I was going to post a thread asking if there was anywhere I could get the longer cut of the David Lynch version of Dune, but I decided to check Amazon.com first just to see if there was anything out there.
And soon there will be.
This kicks ass. I saw the movie before I’d ever considered reading the book, but I think that a lot of the casting and imagery goes well with the novel. At least the longer version does more justice to the book than that pared-down, rushed ordeal that was the theatrical release. I can’t wait to see the introduction with those great illustrations.
Woo Hoo! I know what I want for my b-day! I’ve had a vcr tape from some boston tv station that is so sorely degraded it is unwatchable - I can’t wait to watch this again!
I’ve been hoping that someone would release a set with the different versions of this film (kind of like Criterion’s Brazil; I’m also wishing for the same thing with the Dirctor’s cut and voiceover versions of Blade Runner).
The extended version isn’t really a different version, just an unedited one. The only real difference is the opening narration and the fact that the Fremen didn’t all have the blue eyes throughout. Nothing at the amazon site mentions it, but it should be listed as an Alan Smithee directed film.
That’s interesting. Do you mean that during some scenes people like Stilgar or Chani didn’t have blue eyes or that there were “background Fremen” that they didn’t do the special effects for?
Now I know they’re going to have the changed opening narration and the scene with the little maker, but are they going to have the part with Gurney playing the balliset and the knife fight with Jamis? I saw the latter’s name in the credits, but they never refer to him at all in the theatrical version. I’d really like to see how they cast him and how they did that scene.
I saw the movie first, but it wasn’t until three years later that I read the book, so I didn’t remember who any of the characters were except pretty much for Paul and the Baron. I was really pleased by the casting, especially with the Duke’s family and Gurney Halleck. Then again, reading the book I’d pictured someone older and more frail for Dr. Yueh, and someone skinnier for Thufir. The casting of the Harkonnens sucked. The Baron was a depraved slob, yes, but he wasn’t a screaming lunatic, and Feyd Rautha was supposed to have black hair, although I was always amused by Sting in the role. It just seemed so random.
And Max Von Sydow kicked ass as Kynes. I want to talk like that, si-ah.
I have to get this one! I’m glad to see I’m not alone. My brother taped the one they did on cable with William Hurt (who sounded bored to death, just like me, the whole time) and I barely made it through the tape.
The miniseries was more faithful to the novel, and that’s a very good thing. All the same I agree with you, Viva. The Children of Dune one rendered me unconscious too.
And ironically, I liked the way the baron was cast in that one, but I didn’t like the other casting decisions at all. The Atreides were just wrong, and everyone else looked like they were extras from an episode of Hercules or Xena.
But it was pretty funny to see a Scotty lookalike as Gurney.
He is listed as the director of the 137 minute theatrical release, not on the 190 minute extended version. Sci-Fi channel used to show it and the credits listed Alan Smithee as the director. From this site:
And Kahn, IIRC, there were some of the major characters who didn’t have the blue eyes in some scenes, but I don’t remember for sure.
Anyone seen any good special offers on this dvd yet?
Fry’s in Bay area doesn’t have it on their thursday advert, so it’s probably full price there. Anyone seen better than Amazon’s 19.45 ?
That is wrong. If the extended version was “uneditted” then things like shots from the battle sequence at the end being used twice with the pan and scan being centered on a different portion of the frame wouldn’t happen. There were a lot of things shoved in to extended version which Lynch did not approve of which is why he had his name taken off that version. You can find some information about the differences here.
Does anyone know for a fact that this new release is indeed the “Alan Smithee” version? Or did David Lynch relent and assist in the compiling of this version?
His website says nothing about any version of Dune - at least not that I can see. Be aware if you visit davidlynch.com that it is a hard to navigate, flash infested site.
Almost a year late, but the DVD seems to be coming out in just over a weeks time. Details from Amazon
does anyone know how much Lynch was involved in making this edition
As a rabid Dune fan, I own both the miniseries and the extended Smithee version (on VHS). Over the last three or four years, I have watched both several times. And the last time I watched the Smithee version, I realized that it actually sucks kinda bad. Yes, there’s more information and more scenes from the book, but the opening storyboard montage with voiceover explaning everything just drags on and on. There is a noticeable amount of footage used more than once. Really, the best parts are all there in the theatrical release too. I’ll probably buy it anyway because I’m a bit of a completionist when it comes to Dune.
The miniseries is much better in terms of being true to the story line. Yes, it didn’t capture the look and feel of the book as well as the Lynch version, but in so many ways it is far superior. (BTW, William Hurt was deliberately acting tired, stiff and slow because that is how the book describes Leto. He is tired from working way too hard on the transition, he knows he is probably walking into a death trap and he is using stimulants to stay awake. It’s not the most nuanced performance but he was acting in character. Part of the problem is that the Duke’s greatness is really described in the book by the loyalty of those around him, not by any deeds or words.)
Anyway, I’m just saying the extended version is not really that much better than the original. IMHO.
I saw the extended version on TV years ago. I seem to remember being annoyed that in the animated opening montage the narrator pronounced some of the names incorrectly - or at least differently than they are pronounced in the movie.