Dune 1984

David Michael Newstead | The Philosophy of Shaving

Dune 1984 is a flawed favorite of mine. It’s a not great movie, but if you grew up with it, it has a certain nostalgic charm. They were trying to make the next Star Wars and failed and instead made something else. What ensues is a Jackson Pollock of science fiction chaos that’s beautiful in its own way. A few key actors hold the movie together and give it legitimacy. On reflection though, what really redeems the whole effort is the incredible soundtrack by Toto. That music elevates the project and hints at the kind of film it could have been under different circumstances. The scale. The action. The intrigue. Prophecies and messiahs, holy wars and mind-bending visions. It took another generation for Denis Villeneuve to truly manifest Frank Herbert’s ideas on screen. But in 1984, it was right there in the music, sparking our imaginations and waiting to be realized.