Dune is out this Month

Dune, by Frank Herbert, is considered one of the best science fiction novels of all time. A rich, complex read that presents political, religious, legal, personal, and philosophical dilemmas. The book is an exciting, enthralling read, an epic with unforgettable characters such as Paul Atreides – the young hero/anti-hero who is born and bred to be a Messiah. Clashes between prescience and presence, destiny and free will, and duty and desire arise throughout the novel, which was already brought to the silver screen in 1984 by David Lynch. WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS

DUNE 2020

COMING TO A THEATRE NEAR YOU THIS MONTH

Most critics panned Lynch’s version and indeed the Director himself criticised the version the studio chose to release. I myself enjoyed the film for the simple reason that it was amazing to see one of the top idols of the time, Sting, as the cunning Feyd Rautha. Having recently read the book for the first time this year, I cannot imagine Feyd played with as much energy and charisma as the ex-Police frontman. There were other appealing factors – the worms, the special effects, and the costumes. Renowned critic, Roger Ebert, had a totally different vision of the film. He famously said, “This movie is a real mess, an incomprehensible, ugly, unstructured, pointless excursion into the murkier realms of one of the most confusing screenplays of all time.”

One wishes Ebert were around these days to see the new, highly anticipated version by Blade Runner 2049 director, Denis Villeneuve. Much has been left to mystery but one thing we do know is that Villeneuve has respected the book to the letter. Dune is a huge book (part of a massive series) and one that arguably cannot be summarised into a two- or even three-hour film. It will therefore cover the first half of the book, with Villeneuve explaining, “I would not agree to make this adaptation of the book with one single movie.”

Feyd was my favourite character in Lynch’s Dune but the character is missing from this partial adaptation. The casting thus far is eerily perfect though. Who else but Timothée Chalamet could play the prescient child-man, the MuadDib, so perfectly? We are also excited about seeing Zendaya as Chani, Rebecca Ferguson as Jessica, and Josh Brolin playing Gurney Halleck. And what about Star Wars’ Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto Atreides, or the ultra-charming Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho?

Audiences grew super excited to see that Stellan Skarsgard had been chosen to play Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. I was hoping they wouldn’t fatten him up and have him moving through space via suspenders but alas, Skarsgard has admitted that he will, indeed, be playing the Baron curvystyle (well, this is stipulated in the book so it probably should be respected, but really? Suspenders? Wouldn’t a wheeled machine have worked better?). We only caught a glimpse of the Baron in the new trailer but it seems that his look won’t be quite as awkward as the humiliating get-up sported by Kenneth McMillan in Lynch’s work.

There have been small changes from the book. One is that Liet Kynes will be played by a woman (Sharon Duncan-Brewster). Dune fans will know that Kynes is a wonderful character; the Imperial Planetologist whose goal is to save Dune from its dryness by terraforming it into a more temperate, humid zone through the growth of plants. Kynes is also the liaison between Paul Atreides’ father and the courageous Fremen who inhabit the planet and who will be the salvation of the Atreides house. When asked about her role, Duncan-Brewster said, “Denis was adamant that we just concentrate on what Kynes represents. Thematically, Kynes plays an integral role. He connects all the dots. He connects the Harkonnens, he connects House Atreides, he connects the Fremen, planet Arrakis, the sandworms.” Kynes is unique in that his goal is ultimately to better the Planet, in an era in which individual families, religious factions (think the sacred Bene Gesserit), political factions, and even individuals wish to harness power for themselves.

What ultimately makes Dune such a great read (and hopefully an equally wonderful view) is its ability to question the role that myth, religion, and politics play in robbing the human mind of its capacity to truly exercise free will. I cannot wait for this movie; can you? e