Message-ID: <1563@pucc-h>
Date: Mon, 17-Dec-84 03:53:46 EST
Article-I.D.: pucc-h.1563
Posted: Mon Dec 17 03:53:46 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 18-Dec-84 01:44:49 EST
Organization: your service
Lines: 33
If you enjoyed the book as much as I did, you will be disappointed by the
screenplay's complete inability to encompass the book. Of course this is
what you all probably expected, just wanted to confirm it - go see the movie
like you were planning to (or already have). The movie is reasonably
faithful to the 'main' plot of the book (Atriedes vs Harkonnen), the biggest
let-down, besides above mentioned FLAW extraordinare, is the ending: none of
the awesome power that the book managed to express is present in the movie.
In fact, the mood of the entire movie is so exagerated that it isn't
particularly funny (it seems *everyone* has to whisper mysteriously for about
70% of the movie!). What Herbert was able to pull off so well and believably,
the movie just doesn't. Another big gripe is that the screeenwriter simply
didn't have the ability to translate much of what was going on in the plot
without resorting to listening in to character's thoughts left and right.
Last gripe: since it's obvious they weren't going to be able to to fit in
anything but the main plot, they should have concentrated on making that
much smooth and believable. There were many scenes or dialogues that really
didn't have any meaning in the context of what the movie was presenting.
Sure they were in the book, but wouldn't have made any sense to any poor sod
who hadn't read the book because they didn't relate to anything previously
shown in the movie.
Of course, they must have done something right, 'cause the guy I saw it with,
who hadn't read the book, nor is a devoted SF-lover, liked it and was
inspired to get the book - even after hearing all my bitching! I'm just
very biased and really was praying for much more than the movie gave, that's
all.
--
"and remember, Christmas spirit is -- not what you drink"
Jeff Lewis vvvvvvvvvvvv
{decvax|ucbvax|allegra|seismo|harpo|teklabs|ihnp4}!pur-ee!lewie
^^^^^^^^^^^^