Dune (2020)
- Thread starter unkl brws
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I thought Children of Dune was really well done (James McAvoy was great, as always), but tried watching Dune again last year and found it almost unwatchable. It's more faithful to the book than Lynch's, but that's about all it has going for it, IMO.
I'm looking forward to Villeneuve's adaptation. It looks faithful to the book, but looks like it will capture the tone as well, which the miniseries didn't.
EDIT: Meant to write "re-watching" above. I'd seen the miniseries once already maybe 10 years ago and remember at least getting through it without being too disappointed. Couldn't get through it the second time though...
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I just checked my copies and the Children of Dune miniseries is in three parts...
Out of the first six books (haven't read any of the others), God Emporer of Dune was my favorite. In a film/tv adaptation they could do a montage of Leto killing off Idaho gholas.
Out of the first six books (haven't read any of the others), God Emporer of Dune was my favorite. In a film/tv adaptation they could do a montage of Leto killing off Idaho gholas.
punchbunny
A Disturbance in the Force
I'm looking forward to this one. The books were one of the first things to get my wheels turning when I was a teenager.
I'm about halfway through God-Emperor via audiobook. Outstanding narration. My goodness, so much history and insight has the creature, especially regarding best uses of legends, religions and such. He mentions the limitless nature of truth and knowledge. So I kind of wonder what Frank Herbert was tapped in to. Andy (a Q commenter out of Rome) believes he was actually murdered for some things he disclosed about governments in his books. He has mentioned this many times.I just checked my copies and the Children of Dune miniseries is in three parts...
Out of the first six books (haven't read any of the others), God Emporer of Dune was my favorite. In a film/tv adaptation they could do a montage of Leto killing off Idaho gholas.
BHelmet
The Living Force
First read it when I was 15 in 1965. Re-read it more than once. My sons loved it. Of course I will watch this but there is already something irritating I notice.
The BLASTED, UBIQUITOUS, modern, up-close mic technique that produces these breathy whispered neurotic low-key sounding voices that would never sound that way in real life because nobody could hear what you are saying! (does this not bother anybody else? It is probably some hypnotic mind-control thing IDK) Sure, there is telepathy in some communications where breathiness might be 'normal' although in that case his lips wouldn't be moving but in all these scenes his lips ARE moving. No variance, no rise and fall in emotional delivery. That's "the Voice"?
"Paul!! Atreides!! SPEAK UP FOR GOD"S SAKE! Stop mumbling! You're so EMO! How are you going to lead the fiercest warriors on Arrakis?!? Project from your diaphragm...try it one more time..."
"y-y-y-yes Master Duncan..."
The BLASTED, UBIQUITOUS, modern, up-close mic technique that produces these breathy whispered neurotic low-key sounding voices that would never sound that way in real life because nobody could hear what you are saying! (does this not bother anybody else? It is probably some hypnotic mind-control thing IDK) Sure, there is telepathy in some communications where breathiness might be 'normal' although in that case his lips wouldn't be moving but in all these scenes his lips ARE moving. No variance, no rise and fall in emotional delivery. That's "the Voice"?
"Paul!! Atreides!! SPEAK UP FOR GOD"S SAKE! Stop mumbling! You're so EMO! How are you going to lead the fiercest warriors on Arrakis?!? Project from your diaphragm...try it one more time..."
"y-y-y-yes Master Duncan..."
God Emperor was my favorite of all the Dune series. I wanted to go through the series before watching Dune 2020. Still have not seen it. In some of the later novels there is even more information provided about population management. In general, these later novels are excellent for seeing religion objectively.
As far as Andy/Q, his presentations were all over the place, covering a lot of history, occult, secret societies, etc. I believe he has a graduate degree in study of something related. Son of an Italian diplomat, he was ardent, engaging and entertaining. I couldn't take everything he said seriously, but I enjoyed listening to him. At some point he came to doubt Q.
I believe he mentioned at least one other author being killed for disclosing facts through fiction, Tom Clancy.
SOTTREADER
The Living Force
Watched the movie last night, loved it.
Interesting take.
Interesting take.
Warning: some plot points ahead.
Visually it's good, which is expected of the director of Blade Runner 2048 (a boring movie otherwise) but there are some issues with pacing, especially in the beginning. Some aspects of the story are telegraphed in advance (the manipulation of the fremen through prophecy and the subsequent loss of control over them etc.). In the 1984 movie these points were not presented, in the miniseries (which despite the poor visuals and disputable acting sometimes is still my favorite) it's not explicit enough until the Children of Dune, but in this movie it's maybe too explicit through narration even if the events wouldn't unfold until the next movie (the film suddenly stops when Paul and Jessica encounter the desert people). Gurney halek is under-utilised and Duncan Idaho is a little too caricatural. However, on the plus side, Baron Harkonen is more realistic as a cunning calculating villain and so much less cartoonish than the 1984 version (and for understandable reasons, they removed his "condemnable paraphilia", so explicitly obvious in the mini-series). Overall it's not a bad adaptation and quite entretaining.
Visually it's good, which is expected of the director of Blade Runner 2048 (a boring movie otherwise) but there are some issues with pacing, especially in the beginning. Some aspects of the story are telegraphed in advance (the manipulation of the fremen through prophecy and the subsequent loss of control over them etc.). In the 1984 movie these points were not presented, in the miniseries (which despite the poor visuals and disputable acting sometimes is still my favorite) it's not explicit enough until the Children of Dune, but in this movie it's maybe too explicit through narration even if the events wouldn't unfold until the next movie (the film suddenly stops when Paul and Jessica encounter the desert people). Gurney halek is under-utilised and Duncan Idaho is a little too caricatural. However, on the plus side, Baron Harkonen is more realistic as a cunning calculating villain and so much less cartoonish than the 1984 version (and for understandable reasons, they removed his "condemnable paraphilia", so explicitly obvious in the mini-series). Overall it's not a bad adaptation and quite entretaining.
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Nević Nenad
The Living Force
Watched it. Boring and empty. I expected at least visual side to be good, but its not.
I wanted to see the new Dune, but was a bit put off by the streaming price. Apparently there are ways around that fee (with tiresome ads). OK, Here's my take on Dune 2020 (with some spoilers) after seeing it the annoying way with my daughter the other night. I believe all the annoying ads did not influence my opinion. I recommend to save your money, time and frustration. Just watch the trailer (which is excellent), and read the novel/s (all of them!). The new movie covers only a little of the 1st story, only getting Paul and his mother out of the storm and across the sands to a bit of safety. The Fremen agree to take them in, but this is where the story ends rather abruptly.
I found the movie to be disappointing overall, but in a few moments there were interesting things (relative to my trailer induced expectations). Visuals were very good. Music was very good. Story line left me hungry. Acting was OK. Like I said, the trailer gives you the best of everything. Were you hoping for more of Reverend Mother Charlotte Rampling? So was I.
I thought most of the casting was good. Having read the entire Dune novel series, I envisioned a very different looking Duncan Idaho. Anyone else?
Spoiler: The novel series covers a very long time as we think of time. Duncan may perish, but he is never forgotten. If there is an archetype of a noble, loyal and effective warrior, it is Duncan Idaho.
More like this was what I pictured for Duncan:
I'd love to see a thread, or even this one continued on the subject of the novel series. It gets into the 'control systems' of religion, governments, secret societies, social manipulations, etc to keep the masses stupid and controlled. In these stories, IT is largely illegal for the dangers to humanity, who apparently have been there and done that.
I found the movie to be disappointing overall, but in a few moments there were interesting things (relative to my trailer induced expectations). Visuals were very good. Music was very good. Story line left me hungry. Acting was OK. Like I said, the trailer gives you the best of everything. Were you hoping for more of Reverend Mother Charlotte Rampling? So was I.
I thought most of the casting was good. Having read the entire Dune novel series, I envisioned a very different looking Duncan Idaho. Anyone else?
Spoiler: The novel series covers a very long time as we think of time. Duncan may perish, but he is never forgotten. If there is an archetype of a noble, loyal and effective warrior, it is Duncan Idaho.
More like this was what I pictured for Duncan:
I'd love to see a thread, or even this one continued on the subject of the novel series. It gets into the 'control systems' of religion, governments, secret societies, social manipulations, etc to keep the masses stupid and controlled. In these stories, IT is largely illegal for the dangers to humanity, who apparently have been there and done that.
