Who Is The Twisted Mentat Piter De Vries? | Dune Lore

David Dastmalchian has been cast as Piter De Vries in Dune (2020) which is to be directed by Denis Villeneuve. In this video, I break down who Piter is, what twisted mentats are and what we can expect to see of him from David Dastmalchian in this movie and what makes him one of the most menacing villains in Frank Herbert's Dune.
David Dastmalchian Hollywood Reporter Interview -
(DUNE Section) • David Dastmalchian on ...
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Twitter: @Nerd_Cookies
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Art Credits
(if I missed your credit or miscredited a photo please let me know via email at [e-mail])
Piter de Vries by Kris Houston
Thufir Hawat (Dune CCG) by Mark Zug
Terminator Genisys: Resetting the Future by David S. Cohen
Bene girl by Tsabo6
House Harkonnen by Stephen Youll
Piter De Vries by Mark Zug
Baron Vladimir Harkonnen by John Schoenherr
Thufir Hawat by Kim Parker
Dune - Piter De Vries by Jakdaw
House Harkonnen: Piter De Vries by Deimos-Remus
Dune - House Harkonnen by Kraky
Baron Vladimir Harkonnen By Ivelin
COMM - moonguile by Magicelum
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[@timucinharkonnen2699]

Piter: ...my plan... Baron: MY PLAN! Piter: the plan...

[@bassmith448bassist5]

EPIC!!!!!

[@chrishigh4113]

One of my favorite moments in a movie. PERIOD.

[@LRyoungin]

That is definitely still a classic moment.

[@IdiotandOpinion]

Is that in 2021 Dune? I don’t remember and it seems like a cool moment

[@timucinharkonnen2699]

@@IdiotandOpinion It's from the 1984 movie. David Lynch's adaptation was a little bit bizarre but delivered some quotable material.

[@3DPT]

The new dune has him as a stone cold killer. He organizes the fall of Atraties like a cool walk outside. He really has the creepy quiet vibe in this character.

[@paulclementyonkers4604]

I remember seeing David Dastmalchian in "The Dark Knight." His portrayal as a psychotic follower of The Joker was magnificent. Though he only had two short scenes, I knew he was going places.

[@wiinterflowers4277]

He was great in Prisoners and I loved him in the Ant Man movies and The Suicide Squad. Wishing him all the best of luck and good fortune for his career and life!

[@bradfordreed6175]

Piter had a certain fatalism about his service to the Baron; he was reconciled to being tossed away at some point, so indulged in his sadistic hedonism knowing he was living on borrowed time. At least, that's the impression I got re-reading the novel two months ago.

[@NerdCookies]

I agree very interesting point.

[@neilmurphy966]

I seem to think I read in one of prequels that Piter had been killed before so one in Dune wasn't the first incarnation.. cloned by Tleilaxu? Maybe bit like a Ghola.. but wud have to look that part up..so his fear of being disposed of was very real..

[@Eoraptor1]

@@neilmurphy966 That is true in the prequels, although many Dune heads refuse to accept them as canon. I just enjoy them for what they are and leavequestions of "canon" to high clergy. In the original Dune novel, Piter tells the Baron, "As a Mentat, I know when you will send the executioner." I remember very well though the Baron not objecting to Piter's indulgences, because their expense was one of the things tying Piter to the Baron's service. The Harkonnens were not stupid; they were sadists and sociopaths, but not stupid. Even Rabban had more on the ball than he was given credit by the Baron. JAMES

[@BbNaB]

In a way he used his inevitable death from the Baron as a way to motivate his skills. As long as he was too useful he was safe.

[@tileux]

The Baron's initial plan was to replace Rabban on Dune with Piter and then replace Piter with Feyd-ratha. There's no question that Piter understood that part of the plan - but Piter's plan in response to that is not stated in the book, probably because the Baron's plans are not at that point set in stone - the Harkonnen's desire to get hold of a crysknife so Piter can infiltrate the sietches is mentioned in the book but the real purpose of that infiltration is not, suggesting that while the Baron has no qualms about disposing of Piter, he hasnt definitely decided to do so. That means the Baron's regret at losing Piter is wider than just a regret about losing his intended fall guy for Feyd-Ratha. Alternatively, it could be that the plan to get the crysknife so Piter can mingle with the Fremen is an escape route for Piter - its never stated whether the crysnknife plan comes from Piter or the Baron and when Hawat confronts the Baron with the updated information about the Fremen the Baron is surprised - suggesting he never had any interest in infiltrating the Fremen and may not have ordered the acquisition of the crysknife for Piter.

[@Jord73]

Unfortunately Piter’s role in the movie is very small. I hope they shot extra footage with him, which we could see later. In the Nerd Edition.

[@lovealegria]

I saw the movie twice and this channel helps me understand what I saw because I haven't read the books yet. The movie is impressive and I understood alot of it but there were things that if you are not familair with the story it creates questions (Bene Gesserit, Mentats etc.). Having seen this video it doesn't gell well with the movie version. It feels like they were getting there but then the more devious qualities were cut out. In de movie he sometimes felt very reserved and not always on board with the plan for House Atreides but it is my understanding he was largely responsible for the plan. I have started reading the books now and I most likely will watch the movie at least one more time before it leaves the theaters so my opinion might change and it was just really subtle in his acting but right now he didn't feel menacing to me. Weird yes menacing no.

[@handznet]

Yep. And well. I loved him in the movie but he definitely does not look twisted or dangerous. He is more like a Barons Smithers

[@TheEddieStilson]

In the movie, they didn’t even mention him by name. He’s pretty much just “that one guy that got poisoned.”

[@totalpartykill999]

also, he dies way too soon, and we never get to see him really fleshed out, like in the book

[@drunkrumjack]

Right? No juice of Sapho scene? It's not Dastmalchian is miscast, he's good creepy fit for the role, it's just he underused thanks for showing up anyhow type thing. The current movie focuses more time on the Atreides than on why we should hate on the bad guys. The baron seems somewhat indifferent as long as he can stuff his face whilst the spice is flowing.

[@Lashrath]

I loved the visuals in the film how they eyes roll into their head as they calculate. Both on Thufir and Piter.

[@benjaminnowack8433]

I thought it was a very effective way to show not tell

[@earlware4322]

Yes, quite the visual. Took me a second to realize what it meant, but once I did I loved it.

[@logicplague]

I never saw Piter do it in the new movie

[@prestonbane4176]

@@logicplague he did a different thing that wasn't CGI--just rolled and closed one lazy eye. Very crazy looking.

[@OdintheGermanShepherd]

Seems like whenever I have free time, I find myself watching “Nerd Cookies” Dune videos. You are very good at making these vids!! Excellent as always. I can’t wait for the movie.

[@BuxarooBanzai]

Yeah, love her voice mixed with the great background music, it just...works.

[@nicklaskowalski]

Defo! WB should sponsor!! This is marketing they can’t buy, only support!

[@jezebulls]

Shoot, I make time! Lol

[@trashcaninc.292]

Guys is that dog typing...

[@defeatSpace]

Yeah, it's refreshing to have a woman with such a relaxing voice narrate these sorts of videos too!

[@Praxographist]

i wonder how having a Mentat's mind is when you're just doing base everyday stuff. Like, when you eat, is your mind spammed with nutritional info? When you watch a game, do you immediately know the outcome? When you take a leak, do you know exactly how many centilitres you're shootin'?

[@liamfrance9807]

I mean from what the novels seems to imply, yes if you lack the ‘discipline’

[@Praxographist]

@@cswann8 Thank you. Thank you for making me picture old Thufir beating his saggy meat.

[@tgiacin435]

I think you would actually need to reed the data. Mentats are not infallible

[@Feefa99]

Some actions are just information overload 😁

[@OdintheGermanShepherd]

LOLOL…great question!!

[@andreamaronn4510]

Piter De Vries was always one of my favorite characters. Sensual, creepy, sadistic, extremely intelligent, insane...

[@user-lp7tx1fe6t]

Too bad he dies in the first third of the book

[@erikrungemadsen2081]

I love thatthe Baron kills him with regular intervals to prevent him schemming against him. Piter is just the current Ghola.

[@beersimpson1]

The current Ghola...? I think you're confusing Duncan Idaho with Piter DeVries.

[@lillycrecelius985]

@@beersimpson1 depends on if you're going by Frank's work or by the revised history of Anderson and Herbert ' s new series. In the original text, when Piter died the Baron wanted to replace him with Thufir, and not another ghola of the "twisted mentat".

[@Sometimes_Always]

Where in the books or movie does he come across as 'insane'? He's a genius who's pragmatically ruthless. He's very aware of what he's doing and it's deliberate. He's not imagining or seeing things that are not there. I've read the books by Herbert and your descriptions isn't very accurate. Anyone who's read the books should know this. What you've described isn't even accurate in Lynch's Dune either.

[@tonyc.4392]

I absolutely love how popular Dastmalchian is getting. He's so damn good.

[@davecrupel2817]

The man went from living on the streets, to a role in the Dark Knight (Thomas Schiff the schizo in the police uniform) To now being immortalized in Dune!!! I hope his career keeps going up from here!

[@tonyc.4392]

@@davecrupel2817 I saw he has just hosted the awards show that Shudder puts on every year for horror movies. He and his agent know EXACTLY who his ideal audience is and Im excited to see where he goes next.

[@Dularr]

Really hope they do the 1984 argument over the plan. "My plan" "No my plan" "The plan"

[@martinharris5017]

Best vocal exchange in the movie! Two huge egos. If I remember rightly, in the book the Baron retorts that since he employs Piter then Piter's ideas are technically his intellectual property, hence the plan is the baron's by ownership.

[@caronstout354]

Imagine being Piter De Vries- having the human equivalent of a Watson supercomputer in your head and having to take a NZT-48 type drug so you can concentrate on the here-and-now long enough to dumb down the explanation of your master plan to your patron/employer and his 2 idiot nephews...

[@thehorsehunter]

Piter didn't get even 10% of the attention and character development he deserved in the movie, unfortunately.

[@alexgdsu7785]

i agree, i saw the movie before reading the book (im in the middle of it) and there’s so much more to piter in the book. in the movie he’s a good character but just a servant. in the book he has attitude and is one of the only people that challenges the barons decisions early in the book

[@earlware4322]

@@alexgdsu7785 Yeah, its a big shame, Piter had a large part to play in the Harkonnen actions, but is barely in this new remake. 😞 Doubly shameful as I think David Dastmaltician (spelling??) was a perfect casting choice for Piter and I think he would have done an amazing job had he been given even half the lines/scenes he had in the book. 😞😞

[@tomsnowden6201]

@@earlware4322eh he played his part. He didn’t need to be in much more for this adaptation. The movies are plenty long already

[@anonymousrex5207]

I have to say that this is one of the best casting choices I have seen for the movie. David is such a great actor in these creepy/crazy/intellectual roles. He portrayed a similar highly intelligent/crazy/creepy character on MacGyver recently and nailed the part.

[@caronstout354]

I would also add his performance as Grimma Wormtongue in LOTR...one look at him and you knew he was up to no good in Rohan

[@anonymousrex5207]

@@caronstout354 lol... I'm talking about the actor in the 2021 movie and you are talking about the guy in the 1980s movie (who is also a great actor).

[@earlware4322]

@@anonymousrex5207 Agreed, on both accounts. Brad Dourif (from Lynch's '84 version) and David Dastmalcian ('21 version) are both awesome actors at portraying twisted characters. It's just a huge shame we don't get to see David given the same amount of screentime. 😞

[@MJPok]

Gotta 100% agree with you! Also his character in the Prisoners, that was the crazy creepy snake guy

[@enzocrespin5806]

And Polka-Dot Man in The Suicide Squad

[@XxIkeWittxX]

Mentats were always something that interested me. What do you use for computers when computers are illegal? I believe that Herbert hit on something unique with the idea of 'good' and 'twisted' Mentats. While I am not a huge fan of the prequel books, they way that the creation of the Mentat school was handled, was pretty good. The influence of Erasmus on Albans paves the way for the duality.

[@martinharris5017]

During World War two when the atomic scientists were at work, they used the services of "computers". These weren't machines, but humans who could perform complex calculations in their heads very rapidly. Autistic savants were extremely good at this. So Herbert's Mentats were actually based on fact!

[@davesmyrnaga]

Martin Harris You are mistaken about WWII “Computers”. They used paper and pencil with adding machines. Not their minds.

[@captassassin5680]

I guess that when their idea of giving Brad “hawklike” features they just said fuck it, and glued wings to his eyebrows!

[@jeremybaumeister8983]

It is by will alone I set my mind in motion... I love the casting choice here.

[@NerdCookies]

Agreed!😊

[@TheHighSpaceWizard]

Definitely a wonderful choice!

[@blkbrdmntrvimes6438]

It is by the juice of safoo, that thoughts acquire speed, the lips acquire stains, the stains become a warning, it is by will alone I set my mind in motion.

[@ragingryno]

That was cool... I’m so happy I’m watching these and learning as much as I can. With what’s going on with Star Wars I need something new! Great work! 👍🏼

[@Mecca4BA]

Raging Ryno yeah, they’ve pretty much wrecked Star Wars.

[@Soliloquy66]

Dune is so much deeper and grand than SW. The books are amazing and much of SW was taken from Dune.

[@JonathanFlexx]

You should read the book, it's really good!

[@tgiacin435]

The Filoni and Favreau stuff is good. It’s the sequel trilogy that fucked shit

[@pilouuuu]

Yeah, Dune has those spiritual elements that I enjoyed in Star Wars, but which are sorely missed nowadays.

[@radionoakmont7756]

david is perfect choice for the psychopathic yet refined nature of piter devries from his acting on macgyver as murdoch i know he is going to rock this very hard this is going to be the perfect dune

[@quentincollins1825]

It was his role as Piter that first brought Brad Dourif to my attention. His most notable roles were of course Chucky and Grima Wormtongue, but his overlooked masterwork was Hazel Motes in Wise Blood (1979).

[@causticwit]

I love Brad Dourif in Wise Blood! - "I'm gonna do some things I ain't never done before..."

[@Davepool-hs7vr]

Don’t forget his first role in One flew over the cuckoo’s nest

[@quentincollins1825]

@@Davepool-hs7vr God yes! Wow...

[@Jared_Wignall]

Another amazing video. Keep up the great work!

[@leavonfletcher4197]

I like how you summed up the Butlerian Jihad. It is an extremely complex subject that could be the subject of an entire video, but you give all of the requisite information. Kudos to you.

[@AM-kb9cz]

Hey, gotta say, I love your channel. We learn a lot of info about great sci-fi works and your choice of music goes very well with your relaxing voice and tone. Kudos.

[@Sporking]

Great video as usual!

[@NerdCookies]

Thanks Scott ;)

[@Andrew-yb1uv]

My plan! ... THE plan!

[@stevenwisniewski1]

These videos are great. Fantastic content.

[@NerdCookies]

Thanks! Glad you're enjoying them😄

[@thereddwarf2045]

Brad Dourif is an excellent actor, who seems completely immersed in his roles. Playing villains, he brings the viewer to the brink of terror with the power of his words and the expression in his eyes. My two favorite roles he has played are Piter De Vries, of course, and his portrayal of the Gemini Killer in The Exorcist III. However, his role as Wormtongue, in Peter Jackson's LOTR is amazingly intense, and from which people remember him most.

[@brandtbollers3183]

His use of gesture to send Jesscia and

[@Herecomesjonny-sz1ru]

…”Have a very nerdy day.” No matter how many times I listen to these videos, I still crack up every single time she says it. Great job, great videos keep it up!

[@whenkey5304]

Contents are literally addictive and wonderful 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@albertptran]

Good stuff!

[@annamiau8116]

New Dune Movie so good it made me watch 3 hours or so of your videos. Channel so good I can binge watch 3 hours of content in succession.

[@janhammekenbuch142]

I like that they chose David Dastmalchian, but after seeing the cinematic release, i feel a bit... Unfulfilled.. In particular, the scene where Piter, in the other incarnations, end up executing the traitorous Doctor Yueh. That's one of the points where we actually see him as the cold killer he is. The cold intellect he posesses married to a complete lack of empathy, pity or remorse. I can only hope that a later Bluray/DVD release adds some extra scenes where we see him as protrayed in the books and other films.

[@derris]

I didi enjoy this video (like the others about DUNE). I've never seen anything about DUNE, never read the books and all, but I'm SO EXCITED for the upcoming film (the cast, the director the story etc) !!!! You really helped me understanding the lore of this fascinating SCIFI universe, and it looks like my kind of stuff ! Thank you !

[@NerdCookies]

Glad you're enjoying the the content! I was hoping these videos would help to make Dune more accessible for those who aren't familiar. I appreciate the support!

[@Soliloquy66]

Indeed...i think that this series is doing a fantastic job of introducing the characters to the masses. I would also say for those i intrigued to go ahead and read the first book. It is the most rich and detailed story encapsulated into one small book. Well worth the read.☆

[@metawakening6233]

Great work. Thank you for the Dune videos. I'm on tip toes.

[@NerdCookies]

Thanks! Glad you're enjoying them😊

[@RetroNerdGirl]

This makes me all the more excited to see the new film.

[@Dreez76]

I was under the impression that he was an advisor and not an assassin.

[@athcnv]

6.00 I'm getting an "evil Conan O'Brien" vibe from that pic! 😄😅

[@amadeokomnenus1414]

In the few minutes David Dastmalchian had with the movie, he breathed life into the character, fostered a curiosity in his character from the audience and expanded the scope and story of both mentats and the Harkonnens. Quite a feat.

[@thejadedgeminigeek1293]

He had an addiction to the drug Semuta as well as spice.

[@colindunnigan8621]

I think it was Iakon Nefud, the Baron's guard captain, who was addicted to Semuta.

[@SprazzyGazoozle]

@@colindunnigan8621 Yeah, he was for sure -- but can't remember if Piter was... hm.

[@c4ble472]

The only people I remember being addicted to semuta were the Gaurd captain and Otheym’s daughter Lichna

[@carcillian]

Nefud was addicted to Semuta...hence the music he listened to and played.

[@malachiXX]

@@carcillian You are correct. It was Nefud only the addiction isn't to Semuta alone. The drug must be combined with the music to ellicit the desired effect. Piter on the other hand has a serious addiction to melange. He tended to wear contact lenses to hide this fact from those around him because his addiction was so high, he could pass for a native Arrakian with his blue within blue eyes

[@willbbwluvr]

"It is by will alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the juice of Sapho that thoughts acquire speed, the lips acquire stains, stains become a warning. It is by will alone I set my mind in motion."

[@caronstout354]

Sapho sound like the NZT-48 "intelligence drug" from Limitless. I wonder what would happen if a average person in the Dune world took some.

[@carloscrecelius9597]

It was insinuated that Piter was actually specifically designed by the Tleilaxu for the baron. In the new series, it was stated that the baron had gone through several Piters over the course of their association.

[@haffdanthorfinnson2413]

Its cool you do deep dives/ lore videos. It's sad the most recent adaptation of Dune, albeit stunning, left out a lot of signifigant and important scenes. They could have added all they added AND really dive into all of the hinted material from the books to really Really develop the characters and world/universe all the more.

[@JamesSmith-hw6tl]

Awesome. Your videos rock. David is great choice for Piter.

[@NerdCookies]

Thanks!😄

[@ericthompson3982]

As an 8 year old being introduced to Brad Dourif for the first time, he made my skin just crawl in this role. He was amazing.

[@OdintheGermanShepherd]

Piter didn’t get enough screen time in the movie!!

[@JAMESLEVEE]

Both the film and miniseries versions of this forgot about Piter's spice addiction and failed to give him the "eyes of Ibad".

[@alexharkness586]

I haven't noticed it in the 2020 promotional material.

[@roygo10]

Also the video game Dune 2000 featured Hayt De Vries, which the actor performed very similarly (and brilliantly) to David Lynch's Piter De Vries.

[@LaineyBug2020]

I sort of love that Fenring is secretly 'Twisted' as well...

[@EdWiley671]

Naturally, he’s from Tlailax

[@erikrungemadsen2081]

Where do they say he is from Tlailax, all i ever heard is that Fenring is a failed Kwizats Haderach due to his sterility.

[@EdWiley671]

@@erikrungemadsen2081 All twisted mentats are schooled on tleilax. Plus in Dune, the baron says something like "damn that Piter! Had to go get himself killed. Now I'll have to get another mentat from tleilax"

[@erikrungemadsen2081]

@@EdWiley671 I am asking about Hasimir Fenring.

[@EdWiley671]

@@erikrungemadsen2081 ah. My bad, soz i had this convo ages ago. Well, being grown from the axolotl tanks as an artificial KH hes from tleilax

[@alexkrycek21]

David was brilliant but I wish there had been a few more scenes with him.

[@5dmkiii60]

Sadly, David Dastmalchian only received about 2 minutes of accumulated screen time playing Piter before being killed off: giving him no time to convey anything about that character's true nature. The same can be said about Stellan Skarsgard's portrayal of The Baron Harkonnen. Clearly his lack of screen time was used as a teaser for a larger role in the sequel. Both actors were highly underused in part 1 of this movie given how much was written for them in David Lynch's and Sci Fi's versions. David was tragically underused given he was killed off so quickly. I wonder if David would've even taken the role of Piter if he had known in advance how little screen time his portrayal of Piter would get in the final cut?

[@darkwolfe6286]

I think this goes to the lack of world building and character when it comes to 2021 Dune. While I can understand 1984 David Lynch version had its fault the prologue did establish certain important factions and groups in movies. I would like to see a series that is more set in World of Dune that could fill in the Lore

[@robertb8673]

I have big hopes in David Dastmatchian. He can do it!

[@baronvonslapnuts]

Just one more piece of absolutely SUBLIME casting in an already loaded cast.

[@Mr.Limekiller]

And then the movie comes out and he has like one line the entire time, human scenery with no eyebrows

[@myaccount9120]

Man, I just get more and more excited for this adaptation. So far everything seems like a bullseye, the right director, the right casting. Finally a real film to look forward to.

[@DarthFritter1]

It’s too bad that we didn’t get very much of Piter in the 2021 movie

[@FarrellMcGovern]

It certainly sounds like Denis Villeneuve is making sure that the actors portraying the characters in the movie have a very good grasp of the source material. One hopes that this will give them more insight into their portrayals since all of the characters are more complex than 95% of the ones we see on the screen these days.

[@NerdCookies]

It's so sad how dumbed down most movies have become...

[@FarrellMcGovern]

@@NerdCookies Very true. Even works like the first three released Star Wars films, which were never really deep films, the character development and complexity were better than the Disney era films.

[@nunyabiznes33]

Sad that the character had very little screentime

[@hullbreach33]

The Baron didnt "recruit" Piter. He ordered him from the Tleilaxu. Piter was a "twisted" mentat created in the Axolotl tanks.

[@joshuawallace1552]

Love these videos! Your love of Herbert's work is evident! Do you by any chance have a link to David's interview that you mentioned?

[@NerdCookies]

Thank you! Glad you're enjoying the content! The link for the interview is in the description of this video.

[@davidlewis5312]

you know, Thufir is kind of a strange duck if only viewed from the first book. Especially the first act. For all the Thufir hype, he is pretty much taken a fool by the plot as much as anyone else (including Paul and Jessica who had forewarning so fair, heck Paul nearly stumbles on the Yueh thing) and we never see any sign of brilliant counter action by him. Heck, in the novel he is taken prisoner by the Baron and made to replace Piter. In fact, I would argue the only Atreides dude who shows forward thinking and planning is the one who doesn't get a lot to do. When we catch back up with Gurney, he has evacuated some Atreides soldiers, picked up some stragglers, secured the House Nukes, and arraigned security for his remaining forces. All without a defection from the bad guys seemingly. Gurney gets a solid B for Force Extraction during a bug out. If he secured a member of the family, I would give him an A, but he wasn't even in the same building. Thufir, you get an F. For all we know, you were in your pajamas when this went down.

[@peachmelba1000]

Iirc he was in Carthag when the H's and Srdkr attacked. Herbert's prose stresses Hawat's advanced age and hints to a decline in his capabilities. Completely agree on Gurney as well. An absolute warrior, and a completely loyal and faithful one at that.

[@darkhobo]

I love how Piter is "a spice addict" but Hawat is never referred to so dismissively, though also undoubtably being a spice addict, and having the same job, mentat master of assasins.

[@blkbrdmntrvimes6438]

While thufir did drink safo juice in his younger years I've never read anywhere that he'd been a spice addict.. after all it had been years since imbibing safo .

[@dgurevich1]

The first mistake they made was shaving his eyebrows instead of making them comically large

[@thehierophant1314]

I watched Dune for the first time. And I think it’s my favorite sci-fi adaptation. The reason why it’s because of how it feels. There is a human connection and nostalgia. You feel connected to the experience of humanity. And I didn’t know about the banning of the machines until now, that’s the epiphany. I remember explaining to a friend how dune felt more like a fantasy than a sci-fi book. Another thing that was very little and significant was the story stayed in Arrakis, and that there was not unknown stars here and there. It’s that, one planet was able to convey so much character and story. The beautiful ecosystem that has its apparatus structure to the sand worms was so amazing. Like there is history that makes the planet and the people feel like the symbiosis of man and nature on earth. A complete mimick. My, the architecture of the plot is terrifyingly beautiful. And the narrative motifs of the whole movie, gives it structure. And this is someone who knows nothing about dune. But if just a Part 1 movie would be this great? It means I need to read the books!

[@JAMESLEVEE]

There are several Mentat schools throughout the Empire, including one on Tleilax itself. That one, in particular, specializes in producing mentats unconstrained by any kind of moral sense, although the market for them is limited. It is, I'm sure, not restricted to the Harkonnens, or else it wouldn't be profitable, though.

[@brianrunyon266]

Well done, even if much of the cast for the new Dune film isn't known to me. The character comes off as knowing his boss sees him as expendable, but plans to serve until his time is up.

[@GotoMaki4Micah]

that actor always plays tragic characters. the actor hyped him up as being sadistic and haunting. but he's still a puppet for the baron. knowing and expendable. i wish it wasn't so. im too hyped to see another one of his characters die AGAIN.

[@shiddy.]

I liked the character of Piter from the book much more than the 2021 film he was so animalistic, terrifying and nearly out of control that he probably couldn't have had most of the conversations he had in the 2021 film the way he did - he wouldn't have even been able to sit still for them the book Piter had fallen so deep into the twisted mentat life that he could barely control himself ... which seemed to be exactly what he wanted I know it must be very hard to incorporate the mentats into a film, but it seemed to me almost like Denis Villenueve didn't like the characters of Piter and Thufir I still absolutely love the 2021 film, just an observation ... anyone else notice that?

[@Carolineplayz186]

Great!

[@altonative1566]

"....as a Mentat in the Baron's employ...." Well put

[@-AtomsPhere-]

I kind of thought Peter was a little underused as a character. He was built up to have so much potential and then just kind of….

[@StopFear]

Basically mentats are Frank Herbert’s version of the eunuch assistants in European courts, in the courts if the Ottomans, and in Chinese emperor’s courts.

[@1701spacecadet]

The new guy will have to go some to out-creep my man Brad!

[@TKinfinity01]

1701spacecadet Ya, Brad was Perfectly cast.

[@TaylorRay-uw7ld]

He indeed was the creepiest.

[@peterconway6584]

Brad has a talent for portraying creepy guys, as in his roles in Babylon 5 and Lord of the Rings.

[@MyMarsham]

Second that, I really got a constrained twitchy vibe from Mr Dourif. I think it was the stare. And his pet stiletto.

[@charlesross9260]

@@peterconway6584 Don't forget Chucky in Childs Play.

[@kirsty307]

I have always been so fascinated with Piter De Vries, sadly we don’t know so much about him

[@Its-Steven]

I am turned on to some of the coolest art/artists from your videos.

[@NerdCookies]

Glad to hear it

[@baskkev7459]

So funny. So many things in dune sound dutch. Piter de vries pieter ( a normal name) de vries ( normal last name) Landsraad land < land in english/dutch. raad = council in dutch etc

[@alanbrito5239]

major lenguage around the world Shaid=Thing Hulud=Eternal/Forever

[@Hopscotchlemonadespritz]

You've found examples of concept art depicting De Vries I hadn't seen before! I agree that Dastmalchian will embody the character in a definitive manner. His small role in BR2049 already showed us a distractingly creepy, effeminately offset if innocent persona. If augmented to depict extreme cunning, malice, and evil misanthropy bordering on psychopathology he should nail it!

[@NerdCookies]

There's some amazing concept art out there! David is such a great actor I think I first saw him in the Dark Knight. Even in those smaller roles he makes a lasting impression. I'm so excited to see what he brings to Piter.

[@whitestrokes]

I loved him in Prisoners. Some actors are just born for playing eccentric roles, the moment you see him on the screen his vibe alone tells half of the story.

[@buckaroobanzai7063]

"I agree that Dastmalchian will embody the character in a definitive manner." Nope.

[@cortizone10plus]

For posterity sake, The 1984 Piter is far superior to the sci fi mini series Piter, who I'm pretty sure only has a few very pedestrian lines that DO NOT do his character justice. I loved that this video pointed out that Piter could indeed be more sadistic than even the baron.

[@charlespfaff6585]

David Dastmalchian was a very good choice for Piter. Through I do not think he got the on screen time or scenes he deserved. Both David Dastmalchian and Brad Dourif we good choices and I can not really choose a favorite.

[@stephenconnolly1830]

If Piter de Vries was as intellectually gifted, cunning and unethical as depicted then he surely would have replaced the Baron and his family as head of house Harkonnen at some point through engineering an appropriate intrigue - this is the one weakness in the plot.

[@brandtbollers3183]

Aimed Higher...

[@MrBrachiatingApe]

There would be limits to how high a servant could climb... Heirs had to be confirmed by the Emperor, and allowing a Mental to slaughter the ruling family and assume the title would have been a precedent no Great House nor the Imperial House could tolerate, as it put a knife in the hands of every ambitious, capable servant in every House, Major, Minor, or Imperial. At most, he could become the eminence gris... For someone like Rabban. Not for that vicious, cunning old monster, the Baron.

[@Ender7j]

A cunning mentat would be unassuming until he was absolutely sure that there would be no record of his darker impulses. I would expect Piter to maybe give off a weird vibe to some and probably transparent to skilled Sisters, but to most he would just be another House servant.

[@brandtbollers3183]

Weaponized Mentat.$×4

[@adam8822]

I think im going to have to re-read the novels im in my mid 50s now i was in my early 20s when i read them having an awesome time in the awesome 80s, maybe to good a time :-)

[@johnwishart30]

I can't wait to see the movie so I can start watching these videos.

[@MakingModels]

With how cunning and deviuos the Baron is, it makes you wonder.. was he a Mentat?... hmm. Great video again. Thx.

[@martinharris5017]

I doubt it as Thufir Hawatt mentally evaluates the Baron as a "dolt" in the book when comparing him with Duke Leto or the Old Duke. Besides if old Vladimir was a Mentat himself he wouldn't need to employ a dangerous character like Piter to do the thinking for him. I think of the Baron as cunning and devious rather than intellectually bright.

[@Bldyiii]

Spoiler alert: The Barons genetics are rather important and give rise to greatness.

[@martinharris5017]

@@spacewombat4569 Possible but speculative. Paul's mentat training is mentioned in the books but indications are given regarding the Baron that he is incapable of a great deal of rapid analytical thought unless it involves satiating his carnal appetites.

[@elizabethjansen2684]

@@martinharris5017 I believe that the baron devolved into the carnal indulgences after the disease mohaim infected him with in retribution for her rape causing his body he was so proud of the degenerate. He was always known for high intelligence and cruelty but not to the point of wallowing in decadence and psychopathy

[@Cl0ckcl0ck]

He was near the top of a thousands year old breeding program. Planned double great grandfather of the end result, actual grandfather of the end result.

[@D3athW1ng]

Nicely done. Great casting choice for the character. Not sure I liked the last two versions and hoping this one will be promising.

[@NerdCookies]

Thank you! I agree, I really like David's style and I'm exciting to see what he will bring to the character.

[@darthkek1953]

It is the case that every sci-fi universe, if it is developed for long enough, becomes a war against AI. It is the fundamental sci-fi staple.

[@HouseofNick]

I like Brad the best. The other big thing is Piter is also a clone. The Baron kills off a clone when it gets to uppity.

[@chewface]

David Dastmalchian was excellent in Blade Runner 2049 (also directed by Denis Villeneuve who will be directing Dune). His death scene still haunts me. It was so sad and disturbing. Those quivers. I can see him being a creepy bastard in Dune. I'm so hyped for it. I hope this Corona virus crap doesn't kill ticket sales.

[@NerdCookies]

Perfect casting for sure!

[@bwy553]

I'm sure this guy will do a good job, however in my mind NOBODY will ever be able to live up to Brad dourif's version.

[@seanheath4492]

Seeing this guy in the "MacGyver" reboot, he does a wonderful psychopath.

[@GotoMaki4Micah]

@@seanheath4492 macgyver made a joke out of him, jokes constantly people where seldom scared of him. they only alluded to him being evil, it was never a part of the plot because it was only a CBS show. i look forward to him being taken seriously. aside from macgyver i can easily see him on the level to play one of those guys in the horror thriller funny games which is a legitimately a painful and sickening watch.

[@GotoMaki4Micah]

he says more in his face and posture in the thumbnail, then he does in the entire movie.

[@sheevpalpatine2128]

David is a very good choice for this hes always great

[@2rico4u]

Yes!!! That's awesome! The one of Piter De Vries!

[@jasonwright8546]

So far this seems to be the best cast role in the film. Some of the other choices concern me.

[@malachiXX]

Did the theory of the origin of 'twisted mentats' come from F. Herbert's original 6 books or was it added later? I've never heard of a 'twisted mentat' and I was under the impression that all mentats were trained by the Bene Tleilax, not just failed ones. One very clear concept they made in the book was that Mentats were trained from a very early age and that their training was secret even from them. The teachers realized that to bring about the enhanced computational processes a Mentat has access to, it must be achieved without conscious knowledge. There was a point in the story where Paul was informed that he had been intended to become a Mentat Duke and that this would make him very formidable. All his education and mental exercises up to that point had been to open his mind so that he would be made into a Mentat. Thufir Hawat was a Mentat Master of Assassins and so was Piter DeVries. Most Mentats specialized in a certain function.

[@peter-paulkutschlojenga7336]

Is there anything known about where he was born and where his family was from? I heard that House Arteitis was originally from Greece and House Harkonnen is of Finnish descent. ''De Vries'' is the third most common last name of the Netherlands, like ''Jones'' level of commonality. I'd love to know if there's anything about his lineage in the books!

[@yoursafeplace8476]

Unfortunate how short his role was in Part 1. Dune honestly needs to be either 4 hours long as a movie or turned into a series again because there's just too much lore and story to chop down into a movie that's less than 4 hours. Don't tell me movies can't be that long when back in the day they were and they also had an intermission!

[@Sasuke81a]

I really enjoyed the new Dune Movie and I hope to find a Fanfic of What if Piter De Vries had survived Leto's Poison Tooth breath. E.g. He noticed the Baron activated his personal shield so he did likewise.

[@bulletproofzest]

Can't imagine a better actor for this role.

[@hendrsb33]

Given the explanatory videos of yourself and others, viewers have no shortage of reference material in understanding DUNE lore. Back when I was younger, one had to go to comic book shops or other fandom-type stores to pick up Starlog, Fantastic Films, Fangoria, or similar magazines to read articles about upcoming movies. Now it's available at the click of a key, if a potential fan wants to learn something about a movie or literary universes. I'm hoping these videos ultimately help Denis in his effort to get DUNE done right...

[@NerdCookies]

Yes but hopefully there are enough people out there willing to take the time to utilize the resources they have access to and to take the initiative to more fully appreciate this story for the masterpiece it is! It is certainly my intention to help audiences get excited for the film, if it's not successful I'm afraid we won't be getting any more movies. He just needs to make sure first that he stays true to the source, which he has stated is his intention. I'm certainly excited to see what he has in mind...

[@hendrsb33]

@@NerdCookies One can only hope...

[@hendrsb33]

@@NerdCookies My hope is that DUNE and Denis encourage studios to invest in more intelligent and thoughtful cinema.

[@jesavius]

No spoilers. Piter was a genius in coming up with the plot of turning the most unsuspecting person in the house of Atreides to become a traitor of Duke Leto. Piter's scheme was so brilliant that Thufir Hawat indited the wrong person as the traitor but even as a reader you understood why Thufir Hawat thought the traitor to be this person. Piter used the generations of pure unadulterated hate the Atreides had against the Harkonnen to completely blind EVERYONE. Even Duke Leto!!! I still don't buy that Duke Leto didn't think this person was the traitor until he saw with his own eyes as the traitor was in front of his face. Hats off to Piter!

[@bookchaser1103]

Yeah,I can see me at mentat school. Hopefully I have enough admirable qualities where I wouldn't get expelled. However, trying to turn my math challenged brain into a super calculator would be a farce, as noted before. My entire tenure at mentat school would basically involve me sitting at the back of the class with a comically large dunce cap. And the other mentats would point and laugh and not let me join in any mentat games ....

[@NerdCookies]

Good to know that thousands of years into the future we will still be making dunce caps... 😆

[@blkbrdmntrvimes6438]

Funny but unlikely mental schools hammer unintelligent thought out of you when you're very very young..... and I've never been able to figure out when they're introduced to safo juice for overclocking their brains.

[@joetaylor486]

Soo excited about this film! It seems there have been some very insightful casting choices. Not sure about casting Liet Kynes as a female, but I guess we will see how that plays out...

[@brandtbollers3183]

Who is The Father Then? Bad JuJu.

[@breadbutt]

I can't remember if it was in the book, but I've always wondered how twisted mentats came to be condidioned. If the Tleilaxu did this against their will, where did they get the mentats? I can't imagine someone agreeing to be conditioned into sociopathy.