What is it?
The 2000 Sci-Fi Channel three-part science fiction TV miniseries Frank Herbert’s Dune.
What is it about?
This is how Metacritic describes this TV miniseries:
This SciFi mini-series is an adaptation by John Harrison of Frank Herbert’s first novel set in the Dune universe.
Frank Herbert’s written six novels: Dune, Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse Dune.
This miniseries focuses on the first novel and was followed by a second miniseries (Children of Dune) focusing on the second and third novel.
In this mini-series, a young man, Paul Atreides, moves with his family to a new planet known as Arrakis.
Paul, his family and a number of political entities become embroiled in a confrontation that will change the course of humanity.
My Thoughts
I can not remember if I got to see any of this on the Sci-Fi Channel back when it came out years ago, I had not read the books and I did not know anything about it back then, but I did end up buying this miniseries on DVD and watching it years ago; and I probably watched it again after I finally did read the books.
This was a TV movie on the Sci-Fi Channel from years ago so the production values were not as good as I would have liked, and it had a more play-like feel to it.
I liked this better than the 1984 Dune movie and I felt that it was more accurate to the books, but the costume design was terrible overall with big goofy and colorful costumes for many characters; and some of the actors and actresses were probably miscast in my opinion, and I did not like their appearance et cetera.
There was also a ridiculous scene where a member of The Spacing Guild made some stupid goofy hand gestures while delivering some dialogue in a cringy goofy way.
Also this miniseries made some mistakes here and there, there was a scene I think where Paul Atreides said a line that Duncan Idaho had said in the book, which made no sense because in the scene Duncan was there so I am not sure why they decided to contradict the book in that scene.
I wish that who ever made the second miniseries, Frank Herbert’s Children Of Dune, would have made this first miniseries because they did a better job in almost every way.
Either way it is good that someone made this, I just wish that it was at least at the same quality as the second miniseries, and I wish that they would have made a miniseries for all of the books.
The end,
-John Jr
John Jr's Blog 