Dune details
| Format: | 12 DVD |
|---|---|
| Starring: | Ian Mcneice, Giancarlo Giannini, Robert Russell, Ian McNeice, Saskia Reeves, Alec Newman, Julie Cox, William Hurt, Matt Keeslar |
| Director: | John Harrison |
| Genre: | Sci-Fi/Fantasy - Sci-fi - General |
| Studio: | 20TH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Name | Discs | |
|---|---|---|
Dune - Disc 1 |
TBC Disc 1 | |
Dune - Disc 2 |
TBC Disc 2 | |
Dune - Disc 3 |
TBC Disc 3 |
DVD Information
| Run time: | 4 hours 48 minutes |
|---|---|
| Rental release: | Currently unavailable |
| Main languages: | English |
| Hearing impaired subtitles: | English |
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Most helpful review
A true screen adaptation of the Dune epic
By Gareth from Stockport , 26 Jan 2005[Highly rated reviewer]
Other reviewers have concentrated on criticising below par acting and special effects however I think they have missed the point. The story is the star in this and it is wonderful to have a screen adaptation that truly brings the epic of Dune to life, unlike David Lynch's movie which instead of trying to tell the story produced a disjointed freak of a movie that only Lynch himself could understand or explain. Limited by budget constraints the effects are not great but they're not terrible either and with some exceptions the performances were creditable. Despite the fact that this is a made-for-TV mini-series the amount of production talent on this is tremendous proving the pull that Dune has. Split into three episodes each reflecting a section of the book it tells the story exactly how I imagine Herbert would have wanted. John Harrison's script actually does what people previously thought impossible; deal with the sheer scale and complexity of the plot in a way that is understandable and even manages to relationalise some aspects of the novel that were convoluted. In the novel the Adreides Mentat, Thufir Hawat, is captured by the Harkonnen and plays no real further part in the story other than drop dead at the end. Harrison sees this superfluous thread of the story and erases it; something with Lynch spent precious minutes on in his version with no payback whilst missing out on many other important aspects. I have nothing but admiration for what has been achieved in this adaptation and any Dune fan will love this. If you're not into the Dune novels and thought it too cultish then watching this will change your mind.- Was this review helpful to you?
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(89)True reflection of the book
By Mac26 (7 reviews) from Maidenhead , 24 Jan 2012I loved these books when they first came out and was one of the few people to enjoy the film, although a commercial flop. This is a more comprehensive version as it is of course 6 hours in total. Well worth it and excellent costumes imagery and acting.- Was this review helpful to you?
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Dune mini series
By oldknight (1 review) from Cambs , 20 Feb 2010A very good adaptation of a great novel. From someone who has read all the Dune novels (only the genuine Frank ones), it was a pleasure to enjoy a screen version that resembles somewhere what Frank Herbert would’ve wanted. I did like David Lynch's movie, but mainly due to the fact I was a Dune fan, but on reflection the Movie just concentrated on visual and loose plots.
Whereas the mini series actually focuses more on the conversations and cunning plotting of the key characters (which as most Dune fans knows is where the true skill of F. Herbert’s really shines).
Yes I do agree somewhat with other reviewers saying that some of the effects are a bit shaky, but you have to put into perspective, this is not a big Hollywood budget movie, so if you have this in mind you, it won't distract you.
Enjoy!- Was this review helpful to you?
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Workmanlike effort
By a customer from Wirral , 13 Dec 2009Yes, I have read the books, but as with any epic, it's a mistake to equate books and film.
This was a 'slow-burn' experience, inevitably inferior to the books (but that's why we have our OWN imaginations!) but I enjoyed these DVDs overall. The special effects were weak, but rarely off-putting, and the story was strong enough to carry all before it. On balance, worth the time, unless you are a die-hard Herbert fan, when you're bound to feel cheated.- Was this review helpful to you?
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Great scenery cannot save this...
By FuryMagpie (30 reviews) from Heanor , 15 Jul 2009In writing a review for this mini series I cannot help but make a comparison with David Lean's 1984 film version of Dune. I know there are a lot of fans of the books who did not like the film, probably because of the amount of compromise and story slicing that was required for 2 hours of screen time. This mini series can boast 4.5 hours of screen time and allows a much closer following of the book which should please fans enormously.
This mini series has great scope and looks great – the sets and the colour in particular are something special. The problems however, begin early on. The costume designer and the casting agent of this production should be hung, drawn and quartered for their crimes. As I watched, I found myself annoyingly distracted by the ridiculousness of some of the costumes. You’ll see what I mean when meet the Reverend Mother Helen who has a great big butterfly thing stuck on her head. For me it is a cardinal sin for costumes to be bigger than the scene or actor.
With monumental effort the costumes can be ignored and overcome. What cannot be overcome, however, is the standard of acting. It’s truly appalling – Gurney Hallack in particular is cringe worthy to watch. I cannot help thinking that most of the budget was blown on the sets so the producers had no choice but to hire second rates actors for a pittance. Alec Newman is just about believable in the role of hero Paul, although he is not a patch on Kyle MacLachlan’s Paul in the film.
For me this mini series is a waste of time. In watching the film I got a sense that the Madi (messiah) was truly coming and the universe would never be the same again. The mini series in comparison limps along to the same end although I am left with the feeling that Paul is no one special, just the son of a Duke seeking revenge.- Was this review helpful to you?
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Well
By a customer from Hull , 27 Apr 2009I have read the books, and I have seen both versions of the movies, both the theatrical release and the TV edit.
And I found that the TV edit film, was more faithful then any other versions so far to the book.
The series so far, seem to include certain things, but other things were not in the book, and I am unsure as to where they come from, artistic licence is one thing, changing things isn't...
If you are going to go all out and make a mini series based on a book, then perhaps a little more accuracy would be better.
Overall, I enjoyed the series so far, but it could have been so much better.- Was this review helpful to you?
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