DUNE (1984) A Misunderstood Masterpiece? | 40th Anniversary Special

[@DuneSpice]

What a great video! I like how you went over the ending rain scene, weirding modules, inside voices, etc. which are controversial to some, but you gave us a different perspective and reasoning. Thanks for making the video personal as well and how it affected you. I felt the same way on its impact to me as a kid, but for different reasons, which is exactly what art should do. Lynch's Dune will forever be in my heart and I'm so grateful we have this community of Dune fans to continue to talk about it indefinitely. Long live the fighters!!!! The original content you created, secret news, and updates on all things Dune you provided in 2024 was top notch and a service to the community. I hold my glass up to Ralí for a cheers, cheers to more great content in 2025. Let the spice flow....

[@secretsofdune]

Thank you for the incredibly kind super thanks 🥹 - It really means a lot to hear that from you, so thank you for that. The growth on the channel has been the slowest in years so it did make me question things. It’s really people like you that are always there to remind me that the work is appreciated and it’s worth it. I love that Lynch’s Dune impacted you too and I’d love to hear more about how. Long live the fighters

[@tahnadana5435]

jyhad or not, Frank Herbert still got kris knife wrong, all kris knife are considered sacred objects, that if its use to kill/hurt than it meant its corrupted, that "once you pull your blade than it must taste blood" discipline is from mandau, not kris knife, the two tradition will not amalgamate ever

[@alexkoronec4326]

Remember, they took away control of movie

[@privategoldreception9798]

I am going to watch again , thx

[@secretsofdune]

@@tahnadana5435 it’s perhaps a mix of the two, I don’t think it was Herbert’s intention to get anything wrong or offend, rather to celebrate culture.

[@SameerAli-qw1hn]

That shot of Alia with knife in fields of battle is one of the most remarkable shots in cinematic history.

[@secretsofdune]

@@SameerAli-qw1hn it’s definitely an unforgettable shot to me.

[@jlworrad]

@@SameerAli-qw1hn It’s the one shot that most evokes the universe of Dune.

[@ArgosySpecOps]

Saint Alia of the Knife 🙏 🔪

[@travisgray8376]

It's literally awesome

[@Elfrida-ls2mo]

I disagree I thought this was overly Comical and I was still a teen myself I saw Dune at the Pictures when it first came out I thought the Movie was good although I could understand that Fans of the Book were Angry yet I had not read the book as parts of this movie were Comical and Wooden and you could tell the studio had jumped a lot However Dune was still a great Movie to watch at the Pictures and still a great story

[@rickthelearner5631]

Ah, someone who likes the 1984 Dune. Thanks, friend. A much appreciated effort.

[@SPQRTempus]

I was only a teenager when my parents took me to see it. I remember leaving the cinema thinking to myself I needed to read the books and watch the film again, and again, and again...

[@MrDredd1966]

1984 dune is still to this day one of my favourite syfi movies!! " Long live the fighters"!!

[@secretsofdune]

@@MrDredd1966

[@BongoBaggins]

It was released when I was 14. My burning hatred for that film still exists today. They turned my Dune into a cartoon

[@ronaldstrous2764]

I prefer this version above the new one, even the music

[@quademasters249]

@@ronaldstrous2764 Same. The new one looks fantastic but has no soul.

[@guyfurman2463]

The movie music was epic

[@knightonart8886]

Dune 84 has without a doubt the best Stillsuit design. Just wish they wore robes over it.

[@secretsofdune]

Ah, I see you are a man of the deep desert.

[@adrianmcmahon5731]

The stillsuit design in Villeneuve's Dune is a disappointment by comparison. At least with the 1984 suits it seemed to make logical sense to conserve and recycle body water.

[@lordcrunk4790]

​@@adrianmcmahon5731 yup, in Dune Part 1, they literally took Oakley sport gloves, cut the knuckles off another glove then glued it on the wrist of the first glove for the stilsuits., People online were calling out the cut-n-paste with off the shelf gloves. Then someone decided to cgi blur/blend all the bumpy knuckles into a smooth cgi mound uni-knuckle, for every shot of a stilsuit glove in Part 1. Maybe Oakley found out and threatened to sue.

[@Floppy-1235]

The new ones look cheap like a hockey outfit

[@Julius_Hardware]

Based on da Vinci's anatomical drawings (apparently). Far better than Villeneuve's Dune - without nay explanation, I showed a pre-release publicity photo to a sci-fi nerd friend and he thought it was for a new Mad Max.

[@chrisbenavides3176]

As a fellow fan of Lynch's Dune, this was a great video! You echo many of my thoughts about this movie. This is the best description of what makes this movie great I've seen online.

[@secretsofdune]

@@chrisbenavides3176 that means a lot. Thank you.

[@maggyfrog]

the best aspect of this adaptation is how paul's inner monologue is depicted as him whispering in his thoughts. created a mood that i find to be lacking in the other adaptations

[@Lucrei.]

People say it doesn't make sense that its whispered, but its cool that it reflects his emotional state, not to mention it just simply sounds more intense

[@humbleopulence]

The Spice Diver cut is a veritable masterpiece. Its a complete film, and when that score hits, you feel it. When the sleeper kust awaken and has awakened, and when Stilgar shows us his bloody hand and we remember Paul's vision of the hand... I feel emotions that neither of Denis Villeneuve's IMAX rides ever managed to pull out of me. What a shame Lynch didnt get to make his two parter. We'd have gotten a brilliant film series

[@alexkoronec4326]

Remember, that they took control over DAVID lynch movie. So, you got a compressed version

[@humbleopulence]

@alexkoronec4326 true, and its STILL better than Villeneuve's mediocre attraction rides

[@edworldinmyhands1061]

even though denis saw the movie he *read* the books, how did he come up with this austere mixup? with money and power breeds high opulence and he went about doing it to a lower level. essentially he did something different for the sake of trying to do something different from David Lynch and Frank Herbert. that's no excuse though🤔

[@humbleopulence]

@edworldinmyhands1061 he actually ripped off a lot of Lynch's designs, concepts and even entire framings of shots. Villeneuve's dune is essentially an updated Lynch's Dune but with Zero emotion

[@scottharris1985]

1984 will always hold a special place in my heart more so than the new films.

[@quintyoung]

I loved the 1984 dune, and I get aggravated when people put it down. No movie is perfect, and this one wasn't perfect, but nevertheless it did its job and pulled me into a story that was explained well, that my younger mind could grasp, and it was thoroughly wonderful. I watched it more times than I could count. Both my sister and I would watch it almost every Sunday. Later I read the books, and I realized that they did some things differently but that doesn't hurt my feelings.

[@buzzfunk]

You and I would be good friends ;)

[@SHAOLINCOWBOY-ip9hw]

I still think the Weirding Modules are cool. "Cha-a-a-a-a-a-a-aska!" Boom! Crowd yells "Maud'dib!" Love it!

[@track1949]

The guild navigator scene with the emperor. 🎉 What can Denis V do top that? Well he can't.

[@edworldinmyhands1061]

Wait, why is Denis avoiding showing the Guild Navigators? is he thinking to use it for the last part? Even so David killed it. no one can top that. if it is topped it will be CGI with extreme color effects. because the Syfi channel did their version and it was pretty impressive.

[@valensinclair6750]

He didn't because it's literally NOT in the book.

[@Hopscotchlemonadespritz]

​@edworldinmyhands1061 We (should) have our Navigator(s) in the next movie with the introduction of Edric, from Dune: Messiah. While the opening scene after the Irulan's monologue from the 1984 film is legendary, no Guild Navigator has a speaking role until the 2nd book.

[@bearhustler]

​@@valensinclair6750well Denis was happy to change lots of other things so no real reason.

[@blasterman789]

@@valensinclair6750 Neither is Zendaya

[@rustedbeetle]

Another vote for the Spicediver edit. It reorganized the film into chapters and blended in scenes that were cut from the theatrical release and later used in the TV edit. Spicediver pulled those elements together to make a better version of the film I had already fallen in love with.

[@edworldinmyhands1061]

Yes, thank you❗

[@MHDebidour]

spicediver edit was fantastic, I show it to some friends who didnt liked the original cut as they didnt understand manything, and they enjoyed it

[@davidanderson1639]

There’s one scene that’s reappeared since the excellent SpiceDiver Edit was done; & that is the pivotal scene where Harah speaks to Jessica about how the other Fremen women view Alia. Molly Wryn who played Harah narrated a small intro to the scene when it was posted on KZbin last year. Well worth checking out!!

[@ppowerman5000]

Thanks to this movie, I read Dune! And became a huge fan! When later knew it was a book, I read it and still loved the movie. I'm glad of this movie, it brought Dune to my life. And Lynch did a great job, but I hate how he dismisses the movie.

[@secretsofdune]

@@ppowerman5000 it’s heartbreaking how he does, but it’s completely understandable too. It’s just a sad affair.

[@raleighsmalls4653]

Why is it completely understandable ?

[@secretsofdune]

@@raleighsmalls4653 it’s because he never had Final Cut on the film and how the movie bombed at the box office. Lynch felt he sold out early on in process. Basically it’s not the film he actually wanted to make. That’s why he disowns it now, it’s just a painful bitter memory for him.

[@GandaMelgao]

I loved this movie and bought the book. Hated the book. To me Dune IS the 1984 movie 😊

[@raleighsmalls4653]

@@secretsofdune He was too early in his directorial cycle. He wouldn't have been able to get final cut anyway. He should be grateful for what he came up with in spite of his age. DeLaurentis' daughter is the one who brought him in methinks. Got to pick up Ridley's and Alexandro's ideas and choices. Which helped.

[@vanyadolly]

It's insane and it was probably half unintentional, but it IS a masterpiece. It's an audio-visual experience with fantastic acting and direction. Maybe not a great adaptation in terms of book-accuracy, but more because of the feeling it invokes. Internal monologues ftw!

[@mariolafrance5806]

It is a masterpiece. Can you imagine what David Lynch could have done with total liberty and with todays special effects ?

[@secretsofdune]

@@mariolafrance5806 sends shivers down my spine. Even with full creative control and special effects back then it would have been an incredible movie.

[@alexkoronec4326]

Yes, I can just imagine if David Lynch was given total control

[@jjphoenix4055]

Not sure, I like David Lynch in general but in this case I think him being under De Laurentiis leash was the way to go. The visual fx are amazing for its era, I wouldn't change them for all the crappy fake CGI of the new ones in the world!

[@plasticweapon]

yeah, something not as good.

[@quentincollins1825]

My geekiest Dune moment: reciting Piter's Sapho juice mantra on the school bus and freaking out my fellow 7th graders. 😂

[@secretsofdune]

I love this 😂

[@sonofacheron]

Oh you too? 😂

[@eclat4641]

Awesome!!

[@meloralovesdarkness2495]

This is one of My FAVE Sci-Fi Fims of the 80's! This Brilliance is one of the most UNDERRATED Sci-Fi films in history! I acctually Like this better than the New stuff.. IMHO.. The 2 newer adaptations are more "faithful" to the book Yes, and they are Both Awesome! However, this 84 Lynch movie just has a "Weird" Regal, Gothic, Cyberpunk feel to the film and has some weir variations to the book, Which is just COOL! What Lynch did back then was just Stunning! You could NEVER create this Masterpeice now without CGI! Moviemaking like this IS a Lost ART!

[@jlworrad]

That was a wonderful video essay. I think what makes this adaption unique so far is that Lynch is a deeply spiritual man, what with his transcendendental meditation, and he captures the power of that in Herbert’s book. And I say that as an atheist. I too had a white cube in my room that gave me this movie and Bladerunner.

[@secretsofdune]

@@jlworrad I absolutely agree with you! It just shows that a lot of us can be on the same wavelength. I was literally saving this thought for an exploration next year haha. Glad to see such thoughts are already in the consciousness of people.

[@terryh1451]

Excellent. My sentiments exactly

[@bmwofboganville456]

One thing that 1984 Dune has over the Villeneuve Dunes, is the established factions and politics. 2021 Dune is moreorless just the Harkonnens, then the Emperor shows up.

[@jjphoenix4055]

Among everything else like, production design, costumes, score, performances, pace, etc, etc...

[@triciclosonido]

I've read this type of comments several times and I still don't understand the reasoning behind them. Yes, the Guild appears more prominently than in the new version, but if you didn't read the books there is no way you can understand how a "3rd stage Guild navigator" can boss around the freakin Emperor of the whole known universe like they do in the first scene. But what's even worse: there is no mention of the Missionaria Protectiva figure and how the Fremen are actually manipulated into believing Paul is their messiah, which is no doubt the most important aspect of the whole "factions and politics" aspects of Dune's book.

[@davidanderson1639]

Also, with the endless amount of scenes that were cut; & still to this day keep appearing, Lynch in many ways stayed truer to the source material. The pivotal scene that appeared last year & was narrated by Molly Wryn (Harah), where Harah talks to Jessica about how the other Fremen women view Alia is incredible. (A quick search on KZbin should take you to it). I was taken aback when watching Villeneuve’s adaptation & not only did Mapes sheath her Crysknife without bloodying the blade, but he completely exorcised both Harah & Thufir from the second film. Granted, various things get cut during the editing process, but for two key characters to just be removed is ridiculous. In Harah’s case this is an even stranger choice, considering that she is in Dune Messiah.

[@edworldinmyhands1061]

@@jjphoenix4055 right, EVERYTHING ELSE🤭

[@edworldinmyhands1061]

@@triciclosonido Again, denis was trying and failing to do something different from David and Frank. he should have left the project alone and let someone with a real artistically creative spirit to take on the direction🤔

[@vaultdweller64]

Excellent video. I will always love this movie.

[@secretsofdune]

@@vaultdweller64 thank you! Likewise!

[@ppowerman5000]

I might add, Sean Young became a big crush of mine. Thanks to Dune and Blade Runner....2 of my all time fave movies of all time!

[@secretsofdune]

Yep, Blade Runner even more so haha.

[@CoinSlotKitty]

Until Jim Carey made the awful Ace Ventura movie.

[@RolandoRatas]

yes, in the book I think she went on a bit of a stabbing spree on the battlefield.

[@michaelevans1578]

I have watched this movie more times than I can count. It was my soundtrack and my companion when I would drift off to sleep. I love every bit of this movie, down to the final song at the ending credits. I will always keep Dune in my video library. The new movies have joined it. I'm just glad to have so much Dune in my life.

[@martinholt4939]

Great video!! I honestly believe that if it were not for Dune 1984, we wouldn't have the current iterations of it. This universe and it's characters, and the three movies that have been adapted from it are all close to my heart as well

[@bradleysaito4393]

I remember seeing this as a kid and had no idea what was going on but the visuals inspired me and my brother thru countless playing around! As I became older, I started to realize the meaning of this story, the philosophy, the metaphysical nature of it and loved this on a whole new level. This version maybe be flawed, but I grew up with this story and I appreciate everything it tried to do :)

[@secretsofdune]

I think that's why it's endearing. It grew with us, and our understanding grew and adapted too. It's just a strange and interesting experience.

[@RamingtonStilll-x4b]

I must admit, the actresses who played Jessica, Princess Irulan and Chani made Lynch's Dune as pleasing to watch in their appearance, as the sight of the Baron didn't. That scene of Alia with the Femen knife, looking in a state of ecstasy is like an icon postcard for the death of innocence.

[@eclat4641]

Shes a character that never had innocence… but i get what you mean. her appearance looks innocent if seen without context.

[@foleylee8200]

Right there with you Sir, had the same affect on me when I was a kid. Still does to this day. Thanks for what you do on here for our beloved movie!

[@RjakVegas]

Thank you so much for this. I was similarly obsessed with this film as a kid. I have a wonderful connection to it: In 2004 I was working on the EPK unit of a film called The Libertine. We were shooting on a soundstage on the Isle of Man. During a reset one of the principal actors came over and sat next to me, even though the place was mostly empty, and started asking me about myself. Over the next hour we had the most lovely conversation about his time in the theatre (he was playing a restoration actor and theatre manager in the Libertine and felt very connected to the role). We covered films, books, music. He was curious about my music career in the 90's. When the reset was done, off he went and I felt like I made a good friend. It wasn't until two years later that I learned I'd spent an hour speaking with Thufir Hawat himself, Freddie Jones. I was so glad for his humility, because had he mentioned Dune we wouldn't have had a lovely conversation. I would've been utterly starstruck. What a generous, beautiful soul he was. RIP Mr. Jones.

[@edworldinmyhands1061]

WOW‼Always loved him in all of his rolls

[@secretsofdune]

You're most welcome. What a wonderful story. Freddie Jones! I also loved his role in Krull as a kid! The fact he got to star alongside Francesca Annis filled me with glee.

[@Yantryman]

Oh so much Happy New Year to you Dear Secrets of Dune! My fav movie ... so much parts of my life actually connected to this version...thank you for a New Year's surprise! Enjoying it right now!

[@secretsofdune]

@@Yantryman My pleasure and thanks for watching. Hope you have a wonderful start to the new year.

[@christopherstock5280]

I saw this movie in the theater and owned that same VHS tape watching it over and over. Back then I took for granted that there was always going to be a good movie to see or a great new song to listen to. I think MJ's Thriller came out that same year. 84 Dune just sort of became part of me thru the culture, without analyzing it too much. Watching this brilliant KZbin video makes me understand why I loved it so much. It shaped my love of sci-fi without me knowing it. I was so exited for a full year to see how the current Dune II was going to handle a precocious Alia. How would she kill the Baron? Have never been more disappointed. 84 Dune never plays it safe and I'm grateful that I was able to embrace it thru my eyes at the time.

[@yarsivad000.5]

You can't beat the vibe of Dune 1984.

[@eclat4641]

❤

[@wallyhack5476]

This movie was everything to me in the world of sci fi as a child and even now , Yes I love the New dune movies but this one will always have a special place in my heart I will still watch it , Those that don't get it im glad, it makes it more exclusive to us that do ❤

[@anthonybrett]

The 3-hour Dune The Alternative Edition Redux is brilliant. It's the closest to Lynch's original cut. (Available via torrent) I watch it once a year religiously. Toto's score is surreal.

[@karekarenohay4432]

I like more the 1984 Dune (Spicediver's 3 hrs. cut!) than Villeneuve's version. Villeneuve's Dune tries too hard to be Science Fiction. But Lynch's version (music, costumes, atmosphere) is pure space opera, as it has to be.

[@JimTempleman]

I remember enjoying it at the theater back then. But it seemed to be a bit too strange for most viewers back then. Very creative, but most people did not know what to make of it. Villeneuve's 'Show, don't tell, and don't show more than they can absorb' solved the problem for the masses. It's wonderful to compare the two!

[@cdcaleo]

I saw the film in theaters when it was released, and I've always felt Lynch's vision most closely mirrored, and wildly exceeded, my own internal vision of the original books, which I had read a few years before the film hit theaters. I also feel many of the European actors in the 1984 film brought gravitas and a certain refinement to their roles that American actors cannot replicate. I will always love Lynch's Dune. All other productions pale in comparison, at least to me.

[@edworldinmyhands1061]

Absolutely‼

[@kroon275]

This movie has so much character, atmosphere, and ambition. And the soundtrack 👌👌 you could just listen to this movie only and still enjoy it immensely

[@CA12636]

For me DL's Dune was the gateway to a very special story. I was 19 and after seeing it several times on VHS I had to read the book. First I read it in Danish but only the first 3 books were translated, so I had to leard how to read english to finish the books. I've read them all several times since then. I've seen the TV series also made of the book and now Denis Villeneuve versions and they all expand for me the visual universe with their versions. I do not dislike any of them, they in some ways compliment the book perfectly but the DL even in the long form will always hold a special place in my heart... Thank you for another great video about this wonderfull universe :)

[@R-Batty]

Great declaration of love for a movie that represent so much for you and for a part of a generation who grew up with huge original SF and fantasy movies . I was 15 in 84 , head and eyes full of Alien , Excalibur , Blade Runner , Conan , Star Wars and so many great symbolic pieces of Art . I saw Dune in theatre without having read the books ( like you ) it was mind blowing at the time . Wasn't disapointed abot the FX 'cause I saw this movie as an experimental Art on screen with beautiful and deep elaborated concepts , for a 15 years adolescent ( like for Alien or Blade Runner ) I did not have enough life experience to conceptualise these ideas but this resonated in me , awakening the adult in the making I will be somedays. I'm glad to had the chance to be the witness of that era when dreams were not yet completely swallowed up by the money that kills the imagination. Denis Villeneuve Dune's is a miracle and almost an anomaly in the present movie induestry landscape , I wish F Herbert , and my father ( a true SF and fantasy lover , the one who took me to see all of these movies ) could have seen this happen. All these versions of Dune are legit , IMHO . I thank the youtube channel _ GW Remasters and Spicediver _ to let us appreciate the 3 hours Dune 1984 Alternative Edition Redux. Thanks to YOU for all your work ! Wish you all the best for the times to come.

[@eastbrecht]

Excalibur is an absolute masterpiece. Greatest soundtrack of all time!

[@genx-tv]

Second thumbs up regarding Excalibur!

[@R-Batty]

@@eastbrecht I still remember THE day I saw the movie on the big screen back in 81 , with my father who was astonished too ;) . I remember that after the movie we were walking across the streets and I was a Knight ! Walking like i was wearing an armour . Then my father bought the Vinil soundtrack . This Vynil played a lot !!! with my friends playing rpg around tables , drinking wine ... Listen also to the marvelous score of basil paledouris 's CONAN the babarbarian ! another masterpiece !

[@eastbrecht]

@@R-Batty It was me, my buddy and his father who somehow got us into the theatre unchecked. I was ten years old in 81. As you can imagine, some of the scenes stuck with me for a long time, haha! The movie has aged like fine wine. The quest for the grail is timeless and incredibly profound.

[@IggyGoesPop666]

I share your love of the Lynch version. Yes the effects look a bit cheesy nowadays but lets not forget that it was made in 1984 which the production was undermined by the studio after creating all kinds of problems with the production that resulted in Lynch disowning the finished product.

[@fabrisseterbrugghe8567]

I read the first three books my freshman year in high school (1977). I was near the front at one of the big movie palaces in central London -- I know it wasn't Leicester Square (maybe Haymarket?). When Irulan's face appeared and began to set the scene. I knew I was in safe hands.

[@edworldinmyhands1061]

I LOVE David Lynch. this Dune is the best, I'm so proud you made this video, thank you so much. I've seen throughout the years how some critics miss the subtext of this amazing movie experience. David and Frank picked the parts perfectly to show the progression of the stories. thanks again, I have to do a video for this movie now😀👍

[@secretsofdune]

@@edworldinmyhands1061 really glad you enjoyed this. Go for it! Always on the lookout for new dune explorations.

[@candlefire8411]

What a great doc. Thank you for creating this.

[@secretsofdune]

Very kind of you, thank you.

[@FeaturingRob]

Thanks for this wonderful video. I was 12 years old when this film was released in cinemas. Christmas of 1984, and I went to see the movie 6 times during that holiday season. I was mesmerized by the visuals and the dream-like pacing the film had. I had just read the book over the summer, so I knew what was supposed to happen, but in many ways, it did not. Still...I fell in love with the film. I suspected I would anyway because I had also recently seen The Elephant Man on cable TV. I saw the 1984 version probably six months ago...and I still felt, as you so wonderfully described it, like it was an old friend. Because of the film, I became a lifelong fan of Kyle MacLachlan, Patrick Stewart (way before he was Captain Picard), Jurgen Prochnow (before I ever saw Das Boot), Francesca Annis, and many others. I didn't have a crush on Sean Young, but I would have loved seeing her have a more expanded role than she did. I crushed on Virginia Madsen, and for years, when I would re-read the Dune novels, I would hear Virginia's voice as Irulan. I have also been an avid follower of Alicia Witt's career since Dune...and one of my favorite Christmas movies has her in a supporting role, Last Holiday with Queen Latifah. Anyway...thanks for this!

[@secretsofdune]

Yeah, I think I saw Dune before Blade Runner. That's when I probably realised the crush on Sean Young haha. Virginia Madsen too though! That got me interested in fantastical princesses cinematically (The NeverEnding Story, etc.).

[@jamesharmon7733]

I, mostly, prefer the Villeneuve movies. However… The look and feel of the Lynch’s Dune was just so incredibly original, artistic, and wonderfully alien. It truly feels like another time on another world.

[@secretsofdune]

The book I mentioned in the video is called "A Masterpiece in Disarray: David Lynch’s Dune. An Oral History." You can get it here: amzn.to/4fKyErs

[@PaalJoachimRomdahl]

I was 14 when Dune came out and it impacted how I looked at myself in relation in being on this planet. Similar to how Superman impacted me. Two aspects. The every day life and the inner life I experienced where I felt very different from others. I really liked watching the various movies when growing up such as Dune, Superman, Star Wars, Indiana Jones etc. Also the movie The Emerald Forest was very powerful. Which again has the theme of two very different experiences of life. Thank you for sharing!

[@TaffiLouis]

I wasn't allowed to see it in the theatre as it was one of the very first PG-13 movies. A friend rented it the day it released on home video, for his birthday party and we were just too confused and traumatized by Harkonnen weirdness and The Shadow Mapes' heavy breathing and wailing, so it got switched off. Skip ahead maybe 3 or 4 years to the extended "Alan Smithee" version airing on television and I was right into it. It looks like a 1950s movie, like Hitchcock or Laurence Of Arabia, with the lighting and film stock somehow. To this day, it has what I consider the best costume design in cinema, even if the still suits aren't accurate to the book (and apparently torture to wear)... Everyone's outfit is gorgeous in Lynch's version.

[@aprilrichards762]

I saw Dune on tv when I was 11, 3 years after it came out and it lead me read the books. I also started watching movies that David Lynch made and Twin Peaks.

[@PeloquinDavid]

Well done. Lynch's Dune remains a (very mildly) guilty pleasure of mine...!

[@JustWasted3HoursHere]

David Lynch famously (infamously?) hates this movie that he made, but I have to say that when I went to see it in the theater with my sister back in the day (I was a young teenager) I absolutely LOVED it. It must be stated, however, that I had not read any of the books at that time and she had read all of them. *She hated it* (I guess because it deviated from the books so much). But me, having nothing to compare it to, just took it in as it was presented and let it envelope me. The music is really epic and adds quite a bit to the overall experience. I really enjoyed the modern ones too.

[@MrCREWCRUSHIN95]

DL doesn't hate DUNE. He hates that his vision was compromised.

[@JustWasted3HoursHere]

@@MrCREWCRUSHIN95 He hates the version of Dune that he was forced to make because of studio interference. So he hates this movie that he made.

[@realmchat6665]

When I was young my uncle gave me the books, I saw very few movies in the theater as a kid, my uncle took me to see Dune and I loved it. I still watch it now and then (the spicediver redux fan edit). The film is a masterpiece, as is the soundtrack. I admit the movie is probably not as good with having first read the books like I did, but I've always felt that it's detractors were very wrong and were somehow missing its brilliance.

[@pmjeterjr]

I loved the original Dune Movie! I never understood why it had no sequels! Great movie!

[@Hopscotchlemonadespritz]

The theatrical version was a critical and box-office bomb. Probably, you didn't need to hear that. I thought critics were too quick to point out the film's many perceived faults (incomprehensible plot, a humorless mess, etc.) without any acclaim for its sound and vision.

[@jw-nz2vx]

It bombed at the box office, it bombed with critics, and fans of the book were offended to their very core by the way Lynch completely misunderstood and misrepresented the entire message of the franchise. And Lynch's sequel script is so bad it starts off with a 10 minute song and dance number. The world is lucky he was never allowed to return to the franchise. If he had, Dune's reputation may never have recovered.

[@lolanifenring2692]

U forgot to mention the superlative acting, by esteemed actors like Sian Phillips (Rev Mother Helen Gaius Mohair), Jose Ferrer (the Emperor), Kyle McLachlan, Dean Stockwell (Dr Wellington), etc

[@secretsofdune]

It would have literally been an hour long documentary if I went into all the details haha. The cast is brilliant. I might go more into the individual portrayals somewhere down the line.

[@jw-nz2vx]

I thought it was, by a wide margin, the worst performance of Kyle's career. It's actually hard to sit through at times. Just awful.

[@JohnTandy74]

I have a memory of my uncle showing my dad a clip of Dune. This was probably 1984/5 I was 9. It was the Harkonnen attack of Arrakis. I wasn’t allowed to see 15 rated films. It was about a decade when someone at work gave me “house Ariedes” My journey Bagan & I’m still fascinated. I love the movie x Just bought the first graphic novel & Paul of dune !! Finished the 40k books for a while I’m back to DUNE

[@gregoryhattenfels7864]

Always loved this flick since i saw on ABC (Australia) in '85/86 and loved how it looked and have raved about this movie for last 40 years. i never heard of the book but i loved watching every attempt at bringing this epic to the screen. Thanks big fella please have safe travels so i can enjoy your wise insights . 👏

[@TheNecronacht]

I'm right there with you in my love for 1984's Dune. I was completely immersed in this world and it's machinations. The Spacing Guild intrigued me the most and I wished there had been more fleshed out about their development. And above all, I love the score having originally planning to have a music major. Thank you for sharing your appreciation for the film as well in this video. Maybe a few more will admit a guilty pleasure of it as well 🖖

[@nikolashaidar7890]

An excellent explanation of your experiences with Lynch's version....well said 👍

[@secretsofdune]

Thank you!

[@chrishinley7787]

I first saw Dune in 1985 when I was 14, a year younger than Paul. I loved this movie and watched it many times on VHS tape, I couldn't understand why it wasn't more liked, and I also kept my love for this movie to myself. Now, many years later I can see it's flaws, but it's still a great movie. I like it more than the latest films, and without it we wouldn't have the Villeneuve films.

[@whlewis9164]

A weird flawed wonderous spectacle.

[@secretsofdune]

@@whlewis9164 a very good way to describe it haha.

[@shanenolan5625]

Lol i saw dune 84 on a small telly in my room , it was the first time it was tv , i was really young , it scared me , but i watched it again at 9 ish , again in my room , i recorded it and watched it counless times , the music is amazing

[@secretsofdune]

@@shanenolan5625 it’s like we had the exact same experience haha! That’s so cool. That’s also why I won’t ever mock TV for what it can do to a person.

[@johngaltjkt62]

What's amazing about this 84 version is the fact they were able to pull off as much as they pulled off in two hours. Is it good in retrospect? Still no but its not horrible. I consider it a severely abridged version of the first Dune book.

[@sherribacharach540]

I feel the exact same way as you!! You said it perfectly. This movie filled a need in me. Especially as a teenager- it provided an escape for me. I was the older sister who forced the younger sister to watch this movie over and over again! To this day I am reminded of that. Still one of my favorite movies of all time.

[@ponyclub3198]

Definitely has some moments that are far better than the new movie, and is far superior as far as atmosphere and ending. Also - Better Duke, Rabban, Helen Moiham, Mentats, Paul and Chani. Love this film and I'd rather watch it anytime rather than Dune 2 which was a huge disappointment.

[@thomaswatson1420]

I always love listening to you discuss Dune and the impact it’s had on you. That’s why I followed you years ago.

[@secretsofdune]

This is one of the most honest, personal explorations from me on this channel about how all things Dune began with me, taking you right back to the beginning. I hope people can perhaps understand a little more that it has a whole other dimension of meaning for me in addition to how great Frank Herbert's Duniverse is. I really appreciate you following throughout the years. Thank you!

[@honorsilverthorne7227]

Remember, Alia also inherited all the memories of her MALE ancestors. That's how the (memory of the) Barron Harkonnwn is able to possess her later in the narrative.

[@ch3nz3n]

Hence the term "abomination" when referring to her. It's why the KH is male, canonically.

[@illerac84]

It has been a long time since I read. Can I ask how they explained that she had male memories? Wasn’t the whole point of the generational breeding to produce a male that could unlock those memories?

[@ch3nz3n]

@@illerac84 That's THE problem with being pre-born. It made her VERY susceptible to the influence of her ancestor's "ego memories". The BG are able to defend against this affliction, but pre-born children have no defenses. Alia lost her psychological battle with the Baron pretty quick.

[@stormgale5671]

First saw Dune at the theater and loved it. So that made me go buy the book. I was in a video store a few years later where they had the video for sale. Bought it and like you I found comfort from watching whenever I wanted.

[@GUTOG]

Loved this commentary! In many ways, I have a similar story. Saw Dune 84 when I was 11 or 12. I loved it. Whatever “imperfections,” It brought me to the deepest waters of the novels. One advantage of this movie is it’s otherworldly in a way the new Dune is not. I appreciate them both, but this one will always have my heart.

[@secretsofdune]

@@GUTOG thanks I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[@shunter2678]

I remember vividly going to the midnight premiere at the uptown theater in Washington, DC. I was a Freshman in college. What a night!! When the guild came into the throne room the whole theater vibrated with the sound.

[@PTguitars]

I loved the David Lynch movie in 1984. I read the books shortly after which confirmed me to believe that Lynch had been up to a almost impossible task, but managed to make an unforgettable film statement that people still remember today.

[@HiDesert004]

I saw this in the theater when it came out. The disappointment everyone felt was palpable I have never felt that at another movie even the SW prequels. Still I love some of the scenes and especially the Toto soundtrack.

[@rangereric18]

It's funny, but I actually got both my parents into Dune by playing the strategy game on the Sega Genesis. That obsession led us to the obsession over the '85 Lynch movie. There were not many things I bonded over with my dad before he passed away, but Dune was definitely one of them.

[@secretsofdune]

I have a friend whose first experience was the Dune game too!

[@alien8treker2]

i read the book in my first year of college way before the movie came out, finding it similarly transformative.

[@jasonshirrillmusic]

I love the sets, being a designer for an opera house in my 20s it inspired my designs for years.

[@leethiumEv]

I love your content!

[@vampolascott36]

I watched Dune at the movie theater when it came out. It was a lot of fun seeing it with my friends.

[@LastLamplighter]

I just saw the Film84 review as a kid and marvelled at the boxy shields and worms. Never got to see it in the cinema, but read all 6 books as a teenager and then saw it on VHS late in the 80s. So my vision of Dune was informed by those few clips, but mostly by the books. Love the Lynch movie and have seen it 20 times or more, including the excellent spicediver edit.

[@hypercomms2001]

I remember seeing this film when it came out in 1984. I do agree with your views. It was a great film.

[@playbookshowme484]

I watched this so many times, the new Dune one or twice...

[@pikadasgalaxias306]

It's probably the film I watched more times ever. Every day when I was a teenager. Hundreds of times. And now, with Dune Redux: The Alternative Edition by Spicediver, dozens more.

[@secretsofdune]

I haven't watch the Spicediver cut.

[@pikadasgalaxias306]

@secretsofdune Man... trust me. You need to watch it. Look for the 29Gb high quality version available on thep...bay.

[@Soup.of.Mandrake]

Great video. It was nice to hear you talk about yourself. Thank you for sharing.

[@secretsofdune]

@@Soup.of.Mandrake thank you I’m glad you think so.

[@horseshoe2blah201]

I saw this movie in the theater when it came out. We were handed a two page outline to help explain the movie. I guess test audiences were being questioned and they were lost. This was way before cell phones so I don't know how they expected us to read the outlines during the movie. Fortunately, my friend and I had read the books and loved the movie.

[@N7-alpha]

The sifi channel mini series was a different take on dune but very good also.

[@kinwingwu6442]

14 inch TV and a VHS was my portal to Stargate

[@secretsofdune]

STARGATE!!! 🙌

[@Strider-bl5sq]

This movie was my introduction to the Dune universe and it prompted me to get that first novel which in turn made me get the subsequent five books and so while it's not perfect, it's still a visually stunning and well made attempt that in a few ways is superior to the new films- like how the Bene Gesserit get only a very brief mention in the new films. It reminds me of Bakshi's LOTR and how it introduced many people, myself included, to Tolkien's world and it doesn't get the credit now that I think it deserves especially since for me his film is more true to the source material than the PJ films and the fact that the second film was never made is somehow counted against it.

[@Wonderpalm1979]

This was the first non kiddie movie I ever went to at a real no foolin' drive in when I was 5. You can definitely say a lot of the themes were lost on me but it did strongly impart the fact that cinema and science fiction were absolute magic. Will always love this movie.

[@billybatson8657]

This is easily one of the most underrated sci fi films ever produced. I watch it at least twice a year, along with all 3 Lord of the Rings films, the 1980 version of Lathe of Heaven starring Bruce Davison (probably my favorite film of all time), 1980 Flash Gordon, and of course the 1990 version of Total Recall. If I only had these films to watch over and over the rest of my life I'd have nothing to complain about.

[@davidriley2533]

I have the special edition on Blu-ray. Still prefer it to the current remake! One of my favorite films of all time!!!!

[@samborn7120]

A great retrospective! The 1984 Dune remains my favorite regardless of the recent films. It opened the universe of Dune along the same levels you described in this video. Although the new films are beautifully filmed and carry more technical similarities to the book, the David Lynch film was able to present it in ways Denis missed. The character narration was vital to telling the story and the dream sequences in the OG film created vital story narrative. Dune 1984 will always be THE Dune movie for me ❤️

[@haukikannel]

I have had Dune 1984 in many different versions starting from VHS ending to new 4K blu ray. I don`t remember if I read the book or see the movie first. But I liked it, still does and I would have liked to see it as two parter as Lynch was hoping… Still don`t like weirding modules, but that is just me… 😂 It will stay in my video collection beside the Villeneuv Dune and all those Dune TV series. It is part of Dune history as visual media.

[@SPQRTempus]

Pauls testing by Gaius Helen Mohiam in the 1984 movie is still the best representation of that scene. Sian Phillips performance in particular is brilliant.

[@secretsofdune]

@@SPQRTempus “silence, SILENCE!” - she nailed Mohaim.

[@SPQRTempus]

@@secretsofdune My favourite moment is when she reveals to Paul what the test is about. Before he can remove his hand from the box (just like you or I would naturally react) her needle is pressed against his carotid artery. The same moment in the 2021 movie feels awkward and forced by comparison.

[@kellyj.azania4371]

What a wonderful way to celebrate Science Fiction Day! When he was very young, perhaps nine, I introduced my son to this film. He's now 26. Whenever we communicate with one another, it is this film's dialogue we quote...especially, "Fear is the mind-killer." or "The sleeper has awakened!". I don't believe he's even bothered to see the newer version nor the one from the 90s. I've seen them all and have read the books.

[@secretsofdune]

What a cool bond you guys have haha. I love that.

[@TaraCicora]

I love this movie

[@therexbellator]

What a lovely and heartfelt essay on one of my favorite films. It gladdens my heart to see Lynch's Dune being re-evaluated decades later and people realizing what an amazing and ambitious film it was for 1984 even if it was a flawed adaptation. I always felt that the hate toward Lynch's film was a misguided belief that an adaptation had to be a literal 1:1 interpretation of the text but that's just not how movies work or are made. When it comes to adaptations books are not IKEA instructions where filmmakers mindlessly follow the blueprint with a camera. Filmmakers are artists and they are going to interpret that work through the lens of their experience. Lynch's mystical/quasi-religious approach to Dune was perfect in so many ways that people don't give it credit for. Dune is a world of paradoxes; it's a far futuristic world that is deeply set in the past with feudal lords, noble houses, and ancient rites. It's a world of advanced technology that also avoids certain technologies (AI, lasers, etcs) thus it is a society in constant tension with itself. Everything in Lynch's Dune emphasizes this paradox, from the opulent baroque sets and costumes, to the way Lynch mixes spirituality and science fiction. Regardless of the liberties Lynch took (necessary for an adaptation that had to be less than 3 hours), Lynch absolutely nails the tone and atmosphere of the first book; the inner monologues and intrigues are literally there on the pages of Dune. It's a beautiful movie that remains unique in its scope, ambition, with a stellar cast (and soundtrack) the likes of which I doubt we will ever see again.

[@michaeldoubek2898]

dude your video's are amazing thanks for what you do!

[@secretsofdune]

@@michaeldoubek2898 that’s very kind of you thank you for watching!

[@jeffreychatfield7881]

Read all the books, Dune first then the rest in order, then the three houses, the Machine war trilogy, and have every version of the first Dune movie, and the made for TV movies, and the two new versions, and played the June 2000 PC game, yes i like the Dune stuff a little bit lol.

[@jamesharmon7733]

I place this movie in a category with Michael Mann’s The Keep and a few others with incredible vision, talent and design. But the backers got cold feet and we are left with only a partially realized masterpiece.

[@devinreese1397]

Great review of the original movie. And to me the only movie which captured the book. Finally, finally someone giving it its due, without smearing this as a "bad movie". Lynch's mind was attuned to transcendentalism, and also madness, needed qualities to tackle Dune. Herbert also liked him and Maclaighlan. I like the way you also affirm the choices departing the book rather than ragging on them. This movie has incredible visuals which Herbert himself wanted to frame for his house and the cast is a cast of legends. It captured exactly the feel of the novels, cover illustrations and the weird Hebraio-Arab Sanskritic far future world which Herbert uses, and the look and feel I'd associate with other of his novels which were not in the Dune universe, like the Eyes of Heisenberg. Santaroga Barrier might have been close to Twin peaks if made into a movie, and starring Maclaghlan again wouldve been perfect.. The reason he disowned it is because he wanted a 5 hr movie which was clipped to 4 hrs which was clipped to 2 hrs not by lynch. The latter half is better in the 3 hr cuts around which I always watch, not the theatrical cut. Also Patrick stewart and Kyle Maclaghlan got their careers literally started there.

[@secretsofdune]

Thank you. Agree with a lot that you said. I could have said so much more about the actors, certain scenes. But it would have turned into a 30mins/1hr video haha.

[@shawnotoole1421]

I agree with your every point. I experienced this movie the same way. The line "The sleeper has awaken!" was my favorite... and is not in the book. I read the book because of this movie, not vice versa. I was disappointed in the book. I too loved the Weirding Modules. They made perfect and poignant sense in context.