by Uncle John
Movies
DUNE: Part Two
Directed by Denis Villeneuve
Books
DUNE by Frank Herbert
DUNE MESSIAH by Frank Herbert
Summary, Background, Excerpts
I read the book "DUNE" by Frank Herbert, five times in college.
What captured my interest was the writing style of Frank Herbert, the way he started each chapter with diary notes from the future by Princess Irulan. It helps to tie the story together and provoke great interest. It is a unique approach to writing. There is a spontaneous and tremendous interest in reading this book in college, and then discussing it. My mentor professor at Fordham University, Dr. Jerry Friedberg, with half dozen other New York professors, gave up their jobs, and New York City lifestyle, and bought a large farm upstate, and they called it ARRAKIS, named after the DUNE planet, portraying the radical difference between two worlds, Caladan and Arrakis, New York City and the rustic rural and very different lifestyle they adopted, and I got to visit them there. Their experiment was a success.
What I like best about Denis Villeneuveīs DUNE Part 1, it is so true to the book. He really captured the essence of the novel. And deservedly, it won the most Oscars at the Academy Awards in 2022. And I can understand now why this is the best selling science fiction book of all time, a true masterpiece.
I learned much from the philosophical and metaphysical aspects of the story. The Litany Against Fear is an effective prayer that works with faith.
DUNE continued to have an effect on me with interest. When I had the opportunity to visit a desert, I drove onto the White Sands desert in New Mexico, as far as I could go. These are sand dunes, not flat sand, and inspired me to read Frank Herbertīs five sequels. DUNE. the desert planet Arrakis, had become a world of its own.
I saw DUNE Part 2 when it came out at an IMAX theater. I came away feeling it was the best movie I ever seen. What best sums that up is the main character Timothee Chalametīs quote about this being a labor of love. Love is a bond that creates success.
The best testimony about these movies is twelve year old Leopold who saw both films and then asked for the book. Heīs an avid reader. Reading the book makes you want to see these films. Seeing these films makes you want to read the book.
There is a surprising change in the end of the film. Denisī vision is different from Frank Herbertīs version, but it actually improves the way the story is told, and sets up the sequel for Dune 3. Read the next book in the DUNE series, DUNE MESSIAH to get ready for Dune 3. The book will be reviewed here later this year with a preview of Dune 3.
READ! You need to be ready!
