I would love to see the “lost” footage mentioned in this article. Would make a great expanded mini series for some streamer. I know after this flopped that a four hour version ended up in syndicated TV, but this article mentions there’s like seven hours of cut scenes!
When I watch a Villeneuve sci-fi it all feels very safe and respectable, like the folks involved don’t want to stray too far from the source material and invite any controversy into the production or reception of the film.
It all feels very slick and clever the way advertising and marketing often does.
I enjoyed the film, but in no way did I feel like anyone involved had anything to say or any personality of their own.
The 80s Dune oozes personality and creativity.
I mean there was at least one rather substantial change in Arrival from the Chiang short story that made it pretty different from my perspective. Wasn’t aware there was source material for 2049 beyond the screenplay. Adapting Dune is another animal to be sure. But I’m not sure about the generalization to all of Villeneuve’s sci-fi.
Well. I hate when directors come in to an already strong story and make a bunch of unnecessary changes for no reason. Watching the new Dune movie, I felt that it had been made by people who actually had an amount of respect for the source material, rather than as a vehicle for whatever “vision” they felt like shoehorning into it.
80s Dune was good and wild, it wasn’t Dune.