"Dune" (1984) Review (Spoilers)
Nov. 12th, 2021 12:25 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
matt_zimmerAlso reviews for the latest episodes of Star Trek: Prodigy, Young Justice: Phantoms, DC's Legends Of Tomorrow, and Batwoman, the season finale of Doom Patrol, and the latest episodes of The Not-Too-Late Show With Elmo, and The Blacklist.
Dune (1984)
I didn't exactly like that. But I DID like it more than the 2021 adaptation.
For one thing it's far more bizarre. It's David Lynch, so that should go without saying. For another I found the story far easier to follow. That makes sense too because there is a beginning, middle, and end, and unlike the 2021 version, we don't cut things off for a cliffhanger right when things are getting interesting.
To be fair to Dune 2021, this movie being easier to follow is a bit of a double-edged sword. The players are easier to keep straight because there is a lot of narration, and the characters themselves seem to speak in the expositiony way only characters in big movies speak. Essentially, Lynch film or not, they talk as dumb as characters in an 80's film. Which is what they are. I mean, I did not respond that hot to Dune 2021. But despite it being inaccessible to me, the characters there acted more like real people than the sci-fi archetypes they do here.
The pain box is far scarier in the Lynch version, and despite the effects being, what, 35 years out of date, I think the personal shields look cooler too.
I have a strong sense the last third of the film was greatly condensed. It will be interesting to see the next film of the remake because they should have plenty of time to get to a lot of the stuff Lynch skimmed over for the sake of timing and pacing.
I thought the Baron was super gross in the 2021 film. But that guy has nothing on how grotesque Lynch's idea of the Baron is. I suspected I probably shouldn't eat anything while watching the movie and that was the right call. The Baron makes me ill in everything he does.
1984's score has it all over 2021 too. The Prophecy March is absolutely boss.
Harlan Ellison liked this movie. So did Frank Herbert. History has been kinder to it than critics at the time were. But I frankly understand where a lot of the criticism comes from. The ending IS rushed, and a lot of the themes and ideas, despite being more explicit than the 2021 version, are definitely way over the heads of most people in the 1980's. It's funny how dated the film feels while still being clearly ahead of its time. ***.
Star Trek: Prodigy "Dreamcatcher"
I'm a little miffed we went to the Hirogen system and didn't see any Hirogen! Maybe next week.
The stuff with the phaser stun settings could have been a valuable lesson about gun safety. Since it was played for laughs instead, it wasn't.
Frankly, I am not a fan of Star Trek where the mission gets interrupted to be continued the next week. I get that's normal for the Kurtzman era, but it never feels like real Star Trek to me.
But the episode was pretty good otherwise. ***1/2.
Young Justice: Phantoms "Artemis Through The Looking Glass"
I'm gonna say that this was the first episode I liked this season.
I wasn't sold on the ending, but I really dug the interrogations with Cheshire. I actually LIKE talky stuff, Weisman, believe it or not. I just have this weird demand that it be interesting. Strange, huh? This qualified. Big time.
Pretty good. ****.
DC's Legends Of Tomorrow "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Scientist"
So we finally met Matt Ryan's new character. I don't like that nobody can tell he's Constantine's doppelganger. I thought that would be a major plot point. It feels beyond lazy that they are ignoring it instead.
I found Sara's realization that she needed to stop treating the guy like a pawn and remember that he was a real person pretty great.
Nate seems surprised time agents are trying to kill them. I'm not. They've killed Hoover and now Edison so far. At this point the Legends are doing more harm than good. This is what happens when the chainsaw stays still in one place for too long.
Interesting. ***1/2.
Batwoman "A Lesson From Professor Pyg"
That was super interesting.
Aside from the Professor Pyg stuff being truly horrifying and scary, I am beyond curious where the show goes from here now that we've learned Marcus is a dangerous sociopath. There are a LOT of different avenues the show could explore with that revelation.
The best part? Jada correctly points out sociopaths are charming. Therefore this shocking revelation contradicts none of his previous harmless seeming behavior from the first episodes of the season.
I'm really interested in where this is going. ****1/2.
Doom Patrol "Amends Patrol"
I thought it was funny. Cliff was relatable for the first time ever, and I like where Rita and Madame Rouge ended up with each other.
A little iffy on Jane and Cyborg, and I'm unsure about leaving Cliff in a mecha and Vic in a human body. But Larry seems to be going in the right direction at least.
And the end was pretty much hilarious. "DOOOOOM FORCE!" We'll see if Rouge manages to make amends or not but I DO approve of her trying at least.
Good finale. ****.
The Not-Too-Late Show With Elmo "Busy Philipps"
First boy contestant!
Stephanie the parrot reminds me of H Ross Parrot back in the 1990's. I think they recycled his design for her.
Elmo looks so cute when he's getting dressed.
Cute! ****.
The Blacklist "Avenging Angel"
The end was super dumb. It was so dumb it insulted my intelligence. Red asks for the Angel's blood type, and says she looks about the right size for the heart transplant, and then he shoots her. That's not how donor matches are decided. It's so freaking stupid.
What bums me out is I really liked Red's idea that a person shouldn't be judged by their worst day, but by all the other days. I wish that cool insight hadn't come in such a dumb episode.
The stuff with Ressler and the urine? Dumb. I'm sensing a theme.
I did dig the 90 year woman who was the lead singer of a death metal band. That is very this show and very the company Red Reddington keeps.
But my brains hurts from how stupid that was. **1/2.
Dune (1984)
I didn't exactly like that. But I DID like it more than the 2021 adaptation.
For one thing it's far more bizarre. It's David Lynch, so that should go without saying. For another I found the story far easier to follow. That makes sense too because there is a beginning, middle, and end, and unlike the 2021 version, we don't cut things off for a cliffhanger right when things are getting interesting.
To be fair to Dune 2021, this movie being easier to follow is a bit of a double-edged sword. The players are easier to keep straight because there is a lot of narration, and the characters themselves seem to speak in the expositiony way only characters in big movies speak. Essentially, Lynch film or not, they talk as dumb as characters in an 80's film. Which is what they are. I mean, I did not respond that hot to Dune 2021. But despite it being inaccessible to me, the characters there acted more like real people than the sci-fi archetypes they do here.
The pain box is far scarier in the Lynch version, and despite the effects being, what, 35 years out of date, I think the personal shields look cooler too.
I have a strong sense the last third of the film was greatly condensed. It will be interesting to see the next film of the remake because they should have plenty of time to get to a lot of the stuff Lynch skimmed over for the sake of timing and pacing.
I thought the Baron was super gross in the 2021 film. But that guy has nothing on how grotesque Lynch's idea of the Baron is. I suspected I probably shouldn't eat anything while watching the movie and that was the right call. The Baron makes me ill in everything he does.
1984's score has it all over 2021 too. The Prophecy March is absolutely boss.
Harlan Ellison liked this movie. So did Frank Herbert. History has been kinder to it than critics at the time were. But I frankly understand where a lot of the criticism comes from. The ending IS rushed, and a lot of the themes and ideas, despite being more explicit than the 2021 version, are definitely way over the heads of most people in the 1980's. It's funny how dated the film feels while still being clearly ahead of its time. ***.
Star Trek: Prodigy "Dreamcatcher"
I'm a little miffed we went to the Hirogen system and didn't see any Hirogen! Maybe next week.
The stuff with the phaser stun settings could have been a valuable lesson about gun safety. Since it was played for laughs instead, it wasn't.
Frankly, I am not a fan of Star Trek where the mission gets interrupted to be continued the next week. I get that's normal for the Kurtzman era, but it never feels like real Star Trek to me.
But the episode was pretty good otherwise. ***1/2.
Young Justice: Phantoms "Artemis Through The Looking Glass"
I'm gonna say that this was the first episode I liked this season.
I wasn't sold on the ending, but I really dug the interrogations with Cheshire. I actually LIKE talky stuff, Weisman, believe it or not. I just have this weird demand that it be interesting. Strange, huh? This qualified. Big time.
Pretty good. ****.
DC's Legends Of Tomorrow "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Scientist"
So we finally met Matt Ryan's new character. I don't like that nobody can tell he's Constantine's doppelganger. I thought that would be a major plot point. It feels beyond lazy that they are ignoring it instead.
I found Sara's realization that she needed to stop treating the guy like a pawn and remember that he was a real person pretty great.
Nate seems surprised time agents are trying to kill them. I'm not. They've killed Hoover and now Edison so far. At this point the Legends are doing more harm than good. This is what happens when the chainsaw stays still in one place for too long.
Interesting. ***1/2.
Batwoman "A Lesson From Professor Pyg"
That was super interesting.
Aside from the Professor Pyg stuff being truly horrifying and scary, I am beyond curious where the show goes from here now that we've learned Marcus is a dangerous sociopath. There are a LOT of different avenues the show could explore with that revelation.
The best part? Jada correctly points out sociopaths are charming. Therefore this shocking revelation contradicts none of his previous harmless seeming behavior from the first episodes of the season.
I'm really interested in where this is going. ****1/2.
Doom Patrol "Amends Patrol"
I thought it was funny. Cliff was relatable for the first time ever, and I like where Rita and Madame Rouge ended up with each other.
A little iffy on Jane and Cyborg, and I'm unsure about leaving Cliff in a mecha and Vic in a human body. But Larry seems to be going in the right direction at least.
And the end was pretty much hilarious. "DOOOOOM FORCE!" We'll see if Rouge manages to make amends or not but I DO approve of her trying at least.
Good finale. ****.
The Not-Too-Late Show With Elmo "Busy Philipps"
First boy contestant!
Stephanie the parrot reminds me of H Ross Parrot back in the 1990's. I think they recycled his design for her.
Elmo looks so cute when he's getting dressed.
Cute! ****.
The Blacklist "Avenging Angel"
The end was super dumb. It was so dumb it insulted my intelligence. Red asks for the Angel's blood type, and says she looks about the right size for the heart transplant, and then he shoots her. That's not how donor matches are decided. It's so freaking stupid.
What bums me out is I really liked Red's idea that a person shouldn't be judged by their worst day, but by all the other days. I wish that cool insight hadn't come in such a dumb episode.
The stuff with Ressler and the urine? Dumb. I'm sensing a theme.
I did dig the 90 year woman who was the lead singer of a death metal band. That is very this show and very the company Red Reddington keeps.
But my brains hurts from how stupid that was. **1/2.
