Dune - Epic

If you have not read this book then you need to. The movie will seem really 'out-there' and just kind of unattainable, otherwise.

I am not a huge science fiction fan so I don't really have much to compare this to. I trust some of the science fiction-lover reviewers that I have read, though. I trust myself too to say that the book-movie combo of all that is Frank Herbert's and David Lynch's 'Dune' is nothing less than epic.

In my reviews I talk a good deal about interpretation. I am not a uniform reviewer in the sense that I don't 'understand' each movie in the same way, universally. My interpretation of the 'meaning' in a movie moves around. What is cool is that I think I don't really control this process. I believe that the movie pushes me into one mode of understanding as opposed to another (i.e. critic, artisan, ethnographer, iconographer, conversationalist, therapist, or deconstructionist). So maybe one of my subconscious determinants of how much I like or dislike a movie, is how well or how shitty the movie does of altering my means by which to watch it. I say this because I am very conscious of my claiming a movie as 'epic'. An epic movie, by my definition, meets two criteria: 1) the film is worth watching over and over again because the interpretations are inexhaustable, 2) The cinematography, soundtrack, acting, directing, producing, etc. is well done. 'Dune' (when combined with the book) is an epic movie.

(Ethnography, Iconography, Critic)

I don't know why I wasn't required to watch/read this when I was a freshman in high school. Actually, having just written that sentence I think it is because my freshman year was pre 9/11. Nonetheless, this story is an eerie allegorical narrative of terrorism and the war upon it. The similarities include: a desert people who live upon the most valuable natural resource in the universe, desert people that have been economically and socially oppressed, a desert people that are deeply religious and fundamentalist in their interpretation of texts and the mystical, a distant tyrant that purchases power with the militaristic aquisition of the natural resource, an uprising of the oppressed desert people, a jihad upon the distant tyrant, a mis-under-estimation (haha) of the prowess and eptitude of the desert people by the tyrant, and many other smaller, not less significant similarities. I truly would vote for a president in the United States during the next election that quoted 'Dune' and 'Seven Pillars'. In this sense, this movie-book combo is necessary for anyone preparing to aquiesce a bunch of oil with disregard for the well-being, infrastructure needs, religious and cultural histories of the people that live on top of the oil. Maybe, who it should really be read/watched by, are those that sit on top of the most bountiful fresh water supplies. This movie/book could be a manual for "how to defeat those that want your water." I think this is the future, at least.

(Conversationalist)

Dear Frank Herbert and David Lynch,

This past week, while living and going to school in London, I read your book and watched your movie. I wonder if you wrote/filmed with me in mind. The world has changed a lot since you worked on these projects. Did you know that jihad was going to be such a reality in the coming years? What was going on in the 60s, 70s, and 80s that I don't really know about? I hope no one tries to re-make this movie; however, I do wish it was about an hour longer. Thanks for making this movie and writing this book. I feel that by writing this review I may have an affect on your book and movie just as you have had an affect on me. Indeed, your work lives on.

Sincerely,

Kyle Douglas Jones

(Therapist)

I understand why it is that Lynch chose Kyle MacLaughlin to play Paul Muad'ib Usul Atreides. I suppose that he understands why I understand his choice for Lynch chose him with my world perspective in his mind. It makes sense, to me, that the fremen followed a white, intelligent, articulate, athletic male to the promised land. Had Herbert/Lynch chosen a black male, or even a black female for that matter, then we would probably have to work on the efficacy of our mutual transferences. After all, we all know that Jesus was white, spoke English, walked around with his arms out and palms up, and had a mullet.

(Deconstructionist)

This film seems to have been writen and filmed as if religion, culture, politics actually mean anything. Surely the prescribed, inherited trends of all the characters work within our socially constructed attempts at meaning. I mean, why even care about a narrative that chronicles the choices of men based upon a spice? All this movie and book really show is that we place emphasis and beliefs on things other than chance, which basically means that we base decisions on that which is not real. I think the Princess Irulan understood this. I wish she was more of a main character in the film as her narration in the book kept me interested and thinking.

I think you should check out this movie if you get the chance. Any high school english teacher that is reading this blog, you should make this movie part of your curriculum. Any western world leader that is reading this blog, you should watch out for the fremen under your iron fist and if you quote this book in your campaign speech I will vote for you. Any oppressed peoples that live upon oil or fresh water, you should watch this movie and read this book if you need a 'go-by' for how to wipe out your enemy (disclaimer: you will need a messiah prophecy to come true and I don't support jihad).

Oh, and Sting is in the movie.