DUNE Blu-ray

DUNE

 (1984)

DUNE Blu-ray delivers great video and audio in this excellent Blu-ray release
David Lynch's baroque rendering of Frank Herbert's detailed, complex, and deliberately paced epic science-fiction novel is a muddled but visually stunning affair. It's the year 10,191, and the desert planet Dune has been taken over by the Harkonnens, oppressive conquerors who desire the precious spice that lies beneath Dune's arid sands. The story concerns the attempts of a young warrior messiah, Paul Atreides (Kyle MacLachlan), to lead the native inhabitants in an uprising against the evil empire--and battle the giant man-eating worms that guard the coveted mind expanding -and life prolonging- spice.

For more about DUNE and the DUNE Blu-ray release, see the DUNE Blu-ray Review

Starring: Kyle MacLachlan, José Ferrer, Sting, Jürgen Prochnow
Director: David Lynch

DUNE Blu-ray Review

David Lynch's bizarre vision of an already odd universe.

Reviewed by Ben Williams, April 20, 2009

For a number of years, Dune was something of a holy grail to a good number of filmmakers. Legendary directors Alejandro Jodorowsky and Ridley Scott considered making the storied Frank Herbert novel into a film, and each of them was forced to abandon their respective productions for one reason or another. In fact, there were no fewer than 10 aborted attempts at filming Dune during the 70s and 80s. Somehow, bizarro cult film director David Lynch found himself in the position to helm DUNE, a film he graced with his own special brand of strangeness. What followed was a dense and confusing film that alienated audiences and critics around the world, while slowly building a rabid following of fans who appreciated the film's unique style and storytelling. Dune has since been remade as a television miniseries and is scheduled to find its way back to theaters in yet another high-budget attempt at capturing the spirit of the original book. But for that small following of dedicated proponents, David Lynch's DUNE can't be topped.

I love the smell of spice in the morning...

In the known universe of Dune, four planets form the basis of the struggles depicted in the film. The Atreides Family of Planet Caladan, the Harkonnen clan of Giedi Prime and the Galactic Emperor's planet of Kaitain, all find themselves locked in a series of struggles over the planet Arrakis, also known as "Dune." Arrakis is the only known source of the Spice Melange, a powerful drug that is an integral part of this society and is an essential component for everything from food to space travel. When the Atreides are given the rights to govern Arrakis, the bloodthirsty Harkonnens plan to overthrow the family and take the planet for themselves. Enter Paul Atreides (Kyle McLachlan), son to Duke Leto Atreides (Jurgen Prochnow) and heir to his father's kingdom. Paul experiences an awakening upon arriving on Dune; an awakening that might just be the fulfillment of a centuries-old prophesy. With the Harkonnens intent on destroying his family, Paul is exiled to the deserts of Arrakis where his true destiny awaits.

Sounds pretty confusing, eh? Well, it really isn't that bad. Once one gets comfortable with the strange new vocabulary present in Dune, and settles into the storytelling, it all comes into focus rather quickly. Dune is a hero's tale; a modern mythic piece of storytelling about destiny and leadership. It's an origin story that sets events into motion while building a science fiction mythology that is every bit as epic as Arthurian legend or a biblical text. Unfortunately, it's all a bit too dense for most casual viewers. And therein lies the problem.

Dune is as deep into genre storytelling as one can get, remaining un-apoligetic in its intent and unwilling to compromise its storytelling. The entire narrative is told through a series of flashbacks, spoken thoughts and confusing visions that help to alienate the film from casual viewers, while cementing its appeal to anyone with a love of intricate sci fi. It's as polarizing a film as one is likely to find and it remains as divisive today as it was in 1984.

Bearing all of that in mind, it is probably a safe bet that Dune has a set audience that will be jumping up and down at the opportunity to own this film on Blu-ray. If you are one such person, don't miss this disc under any circumstances. Dune is a personal favorite of mine, so I can't help but recommend the film wholeheartedly. Please bear in mind, however, that my biased recommendation has virtually no basis in reality. I'm a fan of Dune and that's the way it is! Chances are, if you're reading this, you probably agree with my assessment. Dune is highly recommended!

DUNE Blu-ray, Video Quality

 

It's always a pleasure to find a small film distributor that turns in fine work. This is, without a doubt, the case with the work done on Dune by the folks over at Aventi. They've prepared a stunning new 1080p transfer of the film utilizing the AVC Mpeg-4 compression codec, while maintaining the film's original aspect ratio of 2.40:1. It's a stellar looking disc and a must-buy for fans of Dune.

Dune is filled with challenging material; its reliance on dark and foreboding interiors, swirling sandstorms and highly detailed sets makes for source material that could have looked like a disaster if not handled properly. Fortunately, this Blu-ray release is free from digital artifacts, tell-tale compression cheats or any kind of unwanted picture anomalies. Black levels are handled with aplomb, while contrast is rock solid and appropriate. The film's often vivid color palette is well represented in the many neon hues of Baron Harkonnen's chambers to the opulent gilded palaces of Planet Kaitain. It all looks remarkably film-like and filled with tantalizing detail. Dune looks spectacular.

DUNE Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 

Dune has always been a groundbreaking film from an audio standpoint; it features a unique approach to sound that draws in fans and alienates audiences almost simultaneously. The primary source of this split in opinions comes from the film's reliance on whispered dialogue that represents the characters' thoughts. It's a strange and singular experience that separates Dune from just about any other film in memory. Aventi has graced this strange mix with a first rate lossless 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track; it's the best I've ever heard Dune sound on any format since the film's release.

As one would hope, Dune's dialogue-heavy plot is well rendered here; those controversial whispered thoughts sound crisp and clear and free of any ambiguity. Action sequences are also well rendered with a level of surround activity not usually found in films of this vintage. Perhaps my favorite element of the Dune audio experience, is its amazing musical score. Rock band TOTO contributed the majority of the film's music, while pioneering producer and ambient musician Brian Eno supplied the film's haunting "Prophesy Theme." It's a remarkable experience and exceeds my wildest expectations for this release. Highly recommended!

DUNE Blu-ray, Special Features and Extras

 

Dune features supplements encoded in the PAL broadcast standard. As such, none of this disc's special features are playable on US players that adhere to the NTSC broadcast standard. Those with PAL compatible players will have no trouble accessing the disc's special features.

DUNE Blu-ray, Overall Score and Recommendation

 

Despite unwarranted popular opinion to the contrary, DUNE holds up remarkably well after all these years. Sure, it's pretentious, melodramatic and choppy, but the film is a visual feast with an incredibly enjoyable premise and a fine roster of acting talent gracing every bizarre scene. Although the film isn't for everyone, those who enjoy hard science fiction will surely get something out of the completely foreign world presented in DUNE. This French Blu-ray release from Aventi does a fine job of bringing the film home in all of its deliciously weird visual excess, while delivering a fantastic lossless surround experience. Dune is as strange as science fiction gets; it's a fantastical and mysterious picture that never fails to entertain. DUNE is highly recommended.

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