Legion of Dune

Back in 1984, there was one film that truly captivated me, and made my inner sci-fi geek giddy to the farthest ends of the galaxy.

It was a film directed by David Lynch and produced by Dino De Laurentiis. A film that I watched several times, and whose trailer is still fresh in my mind - 36 years after I first saw it. A trailer with a line that my mind recalls until now:

"The Planet is Arrakis. Also known as - Dune."

Gosh, thinking of that line makes me geek out already!

Back then, this was already a very high-concept Sci-fi film. From the location, the costumes, the premise - they were all so fantastic! From the sandworms of Arrakis, to how Baron Harkonnen looked and hovered - it was a feast for the eyes and the imagination.

The 80s version had a cast that was a mix of new faces and established actors. The lead role went to Kyle MacLachlan, and if memory serves me right, this was his first film. Also cast in this film was a very young Sting. Plus, there were veteran actors like Max Von Sydow and Francesca Annis. It also had a very young Patrick Stewart, Sean Young and Virginia Madsen. So, it was a powerhouse film.

With that awesome story and cast, it was easy to see why my affinity to this film was so strong. Something that remains until now.

Yesterday, I found out that they did a remake of this iconic film. The trailer popped up on my youtube, so it was automatic to view it.



Come to think of it, a 2020 version would be a good move, considering all the advances in film making. But as other remakes have demonstrated, sometimes technology goes overboard and the narrative suffers. This has been evident in many films the past decade. (Uhrm... Tron...)

That thought is making me wonder whether this 2020 version of "Dune" should be something to watch, or should the 1984 version be the only one in my mind. Because a bad remake can ruin even the original.

Well, it'll be a few more months before they show this in the US. And who knows if this will actually be shown in the Philippines.

So, there's still time to think about it.