Rating: 
Summary: Dune...the High School play!!!
Review: This film was a complete failure in all aspects. Being a fan of the book (and the Lynch version) I many GLARING faults and ommissions in this treatment of the story. They're so aggrevating that they must all be mentioned. Bear with me... First is the casting. William Hurt is robotic in his portrayal of the duke. Duke Leto was a noble and inspiring leader! William Hurt was about as stiff as a tree. Lady Jessica looked more like a soccer mom, and then...there's Luke Skywalker...ER...I mean Paul. Not only was he too old for the part (Paul at the beginning of the book was in his mid-teens), but Harrison made him into a snivelling, whining brat! He constantly throws tantrums and walks away from conflict. Also, where was the relationship between Paul and his father? You would think from this film that Paul was a step-son or something, the way he talks to his father. I actually ended up hating Paul after about 5 minutes. He's so annoying that you wish that he would have been eaten by a worm. This is my biggest beef though...the reckless disregard for the scarcity of water on Arrakis in this version. Stillsuits are almost a fashion statement rather than a tool for survival. Fremen DO NOT walk around in the desert with their stillsuits off! In the book, water is treated as such a rare commodity that the Fremen make every attempt to preserve it (eg- moisture-proof doors in the sietches). Yet for a majority of this film, they are walking around outside in broad daylight, working and PLAYING with no stillsuits! This is proposterous! There's one scene where Paul and Chani are camping in broad daylight, in the middle of the open desert. There's other scenes where the palace door is left wide open to the outside, and open "windows" in the Fremen sietches. Unreal. Frank Herbert would have scolded Harrison for this. And where the heck are the Fedakyn? I must mention that these are the most laughable attempts at special effects this side of 1960's Star Trek. I know it was made for TV, but geez!!! Some of the effects looked so fake that is was painful to watch. And the backgrounds of the desert scenes have white lines in them where they pieced the different paintings of the desert together on the set. Watch the part where Paul and Jessica are walking across the top of the Dune and then fall down the Dune. Look very carefully at the background in that scene! The other horrible background is the large sietch in the middle of the movie. The grand architecture of the sietch is a flat mural, with a SPOTLIGHT for the sun!! Are you kidding me?!?!? It looks like something out of a high school play! As far as the costumes go, another reviewer said it best. It's quite, er, feminine...with everyone walking around with tortilla chips on their heads. The Sardukar look like pastry chefs. I almost fell out of my chair laughing during the scene where Gurney and the head Sardukar are staring each other down in Arakeen. Beware the emperor's angry pastry chefs!! Fremen's eyes are blue, but the Fremen are not freaks. Their eyes do NOT glow in the dark. People say that this version was more true to the book than the previous version was. This version is longer, but Harrison took way too many liberties in his treatment, and in his arrogance turned a philosophical, intelligent story into garbage. The subplot of Irulan seducing Feyd was absolutely [foolish]. How can he call it Frank Herbert's Dune? He just took the bare bones of the story and re-wrote it with dumb subplots, and horrible dialogue. It bears little resemblence to Herbert's masterpiece. The one star is for comedic vaule. Otherwise would have rated a big fat zero.
Rating: 
Summary: Hey!! Where are the weirding modules!?!
Review: Production value-wise, this remake of the sci-fi classic "Dune" was pretty darned good, and the intentions of including a lot more key scenes from the book than the original David Lynch version of the story are commendable. HOWEVER, there is something DEFINITELY missing from this production and I'd say that it has to be that undefiniable aspect known as "soul". The Lynch version had a warmth, a charismatic quality that this version just does not have. The casting is bland at best, with only the characters of Vladimir Harkonnen, Count Fenring and Liet Kynes being done any justice. Gurney Halleck doesn't even have an inkvine scar in this one! And Dr. Yueh STILL doesn't look like he's described in the book. In fact, if you can even discern where Dr. Yueh IS in this production, you're doing better than I am!! The actors portraying Paul Atreides and Feyd Rautha look entirely too much alike, and Alex Newman, who plays Paul, does NOT have the believable charismatic quality Kyle Machlachlan had! The one TRULY glaring error in casting is William Hurt as Duke Leto. Hasn't this wimp screwed up ENOUGH sci-fi remakes? He stands out like a fire hydrant in the big cat house at the zoo! However, in its favor, the CHOAM company dinner is in this production, something that was sorely missing from Lynch's version, and Jessica's discovery of the terrarium room is here too. However, a LOT of cues were taken from Lynch's version despite the producer's efforts to make the film look different: for instance, the Guild Highliners look almost exactly like they did in the 1984 production. All in all. the colors and all are nice, and SOME of the acting is quite good, particularly the man playing Liet Kynes and the guy playing the Count, but Lynch's oddball vision counted for a lot in the '84 version.... Get it for the comparison and for completion, but as of now, Lynch still rules!
Rating: 
Summary: way better than the 1984 movie
Review: This miniseries is so much better than the movie from 1984, it covers a lot more ground from the book than that mess of a movie could ever hope to. the only thing I didn't like was the cheap sounding music and bad computer graphics
Rating:
Summary: A Failure
Review: First off, for all those Frank Herbert fans out there, know that i am one as well...I've read every book in the series at least twice, as well as the prequels written by his son, and i love them all...
Everyone seems to want to compare director David Lynch's version to this one and i think that's a mistake...And the title written as 'Frank Herbert's Dune' is quite a misnomer...Yes i realize that Lynch's version is lacking in some areas, but keep in mind Herbert himself was an advisor to Lynch during the making of his film, and even suggested some of the points that were not in his book that made it to the final film...And above all the casting in Lynch's version was exquistie...
Now on to this throwaway miniseries...
The casting couldn't have been worse...While William Hurt is an extraordinary actor, he was all wrong for Duke Leto...Where's the commanding air? Not to mention the darker features and characteristics of a family that is supposed to have an ancient Greek quality? Absent...The actors playing Gurney, Duncan, Yueh and Hawat were so alike in looks and wooden that i couldn't keep track of who was who...And let's not forget the Fremen extras, who all seemed too waterfat...Oh, and the actor playing Paul himself? Forgetable at best...
The set design of this miniseries is all wrong...Everything looks too clean, too glossy, though the future Herbert describes in his books is gritty and less technical since the destruction of the thinking machines during the Butlerian Jihad...Lynch's film wins over on that count
The Harkonens seemed too oafish and brainless whereas in the books they are intelligent and calculating, though cruel...
Yes, they were able to fit in most of the book into this miniseries, which is what was intended to placate the fans, but it just doesn't work for me...Will i watch Children of Dune when it comes on Sci Fi? Yup...I just hope they make serious improvements and don't handle it so hamfistedly as this one.
So no, no reccomendation from me here.
Rating:
Summary: NOT THAT BAD
Review: I enjoyed the Sci-Fi version of Dune. It was [inexpensive] at times, but I do think it gave a better idea of the overall story. I really loved the Lynch version, but it was far too compact. I would like to see the studio really give Lynch a chance to do a real directors cut. With the special effect put in and the scenes added back where Lynch wants them and not where some over-zelous editor or studio head wants them. If this were done, it, to me would overshadow the sci-fi version. The sci-fi version lacked the dark forboding of the book. Lynch pulled this off much better. The over all production design was better and the creepyness was better in Lynch's. Many casting decisions were far better in the sci-fi version. Most notably Leto. The original was so stiff and the accent just didn't work.
Rating:
Summary: better than movie
Review: This mini series included more of the original story line than the movie did. They did take a few liberties, but I don't think it changed the Dune experience. I'm a die-hard Dune fan, and I loved it! I hope you enjoy it.
Rating:
Summary: Infinitely more enjoyable than the Lynch fiasco
Review: This rendition of the Frank Herbert masterpiece was much more true to the spirit of the novel than the 1984 Lynch version. Any person who thought the '84 movie superior either didn't read (or understand) the books or has fallen prey to the 1990's 'image' bug. Believe me, image is not everything. It is refreshing to see a director worry about substance as well. Which, in my opinion, should be the primary concern. Sure the '84 movie had more visual impact with better special effects but I thought Harrison did a masterful job when one considers his budget. Were there problems? Absolutely... Did they ruin the overall effort. No! Aspects of the book that were omitted didn't detract from the overall 'feel' of this series and there was very little that was added that didn't work well within Herberts plot line. The character casting might have been better thought out (Stilgar, Leto especially) but I, unlike many reviewers, actually enjoyed Alec Newman's portrayal of Paul. Yes he may have come off as petulant and spoiled at first but this is because we don't have the advantage of the books 'internal dialogue'. Lynch's production proved that bringing that aspect into a cinimatic forum just won't work. Things happen too fast. Reading the book we can pause and reflect on what the character is thinking but in a movie format doing so just leaves you in the dust and you miss too much. Not knowing what Paul is thinking and judging him on his actions alone makes him appear immature and petulant. He, however, grows up as the series progresses and I feel Newman does a good job developing the character. An overall good job. I must say, in spite of some problems, I enjoyed this series opener very much. I look forward to the 'Children of Dune' follow-up.
Rating: 
Summary: Great coverage with mediocre acting and cinematography
Review: First let me say this - I first read Dune in 1973, and still consider it one of the best novels ever written. Frank Herbert's vision of a future is perfect and unflawed by the common focus of science-fiction upon technology - Herbert by contrast puts his book firmly in the minds of his characters. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend doing so. When I saw the mini-series DVD I was pretty excited. I always felt that the David Lynch movie did not do justice to this greatest-of-books. I purchased it on the spot, and set aside a weekend to enjoy it to the fullest. It does have some bright spots, to cover first. The coverage is much better this time out - nice development of the plot, no strange devices being manufactured to speed things along, development of Feyd (the guy who could have been emperor). However, there are some pretty damaging aspects here as well. Paul, the hero of this story, is portrayed by some petulant chip-on-the-shoulder, whining little brat of an actor. This is the man who would send a Jihad across the entire universe? This is the one who would discover the very meaning and significance of presience? This actor was such a horrid choice that it continually interferred with my ability to enjoy the movie. Lady Jessica, the heroine and very shaper (and manipulator) of bene gesserit breeding, is portrayed by someone who should be selling biscuits in a Hugh Grant film. Some of her lines had me rolling on the floor, she was so terrible, and so utterly unbelievable. Stilgar? How'd you get so chubby out in the desert? How on earth did you become so lethargic? You were supposed to be tall, lank, wiry, and very dusty. You embodied the fremen in the book, the defacto desert warrior you are. Instead, you look like the chef on a cruise ship Oh and Channi. My goodness she was terrible. I realize she may have been struggling with the English language, however all of her lines were so tortured that I would wince when she would speak. No wonder they didn't even cover her on the casting notes. Undoubtedly she has returned to her day-job. BAD CASTING! Now I realize that it is expensive to get good cinematographers, and rent the panavision equipment, but alot of this has to do with art direction and lighting as well. But this part lacked continuity the most. Some scenes, like the banquet, were shot wonderfully. Others, like everything in the desert, or the seitches, was just awful. The cheesy lighting gave away the cheap sets, the plasticity of the still-suits, the painted backgrounds. Overall, one is left with the feeling of television. Now, on the other hand, I must admit that this is probably the finest television out there. Of course, from my point of view, television is awful anyway (haven't owned a tv since 1981). I give it 3 stars for trying to stick to the story, and trying to have some character development. However, when I come to the last problem of the movie, I fear I am really overrating it. William Hurt is the most wooden superficial character actor of all time. Casting him as Leto was laughable. People would be willing to die for this guy? His son would seek vengance on a universal scale for this guy? The David Lynch film is rife with problems - a demonic baron Harkonen, a nearly non-existant Feyd, huge gaps in the story, funky technology not in the book, but after viewing it immediately after this mini-series, we all had to agree it was a far superior film, despite its brevity and deviations from the story. However, as the story goes, the David Lynch film did have Herbert as a consultant.
Rating:
Summary: This mini-series is not up to par
Review: I absolutley hated this mini-series. Everyone is saying that this one is better than David Lynch's feature adapation and with the exception of a few special effects, they are wrong. In their adaptation, Sci-Fi channel has taken the liberty of adding things to the screenplay that were not there in the book. At least Lynch's adaptation was faithful to Herbert's story. And the actor that they got to play Paul, where did they did him up? The casting director should have gotten fired for that one. For me, the original is the best, and Kyle McLachlan IS Paul Atreides.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Incredible
Review: I just finished seeing the mini series on DVD and it was an incredible experience. I read all the dune books and I can say this is the closest you will ever get to a correct interpretation. I cannot wait for the new series if they are ever made.
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