robertmaybeth "Game of thrones" in space, 12 years before it was ever written. We are told the rough cut ran 4 hours, Lynch wanted it to be at least 3 but the studio ordered it cut so as to allow more screenings in the theaters (a common thing in American cinema). But I have the impression the film would still have come out much the same regardless of the finished length... this film aims high, nearly achieves it yet ultimately can't achieve what the filmmakers set out to do. There's much to admire about this film and so many things about it that are ultimately pointless and frustrating. I had never read "Dune" so I had no expectations; even so it's clear there must be a lot of the book behind the dialogue and film elements. There's plenty of mythos present for "game of thrones in space" that it appears to be nowadays, and the film makers manage to convey a lot of it in a way that makes you want to know more. But that's the problem with this film adaptation - there's just enough back-story to make it a compelling watch but too little is adequately explained to make it satisfying. We have a classic rivalry with good guys (House Atreides) and bad guys (the emperor, House Harkonnen) along with a small but powerful group that will need to have it's loyalties adjusted (the Fremens) if the conflict (the fight for the vital spice "Melange" that grants its user almost magical powers). The good guys include Baron Atreides (Jurgen Prochnow) and his son Paul, (Kyle Machlachlan, making his film debut)squaring off against the evil (not to mention thoroughly vile) Baron Harkonnen and his trained killer Feyd Rautha (Sting, in a baffling but still convincing choice of casting). The Atreides must travel to the planet Arrakis, the only source of the vital spice in the universe. Little do they know the emperor and the Harkonnens have plotted to let them get settled on the planet then destroy them - particularly Paul, who the emperor has been ordered, (by some squishy squid villain or another that lives in a giant aquarium) to murder. All the elements for a great story are there, and for the most part, the film-makers live up to it. If oyu can ignore the often ponderous, pretentious and illogical dialogue, the voice overs that seem like they were written 5 minutes before the scene was shot, and the muddy continuity, this film delivers in a big way. There haven't been production values this good since "Star Wars", and the sets truly create the impression that we are looking at a totally different universe - and manages to sustain that for the entire film. And that's where they take you and leave you, since the story-telling can't live up to the rest of the film. All the elements of an epic story are in place...but where the film ultimately falls on its face is continuity. The characters all have clear motives, all are painted in appropriate shades of dark and light, and the film makers push every emotional button to make you root for team Atreides and against the evil Harkonnens. But sometimes the dialogue just doesn't work, and it doesn't help things when some of the characters deliver their lines as if they were reciting Shakespeare instead of having a simple conversation. In short, I really like this film, have rewatched it more then once, and wish it were better then it is. But the biggest problem with "Dune" is the murky telling of the story, and there are gaps a sand-worm could fit through.. You can't help the nagging idea that somehow, something got lost in translation during production. As it happens, audiences just couldn't relate to this film, which did so poorly at the box office that plans for two sequels were simply dropped (which is unfortunate, since you get the feeling that Lynch might have gotten the story right with just another sequel or two).

nzswanny When you begin to look for movies in every crack of the wall you get to see strange movies like this, which is supposed to be based on a famous source material that I have not read yet. This film is really good because of the fact that it's incredibly bizarre and follows a pure Twin Peaks sort of style to it, and beware bland normal "good popcorn fun" blockbuster fans, this is not a normal fantasy film like how apparently it's source material is. It's incredibly weird, and that is what is so good about it, and it contains surrealist visual effects and picture-perfect cinematography, holding some of the most memorably weird moments in a movie I've seen in a long time. The special effects are brilliant yet strange, and although they may be a bit too weird for some I think others looking for a mind screw will love the uniqueness of this movie. It's a surreal space epic with an 80's soundtrack and an imagination that'll leave you gasping; I watch movies specifically to see weird things like this that I wouldn't see in real life and to be captivated into such a strange world like this is really interesting. Before I think I complimented on the picture-perfect cinematography too minor and I'd say that it has some great movement and angles with the camera photography, so I recommend you analyze that if you give this a watch. You want escapism? This is the real deal.

Tweekums In the distant future control of the universe depends on the control of the spice mélange; it is only found on the planet Arrakis. The spice is so vital because it is essential for space travel as it allows the folding of space so vessels can instantly travel between any points in the universe. Not surprisingly there is conflict to control the spice with various noble families vying for power… none of whom seems too interested in the Fremen, the natives of Arrakis. There is however a prophecy that a Messiah like figure will come to lead the Fremen; that man turns out to be nobleman Paul Atreides and he will help them take control of Arrakis and defeat the enemies of the Fremen.This film could have been so much better; the central story is solid but the film is a bit of a mess. Sci-fi set in the future tend to depict a bright, shiny future, like 'Star Trek'; a rather functional future, like 'Alien' or be high camp… this is definitely high camp. That wouldn't be a problem but it takes it self far too seriously for such a style. The characters spout dialogue that I assume is meant to sound deep but more often just seemed pretentious. The special effects may have been impressive when it was made but seem rather dated now… on the plus side the sandworms that move through the deserts of Arrakis were pretty cool. The characters were okay in an over-the-top way; Paul Atreides was a decent protagonist even if he is too perfect at times. The cast do a decent enough job but I couldn't help thinking all the well-known actors who feature have all done much better work. Director David Lynch has certainly done much better; this may partly be down to studio interference though. Overall I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to see this but if it is on TV or the DVD is in the bargain bin you might want to check it out.

Paul R. Perkes I saw Dune when it first came out with a group of high school friends in 70mm Dolby at the Cine Capri in Phoenix. We were all avid science fiction readers and had read all of Frank Herbert's books. Despite all its short comings I still love this movie. The state of special effects in 1984 were just not advanced enough to adequately pull it off. It was also unrealistic to try and cram all the first book into a single two- hour movie. It did, however, have a stellar cast; but they were a bit hampered by an odd, awkward screenplay. I can only imagine what could be done now with modern special effects and a series of movies like The Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit or Star Wars. I agree wholeheartedly with the review by Nergal-Is-Risen. I was amazed by the number of 1-star and 10-star reviews this movie received by users on IMDb—quite a bi-modal distribution! Love it, or hate it, people are passionate about this movie.