The above quote was from Frank Herbert in 1983 after he visited the "Dune" set. I can only imagine what he saw that would move him to make such a proclamation. My own personal take on this filmed version of Herbert's sci-fi masterpiece is that it in many ways it was a valiant effort, but there is too much left unexplained to the novice part of the audience which would probably account for more than seventy percent. I say that because the movie's trailer markets Dune as a quasi-Star Wars escapist flick. While there are certain elements of that in the book, Dune is not supposed to be all action. The suspense thrills come more internally from the characters rather than externally, which makes it very difficult for any director to project into a visual medium. Lynch gives it his best shot, but I don't think he should have been the choice for this one. He is a stylist filmmaker, and seemed to pay too much attention on the Harkkonens and not enough on other areas like the Spacing Guild and the Bene Gesserit. So why should anybody see this? I see the movie as having two redeeming features: the cast and the soundtrack. The music is unearthly enough to give the impression of an alien world (bravo Brian Eco and Toto!), and Jurgen Prochnow is exactly how I imagine the Red Duke. I do think that Patrick Stewart and Freddie Jones would have done better to have switched roles, and Everert McGil is a little too stiff for Stilgar. But Kyle Maclachlen does just fine as Paul, Sian Phillips is also good as the Reverend Mother Ramallo, and even Sting shows the right blend of aloofness and barbarity for Feyd-Rautha. "Failed masterpiece" is how I would sum up this effort, and even so it does a better job in 2 1/2 hours than John Harrison could do in six. Give it a try, but NOT until you've read the book!
Review of Dune
