REVIEW: “Dune: Part One” by Denis Villeneuve

A year after the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the release of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, I finally had a chance to see this latest adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel. Given Villeneuve’s work on Arrival and Blade Runner 2049, I fully expected his Dune – the first of two movies – to look gorgeous and feature excellent acting. Dune is a powerful cinematic experience, best experienced on the big screen (I saw it both on IMAX and HBO). It’s a cinematic epic that combines the majestic deserts of David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia with the science fiction otherworldliness of Ridley Scott’s Alien. 

As somebody who has not just read Dune several times but also published academic articles about it,* I can’t help but compare the film to the novel. I feel the loss of the scenes omitted from the film. I know that the book provides more detailed explanations for everything from why soldiers use swords to why nobody uses computers. The book suggests that the Harkonnens have red hair. Yet, despite all this, I also find myself agreeing with most of the film’s adaptation choices. This movie is recognizably Dune – or at least the first half of the novel – even while it is also recognizably a Denis Villeneuve movie. 

As I rewatched Dune this weekend, I began to wonder: Why did Dune work as an adaptation, despite the differences from the book? 

“The Star Wars Heresies” by Paul F. McDonald

Anakin as baby Jesus?

Like many Star Wars fans, I used to dislike the Prequel Trilogy. Unlike most of those fans, I’ve read The Star Wars Heresies.

The Original Trilogy rightly receives considerable praise for the ways in which it echoes Campbellian “hero’s journey” and other mythological themes. Paul F. McDonald, librarian and consummate Star Wars fan, applies the same thoughtful analysis to The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith. While I was aware of some of the parallels between the Prequels and real-world mythology, this book showed me that I had barely scratched the surface.

How “Star Wars: Duel of the Fates” fixes “The Rise of Skywalker”

Writing movie reviews can be tricky because we can only judge a film based on what we see on screen. We can’t compare the movie we got with the one we might have gotten. Usually. With the leak of Colin Trevorrow’s script for Episode IX, we have a rare treat: a look at a possible alternative to the film we got. The story, titled Duel of the Fates, is quite different from the story told by J.J. Abrams and Chris Terrio. I don’t know if I’m ready to declare that it’s “better” than The Rise of Skywalker (TROS), but do think Trevorrow’s script does a better job than the final film of continuing the themes and character arcs set up in The Last Jedi.

Blade Runner, Coronavirus, & Loneliness

One thing I’ve been thinking about a lot during the coronavirus pandemic is loneliness. Most of us are in a state of lockdown or practicing social distancing. Loneliness is going to be a real challenge for many people. Not everyone has a significant other or family in their household. Not everyone has a strong social support network. Humans, even introverts, are social animals who crave some sense of belonging.

Feelings of loneliness had been increasing in much of the Western world even before COVID-19. As our societies have become richer and more urbanized, community institutions and social trust have broken down. Several years ago, the United Kingdom released a cross-government strategy to address loneliness. The U.S Health and Human Services Department refers to loneliness as an “epidemic” in American society.

After listening to the latest Shoulder of Orion podcast episode, I started to think about this problem through the lens of Blade Runner, one of my favorite films. The original Blade Runner is one of the most poignant meditations about loneliness I’ve ever experienced. Rick Deckard technically is not alone for much of the film. He regularly communicates and interacts with other characters. Yet, he is emotionally disconnected from the rest of the world. He begins the film eating alone at a sushi bar. Gaff and the Los Angeles Police Department only want him because he’s useful for a job. He doesn’t have an emotionally fulfilled life.

Deckard had shut himself off from his emotions – probably a necessity for his line of work. He comes across as cold and dismissive. When Rachel confronts him about the results of the Voight-Kampff test, Deckard does not even try to comfort her – at this point, she is a job, not a person. Over the course of the film, Deckard reconnects with that human sense of empathy. He allows himself to be emotionally shaken by Zhora’s death. He learns to care for and love Rachel. He recognizes the humanity in Roy. By the end of the film, Deckard is no longer alone. He is not free from danger and runs away from his home  but he is with Rachel (the events of Blade Runner 2049 are another matter).

“The Rise of Skywalker” & Redemption

I recently saw The Rise of Skywalker (TROS) for a second time and enjoyed the movie more than I did during my first viewing. All of the issues I raised in my review – such as the convoluted plot and pacing – still drag the movie down, but I also found myself better able to enjoy the spectacle. Unfortunately, I also became more frustrated with the resolution of Ben Solo’s arc and how it treated the theme of redemption. This is especially disappointing because I credit Return of the Jedi (ROTJ) with shaping a lot of my early thinking about redemption. As a child, seeing Anakin Skywalker ask for forgiveness made me realize that all people – even those who commit acts of evil – have the potential for good. 

WARNING: Major SPOILERS for TROS Ahead!

“Blade Runner 2049 and Philosophy”

As regular readers of this blog will know, Blade Runner and its sequel Blade Runner 2049 are two of my favorite science fiction films. I’m honored to have a chapter in the upcoming book Blade Runner 2049 and Philosophy. The chapter looks at replicants from the perspective of the political science literature on ethnic conflict. This was a fun project and led me to new insights into the film. The book goes on sale on August 20, 2019.

 

Mythgard Movie Club: Blade Runner 2049

Tonight, I’ll be joining the Mythgard Movie Club podcast to talk about Blade Runner 2049, one of my new favorite movies. Back in January, we had a roundtable discussion about Blade Runner (you can find it here), and even though I’ve read books about the original Blade Runner and listen to the Shoulder of Orion Blade Runner podcast, I still gained new insights and appreciation for that film. Looking forward to our discussion tonight. You can watch it live (here) or download the podcast episode here later this month.

“Contact” by Carl Sagan

For me, the film version Contact is still the gold standard for intelligent science fiction in cinema. After having read Carl Sagan’s Contact, I realize that the movie benefitted from exceptionally strong source material. Sagan manages to explore Big Ideas™, but also develops compelling characters. In addition to being a talented scientist, Sagan could write better than most professional science fiction authors.

“Miyazakiworld” by Susan Napier

A few years ago, I discovered Studio Ghibli and fell in love with Japanese anime. I’m particularly fond of Ghibli founder Hayao Miyazaki’s ability to use animation to tell stories that are emotionally moving, visually stunning, and intellectually stimulating. Miyazaki’s films combine whimsical settings, strong female protagonists, and unconventional plots. I’m still new to this brave new world of anime, so I was excited to find Japanese culture expert Susan Napier’s latest book to help me make sense of Miyazaki’s oeuvre.

“Jodorowsky’s Dune”

I’ve talked about David Lynch’s Dune movie and the Sci-Fi Channel’s Dune miniseries, but the most ambitious Dune adaptation never made it off the page. Jodorowsky’s Dune chronicles Chilean director Alejandro Jodorowsky’s attempt to bring Dune to the big screen during the 1970s. He failed, but, as the documentary argues, that failure had an enormous on science fiction in cinema. It’s certainly a fascinating look at what might have been, even if I’m not convinced a Jodorowsky Dune would have been faithful to the novel.