Adapting Frank Herbert’s lengthy sci-fi
classic into a film is not an enviable job. Its not so much that the plot is
complex; in fact, it’s quite straightforward, it’s more to do with the way the
book presents it. We’re given the detailed inner thoughts of a number of
principal characters and masses of historical, geographical, political and linguistic
information about the scenario. The book’s emphasis is as much on a look or a
movement than it is about action. David Lynch’s 1984 version squeezed the 500 plus
page book into a two hour movie by ruthlessly editing the story, stripping it
of any finesse and the results did not really work. Dune is a story that
needs to be told carefully and at a medium pace so is more in tune with modern
television than film making. Denis Villeneuve though has cracked this toughest
of nuts by dividing the story into two- there is a pointed Part One underneath the
on screen title- and editing with precision to service the overall story rather
than the running time. At two hours forty minutes this is still only half the
story.
LARGE SPOILERS HIDING IN THE SANDS BEYOND HERE...
