TwoNewfs Publishing

DUNE. A Film Review by Cat Ruiz Kigerl. 2021.
Director, Denis Villeneuve
Screenplay by John Spaihts
Adapted from the novel, Dune, by Frank Herbert

The Film, Dune or Dune Part I, is gripping from beginning to end. The futuristic world masterfully created by Director Denis Villeneuve is sealed in a type of surreal reality, the cinematography by Greig Fraser nothing but breathtaking, the stunning costumes by Jacqueline West admirable, and the international cast and Hans Zimmer’s musical score all make for a mesmerizing film experience on the big, theater screen. For this film must be viewed on the big screen, and most effectively a movie theater with an excellent sound system. This is the only way to completely become immersed in its world. This may be too much to ask of many people who are still hesitant to set foot in a theater due to COVID and variants. But matinees often contain only a smattering of people these days (only 7 people shared the screen with me).

Neither a standard sci-fi fan nor a Frank Herbert fan, I had vague memories of the original 1984 Dune film. So I refreshed my knowledge of Herbert’s basic story line prior to viewing. I was also aware that the long Dune saga Herbert wrote was going to be divided into two films by Denis Villeneuve, this one being Part I.

Dune is a classic hero’s journey as per Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Paul, played by American actor, Timothee Chalamet, is the hero who is called upon to go to Arrakis (known as Dune) a dangerous planet to secure a resource known as ‘spice’ to ensure humanity’s survival. He receives the Call to the Quest at the young age of 16, is quickly challenged with various Initiations, and undergoes one major Transformation before Dune Part II ends. We even have a Goddess, in Chani, played by Zendaya.

The main character, Paul Atreides, is the son of a Duke. It is an aristocratic role that Chalamet portrays, for the most part, well. He has starred in such regal roles in Little Women and The King. He definitely has the look, the aquiline features, the tall, slender build clothed in princely garb. The only drawback from his royal countenance is his gait. Despite his ability to sword fight nimbly, and hold a certain command like a young man of nobility, he lacks the natural grace of a dancer in his stride. Perhaps ballet dance lessons should be more important to Chalamet’s oeuvre. There is also this: his conversational voice, as Paul is at times too soft, a little lacking in confidence. Of course, Paul is a young adult trying to come into his own in Dune. Paul also has other challenges. He is passed lineage powers normally granted only to girl offspring by his mother, Lady Jessica, played impressively by Swedish actress, Rebecca Ferguson. To be a man who holds powers only granted to women is an intriguing plot line that delivers quite a bit of angst on Paul’s part. He finds himself in a type of in-between place, as a masculine hero with feminine powers. This is another hurdle that he must overcome to continue his quest. Is Chalamet’s Paul Atreides convincing enough to take on the continuing transformational work of his quest? Despite the camera’s lingering focus on his external image in Dune I, Chalamet is a strong actor, and will be older when filming Dune II, so let’s hope maturity and depth will reign over his cover boy looks.

The Fremen, the people indigenous to Arrakis, are very similar in culture and appearance to desert peoples of the Middle East. We find this type of connection with Islam throughout Herbert’s original story, and significantly strengthens the film. Says Ali Karjoo-Ravari in Al-Jazeera, Herbert was “…willing to imagine a world that was not based on Western, Christian mythology. This was not just his own niche interest. Even in the middle of the 20th century, it was obvious that the future would be coloured by Islam based on demographics alone. This is clearer today as the global Muslim population nears a quarter of humanity.” https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2020/10/11/paul-atreides-led-a-jihad-not-a-crusade-heres-why-that-matters

The international cast of Dune contains many seasoned and renowned actors, including Spanish actor, Javier Bardem as Stilgar, leader of the Fremen. British Actress, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, is Dr. Liet Kynes in the film. As a black woman, she is refreshing and wholly convincing in a role written originally for a white male. In an interview, Duncan-Brewster was asked, “In sci-fi, there’s been a well-documented history of fans being hostile to change, and the pushback is especially hostile when it comes to people who aren’t white entering that realm. Were you conscious of how this role might be received?”

Her response was, “I can’t lie; it’s a reality that I’m faced with on a daily basis, regardless if it’s the realm of sci-fi. It’s something that I’m used to encountering more or less every day in some way, even if it’s a minute experience …” About her character, she stated, “The essence of Kynes is somebody who has to hide many truths, and also loves the planet to such an extent that they are willing to do anything to protect it. I had no problem with tapping into that because as a woman—and quite frankly, as a Black woman—there is so much that is expected of me. There are so many responsibilities and places within society that others deem to be my duty, even though that’s not the case. But still I step up to the mark. And I educate, I support, I protect.” https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/sharon-duncan-brewster-dune-interview

British actress Charlotte Rampling has a very short but formidable role as Gaius Helen Mohiam. She is key to one of Paul’s initiations as the leader of the matriarchal clan of which his mother belongs. Zendaya fans will be a little let down with the limited screen-time of her role in this film. She is but Paul’s repeated portent dream in Part I. But she will take a center stage in Part II.

In that second film, we will hopefully see how the indigenous people of Dune overcome the attempted colonization of their planet with Paul Atreides’ help. For this film story is entirely based upon the theme of: the overpowering greed for resources via colonization of land versus the fight to maintain a homeland by the indigenous people who live there. In the case of Dune, the Atreides Quest must stop it.

Dune holds a combination of the futuristic—we are taken to other planet worlds—and the ancient. Here ancient blends with modern in culture, social structure, art, architecture, and artifacts. The costuming, the sets, the story itself, even the music, all speak of a blending of future and ancient culture.

Jacqueline West vividly displays her extensive background in high fashion and historical period films in her costumes for Dune. Having jumped into a whole new costuming genre in sci-fi (she had previously designed costumes in period films such as The Revenant), she arrived at an amazing array—from the lavish gowns of Lady Jessica and princely suits of Paul Atreides, to the pragmatic ‘stillsuits’ worn on the planet Arrakis. Costumes play a big part in creating character authenticity in Dune. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/dune-costume-designer-jacqueline-west-interview-1235041394/

The built structures in Dune also play a major part in envisioning this futuristic world. Production Designer Patrice Vermette, under Villeneuve’s direction, had most of these amazing structures built on set instead of showing them via special effects. Some of the smaller transport craft seen in Dune were also authentically built. As for the giant spacecraft, despite reliance upon special effects, they are so well done you feel you are actually witnessing the huge ships rising and landing on Arrakis and Caladan.

The desert sands and vast skies of Arrakis, the planet known as Dune, were filmed in Abu Dubai. Other production and film sets were in Turkey, Jordan and Norway. https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/dune-movie-set-design. Thankfully the sand worm, so sensationally portrayed in the 1984 version of this film, was not overdone. There were uncanny glimpses of it, and a full-on view of it via Paul’s eyes, which proved quite enough.

The musical score, by Hans Zimmer, is a major compliment to this epic drama, and the mastery of the film’s art is owed to this eerie subterfuge of sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTmBeR32GRA

This is an artistically rendered film. One need not be a Frank Herbert fan to be thoroughly carried into the world director, Denis Villeneuve has created. It is a world that stands on its own and lives on in the mind’s eye and ear after walking out of the theater and into the street.

Dune Part II will be filmed by Villeneuve in 2022, although it won’t be released in theaters until Autumn 2023. That may be a long time to wait. For we need more epic futuristic films like Dune: not overly done with special effects, not overtly sensational, characters driven by a timeless quest, visuals and sound woven together like magic.

Cat Ruiz Kigerl is the author of Beach Notes and a contributor to New Halem Tales, published by TwoNewfs Publishing. She is also the author of At the Town Cafe, Goldfish Press, and Stirring up the Water, Salt Publishing.

What Rainy Daze Writers are Reading:
A Study in Scarlet Women (The Lady Sherlock Series Book 1), by Sherry Thomas

A Book Review by L. C. Mcgee

“You must read this book. It’s fantastic!” she who must be obeyed, shouted.

“Hmm, the title is intriguing dear, but Lady’s Fiction is not a turn on for me,” I replied.

My not-so-innocent spouse answered, “It’s not what you think and don’t be sexist.”

After reading the first book in the series, I became captivated. Ah ha Watson, the game (plot) is afoot (an elegant one, I might add). Yep, a lady Sherlock Holmes and a lady Watson too. No more will I disclose, as the thrill is in the reading. I detest spoiler alerts. Leave them to the comedians.

The writer is a genius. Her research, her humor, her knowledge of the Holmesian oeuvre, the way she weaves in romance (of course), and the humor (subtle and not so subtle). The tête-à-têtes and situations are gems. Information and other things the author revealed (through her character’s thoughts and conversations) blew my little mind out of the water. Thomas’s novels are a refreshing change, a loving wink at this Victorian detective and her surroundings.

Moriarty, and other nefarious characters menace. A friend of Watson is in trouble; a heavily fortressed castle must be breached; complex mysteries must be solved.

Her continuing novels, A Conspiracy in Belgravia, The Hollow of Fear, The Art of Theft… the plots are just as involved and intriguing as the first book. You will enjoy this new (old) detective’s shrewd mind and… man, I could go on and on. Just read em and enjoy.

L. C. Mcgee is the author of The Amber Crow Mysteries. Published by TwoNewfs Publishing

https://www.amazon.com/Study-Scarlet-Women-Lady-Sherlock-ebook/dp/B01ASO6JIY

Very proud of TwoNewfs author, Cat Ruiz Kigerl. Watch the video featuring her latest book of poetry, Beach Notes.

Beach Notes - Student Documentary Video by Isabel Jarrett and Khloe Martinez. Intro to Documentary Film, Winter/Spring 2021 Narration and poetry by Cat Ruiz Kigerl.