Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two is one of the most anticipated movies of the year, but before that movie hits theaters, fans can revisit David Lynch’s 1984 Dune in honor of the film’s 40th anniversary. Even with the original Frank Herbert novel being an iconic piece of science fiction and fantasy, the dense and complex nature of the source material meant that it was challenging to translate all of those elements into a feature-length film, so while even Lynch has distanced himself from the theatrically releasd film, there are a lot of reasons that the adaptation has earned a cult following. Dune will return to theaters through Fathom Events on February 18th and February 19th.
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The screening is described, “The long-awaited film version of Frank Herbert’s classic science fiction epic, Dune, explodes on the screen with dazzling special effects, unforgettable images, and powerful performances. The saga of intergalactic warrior Paul Atreides (Kyle MacLachlan) and his messianic rise to leadership features an all-star cast, including Jose Ferrer, Max Von Sydow, Oscar winner Linda Hunt, and rock legend Sting. This monumental Dino DeLaurentiis presentation is directed by David Lynch (The Elephant Man, Eraserhead), with photography by Academy Award winner Freddie Francis, music by Grammy winner Toto, and incredible monster creation by E.T.’s Carlo Rambaldi. Visit an unbelievable world beyond time and space and experience the ultimate adventure that goes beyond the imagination.”
Lynch’s film marks one of the many instances in which a filmmaker publicly revealed struggles they faced in delivering audiences their intended vision of a story while also facing challenges in working with a film studio. However, recent years have seen more instances in which a filmmaker is allowed to revive their original version, though this isn’t an avenue that Lynch is at all interested in pursuing.
“Dune –– people have said, ‘Don’t you want to go back and fiddle with Dune?’ And I was so depressed and sickened by it, you know?” Lynch shared with The A.V. Club in 2022. “I want to say, I loved everybody that I worked with; they were so fantastic. I loved all the actors; I loved the crew; I loved working in Mexico; I loved everything except that I didn’t have final cut. And I even loved Dino [De Laurentiis], who wouldn’t give me what I wanted. And Raffaella, the producer, who was his daughter — I loved her. But the thing was a horrible sadness and failure to me, and if I could go back in I’ve thought, well, maybe I would on that one go back in.”
He added, “But I mean, nobody’s…it’s not going to happen.”
Dune will return to theaters through Fathom Events on February 18th and February 19th. Dune: Part Two will land in theaters on March 1st.
Will you be checking out Dune in theaters? Let us know in the comments!
