"Dune" fans?

[LuFins Dad]

The books that took place later in the timeline were bad, but the prequel stuff was quite good… The Machine Crusade that led to the end of all thinking machines and paved the way for the beginnings of the Bene Geserit, Mentats, and Spacing Guild were quite good.

[George K]

Went to the theater this afternoon to watch part 2. First time at a movie in ... I don't remember when.

Random thoughts:

It's been a while since I read the book (4 years?), and there are some significant differences. The real "Dune nerds" are apoplectic over this, but I found it a pretty faithful adaptation, even though some parts were notably missing. Among the missing things are the Guild Navigators, the background of the Bene Geserit sisterhood. The fact that Feyd's knife was poisoned in the final duel is omitted.

It's a long movie - 2:45. But I never felt it was dragging. Still in the interest of being more faithful to the book, some stuff could have been cut - Feyd's arena scene added nothing to the story other than showing you that he's a psychopath.

Worm riding. It was truly spectacularly well done. Brought a big smile to my face.

We are never told the background of Jessica and Vladimir Harkonnen, other that they are related. Not why.

Spice harvesting scenes are also very well done.

Austin Butler steals the movie with his psychopathic malevolence. A truly evil villain.

See this in the theater - in an IMAX and sit close to the screen. No home theater can do it justice.

ETA: Thufir Hawat is not in the movie, sad to say.

The ending seemed kind of rushed, and very open ended.

[Aqua Letifer]

@George-K said in "Dune" fans?:

Worm riding. It was truly spectacularly well done. Brought a big smile to my face.

I had been looking forward to that scene since I first heard part 1 was coming out. Been waiting a couple of years. Expectations were absolutely cranked.

And it did not disappoint. It was so excellent. I want to go back just for that alone.

[Axtremus]

@Aqua-Letifer said in "Dune" fans?:

I don't understand why they keep getting this wrong. You can't focus group your way to greatness, motherfuckers.

Maybe the focus-grouping's objective is something a bit less ambitious than "greatness," maybe it's mere commercial profitability that they're after.

[George K]

@Aqua-Letifer said in "Dune" fans?:

I had been looking forward to that scene since I first heard part 1 was coming out.

The final battle with the worm-riding army was pretty cool too.

Thoughts on the ending, with Chani walking out and leaving?

[Doctor Phibes]

@George-K said in "Dune" fans?:

Thoughts on the ending, with Chani walking out and leaving?

I haven't seen it yet, but it sounds as though that misses the point as badly as making Paul into a hero.

[Aqua Letifer]

@George-K said in "Dune" fans?:

@Aqua-Letifer said in "Dune" fans?:

I had been looking forward to that scene since I first heard part 1 was coming out.

The final battle with the worm-riding army was pretty cool too.

Thoughts on the ending, with Chani walking out and leaving?

Mixed feelings. Ultimately I think it's in keeping with an aspect of Herbert's vision that might otherwise not be conveyed. Dune ain't Avatar.

[Aqua Letifer]

@Axtremus said in "Dune" fans?:

@Aqua-Letifer said in "Dune" fans?:

I don't understand why they keep getting this wrong. You can't focus group your way to greatness, motherfuckers.

Maybe the focus-grouping's objective is something a bit less ambitious than "greatness," maybe it's mere commercial profitability that they're after.

Yes, Ax, I know that, as does everybody else.

[Doctor Phibes]

@Aqua-Letifer said in "Dune" fans?:

Mixed feelings. Ultimately I think it's in keeping with an aspect of Herbert's vision that might otherwise not be conveyed. Dune ain't Avatar.

The sequels don't make sense unless Chani dies in childbirth while with Paul, and Paul doesn't get to partially redeem himself, which is key to the story.

[George K]

Rumor is that a 3rd movie is in the early planning stages. Villeneuve (sp?) wants to do it, but he has other stuff that he wants to do first.

[Aqua Letifer]

@Doctor-Phibes said in "Dune" fans?:

@Aqua-Letifer said in "Dune" fans?:

Mixed feelings. Ultimately I think it's in keeping with an aspect of Herbert's vision that might otherwise not be conveyed. Dune ain't Avatar.

The sequels don't make sense unless Chani dies in childbirth while with Paul, and Paul doesn't get to partially redeem himself, which is key to the story.

Still very much a possibility if they make subsequent movies.

[LuFins Dad]

@Doctor-Phibes said in "Dune" fans?:

@George-K said in "Dune" fans?:

Thoughts on the ending, with Chani walking out and leaving?

I haven't seen it yet, but it sounds as though that misses the point as badly as making Paul into a hero.

I could see it going both ways.

[LuFins Dad]

@Aqua-Letifer said in "Dune" fans?:

@George-K said in "Dune" fans?:

@Aqua-Letifer said in "Dune" fans?:

I had been looking forward to that scene since I first heard part 1 was coming out.

The final battle with the worm-riding army was pretty cool too.

Thoughts on the ending, with Chani walking out and leaving?

Mixed feelings. Ultimately I think it's in keeping with an aspect of Herbert's vision that might otherwise not be conveyed. Dune ain't Avatar.

Yeah, and the Fremen aren’t exactly those blue skinny aliens, either. The Fremen were a very… I don’t want to say bloodthirsty .. let’s call them a practical people when it comes to death and war and spilling the blood of their enemies. If Chani is walking because of horror at the continued death and destruction across the universe being visited upon these planets by the Fremen? That’s out of character. If she’s walking because of what it’s doing to Paul to have to be this abomination? Ok.

If she’s walking because of Irulan, then I don’t think these guys understood the characters at all.

[George K]

@LuFins-Dad said in "Dune" fans?:

If she’s walking because of Irulan, then I don’t think these guys understood the characters at all.

I got the distinct impression that's what it was.

Paul goes into this "I'll always love you" speech, and within 1 minute, turns to the Emperor and says "I marry Irulan or you die." Chani storms out, and summons Shai-Hulud.

[Doctor Phibes]

@George-K said in "Dune" fans?:

@LuFins-Dad said in "Dune" fans?:

If she’s walking because of Irulan, then I don’t think these guys understood the characters at all.

I got the distinct impression that's what it was.

Paul goes into this "I'll always love you" speech, and within 1 minute, turns to the Emperor and says "I marry Irulan or you die." Chani storms out, and summons Shai-Hulud.

Jesus

[George K]

@Doctor-Phibes said in "Dune" fans?:

@George-K said in "Dune" fans?:

@LuFins-Dad said in "Dune" fans?:

If she’s walking because of Irulan, then I don’t think these guys understood the characters at all.

I got the distinct impression that's what it was.

Paul goes into this "I'll always love you" speech, and within 1 minute, turns to the Emperor and says "I marry Irulan or you die." Chani storms out, and summons Shai-Hulud.

Jesus Muad' Dib.

As I mentioned, there are some real liberties taken with the story. Because it's such massive work, I understand the need to be selective about what's shown.

But I don't understand some of the stuff, like not putting Fred's poison into the duel.

On the other hand, if I hadn't read the book, I would have thought this was a really great tale, well-told. That thought crossed my mind several times during the movie.

[Doctor Phibes]

It's not as bad as Peter Jackson tossing the dwarf.

[Aqua Letifer]

Meh. It's a movie. It ain't the book.

And Chani was pissed at Paul long before the Irulan thing, so I don't think that was it.

[George K]

@Aqua-Letifer said in "Dune" fans?:

Meh. It's a movie. It ain't the book.

Exactly my thoughts. I took it for what it was. And that was REALLY well done.

[LuFins Dad]

Watching Dune 1 with Lucas right now.