#Dune: Part 1

[adamwatchesmovies]

Dune (2021)

Even upon a rewatch, 2021’s Dune: Part One is spectacular. The memorable, foreboding score by Hans Zimmer, the costumes that bring this world to life, the scale of the action and the unique sets, ship & weapon designs all come together to complement a story of mythical scale. After seeing this film, two thoughts start competing for your brain’s attention. 1) If Frank Herbert’s Dune was adapted this successfully, then no work is unfilmable and 2) the sequel can’t come soon enough.

In 10191, the universe is ruled by an Emperor who assigns the exploitation of planets to powerful ruling houses. Interstellar travel is possible through “spice” a substance found exclusively on the harsh desert planet of Arrakis. For 80 years, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård) and his house have overseen the harvest of spice. Now, Duke Leto I (Oscar Isaac) of House Atreides is the new steward of Arrakis but only for as long as the flow of spice continues. This shift puts House Atreides, particularly the Duke’s son, Paul (Timothy Chalamet), in danger.

At 155 minutes, you’d think this movie would feel long, but it doesn’t. One of the reasons is that there’s a lot within to keep your mind busy. What’s a Freman? What’s a Kwisatz Haderach? What’s “the voice”? If director Denis Villeneuve tried to cram this story into 90, or even 120 minutes, it would move so quickly that all these questions would leave you in the dusty sands of Arrakis (that’s the planet, right?). By taking its time while moving at a good pace the film allows you - in time - to answer all of your questions. Since you understand what’s happening, you’re engaged. It helps that if you can’t remember what each name means, the visuals pick up the ball. The grotesque, scheming Baron Vladimir Harkonnen is clearly a villain. It's particularly obvious once you see his nephew, the psychotic and childish Glossu Rabban (Dave Bautista). You know you can’t trust the Bene Gesserit because their leader, Reverend Mother Mohiam (Charlotte Rampling) makes Paul take a painful, life-threatening test to prove he isn’t a threat himself. These are only a few of the many examples I could choose and they show how the story is both complex and easily digestible.

Even without the gripping story filled with backstabbings, political intrigue, violence, quests for revenge and harrowing struggles for survival, Dune would still have you tightly in its grip. Throughout, Paul’s psychic abilities give him visions. They foretell the future… sort of. They give hints of what’s coming but hints are not the same as clear answers. These all tie to this planet he’s on; a world that doesn’t end where the screen does. The details in the dialogue, sets and costumes make you wish the Harkonnens would just chill, and save their grudge for later. This way, you’d have time to see House Atreides befriend the Fremen and familiarize themselves with their customs.

There’s so much happening in this film that some of it you won’t “get” until later. For example, the early assassination attempt on Paul’s life. The would-be killer? A Harkonnen cutthroat, hidden in a bedroom wall. What kind of wealth, power and/or terrifying influence could persuade someone to take on that sort of assignment, knowing they would have to wait in darkness for weeks, slowly starving to death, just to kill a boy?

The passion within Dune is as clear as its ambition. You’re only getting half of a movie with it, but this choice feels like a necessity, rather than a Breaking Dawn-type of cash-grab or an attempt to start another franchise for a money-hungry studio. It certainly doesn’t feel presumptuous. Everything we see feels important; like it’s building up to not just one, but many bigger character arcs in a world that contains hundreds of stories. You know the threads that are left hanging will be tied up - that’s the kind of confidence all of the artists at work instill in you. Dune/Dune: Part One is a film that’s going to be remembered. (March 1, 2024)

[thedeadtravelfast]

this is the plot right?

[therealelrondhubbard]

[demon-of-the-ancient-world]

Hate (affectionate) how it's made so clear from the very beginning of part 1 just how loved Paul is by his family and household. Both his parents, Duncan, Gurney, Thufir, even Dr Yueh all clearly care so deeply for this kid, and we're shown that time and time again.

Cut to the end of part two, and almost every one of those people is gone. The only ones who remain are a weird, came-back-wrong version of Jessica, and Gurney who has gone from mentor to worshipper. Paul goes from someone deeply loved and valued for who he is by a small but caring group of people - to someone followed and worshipped and feared by thousands. They're obsessed with him in a way, as a leader and "messiah", but nobody loves him.

The only one remaining who loves him for who he is is Chani, who leaves him because in the end that love isn't enough to bring who he is back.

[bondedcloud]

Rebecca Ferguson in Dune Part 1 (2021)

[autismmydearwatson]

Every time I watch Dune I forget about it but I'm foaming at the mouth over how Paul has a vision of himself as a powerful, respected, divine figure with millions worshipping him and he just says "Somebody help me"

[letsduneit]

thinking about paul saying "we're harkonnens. so this is how we'll survive. by being harkonnens" and about jessica saying "your father didn't believe in revenge" and paul replying "yeah well i do" and how things can die even as they continue to draw breath and how the harkonnens really did kill off all three of the atreides that night not just leto

[junkfoodcinemas]

Dune: Part One (2021) dir. Denis Villeneuve

[artemistics]

Paul swallowed. The figure in front of him turned into the moon's path and he saw an elfin face, black pits of eyes. The familiarity of that face, the features out of numberless visions in his earliest prescience, shocked Paul to stillness. He remembered the angry bravado with which he had once described this face-from-a-dream, telling the Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam: "I will meet her." And here was the face, but in no meeting he had ever dreamed.

[thespicemustflowgirls]

jessica found paul's hand, pulled him gently. " we must not get separated, " she said.

[scipunk]

Dune: Part One (2021)

[timotheecontent]

DUNE (2021) x DUNE: PART 2 (2024) dir. Denis Villeneuve

[therealelrondhubbard]

[demon-of-the-ancient-world]

Realized something abt Dune Part 1. The scene when Paul first uses the voice at the breakfast table. Only our second scene with him in it and the first time we hear him speak. The camera cuts around to create suspense while he's building up to do it, and one of the things it lands on - twice I believe - is that fucking bullfighter painting. Which seems random if you don't know the lore about that, and a few scenes later when it's explained the earlier insert shots have probably already been forgotten about. But the bullfighting motif/metaphor. Arrogance that leads to self destruction, not wanting to be like your ancestors, choosing self indulgence over duty, believing yourself to be indestructible. The very first time Paul is shown demonstrating any kind of power - the voice - and they cut to that. This is our introduction to the main character. Between that and what loads of other people have mentioned already with Chani's opening narration ("who will our next oppressors be" cutting immediately to our first glimpse of Paul), his character arc is basically spelled out within the first few minutes of meeting him. Within two scenes and like 5 lines of dialogue, the movie is already telling us that this harmless seeming little dude is going to become really fucking dangerous, actually.

[meep-meep-richie]

“ I found my own way to it. Maybe you'll find yours.”

[maracllea]

Paul Atreides: The Sun Eating fire is your ambition: to swallow the flame down take it into your mouth and shoot it forth, a shout or an incandescent tongue, a word exploding from you in gold, crimson, unrolling in a brilliant scroll. To be lit up from within vein by vein. To be the sun. ― Margaret Atwood, Selected Poems 1: 1965-1975

@jitterati | world war I memorial in church of ss peter & paul, gilbert bayes 1919 | total solar eclipse, maria mitchell 1869 | dune: part one, dir. denis villenueve | dune: part one, dir. denis villenueve | november 9, colleen hoover | dune: part one - the photography, chiabella james | bust of antinous, palazzo altemps museum | poem, lucie thésée, tr. by richard archambeau 1941 | dune: part two, dir. denis villenueve | holy things in this world, emery allen | dune: part two, dir. denis villenueve | untitled, lauren treece 2012 + ruin and rising, leigh bardugo 2014 | @toneelspeelster | @gallixie | dune: part two, dir. denis villenueve | the other tiger - selected poems, jorge luis borges, tr. by tony barnstone 1999 | dune: part one, dir. denis villenueve | @jitterati