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Dune [HD DVD] [1984] [US Import]
![Dune [HD DVD] [1984] [US Import]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51E50FWR6XL._SL160_.jpg)
On the DVD: There is a fold-out colour booklet which contains a wealth of stills, a reproduction of the original cinema poster and a worthwhile essay on the original film that avoids any discussion of the TV version it accompanies. On the disc there is only the original theatrical trailer. The superb cinematography is ruined by the panned and scanned 4:3 image, which is grainy and has poor colour fidelity. It is also soft, lacking detail and washed-out, probably a result of being converted from American NTSC TV format video rather than coming directly from an original film print. Certainly the DVD of the cinema version looks far better. The audio is thin mono, completely failing to do justice to how fantastic a post-Star Wars 40-million-dollar science fiction epic should sound. --Gary S Dalkin
Our Price: £5.99 (subject to change)
Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
Dune: Special TV Edition is an extended US network television version prepared in 1988 from David Lynch's 1984 film of Frank Herbert's classic science fiction novel, Dune. The original cinema release of this complex tale of interplanetary intrigue was heavily shortened and this 176-minute TV edition should not to be confused with Lynch's still unreleased three-hour-plus "Director's Cut". In fact Lynch disowned this TV version, replacing his director's credit with the infamous pseudonym Alan Smithee and his screenplay credit with the name Judas Booth (a combination of two notorious traitors). What the network did was add 35 minutes, about 15 minutes in the first two thirds, which in the cinema cut is in any case superbly paced, and around 20 into the final 40. This latter material does help balance the frenetic rush of the cinema cut, restoring important scenes such as Paul Atreides' fight with Jamis, a Fremen funeral and Jessica Atreides' taking the "Water of Life". What primarily alienated Lynch was the imposition of a folksy, sometimes laughable narration, as well as the replacement of the original prologue with a far longer sequence explaining the Dune universe via pre-production paintings. This TV edit is a travesty of what, in the "Director's Cut" at least, is probably a great film, and is really only worth seeing to get a glimpse of the material Lynch was forced to remove. The unconnected mini-series, Frank Herbert's Dune (2000) does a far better job of telling a more complete version of the story.
Not brilliant, but not bad.
Review date: 2008-05-12 Rating: 8 out of 10
Dune by David Lynch.
Although this David Lynch adaptation of the books does them no justice what so ever I still enjoyed the film both on its original release and even now. No film is ever going to be like the book and some, like this, are extremely removed from their original written version.
Although it is 24 years old it is not a bad film to watch and it did lead me into reading the books when I was older. Amazon is confusing this film with the SCI-FI Channel mini series and vice versa which is a whole different kettle of critical sand trout.
Dune Mini series.
This mini series could have been so much better. Although it is more faithful to the books than the 1984 Lynch film it is marred by poorly selected actors and dodgy costumes. Who in their right mind cast Cockney PH Moriarty as Gurney Halleck? If they could have got someone as distinguished as Patrick Stewart to reprise his role as Halleck it may have made this series a tad better. That said, I still enjoyed watching this version and it was nice to see the books brought to life a little more properly than the 1984 Lynch film.
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Reviews
cheap.....
Review date: 2008-01-09 Rating: 2 out of 10
I have not read the book, but will endeavour to rectify that now I have seen this rediculous farce of a shambolic re-hash...I fail to understand how anyone can compare a book to the TV....visual images are going to be completely different, and need to be conveyed in a completely different way to that of mental images created through words. The Lynch version is in my opinion very well acted and dramatic enough to keep me entertained.
I am a fan of the Lynch version, but not having read the book can't comment on whether the full story was conveyed correctly, I can only go by the opinions of others, who have read the book and seen the film and who happen to like both.
Now on to the mini series, which I have had to stop watching a quarter of the way through the second disc....the casting is severely miscast; the type of man I considered Baron Harkonen to be would be an evil overlord, instead they have created a jolly fat man that seems to have spent the last few months prior to filming practicing his evil laugh in front of a mirror. None of the cast stood out or made any sort of dramatic impact enough for me to remember their names, within 30 minutes I still had trouble remembering who everyone was....for some strange reason every character seemed to be introduced to the audience as you would expect George Bush to be introduced to members of a anti war deminstration. My next point....why did they seem to think it would be necessary for Feyd-Rautha to prance around for the entire first two hours shirtless, barely acting...I can't honestly remember a single dramatic line the actor said throughout this debacle...and why oh why as if that wasn't bad enough, did they also feel it was necessary to the plot for Baron Harkonen to remark at how good looking Feyd was, at every turn....GREAT! Now we have a big fat jolly gay man playing Baron Harkonen. The scene between the Reverand mother and Paul "broody" Atreides where he has to leave his hand in that box as a test, wasn't so much a test of pain, but a test to see whether this "TV" actor can act??? The answer was no...surprising eh? Next....why did the set of the Atriedes family space fleet seem like they had borrowed it from Star Trek....the original TV series?
Which leads me on to the clothes....why did I think Lost in Space, when I first clapped eyes on them?? I immediately asked myself what year is this??...I can only assume the budget must have been so low they had to ask for handouts from Oxfam....where we initially had a dark, seedy dramatic telling of a great story. We now have a fun, colourful, is this a disney tale of...nothing!
The visual effects used were pretty sub standard...Lynch's version seemed to have the better technology based on the 2000 version. At one point during a scene where Paul and Jessica are running through the desert I sware I saw in the background an approaching herd of buffalo being chased by a Police car....is this a spoof movie I thought to myself???
Why were there so many shots where the camera panned across a crowd of Fremen displaying their "blue eyes", as if the director was saying LOOK, we can make the eyes go BLUE!! I really hate shows that make use of their supposed visual effect talents, purely because they can.
Why was Duncan Idaho never there? Where's Duncan? asked Paul...hmmmm maybe he's off gaining acting lessons I thought, and surely the Director agreed by constantly bringing him back in to the film, thinking oh god no, that man can't act, quick lets send him off to the Fremen....before ending the life of the character...and possibly the actor, who knows? Were all the actors taught by Keanu Reeves?
Dr. Yueh looked like an extra from Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, and I seriously thought he was going to die at any moment he was that frail. Had I not seen the Lynch version of Dune, I would never have realised what Duke Leto was doing with his mouth whilst trying to chew something, right before he tried to asassinate Baron Harkonen....surely in the Lynch version we are made aware that Duke Leto is heavily drugged and therefor believes wrongly that the Harkonen mentat is Baron Harkonen, hence why he died and the asassination failed. If I was a first timer watching this film there is no way I would know what was happening.
William Hurt played the part of Leto like he couldn't care less, more about the paycheck than the dramatisation and portrayal of the character...and how ironic that he "starred" in the movie of Lost in Space!!
Why did the scene where the Harkonens take over the palace take all of two minutes, during which all we saw were shots of men jumping about while explosions raged in the background, none of which made any sense to me....surely this wasn't the A-Team?? a poor mans Michael Bay maybe.
Further more, I have just noticed this won awards???? I can only assume their was only one nominee??? Standards have surely slipped???
I was also unhappy that all from what I saw followed exactly the same path the film took...even some of the dialogue seemed the same. The only differences I can tell were that they changed the chosen weapon of the Fremen and added different scenes to the acts, which in turn didn't really go too well as they clearly had no idea as to how they should play out because they weren't in the film. I don't want to watch an extended remade version of the film.
All in all the set looked cheap, the clothes looked cheap, the "actors" were cheap, the visual effects looked cheap....none of which I could ever say about Lynch' version, despite the year it was made in. No "serious" film that makes me laugh out loud is ever going to win me over and Dune the mini series was doomed from the first half hour...I deserve a medal after sitting through 2 hours of this tripe.
If you wish to watch a show that expands on the film and tries to remain true to the book, then by all mean please buy the mini series, but it will never compare to the film.
Hit and Miss
Review date: 2008-01-04 Rating: 8 out of 10
In a nut shll this could have been the best ever Dune adaptation but for
1. Poor acting (with the execption of the Baron Harkonnon) Seriously the Emperor of the universe sounds like an italian clothes designer.
2. Costumes so poor it was most likely made by the same guy who played Saddam Corrino IV. I was watching this DVD for the first time with some non-Dune fans and they refused to watch anymore when they saw the Sardukar uniforms!
3. Sets so bad you see creases in the backdrops.
But other than that Herberts brillant story and fantastic vision holds this up. If you can get over those three issues its a great series for both Dune and Non-Dune fans alike.
Ridiculously bad
Review date: 2007-11-18 Rating: 4 out of 10
I love David Lynch's film, but this version is so bad, it's almost inconceivable that it ever happened. I can't believe this was released on DVD, it's a joke! In a way, it is worth it, because there is a ton of extra footage. However, you will soon understand why this footage was excluded from the proper film. Get ready to witness the likes of Jose Ferrer and Dean Stockwell temporarily forgetting how to act. Watch as the whole pace and cohesion of the film that you once loved disintegrates before your eyes. The scene with Thufir's suicide is not included (despite appearing on the back of the DVD case) and the extra fight scene with Jamis is so ridiculous and out of place that it borders on self-parody. The fact that Irulan's subtle commentary is replaced by a strange guy with a broad Brooklyn accent is where this version just all-out loses its integrity and becomes hilarious. The introduction, which runs like an illustrated "idiot's guide to dune" is kinda cool, but generally falls under the umbrella of comedy thanks to the Brooklyn dude again.
It's very nearly worth it just for the comedy alone! But do NOT pick this up unless it's for a couple of quid second hand, because you WILL regret spending £20 on it!
Appalling
Review date: 2007-10-08 Rating: 2 out of 10
I'll just be blunt here; this miniseries does everything wrong. The acting is terrible, it's poorly scripted, the casting is woeful and the special effects and costumes are laughable. It does nothing better than the patchy 1984 attempt by David Lynch, in fact, it comes across worse in most cases. The only plus is that it tries to include more of the original story, but it does such a bad job you wish it hadn't.
Not for fans of the book (RE: those who would enjoy a faithful interpretation!)
Thankfully, things would later improve DRASTICALLY for the sequel: Children Of Dune.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Daniel Bryan Corkill
Francesca Annis
Linda Hunt
Brad Dourif
Leo Cimino
Creators:
Frederick Elmes (Cinematographer)
Freddie Francis (Cinematographer)
Recording label: Universal Studios
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
EAN: 0025192778124
Binding: HD DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: AC-3, Colour, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen,
Release date: 2006-11-28
Universal product code (UPC): 025192778124
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Running time: 137 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1984
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: French (Subtitled)
Language: Spanish (Subtitled)
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: French (Dubbed)
Language: Spanish (Dubbed)