Dune versus Dune

Special Effects (Another Tie)

For an '84 film, the effects weren't bad. Looking at the film even now, it's surprising how well Kit West Mechanical (the FX company) did their work with CGI still in its infancy. The worms were believable, the Atreides' body shields intriguing, and the waking dream sequence of Paul handled well. My biggest beefs with the effects in the movie were the "flying iron" 'thopter, some terrible post production blue dye added to the actors' eyeballs, and a few grainy shots involving the worms (e.g., Paul conquering the worm for the first time and the Baron flying into one's mouth at the end). The miniseries handled its special effects (by Ernesto Farino) well also, for the most part. The shields were believable when Paul and Gurney are sparring, the guild heighliners were excellent, the Navigator was interesting with its incredibly deep, blue eyes (but it seemed too bat-like), the 'thopter looked - and sounded - real, and the worms were the best. Magnificent! A large portion of the budget went into these sandworm shots and it shows. Special effect gripes for the miniseries: the absurd CGI mouse that looked like a cross between a fuzzy doll and a cardboard cutout. My daughter could create a more believable mouse with papier-mâché.

Script (Edge: 2000 Miniseries)

"You want to touch my weirding module, Muad'dib?" How many scenes are there with these damn things in the Lynch movie? Too many, that's how many. All of this time could have been much better spent on actual pages within the Dune novel. Although Harrison had to change some things for the miniseries (most notably the expansion of Princess Irulan's role and Jessica throwing up to show her pregnancy), his adaptation was far superior. I'm going to jump in my ornithopter and fly across the Great Pan to show you how much more of the book was included in the 2000 miniseries versus what was left out in the 1984 film, so bear with me:

The ecological significance of water on Dune (e.g., the water seller soo-soo sooking! out front of the Arrakeen Palace, the explanation of water's value during the dinner table scene, face-masks on stillsuits, Paul crying and giving water to the dead, dew collectors, Stilgar's spitting episode, and Jessica talking with the Shadout Mapes about water when viewing the palace garden); Fenring, Otheym, and Jamis are given roles; Stilgar and Duke Leto actually meet; Turok is seen with Duncan as Duncan forms an alliance with the Fremen for House Atreides; the gradual development of Paul from teenager into manhood; nudity in the sietches is acceptable during relaxation of stillsuits; the Fremen orgy after Jessica takes in the Water of Life; the death of Dr. Kynes is shown, as is the function of spice blows and how they occur; the Crysknife is addressed as the sacred weapon of the Fremen ("May your blade chip and shatter."); Cave of Ridges and Sietch Tabr are actually named; the religious zeal of the Fremens is much more believable and focused on as they imprint upon Paul as their savior (Mahdi!); the necessary brutality of the Fremen children (one throws a knife into the back of a Harkonnen which ends up saving Otheym); the internal power struggles of House Harkonnen as Feyd makes an attempt on the Baron's life; Gurney's belief that Jessica is the Atreides traitor and attempts to kil l her; Paul drinks the Water of Life and goes into his coma. Chani figures out the cause of his coma and brings him out of it (straight from the book); Paul remains dedicated to Chani but the marriage to Irulan is seen as a must to preserve the empire; and it doesn't rain at the end!