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Children of Dune
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Posted by: Redleg

I am really looking forward to this miniseries! I've wanted to see this book made into a movie ever since reading it (ahem)teen years ago, but I never thought it would happen.

With the exception of casting that numbskull William Hurt as Leto and lack of location outdoor desert footage, I thought they did a good job with Dune. I think the previews look excellent... anyone else excited about this one?

Posted by: brahamt

Excited would not be the correct word for me. I enjoyed Dune, and I want to see this one. I will Tivo it and watch it eventually, but I won't jump on it immediately.

Posted by: LooseWiring

Sorry, but to me they got the entire feel of the first Dune wrong.

I mean come on, how many of the Fremen were walking around carrying an extra twenty pounds body-fat? Most of them.

Posted by: sschwart

quote:
Originally posted by LooseWiring
Sorry, but to me they got the entire feel of the first Dune wrong.

I mean come on, how many of the Fremen were walking around carrying an extra twenty pounds body-fat? Most of them.

But at least they kept somewhat close to the book, instead of that drug-induced trip David Lynch took us on :)

-Steve

Posted by: Chris Roberts

I really enjoyed the first one and am looking forward to this one.

Posted by: Buster

When/where is this going to be on? I'm fairly skeptical, but will give it a chance.

Posted by: johnjohn

True to the book? Two criticisms of SciFi's Dune:

1) Production values: not enough people for crowd shots, badly shot action (see the death of ... Rabin?)

2) Avoiding things because they were in the Lynch movie. The technology which Paul and his mother brought to the Fremen was skipped over. I don't think Lynch did this very well, but that's no reason to completely ignore it.

Posted by: Unbeliever

quote:
Originally posted by johnjohn
True to the book?

2) Avoiding things because they were in the Lynch movie. The technology which Paul and his mother brought to the Fremen was skipped over.

Umm.... Paul and Jessica didn't bring ANY technology to the Fremen. They did show them some of the body control techniques of what the Bene Gesserit called prana-bindu and the Fremen called "The Weirding Way."

Unlike the Lynch version, there was no "Weirding box" in the book or the Sci-fi version.

--Carlos V.

Posted by: jhausmann

quote:
Originally posted by Redleg
I am really looking forward to this miniseries! I've wanted to see this book made into a movie ever since reading it (ahem)teen years ago, but I never thought it would happen.

With the exception of casting that numbskull William Hurt as Leto and lack of location outdoor desert footage, I thought they did a good job with Dune. I think the previews look excellent... anyone else excited about this one?

Casting Susan Sarandon in CoD is worse than casting Hurt in Dune.

Posted by: Redleg

I actually like Lynch's Dune too, taking it for what it is. I agree, SciFi Dune wasn't perfect, either, but its strengths outweighed its weaknesses, I think, and it actually surpassed Lynch's version in most respects. Baron Harkonnen, Feyd, Irulan and even Chani were "balanced" much better. And no weirding modules!

My main complaint would also be the overall production value. No actual dunes, and the big battle scenes were underwhelming, but what can you do if the money isn't there? As a big fan of the books I can make the most of it... of course I'd love to see it made on the scale of Lord of the Rings, but on Sci Fi I guess we can just hope they don't cancel it before the miniseries is over. ;)

Posted by: Unbeliever

quote:
Originally posted by jhausmann
Casting Susan Sarandon in CoD is worse than casting Hurt in Dune.

She's playing Wensicia. Farad'n's mother. Since both Dune Messiah and Children of Dune are combined in Sci-Fi's Childrend of Dune, and Wensicia is in only six or seven chapters that I remember in Children of Dune[1], I estimate total screen time to be less than 10 minutes tops.

--Carlos V.

[1] Herbert's chapters are 3-25 pages long. Average of 8.

Posted by: johnjohn

quote:
Originally posted by Unbeliever
Umm.... Paul and Jessica didn't bring ANY technology to the Fremen.

DAMMIT!!!

This is what happens when one doesn't re-read one's favorite books for over a decade!

[goes to garage bookshelves]

I wonder if Dune Messiah will make any sense to me now? The last time I read that one was when I was ... 11? No, that can't be right.. I remember telling my friends to skip the second book, "Dune Boredom."

Clone of Duncan ... politicking... [snore]

I alway meant to nail down exactly when the Jihad is supposed to be going on... During "Dune Messiah?" During "Children of Dune?" Between them? After?

Posted by: Chris Roberts

Lynch's version had too much exposition and too much cyberpunk. Who wears black leather in the desert? And the story was too condensed to give it the epic feel it should have.
The miniseries may not be perfect, but I enjoyed it a lot better and the directors cut on DVD adds some good scenes throughout.

Neither version pays much attention to the Mentats though. They are the most interesting characters and Muaddib is supposed to be like a SuperMentat.

Posted by: LooseWiring

I liked the fact that The SciFi Dune kept closer to the book than Lynch's Dune.

But, the overall feel in Lynch's Dune was FAR superior to the mini-series. The sets, the costumes, and the actors were all VASTLY superior in the movie.

Oh, except for the casting of Paul. The mini-series had a far better Paul than Kyle McLaughlin.

Posted by: Tsiehta

quote:
Originally posted by johnjohn

I alway meant to nail down exactly when the Jihad is supposed to be going on... During "Dune Messiah?" During "Children of Dune?" Between them? After?

I assume you mean Paul's Jihad. It takes place for the first 12 years after Pauls assumes the throne. It's not actually represented in the books. Dune Messiah begins 12 years after the ending of Dune.

IMHO, Lynch's version more accurately captured the feeling of the Duniverse than the miniseries. Lynch's version also had the budget to have better production values. The miniseries was an abomination from the standpoint of costumes, acting, etc. That being said, the miniseries was relatively faithful to the book, Lynch's version took many liberties.

I'll watch Children of Dune for the same reasons I'm reading the pathetic Prequels and Butlerian trilogies: they're Dune and I must see them.

Posted by: TonyD79

I am getting a kick of out the trashing of the movie based upon not following the book when Frank Herbert was on the set and forced things to look and feel the way he wrote them in the book. It was presented as HIS vision of Dune, not as David Lynches.

The TV version was weak in comparison and so downplayed the religious aspects of the book greatly.

Posted by: Tsiehta

quote:
Originally posted by TonyD79
I am getting a kick of out the trashing of the movie based upon not following the book when Frank Herbert was on the set and forced things to look and feel the way he wrote them in the book. It was presented as HIS vision of Dune, not as David Lynches.

The TV version was weak in comparison and so downplayed the religious aspects of the book greatly.

Actually, that's not completely true. Yes, FH had a hand in the creation of the 1984 movie, but he did not direct it. the movie is Lynch's vision, not FH. In any event, the movie does not completely follow the book (ie, wierding modules). That's frustrating.

It's like the Dune Encyclopedia: the DE was written with FH's blessing, but it conflicts with the books in several ways.

Posted by: TonyD79

Sorry, I distinctly remember the articles and interviews on the insistence of Herbert on the look of the sets, his hand in adusting the writing.

See, even an author sometimes changes the story.

Posted by: spelcheker

My issue with the movie and the series isn't accuracy with the book as much as capturing the 'feel' of the book. I thought the BG witches came through o.k., the mentats were a little weak, Duncan was better in the series, but my big problem with both was the Fremen. The 'feel' that came out of the book was how good they were as fighters. Maybe it's a case of imagination always being better than what you see, but neither version gave me the same sense of how dangerous they are. The sound modules in the movie basically turned them into a bunch of savages with cool guns. The series was better, but still left me disappointed.

That said, I'm still looking forward to what's coming next.

Posted by: ikobi

quote:
Originally posted by Buster
When/where is this going to be on? I'm fairly skeptical, but will give it a chance.

March 16th on SciFi.

Posted by: Buster

Thanks!