Dune - A Perfect Adaptation of (Half) a Novel by Conrad Gardner

Frank Herbert’s Dune is a rich and complex story of interplanetary politics, wars, and a people whose home is being stripped of its natural resources. But among all these larger themes, it is the tale of Paul Atreides, a boy who is plagued with precognitive dreams. Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part One is the latest adaptation of the landmark sci-fi novel. The first half, anyway, since the film ends by the novel’s halfway point. Villeneuve brilliantly adapts the novel for the big screen in several ways, but here are the key elements that make it the perfect adaptation of one of my favourite novels.

The Visuals and Sound

Dune is a story that cannot be told without a sense of awe and scale. Villeneuve (Incendies, Arrival, Blade Runner: 2049) understands the epic scale of the story. He and cinematographer Greg Fraser (Zero Dark Thirty, The Mandalorian, 2022’s The Batman) shoot the desert planet Arrakis, aka Dune, and Caladan – where we first meet the young Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet)— with a vastness that leaves viewers’ mouths agape.

This isn’t to say that more intimate scenes are shot the same way. One scene cuts from an enormous ship rising out of the seas in Caladan to a shot of Paul placing his hand in a puddle of water, a resource that is precious on Arrakis. It is Villeneuve’s understanding of the epic and the intimate that makes the visuals in Dune so compelling to watch. But, visuals are nothing without the correct aural accompaniment. Half of film is sound, after all. Legendary composer Hans Zimmer provides a score that puts the ‘opera’ in ‘space opera’, and elevates the film’s aura. Sound designer Mark Mangini (Mad Max: Fury Road, Blade Runner 2049) gives us overwhelming noise in the midst of a battle, and scarce sound during emotional scenes between characters such as Paul and his mother, Jessica.

Knowing Where to Trim Scenes and Leave Things Out.

Dune is filled with technology, religion, politics and more– only a few of the reasons it has been infamously difficult to adapt. While many of these features can work in a novel, they can be difficult to translate on-screen. Numerous scenes of worldbuilding and subplots are streamlined and made accessible for audiences who are unfamiliar with the source material. Villeneuve takes advantage of his medium and portrays a large amount of the written descriptions on-screen, sparing audiences from too much exposition, while subplots that occupy multiple chapters – such as Jessica being suspected of betrayal – are removed.

Pages of tension and internalised thoughts can be turned into an exchange of glances that give us the key information. All these decisions help Part One to move along at a much more rapid pace, whilst taking time to dazzle viewers with spectacle.

Whilst I believe Dune: Part One to be a perfect adaptation of Herbert’s novel, there is the caveat that it is merely the first part of a longer work. However, the film ends on a note that pushes Paul towards his destiny and gives viewers a hint of what is to come next on his journey, which accelerates as the novel continues.

Getting Paul Right

As I’ve described earlier, for all its grand scale and complex themes, at its core, Dune is Paul’s story. While Herbert’s novel follows numerous characters, Paul is our protagonist, and his journey carries us into the latter half of the novel.

As Paul, Timothée Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name, Beautiful Boy) once again demonstrates why he is viewed as one of the best actors of his generation. From his physical appearance – Paul is at one point described as a ‘stringy whipcord of a youth’ – to understanding Paul’s emotional restraint in many scenes, Chalamet navigates the role with deft precision.

In a scene where Paul must withstand a test of nerve induction by putting his hand in a box, Chalamet transitions from unbearable pain to mastering his fear and frightening his torturer in a few seconds. In the hands of a lesser actor, the role of Paul, and as a result, the film, could have crumbled under an abundance of overacting and angst.

In Closing

To conclude, Denis Villeneuve has beautifully brought Frank Herbert’s iconic novel to the big screen. Dune is complete with a magnificent cast, including Chalamet, Javier Bardem, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Jason Momoa and Oscar Isaac, all of whom deliver strong performances, and effects work equal to any blockbuster being released.

Part Two has been greenlit and is projected for release in 2023, so Paul’s quest will be brought to its conclusion. Be sure to see Dune Part One before its sequel is released, and immerse yourself in a world unlike any other. Though there is not much yet known about the sequel, one can hope that it is as thrilling as Part One.

Dune Part One is in cinemas now.

Edited by Megan O’Neil