Off to the flicks again, this time to see the remake of Dune.
A Word about the Original… (1984)
I recall seeing the original when it was released back in 1984 (Odeon, Croydon, I think!) and came out feeling a tad disappointed – and also thoroughly exhausted having endured its what-seemed-endless-at-the-time, 2 hour 17 minute duration. On the positive side, it did attract a star cast of: Kyle MacLachlan, Patrick Stewart, Brad Dourif, Dean Stockwell, Virginia Madsen, José Ferrer, Sting, Linda Hunt and Max von Sydow, amongst others.
And it seems that others who saw it may have felt the same… or worse! Why? It turned out to be a box-office disaster, grossing just $30.9 million from a $40 million budget! On release, David Lynch, the Director, disowned the film and even in 2021, the debate continues as to whether it was truly a disaster or just ‘misunderstood’.
OK, back to the here and now, let’s see if this version hits the spot!!!
To me, just like the original, the cast is impressive (but no Sting!) – Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Stellan Skarsgård, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Chen Chang, Dave Bautista, David Dastmalchian, Zendaya, Charlotte Rampling and Babs Olusanmokun.
The Story
Dune follows Paul Atreides, who, with his destiny foretold as a young innocent, travels to the most dangerous place in the universe to ensure the future of his home planet. You’ll never look at a sandy beach (or your spice rack) in the same way ever again!
So, here I am, with Jo and Janet at the local Kettering Odeon – and in the Premium Seats too (?) for the 1.30pm performance. The movie is 2 hours 35 minutes long but having been used to Marvel Blockbusters (and the recent Bond outing) this’ll be a breeze and my bladder has been briefed!!!! 😫
Yes, I liked it! In my eyes, a cross between Game of Thrones and Star Wars – and that’s not a bad combo in my world. Dune was epic in scale, scope and ambition – and certainly, a movie to pay attention to. It began in a confident mood with ‘Part One‘ as a sub-heading under the main movie title! Maybe it was a bit ‘talk-ey’ in the first Act, but isn’t that always the way when scene-setting in the movies these days? Fear not, Acts Two & Three knitted together a really good yarn!
Filled with great cinematography, superb acting, and just the right amount of SFX, this was an enjoyable romp to another galaxy far, far away. Although a bit light on ‘action’ scenes, the narrative was intelligent but also complex – Overall, it was definitely more of a talker than a laser show! (and all the better for it). As a consequence, in spite of the bladder-busting length, it’s not one where you should consider ‘popping to the loo’ partway through!
By the closing scenes, the story was now perfectly set for a sequel, and maybe two – it even felt like (possibly) a long franchise-in-the-waiting.
I think I’m now going to re-watch the 1984 original, to see if that leaves a more positive impression than through my younger eyes as a twenty-eight year old!
It works well as a standalone, even if you’re not particularly into SciFi and/or haven’t seen the original. Highly recommended! Go see! 👍
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Music: Hans Zimmer
Production Year: 2020
Release date: 22/10/2021
Genre: Science Fiction
Sound Mix: 12-Track Digital Sound (IMAX 12 track)/Sonics-DDP/DTS (DTS: X)/Auro 11.1/Dolby Surround 7.1/Dolby Atmos/Dolby Digital/IMAX 6-Track (Yummy!!!) 😁
Aspect Ratio: 1.43 : 1 (IMAX Laser: some scenes)
1.78 : 1 (Blu-ray release: some scenes)
1.90 : 1 (Digital IMAX: some scenes)
2.39 : 1
Certificate (UK): 12A
Runtime: 2h 36m
Full details here (courtesy of IMDB.com)
I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!
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