Dune (Special Edition)

Advantages: An awesome epic
Disadvantages: can be a little dull

Since first entering the Dune universe I hav read every book available to date, watched both mini-series and played every game I could get my hands on... It still doesn't compare to the actual awe I feltwatching this film properly for the first time. Ok, it doesn't stick that closely to the original story (unlike the later adaptation by the sci-fi channel) and the earlier DVD edition had an odd green tone but this is IT, the reason I am now obsesive ...
...like one of the new LOTR inspired epics, a little stodgy and tough to get into, kind of like the books, if you don't have patience and you don't like this kind of thing don't watch it. If you do then it is a deffinate must, its as memorable as any film I've seen (after the first viewing I had already memorised the opening speech) and more memorable than most. Although the storyline wavers from the books it is still engrossing. Unfortunately the ... Read review

Advantages: Stunning landscapes and buildings, and the worms are great
Disadvantages: Confusing.

...Frank Herbert's long-winded original novel, recreated lovingly in film by David Lynch, and featuring the acting talents of none other than Sting, the man currently topping the classical album charts with a compilation of Elizabethan lute remixes. How could such a film fail? In the event, it doesn't. The landscape of the arid planet Dune, on which Paul Atreides fights to restore his family's honour, is rendered in glorious technicolour, and the sandworms in particular make later monsters from such classics as Star Wars almost pale in comparison. Weird characters look weird, noble characters noble and so on. Whilst the CGI (or lack of it) may look slightly dated today, the film is still highly enjoyable. The plot is complex, and as someone who has read the book I still found it slightly hard to follow. Compressing such a large work... Read review

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Advantages: Epic Sci-Fi spectacular
Disadvantages: Poorly received, some naff special effects

...'s as if it has been there all along. The music comes from a most unusual source forget John Williams, Ennio Morricone, here pop band Toto give an incredibly epic score, and more interestingly still after such a successful score they never choose to continue down the path of movie soundtracks. Dune remains a firm favourite with me as one of Lynch's more legible storytellings. It's an enjoyable and seemingly long movie that while not necessarily one you might watch repeatedly in close succession a few years between watching makes this an enjoyable sidetrack in life. Sound And Vision This recent special edition release has the best quality print I have yet seen. And looks equally impressive on both traditional and hi definition television sets either with or without hi definition transmission equipment. The flaws usually exposed by hi definition... Read review

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Advantages: Makes more sense than the Theatrical Version
Disadvantages: Still doesn't do justice to the books

...you're reading, you can pick up on. However, translating these nauances onto the "Big Screen" is no easy task and by removing large sections, viewers were often left confused and baffled in places as to what had just happened, or why something had just happened. I should point out that I have read all six of Herbert's original Dune series, as well as the three 'House' series that his son wrote with Kevin Anderson, so I'm well versed in the world of 'Dune'. For this reason, I probably followed the movie a lot more than others might have done and probably didn't recognise where the uninitiated might struggle with certain aspects. Prior knowledge of the books isn't essential, but it probably does help. This Special TV Edition attempts to correct some of these issues by providing some of the deleted scenes and now run at approximately... Read review

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