The Debt said:

---

On the question of Feyd's casting why not Iwan Rheon (Ramsay Bolton)? He has already proven he has the chops to be a menacing freak?

Now hear me out for the Emperor: DDL.

---

He is also captivating on screen, so he could actually pull the role off. He may not want to do another role where he is considered the bad guy though.

birdman said:

---

Paul Bettany would be a good Feyd, but might be too old.

---

Good cast; Feyd I think was described as ripped but lithe...

How about Alexander Ludwig - age 29

Keanu Reeves as Count Fenrig

De-Aged Sting as Feyd

Christian Bale as Emperor

SpreadsheetAg said:

---

birdman said:

---

Paul Bettany would be a good Feyd, but might be too old.

---

Good cast; Feyd I think was described as ripped but lithe...

How about Alexander Ludwig - age 29

---

Should concentrate on casting a good actor

israeliag said:

---

Just got back from the movie. Read maybe half the thread, but gotta get to bed and wanted to capture my first reactions first:

- Visually a damn masterpiece. This is exactly how Dune had to look. It's like how LOTR looked exactly, and universally, how we all thought it would look, so did this.
- Acting was too notch, resulting from terrific casting
- I wanted two more hours. Not if part two. Two more hours of part one.
- Dr. Yueh need more screen time early on. This is, I kinda hate to say it, a legit flaw in this movie as a piece of film. Yuen's story is tragic, and his actions are imperative for the biggest plot-based focal point in the movie. We needed to feel his betrayal more, and the extent to which it hurt the Atreides family.
- I absolutely can't wait for a rewatch and am seriously happy that I can do that tomorrow on HBO Max with subtitles and if need be split over a couple nights.
- The sounds effects were terrific, and, upon having watched the movie, was so clearly important to be so intentional (yet I hadn't thought how important until it became so obvious)
- Jason Mamoa drips charisma. Perfect for Paul's (and basically the entire Atreides army's) best friend.
- The voice was so dope
- The thopters were so dope
- The still tent was dope
- The lasguns and all the weaponry were dope
- I need to watch this high

Edit: oh and one last thing. Did Villenvue kinda subtweet the Lynch film when Duncan swatted away the slow dart that kills Duncan in the Lynch Dune but not here?

---

I feel like there hasn't been as much talk about Voice, but I really liked how they handled it. The scene of Paul and Jessica at breakfast was great as well.

Finally saw it last night. Villeneuve nailed the look and feel of this, and that feat alone should get him a best director nod at the Oscars, IMO.

Loved:
-Casting -- spot on. I was pleasantly surprised that Momoa was a stand-out (on paper, he is the weakest actor in the cast). Everyone did great, but Momoa was easily the must human/relatable of any of them. Chalamet and Ferguson were also just perfect.
-Visuals -- It is incredible that Villeneuve was able to exceed my expectations/imaginations from the book which almost never happens. It was truly beautiful and amazing. All the ships were great, the sets, the vastness of everything. It was great
- Limited exposition -- this is probably rough for people who didn't read the book, but I love that things were happening and we didn't get all these asides that catch people up to whats going on. We didn't even get the (very James Bond) monologue telling us the evil plan that actually happens in the book.

Meh
-Hans Zimmer's score -- I do love an atmospheric score, but I also love when a score creates themes that help the viewer connect emotionally to whats going on. There were no memorable themes, save for the eyeyeyeye lady. The score does not take over the film (which is often his critique) but I think it could have been put to better use.

Critique/Gripes
- I think they should have played with the structure of the story instead of just a straightforward adaptation, especially ending it where they did. In the book, you hear the Baron's plan, and you know who will do the betraying, and watching Leto and company devolve into paranoia while completely missing the big trap they are headed for, but understanding they are in some sort of a trap is fascinating. In the film, they keep all that info for the viewer to discover as it happens, which is a fine choice, but then they rush the Paul & Jessica in the desert scenes to rush to the conclusion. What if they start the movie with Paul and Jessica in the thopter kidnapped and the film is their journey through the desert to the Freman, flashing back to the unraveling and downfall of House Atreides. They could even receive Dr. Yeuhs' letter, and only refer to it as "he betrayed us", giving the viewer some suspense on who betrayed them, while also knowing full well that the house would fall and Jessica and Paul would end up in the desert. I just think it had the bulk of the story telling in the first 2/3 and then was running on steam in the desert, when those scenes are important to Paul's transformation. If the timeline of the film was Paul transforming in the desert while we are learning what has transpired to get him there -- that may have been better filmmaking. Less faithful to the book, but maybe more faithful to how it feels to read the book.

Anyway, all that to say is the film felt less emotional or it felt cold because of how they decided to tell the story. I am assuming that Part II will be a huge payoff in that department, but I hate when films use the sequel as a crutch in that way. If you are making an individual film, tell that story as completely as you can.

Quote:

---

I feel like there hasn't been as much talk about Voice, but I really liked how they handled it. The scene of Paul and Jessica at breakfast was great as well.

---

The scene on the thopter with Paul and Jessica both using the voice is in the argument for my favorite scene of the movie. Totally made it feel like they were in danger of death...and more so in Jessica's case. Then by just speaking that all changed.

Not the first person I've seen say that, and for that same reason too. I disagree entirely, but to each their own.

Leaving Caladan is actual certified banger, and I will hear no other opinions.

I mean that was my initial response. Perhaps I read too much hype from you guys on here. I reserve the right to change my mind on subsequent viewing (or listening), but it hit me as meh...not a negative for the film, but definitely not a positive.

powerbelly said:

---

Quote:

---

2) i am glad that frank Herbert finished the books before he passed away unlike a certain author i know who will never finished his series...

---

Who wants to tell him?

---

I know FH had 6 books in his series, and that his son and a co-author continued stories from the universe that FH created. I didnt realize though that FH never finished the story in the same way that GRRM has never finished his. Disappointing.

OverSeas AG said:

---

powerbelly said:

---

Quote:

---

2) i am glad that frank Herbert finished the books before he passed away unlike a certain author i know who will never finished his series...

---

Who wants to tell him?

---

I know FH had 6 books in his series, and that his son and a co-author continued stories from the universe that FH created. I didnt realize though that FH never finished the story in the same way that GRRM has never finished his. Disappointing.

---

He had planned one more to finish the series.

OverSeas AG said:

---

powerbelly said:

---

Quote:

---

2) i am glad that frank Herbert finished the books before he passed away unlike a certain author i know who will never finished his series...

---

Who wants to tell him?

---

I know FH had 6 books in his series, and that his son and a co-author continued stories from the universe that FH created. I didnt realize though that FH never finished the story in the same way that GRRM has never finished his. Disappointing.

---

It is still worth the read, I just didn't want you to get six books down the road expecting a clean end.

israeliag said:

---

OverSeas AG said:

---

3) I think Hollyweird lost their way ages ago. They confuse technology and CGI with actual story telling. They spend too much time as Bible Bashers (they just use a different bible). They are absolutely full of themselves.

---

What

OverSeas AG said:

---

So about the movie:

- I would like to know more about Bene Gesserit. I am guessing there was a lot more to the hand pain scene than they showed in the film. It just didnt seem to add very much... and had I been him i would have throat punch that old ***** for doing that to me. There must have been a reason he didnt.

---

She had a poison needle against his neck. He would have been dead before he could connect fist to throat.

OverSeas AG said:

---

I walked way thinking three things:
3) Hollyweird could learn a lesson from this.. one of the best films in years didn't come from them; it didnt come from their re-interpretation. It came sticking to the authors story and doing what it took to tell the story, not taking short cuts. Yes some clever people wrote the screenplay and applied the technology to make it so epic, but they didnt add all the other crap that hollyweird thinks is necessary today. Maybe they will learn a lesson...

---

This was literally made by Warner Bros - using a very standard Hollywood approach of taking an existing product and redoing it.

---

WHAT?

The old fashioned bible-basher said "DONT DO THIS, DONT DO THAT". Hollyweird does the same thing "YOU MUST BELIEVE THIS, YOU MUST BELIEVE THAT" They are both bashing you upside the head about what to believe or not to believe. Way too preachy.

POISON NEEDLE
Yes she did. But then she took it away. I was also being a bit of a smart ass, and just making the point, this ***** of a lady comes and tortures him for no good reason, and he is kind of like "oh, ok." Didnt really do much as a scene for me.

MADE BY WARNER BROTHERS
From what every one is saying, this film very much stuck to the script of the books. That seldom happens anymore today. Either they decide to re-interpret the author or the stories they are telling just suck.

Quote:

---

POISON NEEDLE

Yes she did. But then she took it away. I was also being a bit of a smart ass, and just making the point, this ***** of a lady comes and tortures him for no good reason, and he is kind of like "oh, ok." Didnt really do much as a scene for me.

---

The Bene Gesserit aren't just feeble old nuns.

Also, there are societal and political reasons for his actions.

powerbelly said:

---

Quote:

---

POISON NEEDLE

Yes she did. But then she took it away. I was also being a bit of a smart ass, and just making the point, this ***** of a lady comes and tortures him for no good reason, and he is kind of like "oh, ok." Didnt really do much as a scene for me.

---

The Bene Gesserit aren't just feeble old nuns.

Also, there are societal and political reasons for his actions.

---

as i said in my OP: "- I would like to know more about Bene Gesserit. I am guessing there was a lot more to the hand pain scene than they showed in the film. It just didnt seem to add very much"

powerbelly said:

---

OverSeas AG said:

---

powerbelly said:

---

Quote:

---

POISON NEEDLE

Yes she did. But then she took it away. I was also being a bit of a smart ass, and just making the point, this ***** of a lady comes and tortures him for no good reason, and he is kind of like "oh, ok." Didnt really do much as a scene for me.

---

The Bene Gesserit aren't just feeble old nuns.

Also, there are societal and political reasons for his actions.

---

as i said in my OP: "- I would like to know more about Bene Gesserit. I am guessing there was a lot more to the hand pain scene than they showed in the film. It just didnt seem to add very much"

---

Then you honestly missed the point of the scene (and that point doesn't require book knowledge).

---

I am not even sure what to tell you... I am more or less admitting that. I am said "I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE..." & "I AM GUESSING THERE IS A LOT MORE..." what else do i need to say to admit that that scene did do much for me and I must be missing some detail here.


yes she was testing him.
yes she is somehow powerful
yes she admitted he might something special
yes she said the future would tell

Ok, great, how does she know? What does she know? What sort of pain did she inflict? Many questions come up for me.

The only other thing i know about the BG is they are women. That particular BG is a counselor to the Emperor. And finally the BG also have their own motives, they are not just there for the collective good.

Oh and someone called one of them a witch.

Lots of questions.

OverSeas AG said:

---

powerbelly said:

---

Quote:

---

POISON NEEDLE

Yes she did. But then she took it away. I was also being a bit of a smart ass, and just making the point, this ***** of a lady comes and tortures him for no good reason, and he is kind of like "oh, ok." Didnt really do much as a scene for me.

---

The Bene Gesserit aren't just feeble old nuns.

Also, there are societal and political reasons for his actions.

---

as i said in my OP: "- I would like to know more about Bene Gesserit. I am guessing there was a lot more to the hand pain scene than they showed in the film. It just didnt seem to add very much"

---

The BG define humanity basically the opposite as we do now. If you can rise above your emotions and feelings to be cold and caculating at all times, you are considered human. If you succumb to emotions, pain, etc. you are considered an animal by them. I'm pretty sure this is in the movie, but it might have been hard to hear.

So the box ratchets up more and more pain to see how much they can handle before cracking. Not sure about the movie, but in the book they make some kind of aside that the amount of time Paul lasted was incredible to the BG reverend mother.

Champ Bailey said:

---

OverSeas AG said:

---

powerbelly said:

---

Quote:

---

POISON NEEDLE

Yes she did. But then she took it away. I was also being a bit of a smart ass, and just making the point, this ***** of a lady comes and tortures him for no good reason, and he is kind of like "oh, ok." Didnt really do much as a scene for me.

---

The Bene Gesserit aren't just feeble old nuns.

Also, there are societal and political reasons for his actions.

---

as i said in my OP: "- I would like to know more about Bene Gesserit. I am guessing there was a lot more to the hand pain scene than they showed in the film. It just didnt seem to add very much"

---

The BG define humanity basically the opposite as we do now. If you can rise above your emotions and feelings to be cold and caculating at all times, you are considered human. If you succumb to emotions, pain, etc. you are considered an animal by them. I'm pretty sure this is in the movie, but it might have been hard to hear.

So the box ratchets up more and more pain to see how much they can handle before cracking. Not sure about the movie, but in the book they make some kind of aside that the amount of time Paul lasted was incredible to the BG reverend mother.

---

Thank you that is helpful. also, given that the whole Dune universe is very new to me, I will admit that I probably missed some nuance as well as just some plain old, smack you in the face facts.

Paul crushed the test, but the BG mother didn't really RELAY this information in a meaningful way to the average person or even Jessica other than being upset he existed.

Even in the Lynch 1984 movie she makes a comment on how "No one had ever taken that much pain" Just that statement would have helped the non-book reader to understand it beter.

Duncan Idaho said:

---

Jessica was supposed to have a daughter. She was commanded to only deliver daughters to the duke.

She fell in love with the duke and gave him a son

This pissed the BG off because it potentially threw off generations of selected breeding to bring about the kwisatz haderach.

She went there expecting Paul to fail an to show Jessica what's up.

He didn't fail. He crushed the test. Scaring the crap out of the RM because now the KH may have come unexpectedly and could be beyond their control

---

This is also helpful. As I just posted on Champ's reply, I am sure I missed some plain old smack you in the face facts - like the above. Now I remember that (what you stated above). Appreciate it!