| Frank Herbert's Dune | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Frank Herbert (novel) John Harrison |
| Directed by | John Harrison |
| Starring | William Hurt Alec Newman Saskia Reeves Ian McNeice Julie Cox Giancarlo Giannini |
| Language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Richard P. Rubinstein Mitchell Galin |
| Cinematography | Vittorio Storaro |
| Running time | 265 min. 295 min. (Director's cut) |
| Chronology | |
| Followed by | Frank Herbert's Children of Dune |
Frank Herbert's Dune is a three-part miniseries written and directed by John Harrison and based on Frank Herbert's 1965 novel Dune.
The series was produced by New Amsterdam Entertainment, Blixa Film Produktion and Hallmark Entertainment Distribution. It was first broadcast in the United States on December 3, 2000 on the Sci Fi Channel, just two months after what would have been Herbert's 80th birthday. It was later released on DVD in 2001, with a director's cut appearing in 2002.
A 2003 sequel miniseries called Frank Herbert's Children of Dune continued the story, adapting the second and third novels in the series (1969's Dune Messiah and its 1976 sequel Children of Dune). As of 2004, both miniseries were two of the three highest-rated programs ever to be broadcast on the Sci Fi Channel.[1]
Frank Herbert's Dune won two Emmy Awards in 2001 for Cinematography and Visual effects in a miniseries/movie, as well as being nominated for a third Emmy for Sound editing. The series was also praised by several critics, including Kim Newman.[2]
The miniseries was shot in Univisium (2.00:1) aspect ratio, although it was broadcast in 1.78:1.
Contents |
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| William Hurt | Duke Leto Atreides |
| Alec Newman | Paul Atreides/Muad'Dib |
| Saskia Reeves[3] | Lady Jessica |
| James Watson | Duncan Idaho |
| Jan Vlasák | Thufir Hawat |
| P.H. Moriarty | Gurney Halleck |
| Robert Russell | Dr. Wellington Yueh |
| Laura Burton | Alia Atreides |
| Ian McNeice | Baron Vladimir Harkonnen |
| Matt Keeslar | Feyd-Rautha |
| László I. Kish | Glossu Rabban |
| Jan Unger | Piter De Vries |
| Giancarlo Giannini | Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV |
| Julie Cox | Princess Irulan |
| Miroslav Táborský | Count Hasimir Fenring |
| Uwe Ochsenknecht | Stilgar |
| Barbora Kodetová | Chani |
| Jakob Schwarz | Otheym |
| Karel Dobrý | Liet-Kynes |
| Christopher Lee Brown | Jamis |
| Jaroslava Šiktancová | Shadout Mapes |
| Zuzana Geislerová | Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam |
Director John Harrison has described his film adaptation as a "faithful interpretation"[4] in which any changes he made served to suggest what Herbert had explained subtly or not at all. The miniseries introduces elements not found in Herbert's novel, but according to the director, these serve to elaborate rather than to edit.
Herbert's novel begins with lead character Paul Atreides being 15 years old and aging to 18 over the course of the story. Harrison aged the character to adulthood in order to increase the quality of the acting for this crucial role.[5]
The miniseries invents an extensive subplot for Princess Irulan, a character who plays little part in the plot of the first novel. Harrison felt the need to expand Irulan's role because she played such an important part in later books, and epigraphs from her later writings opened each chapter of Dune.[6] Additionally, the character gave him a window into House Corrino.[4] Besides the final scene, the only one of Irulan's appearances based on an actual excerpt from the novel is her visit to Feyd-Rautha. However, in the book it is a different Bene Gesserit, Margot Fenring, who visits the Harkonnen heir, on assignment from the Bene Gesserit to "preserve the bloodline" by retrieving his genetic material (through conception) for their breeding program. The miniseries does not suggest this as Irulan's motive.
A soundtrack album for the miniseries was released by GNP Crescendo Records on December 3, 2000. It contains 27 tracks composed by Graeme Revell and performed by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.[7]
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