paulb@hcr.UUCP (Paul Bonneau) (04/15/84)
[]
Since I have only been using the net for about 4 months, I am not
sure if I am rehashing an old issue, but anyway.
Does anyone know any information about the upcoming movie Dune
starring Sting of the Police? I have heard that the budget is >
$50,000,000 but that seems rather hard to believe. I realize
that there are lot of Dune cultists out there (including me if
one makes reference to the first book only) but enough to warrent
this kind of expenditure?
When is it due to start playing? Is it especially long?
--
Paul R. Bonneau
{decvax|watmath|utzoo}!hcr!hcrvax!paulblabelle@hplabsc.UUCP (WB6YZZ Labelle) (04/16/84)
I hear it will be released Dec. 7. This came from Frank Herbert
himself. He seemed to think it was well done. (It has already been
filmed in Mexico and is now being edited) He was interviewed on a
local radio station here.
GEORGEjudy@ism780.UUCP (04/20/84)
#R:hcr:-65300:ism780:18000002:000:108 ism780!judy Apr 19 13:02:00 1984 All I know is that it is in the works and Linda Hunt is cast in it. At least, that's the Hollywood gossip.
cbspt005@abnjh.UUCP (Bob Giordano) (05/01/84)
The Dino DeLaurentiis production of "Dune" was scripted and directed by David Lynch of "Eraserhead" and "Elephant Man" renown. It opens in the U.S. and Canada on Dec. 7. Yes, Sting has a featured role and the budget is rumored to be in the $60M range! It would have cost at least 50% more if it had been filmed in the U.S. instead of in Mexico. The running length will be between 2.5 and 3 hours.
jimc@haddock.UUCP (11/16/84)
Does anyone out there know about Dune? When will it be released? How long did it take to make? I looked at a picture book from the movie, and it looked breath-taking. Also, who is in it? I know that Linda Hunt plays a Fremen woman, and that Sting plays Feyd-Rautha, but that is the extent of my knowledge of it. Any hints? Jim Campbell INTERACTIVE Systems Corporation Boston Technical Office
friesen@psivax.UUCP (Stanley Friesen) (11/20/84)
In article <305@haddock.UUCP> jimc@haddock.UUCP writes: >Does anyone out there know about Dune? When will it be >released? > > Jim Campbell > INTERACTIVE Systems Corporation > Boston Technical Office It is to be released for the Christmas season, so look for it in about a month.
dwhitney@uok.UUCP (11/21/84)
Dune, a $40 million epic science-fiction feature, is to be released
this Christmas (I don't know the specific date; but it is to be at
Christmas time.)
Some in the industry are nervous about it; some preview screenings of
the film have drawn mixed-to-negative reviews, though officials with
the film deny this. If I have read correctly, there have been three
preview screenings, and while the overall reaction was one of "okay,"
it was by no means the "Oh my gosh, this is awesome" reaction which was
anticipated..
Oh, well, we shall see come December.
David Whitney
ctvax!uokvax!uok!dwhitney
P.S. Have also heard than 2010 is having its share of troubles too,
but that's strictly rumor...(i.e. big cost overruns, that type
of thing. Same type of things that bogged down "Star Trek--The
Motion Picture (or sickness, as some have said..)" back in 1979)mpl@lems.UUCP (Michael P. Levy) (11/26/84)
I don't know any of the details about Dune, but my feeling is don't expect much. The movie is being produced by Dino De Laurentis (or however he spells it). This man has destroyed every movie he has ever touched. Maybe the "Posieden Adventure" was OK, but Dino is the man who has brought us "Orca the killer whale", and the fabulous remake of "King Kong". I was hoping for years for a great "Dune" film, but when I heard Dino was backing it I gave up hope. Dino's motto : Lotsa bucks = no talent
forrest@reed.UUCP (Rossen) (11/27/84)
> Does anyone out there know about Dune? When will it be > released? How long did it take to make? I looked at a picture > book from the movie, and it looked breath-taking. Also, who is > in it? I know that Linda Hunt plays a Fremen woman, and that > Sting plays Feyd-Rautha, but that is the extent of my knowledge of it. > Any hints? > > Jim Campbell > INTERACTIVE Systems Corporation > Boston Technical Office Reply to Dune query: The movie will be out on the 14th of December, It took about (I believe) five years to make, is one of the most expensive movies to be made, and most of the actors are newcomers, with Kyle Maclauchen (Might be spelled wrong) as Paul Fremen.
rsu@cbscc.UUCP (Rick Urban) (11/27/84)
"Dune" is PRODUCED by Rafaella DeLaurentiis; it is DIRECTED by David Lynch. The films under production during the next 18 months are no doubt the ones under Dino DeLaurentiis' production headquarters in New Wilmington,N.C., including "Red Sonja", "Silver Bullet" and "Ronnie Rocket", but it would be highly unlikely that a sequel to "Dune" would be in the works in the forseeable future. Rick Urban ihnp4!cbscc!rsu
boyajian@akov68.DEC (Jerry Boyajian) (11/28/84)
From: uok!dwhitney (David Whitney) > Dune, a $40 million epic science-fiction feature, is to be released > this Christmas (I don't know the specific date; but it is to be at > Christmas time.) In the Boston area, DUNE is scheduled to open on December 14. > Some in the industry are nervous about it; some preview screenings of > the film have drawn mixed-to-negative reviews, though officials with > the film deny this. If I have read correctly, there have been three > preview screenings, and while the overall reaction was one of "okay," > it was by no means the "Oh my gosh, this is awesome" reaction which was > anticipated.. I don't worry about preview screenings. I don't think I've ever heard of *any* movie whose preview screenings elicited raves. As a matter of fact, I heard that people booed and walked out of a preview screening of BLADERUNNER. --- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC, Maynard, MA) UUCP: {decvax|ihnp4|allegra|ucbvax|...}!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-akov68!boyajian ARPA: boyajian%akov68.DEC@DECWRL.ARPA
jpm@ptsfc.UUCP (Jim Moore) (11/28/84)
>Reply to Dune query: >The movie will be out on the 14th of December, It took about (I believe) >five years to make, is one of the most expensive movies to be made, and >most of the actors are newcomers, with Kyle Maclauchen (Might be spelled >wrong) as Paul Fremen. Just what is a "Paul Fremen" ? Anyway, I agree with those expressing their suspicions about the movie "DUNE" - I fell heartbroken when told that "Big Bucks Dino" was INVOLVED. It will probably be a *spectacle*, but that's all I can hope for from a movie that began with a complete desciption of a "still-suit" and filmed those *costumes* the Fremen are made to wear. Disgusting! -- Jim Moore dual!ptsfa!ptsfc!jpm Pacific Bell REMEMBER - "Things are only as bad as they are and can only get worse if they do!" - James P. Moore
jimc@haddock.UUCP (11/29/84)
I thank you, one and all, for submitting some great mail to me in response to my inquiry on Dune. I can tell many of you have both a very social attitude as well as a sense of humor. I received one very informative response from one who works in my company's headquarters, in Santa Monica, California. Thank you again, Steven. Here is his message: Date: 16 Nov 1984 1719-PST From: Steven Mau Sender: steven at ISM70 Subject: Re: Dune To: jimc -------- Don't get your hopes up over Dune. The Los Angeles Times reported that recruited audience screenings of the film were very unenthusiastic. Supposedly the film is uninvolving. Esquire had a short column on the inside word on the Christmas releases a few issues back and reported (at that time) that there was absolutely no word on the Hollywood grapevine about the film, usually a sign that the film is in trouble. From Variety I've noted that Universal had to go to the trouble to schedule exhibitor screenings on November 9 for theatre owners, a sure sign to me that these rumors about the quality of the film are somewhat accurate. But all rumor and innuendo aside, here it is: DUNE Kyle MacLachlan (newcomer) is Paul Jurgen Prochnow (Das Boot) is Duke Leto Francesca Annis (Krull) is Lady Jessica Kenneth McMillan (Ragtime) is Baron Harkonnen Sean Young (Blade Runner) is Chani Linda Hunt is Shadout Mapes Max Von Sydow is Dr. Kynes Paul Smith (Midnight Express) is Beast Rabban Dean Stockwell is Dr. Yueh Patrick Stewart is Gurney Halleck Freddie Jones (Firefox) is Thufir Hawat Photography by Freddie Francis (Lawrence of Arabia) Production Design by Anthony Masters (art director, 2001) Editing by Antony Gibbs Visual Effects by Kit West (Raiders) and Carlo Rambaldi (Alien) Music by Toto (and a piece by Brian Eno also included) Produced by Rafaella DeLaurentiis Written and Directed by David Lynch (Eraserhead and The Elephant Man) From Universal Pictures. Opens December 14th. Check out the children's section of your local bookstore. It should have The Dune Storybook and The Dune Activity Book, both with pictures from the movie. -------- Jim Campbell INTERACTIVE Systems Corporation Boston
jpg@sdchema.UUCP (Jerry Greenberg) (12/01/84)
> DUNE > Photography by Freddie Francis (Lawrence of Arabia) Sorry about the nit-picking but I think his name is Freddie Young (Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago) I too am sceptical about anything involving DeHorrendous. Jerry Greenberg
moriarty@fluke.UUCP (Jeff Meyer) (12/03/84)
On the other hand, Dino has done the excellent "Ragtime" adaptation (if
ANYONE could truly have adapted it), and THE DEAD ZONE, which is one of the
most underated movies of last year -- much better than the book. So it
looks like a toss-up to me.
Oh, Frank Herbert says it's great, but then he also has contracts for the
options on the next score of Dune movies, and is in trouble for back taxes
in our ol' state of Washington (talk about the White Plague... the Worst
Plague is tax people :-) ). Also, he keeps hinting that Lucas plagarized
from Dune in the STAR WARS movies. Frank should be so lucky.
"Hi. This is God."
"Uh-Oh..."
Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc.
UUCP:
{cornell,decvax,ihnp4,sdcsvax,tektronix,utcsrgv}!uw-beaver \
{allegra,gatech!sb1,hplabs!lbl-csam,decwrl!sun,ssc-vax} -- !fluke!moriarty
ARPA:
fluke!moriarty@uw-beaver.ARPAgary@ur-cvsvax.UUCP (Gary Sclar) (12/06/84)
How about a little Baron Harkonnen doll that flies around and around?
mfs@mhuxr.UUCP (SIMON) (12/18/84)
This would have been a wonderful 4 hour movie, but in two hour format it's a mess. The filmmakers attempted to squeeze in as much as possible, and in the process left out most of the character development that makes the book so good. If one has not read the book (or if one has reasonable expectations), the movie can be enjoyed. I am sure plenty of people will find plenty of more or less serious nits to pick with it (if the 2010 reviews are any indication); my main objection is that the thing is so damn PORTENTOUS! An air of DREAD is everywhere, telling you that this is IMPORTANT. The score is all enveloping and LOUD, swelling up continuously to warn you that something WONDERFUL (Oops, wrong movie!, something DREADFUL) is going to happen. One observation: the whole thing has a low-tech feel to it. That comes from the book, which did not concern itself too much with the scientific base for its inventions. I find this refreshing, after 2010 and other recent sf movies One question: how did they do the blue on blue eyes? Marcel Simon ..!mhuxr!mfs
ecl@ahuta.UUCP (ecl) (12/19/84)
DUNE
A film review by Mark R. Leeper
In reviewing DUNE, I cannot help but feel a certain sense of deja vu.
Just about a year ago another film came out that made almost all the same
mistakes and had almost all the same strengths. That film was THE KEEP,
based on the novel by F. Paul Wilson. Both were films that I enjoyed
greatly, but neither can I recommend. There are a number of reasons why I
feel that neither film can be recommended. Each story is told in a moody,
stylized, almost mystical fashion that make the films almost impossible to
follow without being familiar with the story before one enters the theater.
Not that that always helps because each varies somewhat from the plot of its
respective source, but without having read the novel, the viewer would be
left in a twisting maze of bewildering events. Neither film tells the story
of its novel very well, but each film is visually stunning and serves as a
beautiful set of illustrations for the book. It is unfortunate that these
two films were made about the same time, since each film could have been a
valuable object lesson to the director of the other had the timing been
different. THE KEEP hit the boxoffice with a resounding thud and it looks
like DUNE will do the same.
It has been eleven years since I read DUNE by Frank Herbert. That is
probably just about the optimal gap between reading the book and seeing the
movie. It means that I remember the basic plot and some of the language of
the planet Arrakis, but that a lot of the plot subtleties have long since
been forgotten. The film vaguely follows the plot and in fact has
surprisingly fidelity to the long and complex basic plot, but it simplifies
it a little too much and at important junctures, changes the plot just a bit
too much. The way the long-awaited Dino De Laurentiis production is able to
get so much of the plot of the novel into DUNE is to simply tell the long
story at a very fast clip. Whatever you can say negative about David
Lynch's direction and a lot of the silly things added to the script, he was
able to cram all the real essentials of the long novel into the film, and
there are not many screenwriters who could have. The price is that it is
much harder to digest an important scene before moving on to the next
important scene, making it even harder for someone who has not read the book
to follow what is going on.
Where Lynch really falls down is that he completely misses what makes a
film a compelling experience. Herbert's characters had little human
interest, but the book was fascinating because it detailed the background of
the story so well. Herbert's background work of designing the culture,
ecology, and history of Arrakis gave the book a real feel of authenticity.
It is almost like reading a historical novel with an encyclopedia close at
hand verifying the accuracy of the story. There is no way a film can give
the same feel of authenticity, so it would have to make the characters more
interesting. Lynch fails to do that entirely. The characters are flat and
uninvolving. The strongest emotion that Lynch makes us feel is revulsion
for the Harkonnens. The main characters are dull and lifeless, completely
uninvolving. That means that DUNE will fail to capture the targeted STAR
WARS audience for the same reasons that SPACE: 1999 failed to capture the
STAR TREK audience. All the stylized mise-en-scene and the moody images
only serve to separate us from involvement in the story. We are left with
very enigmatic main character and a very dry film (in more ways than one)
that simply seems a sort of Lawrence of Arrakis.
Visually, DUNE is a mass of contradictions. It has more than its share
of jaw-dropping spectacles, yet some of its simplest effects are done on the
cheap and really look bad. We see pictures of a moon of Arrakis
superimposed on a sea of stars, and we see stars right through the moon as
if the scene were a cheap double exposure. We see a human in the mouth of a
sandworm and the special effects people used two different film stocks to
film the worm and the man, so that the result is totally unconvincing. On a
forty-million-dollar film one can expect more competence than that. What
nobody expected were Carlo Rambaldi's sandworms. Rambaldi was the man who
did such a horrible job of making a mechanical King Kong that a human
stand-in was needed for all but about four seconds of the remake of KING
KONG. Even after he did E.T., itself a reasonable effect, nobody thought he
could do Herbert's sandworms justice. Rambaldi has redeemed himself in
spades. The sandworms have to stand as one of the most awesome yet
believable special effects anyone has ever put on the screen. From the
first flash we see of a sandworm -- looking somewhat like a scene from MOBY
DICK diving from wave to wave -- to the final massive attack with many of
the worms, they are accurate to John Schoenherr's famous illustrations.
In DUNE we see and hear echoes of previous films. All too often, De
Laurentiis seems to assume that the essence of science fiction is overly
ornate and usually oddly structured sets. Many of the sets from DUNE could
have come from BARBARELLA or FLASH GORDON. These sets sit there as
background, but add little to the feel of the film. There are a host of
actors from previous De Laurentiis films. We have Max won Sydow from FLASH
GORDON and CONAN THE BARBARIAN. Kenneth McMillan and Brad Dourif are
familiar from RAGTIME. And, of course, there is a rock score. De
Laurentiis likes rock scores for fantasy films. FLASH GORDON had its effect
much damaged by its score. (Dino wanted to have a rock score for CONAN, THE
BARBARIAN, but John Milius insisted on giving the score to Basil Poledouris,
or at least so Poledouris claimed in an interview. It was the right choice.
Poledouris's score is just about the best thing about CONAN THE BARBARIAN).
But even with all the flaws, this film had more than enough to keep me
pleased with what I was seeing. With this odd mix of virtues and problems,
I find that this is a film that I like, but I cannot recommend. See it at
your own risk. You might like it, you might hate it. It will be a while
before you can forget it. For the record, I liked it a +2 on the -4 to +4
scale. But I am of such a mixed mind about this film, it could easily have
been a -2. It just depends on how much someone weights the bad elements and
how much they weight the good.
(Evelyn C. Leeper for)
Mark R. Leeper
...ihnp4!lznv!mrleli@cubsvax.UUCP (Eli Haddad) (06/30/85)
Does anyone know that DUNE was a 4 hr long movie that was edited to around 2 hrs. If anyone was lucky to see the whole thing tell me how it was.
lsmith@h-sc1.UUCP (Liz Smith) (07/01/85)
> Does anyone know that DUNE was a 4 hr long movie that was edited to > around 2 hrs. If anyone was lucky to see the whole thing tell me > how it was. _LUCKY_ enough? Did you see the movie at all? :-) Liz Smith
reiher@ucla-cs.UUCP (07/04/85)
In article <344@cubsvax.UUCP> eli@cubsvax.UUCP (Eli Haddad) writes: >Does anyone know that DUNE was a 4 hr long movie that was edited to >around 2 hrs. If anyone was lucky to see the whole thing tell me >how it was. As I understand it (based on interviews with David Lynch and a question and answer session with Frank Herbert), this isn't quite correct. Every scene in the book was shot (plus, obviously, a few that were not), resulting in much more than 4 hrs worth of footage (more like 6 hrs, I'd guess). In an attempt to make it more marketable, Lynch cut it down to about 2 1/2 hrs., losing far too much important stuff. Herbert hopes that the complete footage will be shown on television as a miniseries, much as the two Godfather movies plus extra footage were shown. He also hopes to get rid of the rain at the end. I have never heard of there being a 4 hr cut, though I have little doubt that, at some point in the editing process, the incomplete film ran that long. I doubt if there was actually a showable 4 hr. print complete with corrected color, fully mixed sound, etc. -- Peter Reiher reiher@ucla-cs.arpa soon to be reiher@LOCUS.UCLA.EDU {...ihnp4,ucbvax,sdcrdcf}!ucla-cs!reiher
manis@ubc-cs.UUCP (Vince Manis) (07/06/85)
In article <344@cubsvax.UUCP> eli@cubsvax.UUCP (Eli Haddad) writes: >Does anyone know that DUNE was a 4 hr long movie that was edited to >around 2 hrs. If anyone was lucky to see the whole thing tell me >how it was. I should hope I'm never that lucky.
ix241@sdcc6.UUCP (ix241) (07/23/85)
John Testa UCSD Chemistry sdcsvax!sdcc6!ix241