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Frank Herbert's Children of Dune (TV Miniseries)

Frank Herbert's Children of Dune (TV Miniseries)

List Price: $14.98
Your Price: $11.24
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fantasticly done!!!
Review: All I have to say is WOW!!! The show has only been done now for 2 days and already I can't wait to get the DVD! I personlly have never read the books, but I can only imagine what they are like. And even if you have not read or seen the the first Dune, its pretty much "stand alone", though there are some things that you might not get, at least right away.

The CGI was done buitifully, the story was great, and had an A+ ending! I can't wait for the DVD to come out so I can watch it all over again."Gone With the Wind, eat your heart out."

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Amazing
Review: This is a movie adaption of the 2 books following Dune in the series, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune. First, the acting is superb and the cinematography as breath-taking. A lot of people may complain about the lack of sophistication of the special effects, but I feel that therein lies its charm. Overall great story, great acting, very pleasing to watch, beautiful music, and resolution to the Muad'Dib story.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Surprising..
Review: I liked this movie.. and yet I don't know why! Once I had watched the whole thing twice I didn't know how to feel. Happy because the "evil" people were punished or depressed because the "heroes" died or were left unhappy/doomed. This is the kind of movie that you either like it or you don't.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Kudos for an Entertaining and Compelling Show
Review: The SciFi "Frank Herbert's Children of Dune" miniseries came out almost 20 years after the David Lynch movie version and just over two years after the first Sci Fi Dune Miniseries. A lot of maturing went on during that time period in the audience that was watching the classic Dune story being presented in movie format. While many beat on Lynch's version for its exclusions, with the 6 hour miniseries also leaving much out, some slack was cut Lynch and his just-over-2-hour version. People argued over which was better done, which was more accurate, which was more interesting.

I went into Children of Dune therefore with reasonably low expectations. While the first SciFi Dune miniseries was billed as "Frank Herbert's Dune", it was a wildly loose version that drastically changed many characters and created scenes. I figured I'd try to watch Children of Dune just as a 'fun space movie' and not necessarily as one based on a book series I enjoyed.

I was actually quite pleased with Children of Dune and the characters. For one, the characters were in general much more true to the story. Gone were the whiny-bratty Paul. In fact the two teenagers in THIS story are smart, mature, and wise - just like they were supposed to be (and just like PAUL was supposed to be at that age). It works so amazingly well that you have to wonder why they didn't do that the first time around.

The visuals were great. This was filmed in Prague and you really get a sense of an old city. There are still gripes about the lack of water-care, but as the storyline is taking place where water care is less and less of an issue *in the story*, it's hard to complain. Yes, the OLD buildings wouldn't have had all of the giant windows and such. But it's less glaring in a world where there's a puddle on the road. I love a scene where Jessica enters her bedroom and stands before the bed - the artistry is just stunning.

The scriptwriting was also superb. The exchanges between the twins, the entire scene with Duncan Idaho standing and watching his wife cheat on him, they were just amazing. I have to complain that as much as I am a HUGE HUGE fan of Celtic music, it felt incredibly out of place, though. This is a desert planet, the last thing in the world you'd hear is music based on an island culture. Yes, it was beautiful. But it wasn't right.

Where I cringed many, many times during the first miniseries because of the sheer annoyance of the bad acting or bad sets, I was very eager to re-watch this one when I could. And I thrilled just as much to the scenes on subsequent watchings. Yes, there are still accuracy issues. But in general, this version is well done. I am most pleased that these SciFi releases have renewed an interest in the books of Dune and its ecology and messages. I would recommend that anyone who finds the concept of Dune even slightly interesting to definitely READ THE BOOK and then watch the miniseries with that background in mind.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great Sci-fi movie
Review: I saw the movie on SciFi and it was great...
it did deviate from the books a little, but it has great action and is must-watch!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Review of the Television Miniseries
Review: There is only one word I can use to describe the Scifi Channel's Minseries "Children of Dune"----AMAZING! Let me start off by saying that I have never read the books and am not a fan of the series. I am a fan of science-fiction and greatly enjoyed the first mini-series when it aired in 2000. Prior to that, I had only seen the film version which was very confusing to say the least.

The acting in Children of Dune and overall presentation were superb. The heart and soul of this epic lies in Lady Jessica and Leto II (played stunningly by Alice Krige and James McAvoy. In my opinion, the underlying theme of choices, chances, and consequences was fully symbolized in how these two characters were portrayed. Alice Krige's interpretation of Lady Jessica was moving and one seemed to understand her thought process more so than in the original mini-series. The maturity with which James McAvoy brought Leto II to life can be called "Shakespearean". There were aspects of both Hamlet and Macbeth in Children of Dune.

What impressed me most was that the creators emphasized family more than special effects. The scene were Leto II and Paul were re-united in the desert was poignant as was Alia's death and final restitution with her mother. The relationship between the members of House Corrino could have been developed a litlle bit better. One just didn't understand the tension between Susan Surandon's character and her younger sister Irulan.

The only drawback of this televison event was in the special effects execution (the tigers look liked they were borrowed from a video game). I should say, however, that the creators did a good job in using the special effetcs to enhance the story, not visa versa (i.e. Star Wars Episode II)....

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great!
Review: This is a fantastic mini series everyone would enjoy, especialy scifi fans, but also peopel who like romantic movies and like to watch movies with a good substancial plot.
This mini series is about family and how complex are the relationships within it. The female parts in the movie are fantastic!The movie shows a lot about female power in a world where you would think men would dominate. The women dominate manily becouse of their maternal instincs, and shape they destiny of their predecors.

Its a great miniseries for everyone who is a children of dune fan, and even if you're not, its a great romantic, movie about relationships, and plans within plans.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The mini-series is amazing!
Review: An absolutely stunning mini-series. This show was very well made, the effects were amazingly realistic and the plot was addicting. I just wish there were more books so they could make more of these movies!

As Paul "Muad'Dib" Atreides ruled as Emperor, the planet Arrakis was under a renaissance. Unfortunately, a revolt caused a war between multiple planets. One trying to take over the other for their rightful thrown. Two children that would be come the heirs of the planet Arrakis was born has the future in their hands.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: not the books, but a worthwhile representation
Review: This is a review of the telecast, not the DVD.

The Dune Saga is, for me, one of the greatest accomplishments of literature in general and THE greatest accomplishment of science fiction literature. As I grow older and after several readings the experience just grows richer.

Great liberties were taken with the plot line of the books - "Dune Messiah", "Children of Dune" and, to a limited extent, "God Emperor of Dune". But not to the detriment of the overall story.

I would recommend the Sci-Fi Channel's "Dune" and "Children of Dune" as an introduction to the books as opposed to a substitute FOR the books. The books are much richer plot-wise. And the spirit of the saga is much more alive in the books.

To speak specifically to the mini-series. The sets were limited, but convincing. The costumes like watching a Paris fashion show, but they added to the production. The acting was more than adequate (more more so, I think, than in "Dune").

Susan Sarandon added a touch of "legitimacy" to the production and her acting was convincingly cold and calulating as Wensicia Corrino. Ms. Sarandon seemed to be enjoying herself and that came through in her portrayal. And she was fun to watch.

I thought Alice Krige was awesome as Jessica - once I got over thinking of her as the Borg Queen. As I got over the stereotype, I began to notice how well Ms. Krige brought out the pain of the hard choices that Jessica made and her absolute dedication to the Atreides family.

Daniela Amavia as Alia did excellent service to the role. I always thought Alia a secondary, pitiable character in the books. The mini-series brought her more to the forefront and I'll re-read with a different outlook although she's still pitiable.

James McAvoy and Jessica Brooks were well played (although a lot older than in the books) as Leto II and Ghanima. They convincingly played their very complex characters. James McAvoy in particular brought a sense of the charisma of what Leto would become to the role (I guess that's why they made him older for the mini-series).

I had a very positive and enjoyable experience with this adaptation. And I look forward to the next installment - which is sure to follow.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: LONG LIVE THE FIGHTERS!!!
Review: More realistic and true than the other versions of Dune this epic mini-series has set a new standard for t.v. movies. Both this and the original mini-series take the work of Frank Herbert and bring it to life beautifully. The words have more meaning, the colors are more vivid and the mahdi is real.


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