Pages2Screen: Dune

Dune or Dune

I'm a massive fan of Frank Herbert's novel Dune. The rest of the series is more meh…although I recently enjoyed Dune Messiah, it did not inspire me to read the rest of the books. In fact, I've never made it past God Emperor of Dune despite having made several attempts. The other tales pale in comparison to the original, including the newer yarns by Herbert's son and Kevin J. Anderson. I've found the same is true for the adaptations for big and small screens.

But what about Denis Villeneuve's new films?

Dune Part I & II

These films are great and, more or less, faithfully follow the novel. I look forward to Villenueve's future Dune movies. However, I believe most fans of the novel will find the movies lack a certain magic that is only found in books. You see, Villenueve's interpretation of Herbert's world is not my interpretation. And I dare say, as good as the actors are in it, none embody their character like Peter Dinklage does Tyrion in Game of Thrones. 

The bottom line is that if you're going to choose just one to experience, read the book. More than likely, you don't have to choose only one, so read the book and then watch the films.

Dune: Prophecy

The wife and I have watched two episodes of the latest Dune series. Both episodes have left us underwhelmed. In fact, the second installment put me to sleep, literally!

Parting Thoughts

Admittedly, being such a huge fan of the original novel, there will probably never be an adaptation that lives up to how that book made me feel the first time I read it. Reading Dune for the first time was like watching Star Wars as a kid. There's no comparison. The new movies might have better special effects, but they don't have the wow factor or the heart.

If you want an epic cinematic experience, watch Villenueve's Dune movies—they are spectacular, even if they fall far short of the source material.