In 1984 a movie came out. No, I am not talking about "it can get there in 7 parsecs" Star Wars VI which, actually, if my dementia doesn't fail me, came out in 1983. No, I am talking about Dune. Specifically, David Lynch's Dune, made as an adaptation of Frank Herbert's immortal novel. Basically, Herbert's Dune is a War And Peace of Sci-Fi and, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest geopolitical novels of all time. But that is not the point--the point is the movie, which since then was condemned, degraded, humiliated to the point that David Lynch disowned it, having some Alan Smithee shown as a director and none other than Judas Booth (rings a bell?) as a scenarist, exhibited in a credits to a famous 3hr 15 minutes uncut version. 31 years has passed since a "box-office bomb" and all "thumbs down" version which became....a cult classic. What was forgotten, that Herbert was extremely dry in describing the universe of Dune. He wrote a superb geo(space)political palace intrigue and drama, while remaining surprisingly uninspiring in giving us a glimpse into what this world looks like. It took David Lynch's genius to give us a picture which, since 1984 disturbs, excites and fascinates true lovers of a genre. Herbert himself conceded that, far from being "consultant" on the set, he was simply amazed at what he observed.
All those art "specialists" define the style of Lynch's Dune as noire-baroque. It is more than that--it is bizarre, it is dark, it is horrifying, it is paleo futuristic and it is inhuman and that is precisely why Dune's characters come across so alive (how about outstanding actors' work?) and so human. No adaptation (well, Sci-Fi Channel's one) came even close in conveying the awe, horror and wonderment of an incredible world of the Spacing Guild, Space Travel, Bene Gesserit and a boy, grown to become a leader. The picture which was painted did become Dune and I am eternally grateful that this cinematic masterpiece came out when there were no imbecile teenagers publishing their "opinions" on the net from their iPhones and when the standard of human (especially female) beauty, friendship and sacrifice was high. Ah, yes! In the year 10191 there is NO democracy and the Universe is ruled by the Padishahs-Emperors. It is feudal.....and no computers.
Music by ToTo and Brian Eno--it is the awe and shock!!
The spice must flow...........
