Dune: Part Two (4K Ultra HD + Digital)

I've got copies of all the Dune movies released on disc, so far.As a general rule, if you have not read the books (or talked a lot to people, or done other study) the movies are impossible to follow. Or, at the very least, you won't know how what you are seeing fits into a MUCH larger picture.Part of this is due to the general inability of movies to capture the depth, breadth, subtlety, history, context, side elements, etc. of books. Books often have "narration" explaining the situations/context/circumstances, and the internal thoughts and feelings of characters. Movies tend to include only the most superficial plot elements, and over emphasize the parts that include action. I can very easily imagine people liking the movies, and not having a clue how much is glossed over or completely missing. Mentats, for example.There are 30 (or is it 23?) Dune books. The first 6 were written by Frank Herbert. The rest are written by his son Brian with help from Kevin J. Anderson. Almost everyone (to my knowledge) agree the first 6 are "better". The rest purportedly lack the same "creative genius", mostly expanding details of established plot elements, but are considered worth the read.All-in-all, Dune is considered (by many) to be, the best example of "world building" story telling, ever, bar none (Star Trek, Star Wars, etc.; Even Hobbits/Rings), for scale, scope, depth, complexity, subtly, grandeur, vision etc. Volume one is 592 pages.The 1984 Lynch film covers book one. The director took "serious" liberties with a major plot element ("the weirding way", leaving out some things, and inventing others.). I did read numerous commentaries about the the 84 film, before seeing it. I was able to tell where in the narrative the movie was, but that is the most I can say.Much later (after seeing the BBC versions) I became aware of, and watched, the (even less well known) "Spice Driver Fan Edit" version of the (not well known) extended version of the 1984 movie. The Fan Edit rendition is a BIG improvement over the 1984 film. But, to be fair, by this time I knew a lot more about the "big picture" of the story, so I could better "appreciate" what I was seeing.The 2000 BBC mini-series, being longer, did more-and-better justice to the story. (IMHO, BBC consistently does "a good job").The 2003 BBC mini-series, (same cast with one exception) also being longer, also did commendable justice to the story.Together these cover books one and three but still left a lot out. By the time I saw these (years after their release), I knew enough to appreciate this rendition.I get the feeling that the "theme" of book 2 is generally included in both the Lynch and BBC screen renditions.The 2021 and 2024 Villeneuve films together cover book one. These films are more visually striking that earlier efforts. WOW! The scope and scale of things can be incredible. And having 2 movies to work with (more time), they did a better justice to the "entire" story of volume one (but still left a lot out). The anticipated 3rd film is purported to address book 2.Now (Dec 2024) HBO is doing a 6 episode TV series of based on the 17th book, which is set 10,000 years from now and 10,000 years before the story lines of the other movies. Again, monumental scope. When eventually available, I'll get these on disc. But, for me, this is the least "wow" of all the screen renditions.I never actually read the books (reading learning disability). Having done a lot of reading of synopses and commentaries, talked to many other fans, and having seen every screen version more than once, I now have a much better idea of the "bigger picture". And can, therefore, appreciate all the films (needing/making allowance for Lynch's liberties).If I ever become a trillionaire, I'll make the entire story using as many movies/episodes are are required to make the movie-equivalent of an unabridged version of the story.

I had already seen Dune: Part Two before purchasing this set, and I knew it was a film I had to own in my collection. It arrived in perfect condition, and after watching it again in the comfort of my home, I still loved it. I've seen plenty of movies in my life, but this one was one of the rare few that truly blew me away, even as the end credits were rolling. The visuals are stunning, the sound is intense and immersive, and you can feel every character’s emotion throughout the movie. While many felt that the first film was a bit slow, Part Two makes up for that and ramps up both the story and the action. By the time the credits rolled, I was just sitting there, hit with that rare feeling of both satisfaction and anticipation.Dune: Part Two isn’t just a great sci-fi film; it’s one of the best cinematic experiences I’ve ever had.

Of course I have heard for years about the Dune novels and I have been vaguely aware of some attempts to make some films. I have never known anything about the actual plot or characters of Dune. A couple days ago I watched Dune 1 and was really taken in. What a brilliant and beautiful film with such terrific actors. It's a very dark movie, so that bummed me out some, but still really gripping. So then I started watching Dune 2 at 1 a.m. Fell asleep for a couple of hours and then finished it around 6 a.m. What an amazing movie is Dune 2! Dune 1 is terrific, and Dune 2 is about ten times better still--and not quite as dark. I love the beautiful cinematography, the powerful music, the brilliant acting, the compelling story. My favorite performance in this is maybe that of Javier Bardem--such a natural with the role as one of the Fremen leaders. And Timothee Chalamet, holy cow, what an extraordinary performance as the central figure in the film. Zendaya is awesome too, as are many others. I am aware the director had to simplify the book and take certain liberties--for my part, I think he succeeded wildly.