Dune

[Fist and Faith]

*steering clear of the "purist/Lynch" conversation.*

[Avatar]

--A

[dANdeLION]

Damn; I find the knowledge that there are people out there who actually didn't despise the movie to be most disturbing. But, now I am to believe that are people out there who actually preferr that pile of crap to the books? Say it's not so!

[matrixman]

*steers squarely into the purist/Lynch conversation*

Meh. . . I read it several times already. I'd actually rather watch the movie. Kyle McLaughlin, Patrick Stewart, and Sting are quite nice to look at. (Edited to say: Yes, I know that there is another version out: I own that as well. But I prefer the first one, as I am a purist. And I like David Lynch.)

Lynch's movie rocks. I accept it as a valid interpretation of the book. But I know the film is an acquired taste (and that it'll always taste sour to many).

(Yes, dAN, be disturbed. Be very disturbed.)

Actually, I would have seriously liked the book better if I had never read anything after Dune. Dune Messiah. . . Children of Dune. . . God Emperor of Dune. . . honestly I can't remember if I even read GE. It's that bad. But I do like the characters in the first book. I know. . . I'm not a *real* fan of Dune. See above comment about selling the Dune Encyclopedia.

I appreciate your candor. Of course, now you and I have made ourselves pariahs. It's been so long since I first read the books that I've forgotten most of what happened. Re-reading the original novel right now is like experiencing it for the first time (again).

[Fist and Faith]

I would never argue with anyone who declares the original book to be the best book ever written, even if I would rate others as good. But I completely understand those who aren't into the other books. I found Heretics and Chapterhouse very confusing. But they and GE had enough extraordinary stuff to make it worth the migranes. Messiah and Children are more distant memories, so I really can't comment much. But the fact that I remember so little about them must mean they didn't do much for me.



*still biting tongue on the purist/Lynch thing*

[matrixman]

Yes, it's telling that I haven't felt any real desire to read the sequel books, even though I remember liking Children of Dune and Heretics. Whereas, it doesn't take much arm-twisting to get me re-reading the Covenant books. Dune is for the intellect, Covenant is for the heart. That's a gross oversimplification, I know, but for me that's a key difference. The operatic, intensely emotional journey through the Chronicles provides a more satisfying reading experience.

I'll stop right there, heh. Don't wish to turn this into a Dune vs. TCTC debate.

[Fist and Faith]

That's ok; apples and oranges. I agree with your "gross oversimplification."

[Loredoctor]

Haha, us purists think the Lynch movie was terrible. And you missed out on GE. It's confusing at first but it actually fits in very well. If you want to debate it though, well, join us.

--A

Wow. Terrible? I think it's outstanding! The later versions are pretty bad.

[Fist and Faith]

Et tu, Loremaster? Oy! *gurgles as blood escapes mouth*

I mean, really! The weirding way is sonic guns? And Paul becomes a living sonic weapon just before he makes it rain on Arrakis?

I gotta say, though, both movies have some pretty horrible costumes.

I definitely want to watch both again. Alas, every dvd player that comes into this house seems to mysteriously break.

[spacemonkey]

Et tu, Loremaster? Oy! *gurgles as blood escapes mouth*

I mean, really! The weirding way is sonic guns? And Paul becomes a living sonic weapon just before he makes it rain on Arrakis?

I gotta say, though, both movies have some pretty horrible costumes.

I definitely want to watch both again. Alas, every dvd player that comes into this house seems to mysteriously break.

Hey,Fist the first Dune movie from the 80's was HORRIBLE,the newer movie of Dune is really good,but,to really get the real feel get the 6 hr director's cut version.It's really loads better than the original theactrical version.................

[Loredoctor]

I mean, really! The weirding way is sonic guns? And Paul becomes a living sonic weapon just before he makes it rain on Arrakis?

No, the weirding way isn't that ; that was just an Atreides military development

I gotta say, though, both movies have some pretty horrible costumes.

Seriously?! The stillsuits are great, the Guild looks great, and the Sardaukar are amazing. Oh, and the Baron's costume is superb.

Harkonnen is an amazing villain, the Sandworms looks great, Guild Navigators look fantastic, awesome soundtrack, Pieter de Vries is great as ever . . .. I could go on.

I love this movie!

[Wyldewode]

*high-fives matrixman and Loremaster* Yay! We can be pariahs together!

The director's cut of the original is pretty good, in my opinion. I know that things were changed in the movie, but I think it is a valid representation of the story. Having said that, the newer movie is also decent. I think the reason I love the original movie so much is because I saw it before I ever read the book. Thus when I read the book, I thought of the characters as the way they were portrayed. Plus, I was 11 when the movie came out.

*shrugs* I can see how people who read the book first might have been disapointed with the movie, though.

I think what turned me off of the later books was the way that the story moved away from the individual, and became more of a tale of the empire and the spice itself. That, and how the later books became overladen with complicated storylines, and nearly collapsed under the weight of it's aspirations to clearly represent the empire.

Well, that's my opinion anyway. I won't be offended if everyone thinks I'm totally wrong about this.

[Fist and Faith]

Hey,Fist the first Dune movie from the 80's was HORRIBLE,the newer movie of Dune is really good,but,to really get the real feel get the 6 hr director's cut version.It's really loads better than the original theactrical version.................

Yeah, I have it.

No, the weirding way isn't that ; that was just an Atreides military development

I know it's been years since I saw the movie, but I remember it being more like the Wikipedia description:

The Weirding Module was a device introduced into the Dune movie to replace the Bene Gesserit martial art referred to by the Fremen as the Weirding Way.

This device is a sonic beam weapon that translates certain specific sounds into attacks of varying potency. The sounds that the device translates into attacks are presented as being somewhat rare. For that reason, everyone is startled when, during the training of the Fremen in the use of the Weirding Module, a devastating beam shoots from the weapon when the warrior wearing the device speaks Paul's Fremen name, "Muad'Dib," while wearing it.

This prompts Paul to think "My own name is a killing word. Will it be a healing word as well?"

The Weirding Modules are infamous among most fans of Dune because their creation is one of the most significant departures from the novel.

Mind you, Sci-fi Channel's version of the Weirding Way (something that looks like short-term super speed) isn't what I had in mind either. But Paul becoming that weapon in Lynch's is just too much for me.

I did, however, appreciate the word-for-word lines that happened often in Lynch. I remember being impressed at the scent in the beginning when Thufir was yelling at Paul for sitting with his back to the door.

I think what turned me off of the later books was the way that the story moved away from the individual, and became more of a tale of the empire and the spice itself. That, and how the later books became overladen with complicated storylines, and nearly collapsed under the weight of it's aspirations to clearly represent the empire.

Well, that's my opinion anyway. I won't be offended if everyone thinks I'm totally wrong about this.

I agree with you. I really wish Foul would comment a little. AFAIK, he's read them more recently than the rest of us, and he doesn't do things halfway.

[Loredoctor]

Once again Wikipedia proves itself to be unreliable. At the start of the movie it clearly shows the wierding way of the Bene Gesserit - and they dont use Atreides tech.

[Fist and Faith]

Cool. As I said, it's been years, and I want to see it again. Reading Hunters of Dune has got me all hyped.

[Avatar]

C'mon Dune fans.

The Chapter 12 dissection is up at Planetfall: Arrakis on danlo's forum, Ahira's Hangar, courtesy of SpaceMonkey.

Join in and have your say about this great Sci-Fi series.

--A

[Avatar]

Just thought I'd mention that the Dune read is now up to Chapter 14, which means it's back to where it was just before the sad attack on the Hangar wiped it out.

So if you've been holding back because it'd already been done...we're entering new territory again.

--A

[Loredoctor]

Say that you woke up on Arrakis (or someplace else in the Dune universe) and were offered the Spice Melange (unlimited) would you take it? I would be tempted.

[CovenantJr]

Man, I've been dragging myself through Dune for nearly six months now, and I'm still only halfway. It just doesn't hold me at all. It's not as much of a struggle as Lord of the Rings, but not far short either.

I know I read slowly, but I read the whole First Chrons of TC in the time it's taken me to read half of Dune. Gah! It's just.........no. No no no.

[Loredoctor]

Man, I've been dragging myself through Dune for nearly six months now, and I'm still only halfway. It just doesn't hold me at all. It's not as much of a struggle as Lord of the Rings, but not far short either.

I know I read slowly, but I read the whole First Chrons of TC in the time it's taken me to read half of Dune. Gah! It's just.........no. No no no.

I love the Dune universe, but I don't think it's as good as some over sci-fi epics such as the Hyperion Cantos, The Gap sequence, Zindell's setting and Bank's Culture universe.