Dune (1984)

Director:

David Lynch

Writers:

Frank Herbert (novel)
David Lynch (screenplay)

Release Date:

14 December 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

You are about to enter a world where the unexpected, the unknown, and the unbelievable meet.

Plot:

In the distant future, a man appears who may be the prophet that a long-suffering galaxy has been waiting for.

Plot Keywords:

Planet | Duke | Emperor | Spice | Baron

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Francesca Annis	...	Lady Jessica
Leonardo Cimino	...	The Baron's Doctor
Brad Dourif	...	Piter De Vries
José Ferrer	...	Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV
Linda Hunt	...	Shadout Mapes
Freddie Jones	...	Thufir Hawat
Richard Jordan	...	Duncan Idaho
Kyle MacLachlan	...	Paul Atreides
Virginia Madsen	...	Princess Irulan
Silvana Mangano	...	Reverend Mother Ramallo
Everett McGill	...	Stilgar
Kenneth McMillan	...	Baron Vladimir Harkonnen
Jack Nance	...	Nefud
Siân Phillips	...	Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam (as Sian Phillips)
Jürgen Prochnow	...	Duke Leto Atreides
Paul L. Smith	...	The Beast Rabban (as Paul Smith)
Patrick Stewart	...	Gurney Halleck
Sting	...	Feyd Rautha
Dean Stockwell	...	Doctor Wellington Yueh
Max von Sydow	...	Doctor Kynes
Alicia Witt	...	Alia (as Alicia Roanne Witt)
Sean Young	...	Chani
Danny Corkill	...	Orlop
Honorato Magaloni	...	Otheym (as Honorato Magalone)
Judd Omen	...	Jamis
Molly Wryn	...	Harah
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Rietty	...	Various bit actors (voice)
Angélica Aragón	...	Bene Gesserit Sister (uncredited)
Miguel Cane	...	Little Fremen boy (uncredited)
Humberto Elizondo	...	Czigo (uncredited)
Ernesto Laguardia	...	Harkonnen's victim (uncredited)
David Lynch	...	Spice worker (uncredited)
James Mathers	...	Fremen Boy (uncredited)
Ramón Menéndez	...	Kinet (uncredited)
Ana Ofelia Murguía	...	Palace maid (uncredited)
Claudia Ramírez	...	Fremen girl (uncredited)
Julieta Rosen	...	Palace maid (uncredited)
Margarita Sanz	...	Lady Jessica's maid (uncredited)
Jacqueline Voltaire	...	Bit Part (uncredited)

Directed by
David Lynch

Writing credits
Frank Herbert		(novel)
David Lynch		(screenplay)

Produced by
Dino De Laurentiis	....	executive producer
Raffaella De Laurentiis	....	producer
José López Rodero	....	associate producer (as José Lopez Rodero)

Original Music by
Toto

Cinematography by
Freddie Francis		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Antony Gibbs

Casting by
Jane Jenkins

Production Design by
Anthony Masters

Art Direction by
Pier Luigi Basile		(supervising art director) (as Pierluigi Basile)
Benjamín Fernández		(as Benjamin Fernandez)

Set Decoration by
Giorgio Desideri

Costume Design by
Bob Ringwood

Makeup Department
Giannetto De Rossi	....	creative makeup
Mirella De Rossi	....	chief hairdresser
Etsuko Egawa	....	special makeup effects artist
Luigi Rocchetti	....	makeup artist
Mara Rossi	....	wig maker
Mario Scutti	....	makeup artist
Mauro Tamagnini	....	hairdresser
Jean Ann Black	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Christopher Tucker	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Anuar Badin	....	production supervisor
Vicente Escrivá hijo	....	production supervisor (as Vicente Escriva)
Anselmo Parrinello	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
José López Rodero	....	first assistant director (as José Lopez Rodero)
Ian Woolf	....	dga trainee
Víctor Albarrán	....	first assistant director: second unit (uncredited)
James Devis	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Ignazio Dolce	....	second unit director (uncredited)
Miguel Lima	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Rafael Ablanque	....	chief sculptor
José María Alarcón	....	assistant art director (as José Maria Alarcon)
Ángel Arriola	....	chief carpenter (as Angel Arriola)
Sante Barelli	....	chief painter
Malcolm Bensted	....	assistant props
Jose Bolano	....	chief plasterer (as José Bolaño)
Alessandro Catarinelli	....	chief painter
Miguel Chang	....	draughtsman
Peter Childs	....	assistant art director
Vito Consoli	....	chief painter
Steve Cooper	....	draughtsman
Ezio D'Achille	....	chief painter
Antonio del Amo	....	chief plasterer
Antonio De Toro	....	chief painter
Ramón Díaz	....	chief carpenter (as Ramon Diaz)
Ron Downing	....	floor props
Raul Paton Garcia	....	assistant art director
Ferdinando Giovannoni	....	draughtsman
Mentor Huebner	....	illustrator
George Jensen	....	illustrator
Giuseppe La Rocca	....	chief plasterer
Maurice Larson	....	chief painter
Angelo Marta	....	chief plasterer
Giles Masters	....	draughtsman
Ron Miller	....	illustrator
Kevin Phipps	....	assistant art director
Aldo Puccini	....	construction manager
Luciano Romero	....	assistant props
Graham Sumner	....	property master
Giulio Tamassy	....	chief sculptor
Jose Velazquez	....	chief carpenter (as José Velazquez)
Jan Ferris	....	designer: jewelry and some props (uncredited)
Martin A. Kline	....	production illustrator (uncredited)
Moises Pineda	....	production buyer assistant (uncredited)
Mark Siegel	....	sculptor (uncredited)

Sound Department
Derek Brechin	....	assistant sound editor
Teresa Eckton	....	sound editor
Donald Flick	....	foley editor
John Haptas	....	boom operator
Lee Haxall	....	assistant sound editor
Ann Kroeber	....	assistant sound editor
Patricia Lee	....	assistant sound editor
Edward Malone	....	assistant sound editor
Steve Maslow	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kevin O'Connell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jerry Ross	....	foley editor
Leslie Shatz	....	sound editor
Alan Splet	....	sound designer
Nelson Stoll	....	sound mixer
Bill Varney	....	sound re-recording mixer
Les Wiggins	....	sound editor
Martin Maryska	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Donald C. Rogers	....	technical director of sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John Baker	....	special effects floor chief
Antonio Balandin	....	special effects assistant
William Bryan	....	master foamsmith: stillsuit (as William C. Bryan)
Theresa Burkett	....	suit construction: stillsuit (as Teresa Burkett)
Jeff Clifford	....	special effects floor chief
Terence J. Cox	....	special effects assistant (as Terry Cox)
Yves De Bono	....	special effects engineer
Lyle Eckmeier	....	special effects assistant
Charles L. Finance	....	special effects coordinator
Linda Frobos	....	suit construction: stillsuit
Rodney Fuller	....	special effects floor chief
Dino Galiano	....	special effects floor chief
Dirck Halstead	....	special photography
John Hatt	....	special effects electronic unit chief
Steve Humphrey	....	special effects assistant (as Stephen Humphrey)
Andrew Kelly	....	special effects assistant
Terry Knowles	....	special effects assistant
Jim Leonard	....	chief sculptor: stillsuit
Barry Nolan	....	special photographic effects
Antonio Parra	....	special effects floor chief
Don Post	....	suit development: stillsuit
Carlo Rambaldi	....	creature creator
Mark Siegel	....	head of construction: stillsuit
Ronnie Skinner	....	special effects rigger (as Ron Skinner)
John K. Stirber	....	special effects flying unit chief (as John Stirber)
Phil Stokes	....	special effects assistant (as Philip Stokes)
Bruno Van Zeebroeck	....	special effects assistant
Kit West	....	mechanical special effects
Trevor Wood	....	special effects assistant
Gary Zink	....	special effects assistant

Visual Effects by
Tom Anderson	....	blue screen mattes
Peter Bohanna	....	model shop supervisor
Jeffrey A. Burks	....	graphics technician
Mike Cobos	....	creature moldmaker
Ralph Cobos	....	creature moldmaker
Tom Connors	....	creature sculptor
Bryan Cooke	....	optical lineup
Syd Dutton	....	matte painter
Mark Freund	....	optical printer operator
Jeremy Gibbs	....	optical effects editor
Devorah Hardberger	....	optical coordinator
Patti Harrison	....	optical coordinator (as Patt Harrison)
Kevin Koneval	....	blue screen mattes
John Kuhlman	....	optical lineup
Liz Lord	....	graphics technician
Richard Malzahn	....	visual effects graphics
Laurie Marems	....	creature sculptor
Ray Monahan	....	optical printer operator
January Nordman	....	graphics technician
Deborah J. O'Brien	....	optical printer operator
Bill O'Sullivan	....	optical lineup
Christine Overs	....	model maker
Dick Ramirez	....	optical printer operator
Gus Ramsden	....	model maker
Katie Ruah	....	graphics technician
Emilio Ruiz del Río	....	foreground miniatures (as Emilio Ruiz del Rio)
Stanley W. Sayer	....	matte photography consultant (as Stanley Sayer)
Frank Schepler	....	creature operator (as Frank W. Shepler)
Paolo Scipione	....	creature operator
Brian Smithies	....	model unit supervisor
Jacinto Soria	....	model maker
Charles Staffell	....	front projection consultant
Eric Swenson	....	motion control
Steven Townsend	....	creature operator
Danielle Versè	....	model maker
Albert Whitlock	....	additional special visual effects (as Albert J. Whitlock)
William Whitten	....	creature sculptor
David S. Williams Jr.	....	optical lineup
Megan Williams	....	graphics technician
Steven Willis	....	creature operator (as Steve Willis)
Charles L. Finance	....	visual effects coordinator (uncredited)
Jammie Friday	....	rotoscope: Van der Veer Photo Effects (uncredited)
Michael Douglas Middleton	....	visual effects still photographer (uncredited)
Judith Miller	....	conceptual model builder (uncredited)
Christopher S. Ross	....	model maker (uncredited)

Stunts
Dickey Beer	....	stuntman (as Dickie Beer)
Tony Brubaker	....	stuntman
Will Harper	....	stuntman
Richard Humphreys	....	stunt coordinator
Henry Kingi	....	stuntman (as Henri Kingi)
Wayne Michaels	....	stuntman
Kiyoshi Yamasaki	....	fight coordinator (as Kiyoshi Yamazaki)
Vic Armstrong	....	stunts (uncredited)
Richard Humphreys	....	stunts (uncredited)
Wendy Leech	....	stunts (uncredited)
Scott Wilder	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Alan Annand	....	focus puller
Chic Anstiss	....	camera operator (as Chick Anstiss)
James Devis	....	cinematographer: additional unit
Frederick Elmes	....	cinematographer: additional unit
Ed George	....	clapper loader
Gordon Hayman	....	camera operator
Gerhard Hentschel	....	camera maintenance
Roy Larner	....	supervising gaffer
Ignazio Maccarone	....	practical electrician
John Matthews	....	best boy
Shane O'Neill	....	clapper loader
Tim Ross	....	focus puller
Maria Schiavone	....	gaffer
George Whitear	....	still photographer
Ken Worringham	....	camera operator
Douglas Evan Hersh	....	best boy electric (uncredited)
René Marquéz	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Maggie Cartier	....	casting: UK

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Thomas Casterline	....	wardrobe supervisor
Barbara Higgins	....	wardrobe cutter
Ana Maria Infante	....	wardrobe mistress
Michael Jones	....	milliner
Mary Etta Lang	....	wardrobe dyer
Edward Percival	....	wardrobe cutter
Cyril Streeter	....	wardrobe cutter
Nadia Vitali	....	wardrobe supervisor
Mary E. Vogt	....	wardrobe buyer (as Mary Vogt)

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Aubrey Head	....	negative timer
Adam Masters	....	apprentice film editor
Kate Orr	....	assistant cutter
Deborah Phipps	....	assistant cutter (as Debbie Harkness)
Penelope Shaw	....	assistant film editor
Rosemarie Urioste	....	apprentice film editor
Roz Ward	....	assistant cutter
Patricia Lee	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Carlos Puente	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
George Brand	....	music editor
Brian Eno	....	composer: prophecy theme
Roger Eno	....	composer: prophecy theme
Allyn Ferguson	....	additional orchestrator
Tom Knox	....	score engineer
Tom Knox	....	score mixer
Daniel Lanois	....	composer: prophecy theme
Shep Lonsdale	....	score engineer
Shep Lonsdale	....	score mixer
Steve Lukather	....	musician: Toto
Gilbert Marouani	....	music consultant
David Paich	....	musician: Toto
Marty Paich	....	composer: additional music
Marty Paich	....	conductor: Vienna Symphony Orchestra and Concert Society Vienna Volksoperchior
Marty Paich	....	music adaptor
Jeff Porcaro	....	musician: Toto
Mike Porcaro	....	musician: Toto
Steve Porcaro	....	musician: Toto
Al Schmitt	....	music coordinator
Wiener Symphoniker	....	music performed by (as Vienna Symphony Orchestra)
Toto	....	music performer

Transportation Department
Alfonso Paredes	....	driver (uncredited)
Carlos Ponce de León	....	transportation captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Margaret Anderson	....	dialect coach
Ginette Angosse	....	production assistant
Yvonne Axeworthy	....	script supervisor (as Yvonne Axworthy)
Len Barnard	....	production accountant
Mary Breen-Farrelly	....	accountant
Ann Busby	....	legal consultant
Craig Campobasso	....	production office assistant
Emmett Chapman	....	creator: Gurney's Baliset, based on 'The Stick'
Jerry Cormier	....	administrative staff
Eduardo De La Grana	....	assistant accountant
James Devis	....	supervisor: additional unit
Frederick Elmes	....	supervisor: additional unit
Damian Evans	....	administrative staff
Kevin Freemantle	....	assistant accountant
Gerald Green	....	technical advisor
Hester Hargett	....	production assistant
Edward A. Kantor	....	medical consultant (as Dr. Edward A. Kantor)
Kuki López Rodero	....	assistant: Mr. Lynch (as Kuki Lopez Rodero)
Michael Menzies	....	post-production accountant
Sherrye Mossuto	....	production assistant
Golda Offenheim	....	production coordinator
Juan Clemente Prosper	....	location manager (as Juan Clemente)
Robert Schaefer	....	title lettering designer
Margy Stein	....	administrative staff
Anne Strick	....	project coordinator
Anne Strick	....	unit publicist
Val Van der Veer	....	administrative staff
Debbie Van Hoek	....	accountant
Debbie Van Hoek	....	office coordinator
Leslie Werner	....	production assistant
Harry Kopoian	....	airport liaison: Mexico (uncredited)
John Naulin	....	still suits fabrication supervisor (uncredited)
Mark Siegel	....	creature maker (uncredited)
Mark Siegel	....	puppeteer (uncredited)

Thanks
Federico De Laurentiis	....	dedicatee

Production Companies

• De Laurentiis

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• Universal Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1985) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Altomedia. Co. Ltd. (2003) (Korea) (DVD)
• Altomedia. Co. Ltd. (2003) (Korea) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• Artisan Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• LW Editora (Brazil) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1997) (UK) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1997) (UK) (laserdisc)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1997) (USA) (laserdisc)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Scanbox Entertainment (1996) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Sunfilm Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Thorn EMI Video Australia
• World Movies (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Universal City Studios (special visual effects)
• Van der Veer Photo Effects

Other Companies

• Costumi d'Arte  wardrobe rental
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• Energy Productions  cloud technology
• Joe Dunton & Company  camera equipment provided by
• Joe Dunton Cameras America  camera services
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Sartoria Farani S.t.L.  wardrobe rental
• Sastrería Teatral Cornejo, Madrid  wardrobe rental
• Title House  titles
• Wiener Konzerthaus  music recorded at (as Vienna Konzerthaus)

Runtime:

137 min | USA:190 min (special edition)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Italy:T | Spain:13 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Chile:TE | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Germany:16 (special edition) | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) (uncut) (1986) | UK:PG (original rating) (cut) | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12 | Canada:A (Nova Scotia)

Filming Locations:

Churubusco Studios, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico

Company:

De Laurentiis

Trivia:

Some special effects scenes were filmed with over a million watts of lighting, drawing 11,000 amps.

Goofs:

Continuity: Leto bites down on, and breaks, the false tooth, but it reappears in a subsequent shot.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Princess Irulan: A beginning is a very delicate time. Know then, that is is the year 10191. The known universe is ruled by the Padishah Emperor Shaddam the Fourth, my father. In this time, the most precious substance in the universe is the spice Melange. The spice extends life...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Space Chimps (2008)

I come to praise 'Dune', not to bury it...

Yeah, DUNE sure is the runt of the Lynch litter but there are still aspects of it that I really love, even for all its cockeyed, club-footed awkwardness.

I didn't see this movie for approximately a decade because it had the reputation, still held in most quarters, of being one of the most infamous bombs of recent memory. However, despite my initial indifference I caught it - by complete accident - on free-to-air TV one night and was immediately hooked from the first sight of its memorable, unexpected future-baroque production design. From that point on, being led through the strange world of the Emperor and his entourage on Kaitain, the oddly-garbed Bene Gesserit Sisterhood, and the Guild Navigator emissaries in all their variously-staged mutated splendour, I was hopelessly infatuated with all things DUNE.

Now, I am fully aware that by most conventional definitions DUNE is not a good film. Actually, since having read all the books in the DUNE saga I am astonished to think that anybody thought that such a property could ever be a commercially viable option for mainstream cinema. It has concepts that tend to demand your full attention, which is mostly box office poison. However I loved the sheer scope of it, the fact that I was being bombarded with scores of unfamiliar terms and concepts which to me had always been the essence of pure science fiction. That it made for a choppy and often confusing cinematic experience mattered to me not at all. I was too much in love with the idea of it all and the weird, alien ambiance which only Lynch could have given the movie. Atreides, Harkonnens, Mentats, Fremen, Sandworms - I just wanted more, more, more. Superb cast, alluring music, stunning visuals - all contributing to an uncommonly arresting, unquestionably unique, cinematic experience.

For all its failures I can't even imagine what any contemporary of Lynch might have done with the material. My point is this: David Lynch's DUNE, warts and all, made me excited enough to want to read all the books in Herbert's sprawling saga. These volumes had been around for years. I'd seen them gathering dust in my local public library yet I felt no compulsion to read them. After seeing DUNE I couldn't wait to rush down and grab them off the shelves. That's why I'll always defend the film and why I refuse to write it off as the disastrous failure that so many regard it to be. In my mind DUNE is a success because it completely sold me on Frank Herbert's universe - a no more strangely beautiful, intellectually stimulating nor fascinating one had I ever seen on film - and compelled me to go ever further into it. I do accept most of the criticisms that the casual moviegoer has of the film but I simply can't hate it.

In short, if you are curious about the film and are familiar with all the bad and discouraging press it has received over the years, yet remain a fan of exceptional fantasy or science fiction, do not be discouraged. You may find that it has elements that may just move you, bewilder you, or tantalise your imagination. You may come to agree, like a growing number of us, that it really is not so deserving of the excoriation that it has suffered at the hands - or pens - of its harshest critics. If you go into it with a forgiving mindset then you may be well rewarded. And then - if you haven't already - read the saga itself. It is formidably great!