Based on the science fiction literary epic created by the
late Frank Herbert, Dune was a bold attempt on the part of visionary filmmaker
David Lynch to create another imaginative universe in the same vein as Star Trek
and Star Wars (although Herbert’s universe predates both of those properties).
Taking place several thousand years in the distant future, when the human race
has not only colonized the galaxy, but also has created a vast empire that is
held together by the Spacing Guild, a monopoly of super evolved humans who have
the ability to "fold" space on their own, thus enabling space travel across vast
distances. The Spacing Guild navigators use the spice Melange for the source of
their powers, a spice which can only be found on one planet: Arrakis, a desert
world that is also known as Dune.
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At the start of the movie, the Emperor Shaddam the Fourth (the late Jose Ferrier
in a truly commanding performance) receives an unusual visitor to his palace: a
third stage Guild navigator, which is a human being so far evolved that he is no
longer truly human. But along with his ability to "fold" space, the third stage
Navigator also has extraordinary prescient powers, and he has picked up a plot
hatched between the Emperor and House Harkonnen, which is currently
administrating Arrakis. With the Emperor’s help, the Harkonnens are plotting to
rid themselves of their most hated enemy, House Atreides. By relinquishing
control of Arrakis to the Atreides--under the Emperor’s command--the Harkonnens
hope to get their adversaries out in the open and vulnerable. When the
Harkonnens attack, they will be aided by the Emperor’s dreaded Sardaukar troops.
Yet despite the Emperor’s assurances that the spice will continue to flow from
Arrakis no matter what happens, all will not be well with the Spacing Guild
Navigator unless the Emperor meets with a very specific, and a very strange,
demand: that Paul Atreides (Kyle MacLachlan), the son of the Atreides Duke Leto, be killed.
When it was first released in 1984, Dune was considered to be a major flop and
indeed it was, at least financially. I recall when I first saw it, I could not
make heads or tails out of the whole story. Yet the film still satisfied me on a
visceral level. It has a power which commands attention, due in no small part to
David Lynch’s "out-of-the-box" vision, Anthony Masters’ ingenious production
design, as well as the marvelous cast which has been assembled to play the
various parts in Herbert’s epic drama, led by Kyle MacLachlan, who, in his film
debut, is very good as Paul Atreides.
Other superb performances include
Francesca Annis, as Lady Jessica, Paul’s kind-hearted yet steel-willed mother;
Siân Phillips as the intimidating Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam; Brad
Dourif as the devious Piter De Vries; Max Von Sydow as Dr. Kynes and a pre-Star
Trek Patrick Steward as Gurney Halleck. Dune was reedited from its original
theatrical version of 137 minutes and premiered on the Sci-Fi Channel in a
special edition that ran three hours (although when it aired, it was actually
four hours with commercials). This new version had about a half an hour’s worth
of new footage cut back into the film, and it is much better for it. The problem
was that this was done without Lynch’s involvement or blessing, and so he had
his name removed from the reedited version, placing Alan Smithee as the director
and Judas Booth as the writer. 
Both of these versions are available on the new DVD. And while the reedit may be
nothing new for those who have seen it on the Sci-Fi Channel, it is presented
here for the first time in widescreen, along with a refurbished picture and
sound. This is presented on a single side of the flipper disc, with the original
theatrical version presented on the opposite side, along with several special
features, such as deleted scenes, and various features which look at the
production of the film, such as the production design, costumes, and special
effects. There’s no audio commentary, as can be expected since Lynch was not
involved in this DVD. 
It’s a shame, because when I recall how Paramount graciously allowed director
Robert Wise to rework Star Trek: The Motion Picture for its DVD release--in the
process, turning that flawed film into a must-have DVD--I can’t help but feel
Universal dropped the ball with their Dune DVD. There is a decent movie here,
and while the expanded version is better, it’s still a very flawed film that's
been badly edited. One can only
wonder what Dune would be like had it been truly given the special edition
treatment on DVD with the full participation of Lynch. --SF