After the success of Frank Herbert's science-fiction magnum opus Dune, efforts to adapt it as a film began in the mid-1970s, with the movie rights changing hands constantly, and Alejandro Jordorowsky making serious efforts to make a cinematic version come to fruition, but failing. Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis bought the film rights, attaching David Lynch to direct, with the movie's production being nothing short of chaotic, the final product releasing in 1984 to mixed reception and financial failure.

Lynch's adaptation does a decent job following the book, the film occurring in the distant future in the year 10,191, with the known universe ruled by the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV, the spice melange benign the most valuable substance in the universe, extending life and consciousness, and allowing the Spacing Guild to fold space and engage in instantaneous interstellar travel, among other things. House Atreides clashes with House Harkonnen over the substance, found only on the eponymous world of Dune, its real name Arrakis, populated by sandworms and having been the main inspiration for Tatooine in the Star Wars franchise.

Notable cast members include Patrick Stewart, pre-Star Trek, as Gurney Halleck, a troubadour-warrior serving house Atriedes, and musician Sting as Feyd-Rautha, Baron Harkonnen's nephew. The visual effects, costuming, and settings are pretty, but largely scream the 1980s, given a few hairstyles and so forth, alongside weird eyebrows on a few characters. However, there are some effects that haven't aged well like Halleck having a fight with Paul that resembles Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots. The soundtrack, the band Toto having a large part in it, is also notable, even haunting at times, particularly the main theme.

Overall, it's an okay first adaptation, but the acting and dialogue often come across as stilted, hammy, and unnatural. The ending also feels a bit abrupt, but one clever element of the ending credits was the visual matching of the characters with their actors during said sequence. Not bucket-list cinema, and the modern two-part adaptation easily smokes it.

The Good

• Haunting Soundtrack.
• Decent visual effects.
• Follows the book decently.

The Bad

• Acting feels really hammy and stilted at times.
• Some of the visual effects seem dated.
• Screams "the 1980s."

The Bottom Line

Good for a first adaptation, but future adaptations have been better.