Introduction | About the Film | Further Information
Screenplay | Reviews | Links

  Introduction

The beginning is a very delicate time. Know then that it is the year 10,191. The known Universe is ruled by the Padashar Emperor Shadam the Fourth, my father. In this time, the most precious substance in the universe is the spice Melange. The spice extends life, the spice expands consciousness, the spice is vital to space travel. The Spacing Guild and it's navigators, who the spice has mutated over 4,000 years, use the orange spice gas which gives them the ability to fold space. That is travel to any part of the universe without moving.

Oh yes, I forgot to tell you. The spice exists on only one planet in the entire universe. A desolate, dry planet with vast deserts. Hidden away within the rocks of these deserts are a people known as the Fremen, who have long held a prophecy that a man would come, a messiah, who would lead them to true freedom. The planet is Arrakis, also known as Dune.

(Prologue by Princess Irulan)

  About the Film

David Lynch (Writer/Director)

"Dune is a dark film. I want to create a mood using light and shadow – not depressing, but mysterious like the '40s noir films."

"I started selling out on Dune. Looking back, it's no one's fault but my own. I probably shouldn't have done that picture, but I saw tons and tons of possibilities for things I loved, and this was the structure to do them in. there was so much room to create a world. But I got strong indications from Raffaella and Dino De Laurentiis of what kind of film they expected, and I knew I didn't have final cut. And little by little – and this is the danger, because it doesn't happen in chunks, it happens in the tiniest little shavings, little sandings – little by little every decision was always made with them in mind and their sort of film. Things I felt I could get away with within their framework. So it was destined to be a failure, to me."

"In retrospect I can see that I started getting into trouble on Dune early on, and it wasn't just the final editing that did it, although I think the film could be way, way of better. I still worry that I don't know if it could ever be a great film, or even a real good film. I don't know. I forget so much about it."

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Frank Herbert (author of the Dune novels)

"...As far as I'm concerned the film is a visual feast. I would love to have some of the scenes as stills to frame and have around me. They're beautiful."

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  Further Information

  Links

Dune: Behind The Scenes (Ron Millers Photo-Album)

Mark Bennett's Dune Homepage
filming of Dune, design of dune, cut scenes

Museum of Arrakis
The Dune Fan Page