Dune

[LennG]

There are so many people that loved this story, some of the older versions of this movie and now a new version has appeared, which we watched last night.

I have to say I tried to watch the original Dune, and just never g5ot thru it, so I now can say the same thing about this new version. Maybe you have to be a 'Dune' fan to appreciate this movie, but I made it thru about 2/3 and then said that's it.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1160419/

Storyline
A mythic and emotionally charged hero's journey, "Dune" tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet's exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence-a commodity capable of unlocking humanity's greatest potential-only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

[DaveBrown74]

Thanks for the comments on this movie, as I am interested.

I keep considering watching it, but at the end of the day I'm just not up for devoting over 2.5 hours to one of these long, popcorn epics. I'm generally not big on this genre, and with so much other content out there between all the streaming stuff and other movies on my list, the bar is high to actually invest that kind of time in something I'm not really likely to love.

With that said, my wife absolutely loved it, and it has a very high grade on IMDB. So I may talk myself into it at some point.

[LennG]

I really wouldn't put it in the 'popcorn' genre as it was just so dark and what I referred to as 'dreary'?

I'm sure many people liked it, as for the good score on many movie sites. Funny, I am a huge SciFi fan. I love this genre of movies, but as I have no insight into the story which seemed to help others who loved it, I was lost. Thru 2/3 of the movie, very little action, and to me, a very confusing storyline. As I said, the visuals were truly epic in scope, but I need a good story to go with it.

Hope you enjoy it more than I did.

[DaveBrown74]

I really wouldn't put it in the 'popcorn' genre as it was just so dark and what I referred to as 'dreary'?

I'm sure many people liked it, as for the good score on many movie sites. Funny, I am a huge SciFi fan. I love this genre of movies, but as I have no insight into the story which seemed to help others who loved it, I was lost. Thru 2/3 of the movie, very little action, and to me, a very confusing storyline. As I said, the visuals were truly epic in scope, but I need a good story to go with it.

Hope you enjoy it more than I did.

Ha well that's if I ever get around to watching it. Again, I just haven't felt enough of a pull to want to submit to over 2.5 hours of my spare time on it. It's the sort of movie I might watch on a plane one day. Not sure I want to devote a Friday night to it. Between sports and all the quality shows I'm trying to catch up on, the bar has to be high for me to want to watch some big budget epic movie.

I have to be honest also - I'm not sure what I think of Chalamet as a big time action lead man. I grew up with guys like Harrison Ford, Bruce Willis, Schwartzenegger, Stallone, etc. Maybe it's just because I'm much older now, but seeing some scrawny kid in a major action lead just seems off to me.

[LennG]

Ha well that's if I ever get around to watching it. Again, I just haven't felt enough of a pull to want to submit to over 2.5 hours of my spare time on it. It's the sort of movie I might watch on a plane one day. Not sure I want to devote a Friday night to it. Between sports and all the quality shows I'm trying to catch up on, the bar has to be high for me to want to watch some big budget epic movie.

I have to be honest also - I'm not sure what I think of Chalamet as a big time action lead man. I grew up with guys like Harrison Ford, Bruce Willis, Schwartzenegger, Stallone, etc. Maybe it's just because I'm much older now, but seeing some scrawny kid in a major action lead just seems off to me.

Double Ha, because I grew up with the likes of Cooper, Bogart, Cagney, EG Robinson etc. Not that I didn't like the 'newer' guys like the ones you mentioned. Overall, I liked them all, well except for 'Arnold'. I enjoyed some of his movies, but I wouldn't go out of my way to view them.   

[MightyGiants]

I had a few problems with Dune

1) As with some of the Star Wars, it's big sets/special effects, that move along slowly with important-sounding musical scores

2) I really didn't relate to or care about any of the characters (they were pretty cardboard as well)

3)  The plot was convoluted and not particularly compelling

[DaveBrown74]

I had a few problems with Dune

1) As with some of the Star Wars, it's big sets/special effects, that move along slowly with important-sounding musical scores

2) I really didn't relate to or care about any of the characters (they were pretty cardboard as well)

3)  The plot was convoluted and not particularly compelling

It's feedback like this that reinforces my reluctance to burn over 2.5 hours of my time on this movie.

I'll stick to my plan of watching it on a plane or when I really have nothing else going on. I can't prioritize this type of movie.

[MightyGiants]

In fairness, I got about an hour or so in.  I watched a half-hour or so and turned it off.   Hearing good things I turned it on for another half hour or so.  Turned it off again.  Not sure I will try for a third time

[DaveBrown74]

In fairness, I got about an hour or so in.  I watched a half-hour or so and turned it off.   Hearing good things I turned it on for another half hour or so.  Turned it off again.  Not sure I will try for a third time

This is almost worse than a bad review. At least with a bad review the reviewer managed to remain engaged throughout the movie. You're making me not even want to consider it on a plane.

I'd probably watch "So I Married An Axe Murderer" over this movie now. 

[LennG]

So 2 1/2 hour movie and I made it thru about 1 1/2 hours.

I have been in touch with others who have seen the movie and it seems if you know the story, read the book, you get a lot more out of this and understand it much better.

As I said, I had the same effect with the original, David Bowie version, but that I only watched about 1/3 of it before leaving.

Maybe by the next 2 or 3 versions, I may make it all the way thru.  .

Still wouldn't like it though.

[MightyGiants]

I don't know if you have all seen this video.  They stripped the music from a Star Wars scene.  It shows just how heavily those movies leaned on dramatic musical scores

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj-GZJhfBmI

[DaveBrown74]

I don't know if you have all seen this video.  They stripped the music from a Star Wars scene.  It shows just how heavily those movies leaned on dramatic musical scores

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj-GZJhfBmI

It's hugely important, and I agree it is more important in these types of movies than it is in many others.

John Williams has deserved all the financial success he has enjoyed from his work.

[LennG]

The musical score will make or break many movies.

Take Jaws, for instance, imagine what that would b like without a great score.

One that really comes to mind are the Spaghetti Westerns of Clint Eastwood, Imagine the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly without that just magnificent score. (BTW, that is my ringtone on my cell phone  )

[MightyGiants]

I agree with you guys, a good musical score can really take a movie to a whole other level.   However, I don't think musical scores should be a crutch where scenes completely break down without them.

[TONKA56]

Dune is one of my favorite works of fiction. For me it is right there with Tolkien