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Just saw this, though it is from March 2008. A more recent article is here. The director is Peter Berg, the genius who brought us Friday Night Lights and Hancock. Screenplay by... well his name doesn't matter, it's his first. I don't think Dune needs a movie but if they're going to make one just let Jodorowsky do his.

jingofever wrote:The director is Peter Berg, the genius who brought us Friday Night Lights and Hancock.

Well, whoever made the first half of Hancock is a good director, but whoever made the second half has a screw loose. It's like they spliced together two different movies.

I haven't read Dune, but I have a couple books in the series and one of these days I plan to buy everything I'm missing from Amazon, and read it all straight through.

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Funny, recently I happened to watch both the 1982 version by David Lynch and the 2000 miniseries on SciFi. Each had something to recommend them but both were less than they could have been. Basically, highly engaging failures. Both introduced unnecessary changes and extra elements not in the book. The nod on the visuals goes to Lynch. The SciFi version really falls apart in the final battle. I like the bigger role accorded to Princess Irulan.

Both take too much time in expository explanations and could have used a different narrative approach in introducing the many concepts the story requires (and yet the story itself is so simple). Both went all the way with the medieval uniforms. Both seriously lack for humor, which is not a weakness in the book but a requirement to actually make a good movie. (Note: I don't mean gags, but ironic distance and a reflection back on the real world that spawned the work.) Personally I'd want to inject one of the book's most important concepts in a more central way: they don't have computers and there's even a commandment, "Though shall not make a machine that thinks like a man," because of ancient disasters or some singularity-event that almost extinguished humanity.

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Jodorowsky's Dune (interview and clips)

lightningBugout » Fri Jun 19, 2009 3:54 pm wrote:Jodorowsky's Dune (interview and clips)

Has anyone else seen this incredible film? Hands down best doc I've seen in a long while. Too good for this world.

Yes, it reminded me of the sad spectacle of "The Man From La Mancha," about Terry Gilliam's multiple attempts to make a Don Quixote film.

I agree that Jodorowsky's Dune is a fucking remarkable film in its own right. Looking forward to catching Jodorowsky's new film...although I do wish that weird flick he was working on with Marilyn Manson had come together -- that sounded utterly, utterly insane.

Wombaticus Rex » Sat Jun 07, 2014 3:34 pm wrote:Yes, it reminded me of the sad spectacle of "The Man From La Mancha," about Terry Gilliam's multiple attempts to make a Don Quixote film.

I agree that Jodorowsky's Dune is a fucking remarkable film in its own right. Looking forward to catching Jodorowsky's new film...although I do wish that weird flick he was working on with Marilyn Manson had come together -- that sounded utterly, utterly insane.

Yeah, what really surprised me, to compare Jodorowsky's Dune and Gilliam's The Man From La Mancha, is how supremely prepared, dedicated and disciplined Jodorowsky was compared to how unprepared and seemingly lost Gilliam was. Way back when I heard about Jodorowsky's version and saw some of the art work I figured it was more of seat of the pants, free association, sketch book type pitch and had no idea he had it all broken down shot by shot (Spielberg didn't even do story board shot by shots until Indian Jones) and really had a committed team under him who were producing with his direction some of the best work of their lives. With Gilliam I was surprised at how much he seemed to be looking for someone to guide him and how improvised it all seemed in comparison. Style wise I would have assumed the converse to be true for each. (Granted Gilliam was in production and dealing with more physical obstacles outside of his control which Jodorowsky could have run into. Directing Orson Wells and Salvador Dali and trying to get a film worthy performance out of Mick Jagger to say nothing of the 1001 physical and special effects needed seems like a production tar pit of immense proportions.) Oh well, the best art of civilization still probably remains in the unconscious.

brekin » Tue Jun 03, 2014 1:04 am wrote:

lightningBugout » Fri Jun 19, 2009 3:54 pm wrote:Jodorowsky's Dune (interview and clips)

Has anyone else seen this incredible film? Hands down best doc I've seen in a long while. Too good for this world.

I saw it on a film festival over here - this movie was sold out and a friend was unable to get a ticket on the day, I had gotten mine earlier. Am glad I did, I like Jodorowsky a lot but hadn't heard that he had planned Dune. Boy it would have been spectacular.. It was a good documentary, probably hard to find outside select viewings.

It was the first time I saw Jodorowsky speak as well, he was really enthusiastic and only made me like him more

I was scrolling, looking for the poem thread, ran into this thread on the way. So, Dune stuff.

It's worth mentioning again that if you can find Jodorowsky's Dune, see it. Not only is the story about the greatest sci-fi film that was never made eye-opening in itself, Jodorowsky is endlessly inspiring, and it is a rare treat to hear how his mind works. It's about much more than Dune. Great soundtrack, too. And Giger steals the show.

I like the first three books. Tragedies. Ah, Alia! Now there is a tragic literary figure. Paul too, sure. Deep study of the philosophical implications of prescience, clones. The psychological creation of Leto, leading to his self-willed mutation. Early in the second book things take a turn for the strange, which is when I decided I'd stick around for the long haul. I'm glad I did.

Because I think the last three books are even better. Herbert's writing has matured. His characters are solid.

The fourth book is actually funny. It's a dry humor.

"God Emperor of Dune, the musical" is on my list of things to write someday. I can see it.

The fifth and sixth books have some very strong imagery. I wonder if anyone will ever try making them into films. I hope not for many years. We're not ready for it. Although I don't think I need to worry about it. They're difficult works. No one would take the risk nowadays.

I have no interest in reading any of the post-Frank Herbert books. I know, Frank left an outline for 'Dune 7,' boxes of notes. I know, I know. So what? Writers write outlines. Then they change them. Then they change them again. And again.

I'm not interested in the world of Dune. I liked Frank as a writer. I like what he did with that world.

Anyway, I have a pretty good idea where he was going with it. And I don't care to compare where I think he was going to where the post-Frank books went. I'm fine with the six books. He cut it short at six and let the frayed edges unravel for a reason, as well. Great writer.

dada wrote:"God Emperor of Dune, the musical" is on my list of things to write someday. I can see it.

Not quite the musical, but related.

Good news: http://www.slashfilm.com/dune-remake/

Director Denis Villeneuve recently helmed his first science-fiction film Arrival. The Sicario director’s latest is already generating some great buzz, and our own Angie Han called it “brainy sci-fi with a big, bloody, beating heart.” Before that sci-fi drama even reaches theaters, Villeneuve has started shooting Blade Runner 2. The filmmaker is already considering other science-fiction projects as well, and if he had his druthers, one of them would be Dune. Below, read Villeneuve’s comments on a Dune remake.

"I had been wanting to do sci-fi for a very long time. 2001: A Space Odyssey is a movie that really impressed me as a teenager. And also Blade Runner. And Close Encounters of the Third Kind is also one of my favorites. I’m always looking for sci-fi material, and it’s difficult to find original and strong material that’s not just about weaponry. A longstanding dream of mine is to adapt “Dune,” but it’s a long process to get the rights, and I don’t think I will succeed. Also I would love to write something myself. I have two sci-fi projects right now that are in very early stages. It’s too early to talk about them."