Dune
When I first watch a lot of movies, I think there were times when I let outside critical assessment influence my own thoughts quite a bit. That’s why rewatching movies can be so important, especially if we watched them early on- as one gets control of their critical facilities, we can see how much of our early thoughts hold up. I’m not saying my thoughts specifically about David Lynch’s “Dune” were that way, but I think it might have been weighted towards going with the critical consensus on his 1984 adaptation of Frank Herbert’s beloved novel.
It’s no secret that Lynch was one of the filmmakers approached by George Lucas to direct “Return of the Jedi.” As I’ve thought about it, I don’t know if that would have been as weird as a lot of people think- he would have been a director-for-hire, and essentially would have had to go a lot with Lucas’s vision on that one, so it might not have been as Lynchian as we think. “Dune” feels more akin to what a David Lynch space opera looks like, and while he didn’t have final cut on it, one still sees a lot of the dark humor and eccentric world building Lynch has been known for over the years in it. I cannot compare it to the book, but as a cinematic experience, even if it isn’t a great one, it’s one filled with ambition and imagination.
Lynch’s film tells the story of a battle between two houses- House Atreides and House Harkonnen- for control of the planet Arrakis, which is home of melange, a spice capable of extending life, and expanding mental abilities. Duke Leto Atreides is assigned to be the fief ruler of Arrakis (aka Dune) by Emperor Shaddam IV, but the Emperor comes to see House Atreides- and in particular, the Duke’s son, Paul)- as a threat, so he conspires with House Harkonnen to destroy the Atreides family. In the film Lynch has made, this plays out in very familiar tropes of good vs. evil without getting deep into political and ethical quandaries that Herbert supposedly had play out in his book. Who knows if that is because of the studio meddling- an early rough cut ran four hours, and the final film is 136 minutes- but if you enjoy this sort of space epic narrative, “Dune” is certainly an interesting one to watch, even if it doesn’t always hold our interest, and just seems to end by the time the credits role. There are good actors in this film, with Kyle MacLachlan as Paul, Jürgen Prochnow as Leto, Virginia Madsen as Princess Irulan (who provides narration for the film), Kenneth McMillan as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Linda Hunt as Shadout Mapes, one of the Fremen of Dune, Brad Dourif as Piter De Vries (one of the Baron’s right hand men), Sean Young as Chani, and Francesca Annis as Lady Jessica (Paul’s mother), among many others. Yes, there is also Dean Stockwell, Patrick Stewart, and Max Von Sydow, and of course Sting; it’s interesting to see the ways that different actors approach their characters, and there is a tonal imbalance that comes out between the Atreides clan and Harkonnen, but sometimes, it’s more entertaining to watch McMillan or Sting go for the rafters in their performances than watching the sincerity of a MacLachlan or Prochnow. The people who are in the middle of that range- which includes Annis, Stockwell and Dourif- are probably my favorites; they recognize how bananas Lynch’s vision is, and seem to understand just how best to play this material for optimal impact.
A lot of the matte work and visual effects do not hold up, but there are some amazing sights in Lynch’s film. The sandworms are effective most in brief moments, and when Paul is riding one into battle; when they are shown off in action, you see the seams, but when one comes up from the planet and destroys a ship, it’s one of the most striking moments in sci-fi cinema. Where Lynch and cinematographer Freddie Francis excel are in moments of character drama, and the sands of Dune, which are evocative of “Lawrence of Arabia” in how they’re shot. There’s a great aesthetic to the production design that makes it feel otherworldly, although some of the makeup effects and costume designs don’t work (or lean the film too far into camp territory). The behind-the-scenes MVP, however, is the soundtrack by TOTO, as well as the “Prophecy Theme” by Brian Eno. When Lynch’s images and the music connect, “Dune” is one of the most thrilling pieces of science fiction cinema in movie history. That’s it’s also a mixed bag as a film has to do with the technical limitations of the time, Lynch not having complete reign, and a studio nervous about it being too complicated. Regardless, “Dune” endures as a fascinating entry in one of the most unique filmmographies in movie history.
