Jodorowsky's Dune

[Graham Smith]

Long time fans of Frank Herbert's Dune may recall that there was a failed attempt to make the book into a movie in the mid-70's. The documentary "Jodorowsky's Dune" tells the story of that project.

For nearly two and a half years, Chilean-French director Alejandro Jodorowsky worked with an amazing group of people to produce a movie treatment. The resulting epic tome looked in the film to be at least 6 inches thick and was literally a scene by scene storyboard of the film. Those who have seen it say that it is nothing short of brilliant and would have made an incredible movie.

To understand why no studio would touch it, you have to really see the documentary and understand that Jodorowsky was an avant-garde filmmaker known for his surrealistic work. Studios literally didn't trust that he could produce what he said he could and stay on-track and in budget. And after hearing Jodorowsky comment that he would make the film as long as he wanted, even if it was 12 hrs long, it's not hard to see why.

I have mixed feelings about the fact that the film was never made because I have not been pleased with the changes made to the book in the two movies made so far. After hearing some of Jodorowsky's ideas for the story and the casting, I have the feeling I would have been jumping up and down screaming "NO, NO, NO!" at the screen.

All that aside, this was a fascinating documentary and deserves a viewing.

[AICS308]

I saw the documentary and enjoyed it. Read the book a long time ago in High School around early 70s. Also enjoyed the following books.

I still watch the original movie when it's on. Still have the paperback I read. I've read it more than a few times over the years.