I intended to write this before the film came out. Alas, whatever, it wasn't meant to be. I've been a fan of Dune since first reading the books years ago, probably in high school actually. The first, a monumentally influential sci-fi thriller, is not only a fantastic story on its own, it also sets up an incredibly complex futuristic universe to be more thoroughly explored in later books. The original author, Frank Herbert, wrote six connected novels from 1965 to 1985. His last, Chapterhouse: Dune, ends with a massive cliffhanger. Unfortunately Herbert died in 1986 with the series incomplete and supposedly with only one novel to go, the informally named 'Dune 7.'
More than a decade later Herbert's son, named Brian, and another author, Kevin J. Anderson, began writing in the Dune universe. Initially working in the time immediately before the original story, the first books they wrote featured a few of the Great Houses (more on them in a bit.) These books weren't very good. I remember, among other things, a metaphor that popped up over and over again signaling a frustrating lack of creativity. Later these two wrote a trilogy that went a lot further back, thousands of years, to a defining period, called the Butlerian Jihad, that explains why everything is the way it is in the original Dune novels. These were pretty good, and I was happy to have stuck with them. Eventually they also completed 'Dune 7,' though they broke it into two parts, called 'Hunters of Dune' (2006) and 'Sandworms of Dune' (2007). These were even better and, while the improving abilities of the younger Herbert and Anderson still wouldn't match Frank, they were able to put out a compelling and satisfactory conclusion to the series.
Enough about what happened after the first Dune. I'm writing today about the original novel, on which an exciting new movie (out now!) from director Dennis Villeneuve is based. The last attempt to turn the story into a feature film, the 1984 version from David Lynch, is largely considered to be a horrible mess. Up to this point I've avoided seeing it, though I probably should give Lynch a chance as his wacky mind is one of the few who could pull something like this off. Another is Villeneuve. He's already demonstrated an ability for stunning and immersive visuals (Blade Runner 2049) as well as blending storytelling and action (Sicario). His selection for director was a primary reason for cautious optimism about the new Dune film, which considering its history has long been thought to be un-filmable.
Why is it so tough to adapt Dune? Well, the exceptional depth of the universe is biggest thing I want to convey. Herbert invented so much that I'll only try to explain the bare bones. The timeline of Dune, unlike some other science fiction, actually develops from our world. These events are something like 20,000 years in the future so there's only hints of familiarity, otherwise things have changed quite a bit. In the upcoming thousands of years, humanity spreads out to other planets and eventually Earth is no longer inhabited. About 10,000 years from now (~halfway between now and Dune), artificial intelligence takes over and enslaves humanity. The Butlerian Jihad sees humans fight back and overthrow the thinking machines. It's essentially the starting point in a new history, and it impacts everything you read about in Dune. Humans afterward develop ways to perform computer functions themselves, some becoming Mentats that can execute intricate calculations and predictive simulation. There have also been a drastic leap forward in space travel, where Navigators from the Spacing Guild can fold space to cross otherwise impossible distances. The Butlerian Jihad had immense impact on politics, religion and so much more, such as elevating the families that would hold power for millennia.
In the time of Dune, the various known worlds are ruled by these feudalistic Great Houses (you can compare to Game of Thrones if you wish). There's an established societal order where an Emperor oversees the System by maintaining a controlling interest in a representative body called the Landsraad. It's possible that a combination of other parties, i.e. the various Houses, could overthrow the Emperor and install someone else, but through political and military might he and his predecessors ('House Corrino') have managed to stay on top for a long time (again, thousands of years). His devout and savage personal army, the Sardaukar, are the universes most feared fighting force and have been consistently used against any threat to the Emperor and his House. Another piece of this is economics. Political power flows from economic power. Economic power in the Imperium comes from imperially-granted directorships in CHOAM, a group which controls all resource production and other affairs across the many worlds. In this universal economy, the most important individual commodity is 'spice,' technically called 'melange.' The discovery of spice revolutionized everything about human culture. Not only is it a treat for the wealthy who enjoy a longer, healthier life, it's absolutely necessary for space travel due to other physical abilities it imparts. Then there's this detail: melange can only be found on a single planet called Arrakis, or Dune.
Besides the Great Houses and the politics between them, there are a variety of other factions of import. We've already briefly touched on the Spacing Guild, who's monopoly on space travel has resulted in an entity that no one, even the Emperor himself, dare challenge. There's also the Bene Gesserit, a secretive nun-like order of women involved everywhere in politics and religion. They have almost magical abilities: to command others by their Voice, to know truth versus lies, to see the past and even to control every part of their bodies, like being able to select the sex of their children when impregnated. Many of the Great Houses utilize Bene Gesserit women to bear them healthy children and/or heirs. But the Bene Gesserit have their own goals, foremost a long game - the continuation of the human species. An important piece of this is finding a Messianic figure called the Kwisatz Haderach who, simply put, is a male that can access their otherwise female-only powers. In order to find, and create, such a person they've been carefully maintaining and mixing bloodlines for generations. There are several other factions too, but we'll stop here for now.
I must not fear.
Fear is the mind killer.
Fear is the little death that bring total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
- the Litany Against Fear
In the book, Frank Herbert is able to fairly quickly teach what you need to know about everything he's created and then spoon-feed you the rest as he sees fit. His ability to help you subtly gleam information without directly telling you has always been the aspect of his writing I've most appreciated. Movies don't usually have the time to do it this way, so how Villeneuve accomplishes it all is the biggest question mark to me (yes, yes, I haven't seen it yet). Because almost nothing of what I've described above is the actual story to be told.
The narrative in Dune is all about 15 year old Paul Atreides. Heir to noble House Atreides, he and everyone he knows are about to move to Arrakis, where they will control the production of spice. It's a huge honor and in theory a boon to the family's fortunes. It's also fraught with peril, and not because harvesting spice is inherently dangerous. Due to its massive economic importance, it's also a chance for the treacherous Harkonnens, sworn enemies of the Atreides, to strike. Paul's father, Duke Leto, knows what they're likely walking into but has little choice in the matter, so he does everything he can to prepare. Paul must also be ready. The House Mentat, Thufir Hawat, discusses with him the possibility of befriending and utilizing the wild Arrakis population, called Fremen. The Lady Jessica, Paul's mother, trains his mind. Duncan Idaho ('the moral') and Gurney Halleck ('the valorous'), reliable but paid swords, train him to fight. Then off they go, into the trap.
But before that Paul also gets a visitor, a Bene Gesserit Mother Superior. With the knowledge of his own mother, also of the sisterhood, Paul is tested. He often dreams of events that haven't yet occurred but soon do. Due to his breeding and apparent prescient abilities, the question they have is this: Is Paul the Kwisatz Haderach, man who can see past and future? And if so, what will he do with the chaos he is about to enter? He senses within himself a terrible purpose, though he doesn't yet know what.
So far I've still left out much of what makes Dune unique. Fighting with blades and body shields. Hand signals for communication. The deep blue eyes that come from spice use. The suffocating atmosphere of the still mysterious desert planet, with the deadly sandworms that always come and the necessity of stillsuits to preserves a body's water. But this is the easy part. The challenge is nailing the characters, their various motivations and the resulting intrigue, all while accounting for the long, weird history involved. Luckily, even if you have no interest in the continued saga, the first Dune novel is a self-contained story. Just know the film currently in theaters and on HBO Max is only part one. Dune will be two movies, or more if they go beyond.
Since this is done I can finally go see it on a big screen. And I will, tonight.
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Update:
Even with much of what I wrote about above unexplained, the remarkably faithful movie (for which I got a private screening) is incredible. It'll be hard to wait two more years. Go see it.
Not sure I can see it anytime soon, but got the book!