Security! Security!"

Nah! This was simply wrong. Security is a modern word of our world, not of the sand world Dune. This piece of dialogue needed tightening up - big time!

[Avatar]

Also, I never quite understood the need for the stories that come after, either. So there you go.

Gotta wonder if we would have found out if he'd lived. Is the general idea his son and KA did really from notes of his that they found? Not talking about whether or not they executed the idea well, but I'd like to know if it really was his idea.

They claim it was but since their prequels already deviated from canon...

I've only ever read Dune. I picked up Dune Messiah the other day, and am much looking forward to reading it (but have decided to re-read Dune before doing so. I'm encouraged to hear your good feelings about God Emperor - that will give me cause to continue with the works.

Just remember God Emperor is set around 10,000 years later.

--A

[peter]

Is it 'stand alone' in this sense Av?

[Avatar]

Definitely not. If you haven't read all the preceding books at least once, you will be very much at sea.

Also, you won't be able to comprehend the scope of the changes. It would be like reading The Wounded Land without ever having seen the Land whole.

--A

[peter]

Fair do's; not to be done then.

[Avatar]

Well, I finally got around to watching this, and I gotta say I was largely impressed.

Beat the hell out of Lynch.

Josh Brolin was very good as Gurney Halleck.

Jessica was (as mentioned by somebody above) a bit of a sap...she was definitely a stronger character in the book.

I liked the way they interpreted the ornithopters, and the shields were done well too.

In fact, I can't say I had any really serious issues with it. (Minor ones maybe, but nothing serious at all.) I feel they have (finally) managed to do some justice to the story.

I was a bit dubious about the casting for Paul, but he grew on me over the course of the film.

--A

[wayfriend]

The ornithopters in the trailers actually gave me a bit of a scare. They reminded me too much of the John Carter movie.

"Feathers! Martian airships don't have feathers!"

[Edit to add] And the "abduction ships" in Cowboys and Aliens! Bleh!

But in Dune they actually made them somewhat realistic, and so somewhat cool. Still a rather implausible mode of transportation for people with anti-grav. And a bit more dragonfly and less bird than I think Herbert imagined them to be. But they work in the movie.

[Avatar]

Agreed about Herbert's intention, but I think it was a clever way of incorporating craft whose wings flap in a believable way. (Never watched "John Carter."

I actually liked the majority of the tech. Things like the Guild Highliners really gave the feel of an ancient and ossified high-tech civilisation.

--A

[wayfriend]

(Never watched "John Carter.")

You should really keep it that way.

[Avatar]

I shall no doubt.

Never really read the Burroughs books either, just didn't find them here when I was that age. Picked up one many years later, but it was too late by then I think. His Tarzan ones were a staple for me though back in the day.

--A

[wayfriend]

Yes, the books of John Carter of Mars are ideally suited for 14yo boys. If that's what you mean.

Starting to think about needing a second viewing of Dune.

[Avatar]

Pretty much. Even earlier than that for that matter...Think I started on Tarzan around 9. By 14 I was already on the Chrons.

Doubt I'll watch Dune again before the next movie is out. May well read it again though once I'm done with WoT and the Culture reread I've promised myself.

--A