Summary

  • Dune 1984 changes details and visuals, reflecting Lynch's unique, imaginative touch on the beloved epic story.
  • Despite initial box office disappointment, Lynch's unconventional adaptation of Dune 1984 has gained a better reputation over time.
  • Lynch's Dune 1984 adaptation diverges from the novel in plot structure and themes, but maintains an intriguing atmosphere.

David Lynch’s Dune adaptation mirrors its source material in admirable ways, but a string of Dune 1984 differences from the book has bothered purists since its release. In all fairness to Lynch, Dune's sheer scale and scope present a difficult challenge thanks to Herbert’s novels lacking certain restraints necessary for a visual adaptation. After languishing for years, it wasn’t until the recruitment of Lynch in 1981 that production finally began to move. However, Lynch's 1984 adaptation necessarily changes part of the source material to translate the epic story for the big screen.

Despite a huge marketing campaign, impressive cast, and a legion of Herbert fans, Lynch's Dune was a box office disappointment and was met by critical disappointment. It flopped, with a $30 million gross off of its $40 million budget, but suffered the harshest blow from contemporary reviews, where words like “awful,” “ugly,” and “incomprehensible” were repeated. Today, the film’s reputation has improved, though fans of the Dune novels remain split. While those familiar with the novel understand the plot better and even praise Lynch’s sense of visuals and atmosphere, the Dune 1984 differences from the book remain hard to overlook.

Dune 1984 is available to stream on Max.

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1984's Dune Changed Characters and Visuals

David Lynch Used His Imagination To Fill In Some Of The Book's Blanks

Paul Atreides fighting Feyd-Rautha while Gurney Halleck looks on.

David Lynch approached Dune's characters and visuals in a manner that was both faithful to the original novel and distinctly Lynchian. Characters from the original book were brought to life, but in some cases, they were updated, altered, or enhanced by the director, who is known for being weird, surreal and unsettling. In Dune's larger roles, Kyle MacLachlan and Sting were cast as much older variations of Paul Atreides and Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, who in the novel are teenagers. The Reverend Mothers of the Bene Gesserit are supplied a weird edge by being completely bald.

Movie Version

Director

Box Office / Budget

RottemTomatoes Critics/Audience

Dune (1984)

David Lynch

$27 million / $45 million

37% / 65%

Dune (2021)

Denis Villeneuve

$431 million / $165 million

83% / 90%

Many agree Dune 1984 was well cast and features one of the greatest collections of character actors. Notable inclusions indicate Lynch understood the characters well, best exemplified by Brad Dourif as the twisted Mentat, Piter, whose fiendish and callous nature perfectly matched Dourif’s acting talents. José Ferrer and Jürgen Prochnow gave the necessary respect and gravitas needed for the authoritative Emperor Shaddam IV and Duke Leto, respectively. Dean Stockwell played Dr Yueh with an appropriately conniving presence, and Max von Sydow’s honorable stature was suited to the loyal Doctor Kynes.

Due to some of Herbert’s vague descriptions, Lynch filled in the blanks using his surreal and unique imagination.

Due to some of Herbert’s vague descriptions, Lynch filled in the blanks using his surreal and unique imagination. The Mentats feature large eyebrows and the Harkonnens are exclusively redheads, with chests that can be graphically “unplugged” by use of a heart-plug. Lynch happily retained the surreal image of the flying overweight man for Dune's villain Baron Harkonnen, but factored in his morbid obsessions with disease and deformity by giving the Baron an ugly complexion of pus-filled sores. Whether visionary or aesthetically displeasing, Lynch’s unapologetic visual approach is arguably Dune’s best quality.

The Plot Structure in Dune 1984 is Completely Different

Lynch Tried To Tell The Entire Story In Just Two Hours

Paul and Shani look at one another from Dune 1984

At a runtime of only 137 minutes, it’s surprising Dune attempts to incorporate the huge span of Herbert’s novel. The safer approach would have been to adapt only the first portion and set the remainder up as a potential sequel, but Lynch and Dino de Laurentiis whittled away or truncated plot points in order to cover the entire book. Expositions and details from the novel are included, but are either literal or vague. For example, Lynch incorporated the book’s use of characters’ inner monologs but gives sporadic treatment to other concepts and ideas.

Essential information about the Spacing Guild, the spice, the Fremen, and their prophecy is front-loaded and crisscrossed in an opening narration.

Whereas the novel Dune includes an index for readers to reference for its terminology, the 1984 film finds an alternative means of setting up the complicated plot. Essential information about the Spacing Guild, the spice, the Fremen, and their prophecy is front-loaded and crisscrossed in an opening narration (appropriately delivered by Princess Irulan, who introduces segments in the novel), which continues in the form of a “Secret Report from within the Guild,” where the central planets Kaitain, Caladan and Giedi-Prime are laid out and nicely contrasted.

The novel, meanwhile, introduces these things more naturally and gradually, starting the reader with young protagonist Paul on Caladan, with Jessica and a Reverand Mother (who Lynch granted telepathy powers, something not solidified in the novel). Additionally, vital characters from Dune the novel are introduced, but their importance to the overall narrative is unclear in the film. Some even randomly disappearing part-way through with no explanation provided, such as Gurney Halleck, Captain Nefud, and Thufir Hawat, who the theatrical cut doesn’t even award a death scene to.

Dune 1984 Changes Ideas, Themes & Atmosphere

Lynch Added His Own Touches To Fight Scenes, The Music, & The Ending

Outside of character and structure, the fans’ biggest gripe with Lynch’s Dune is undoubtedly its removal of the “prana-bindu training” — the high-speed martial-arts that Paul and the Fremen use. Probably pressured by Star Wars and other tech-oriented science fiction films of the era, Lynch and de Laurentiis repurposed the “Weirding Way” to include “Weirding Modules” — sound weapons that use deadly, amplified voices “to paralyze nerves, shatter bones, set fires, suffocate an enemy or burst his organs.”

Discarding the novel's super fighting style removed the filmmakers’ concern that Dune would resemble a martial-arts film, yet fans have constantly criticized the movie's sonic projectiles — especially since the hand-to-hand combat is so essential to the novel’s premise.

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In terms of tone, Lynch brought his trademark surreal and enigmatic qualities to Herbert's highly original novel Dune, which only aided the story’s alien landscapes and atmosphere. Although Lynch later disowned the picture, many scenes are recognizably "Lynchian," particularly the ugly, green-furnished Harkonnean dwelling and Paul’s prophetic visions from the water of life. Toto’s soundtrack and Brian Eno’s “Prophecy Theme" are also suitably epic; the title theme’s driving mix of electric guitar and orchestra encapsulates both the story’s wondrous scope and high-geared brutalism.

For a more streamlined adaptation, the ecological, political and religious aspects of Dune were all dwindled or removed. Herbert enjoyed the film, although he criticized its jarring ending when Paul is inexplicably declared as the Kwisatz Haderach, just as he conjures rain to fall on Arrakis’ barren land. Herbert had in fact intended Paul as an early Kwisatz Haderach who did not wield such godlike powers. Lynch no doubt created a distinctive and ethereal story of his own, but hopefully Denis Villeneuve can outdo Lynch's Dune with an equally inventive, but also faithful, adaption of Herbert’s most cherished work.

Dune Movie Poster
Dune (1984)
PG-13
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In a distant future ruled by intrigue, power, and the coveted spice melange, House Atreides faces betrayal on the desert planet Arrakis. Led by young Paul Atreides, they forge an alliance with the native Fremen, preparing for a showdown against their enemies. As Paul's destiny unfolds, he discovers his extraordinary abilities and leads a daring rebellion against the Emperor and his forces. In this epic tale of survival and prophecy, Paul emerges as a transformative figure amidst the shifting sands of Arrakis.

Director
David Lynch
Release Date
December 14, 1984
Studio(s)
Universal Pictures
Writers
David Lynch
Cast
Kyle MacLachlan , Francesca Annis , Brad Dourif , Richard Jordan , sting , Virginia Madsen , Everett McGill , Patrick Stewart , Kenneth McMillan , Jurgen Prochnow , Sean Young
Runtime
137 Mins

Key Release Dates