Cheap Frank Herbert's Dune (TV Miniseries) (EP Version) (Video) (John Harrison) Price
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This much is certain: this Dune is a sumptuous treat for the eyes, with sets and costumes that were conceived with no apparent limits of budget or creativity. In terms of architecture alone, this is one of the most impressive films in science fiction history. And although the special effects fall short of feature-film quality, writer-director Harrison (who rose from an extensive background in TV) admirably tames the sprawling narrative that pits the opposing houses of Atreides and Harkonnen in a struggle to control the lucrative market for the spice melange. This is as accurate as any Dune adaptation is likely to get (i.e., there's no need for another attempt), and even then, it can be tricky to keep track of who's doing what to whom. Unfortunately, the film's biggest flaws are the casting of a nearly comatose William Hurt as Duke Leto, and a wooden Alec Newman as the messiah-to-be, Paul Atreides. These are regrettable shortcomings, but this Dune remains altogether respectable. That Frank Herbert would be impressed is perhaps the biggest compliment one can pay. --Jeff Shannon
| CATEGORY: | Video |
| DIRECTOR: | John Harrison |
| THEATRICAL RELEASE DATE: | 03 December, 2000 |
| MANUFACTURER: | Live / Artisan |
| MPAA RATING: | Unrated |
| FEATURES: | Closed-captioned, Color, EP, Original recording reissued, NTSC |
| TYPE: | Action / Adventure, Horror / Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Movie, Science Fiction, TV Shows |
| MEDIA: | VHS Tape |
| # OF MEDIA: | 1 |
| UPC: | 012236115557 |
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Customer Reviews of Frank Herbert's Dune (TV Miniseries) (EP Version)
Nice attempt betrayed by poor script I wanted to like this movie. Dune has yet to receive good treatment in film. Alas! ...it is still waiting. <
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>The sets & CGI were decent, on par for the time of the release of the mini-series. The acting was at about the same level, when you ignore William Hurt on quaaludes. The script, however was atrocious. <
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>Rule #1 in film-making: DON'T TELL ME. SHOW ME! The lines were so bad in the beginning, it may as well be marked "Introduction." The characters tell each other facts that each would know a hundred times over. Baron Harkonnen tells of his nefarious plans in a way seen in B-movies & cartoons. Your viewers are science fiction fans; they are accustomed to thinking: Let the viewers figure a few things out. <
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>The script is also run-over with cliches. The knife-fight scene started out ok. But then dialogue lines of how the student was now better than the master... they were groaning with age. And capped off with another cliche, where Paul ends the fight with a knife held at the master's face, only to have the camera pan down, showing the master with a knife poised at Paul's gut. How many times have you seen that in film? <
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>Another cliche: The scene where the Duke & Paul rescue the spice miners. The worm is approaching. Everybody stands around staring at it, even one guy still standing there after everybody has boarded. Finally, he gets on board. The ornithopter takes off, with an extended climactic scene barely escaping the maw of a worm. The viewer is just left thinking: "The heroes survived through luck; they're not particularly bright." Very poorly written. <
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>Dune still awaits good film treatment, starting with a talented script-writer.
A Novel Attempt at Production
At this point, I believe this is the best production of the Frank Herbert SciFi classic. Obviously the book is much more comprehensive and rewarding, but this production certainly attempts to address some of the depth intended by the author. The problem with any of these sophisticated novels is how to translate it into an abridged film production, keep the narrative moving, and satisfy all of those bookworm SciFi gurus who expect every detail to be in order. There's also the problem of creating a production that only the book readers will understand. There are some parts of this film where I feel this is true, but in general, I enjoyed this offering. The "worm" and general settings are somewhat realistic and the special effects are adequate. I highly recommend the Director's Cut version with the additional footage. I found the extra 30 minutes or so to be relevant, and the special features give a credible insight into the production of the film, director's vision, and treatment. There's also an interesting short discussion on the "messiah complex," which makes things relevant to spiritual issues today.
UGH!
I bought this DVD in mid June, 2001 primarily because I missed the MINI SERIES when it showed on TV. Before I received it, I was able to see it on a neighbor's system. Watching this version was somewhat of a LET-DOWN. It is NOT even close QUALITY WISE [acting, video or audio effects], to the 1984 version. When my copy arrived from AMAZON, I unwrapped it and filed it away for viewing on a rainy day. [At the time I had about 1000 DVDs in my collection. Now I have more] About 6 months later, I pulled it out to watch on my JVC DVD changer. It skipped so much that I STOPPED my DVD player and put it back in my collection and grabbed something else to watch. As of JANUARY 2006, this is the only DVD that WON'T play on my system. This DVD deserves a [0] star rating.
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