What I remember about Dune from when it first came out is how boring the commercials looked for it. I remember hearing people over the past 14 years say that it wasn't very good either. And I remember looking at a copy of the novel and thinking "that's a thick book".
Well, over the past little while I've become quite the fan of David Lynch and I figured that it was time I gave this rather blahze looking bit of sci-fi a look-see, and I couldn't have been more impressed with what I found: a beautiful, sharp, intense and and overall glorious picture. Sets, costuming, make-up, special effects, and even the score from Toto are all of the highest caliber for their time, and still look absolutely amazing today. The feel of the movie reminded me of Luc Besson's Fifth Element, and I can now see a lot of influence from Dune in that film.
I can imagine the problem that most people had with it was the wealth of information that's thrown at you right from the beginning. There's rarely a moment to pause and think throughout, which may have made it an intense (and unpleasureable) viewing experience for many people. But I think the fact that there is so much to learn about the realm of Dune and the multitude of allusions and vague dream sequences (in typical Lynch fashion) only enhances the film, demanding repeat viewings.
The weak links of the film are the acting and the scripting, and compared to most other films, they are still quite strong. The excess amount of thought voice-overs and narration detracts somewhat, and Kyle MacLachlan, still a young actor at the time, seems to have some difficulty holding the film together. But, the supporting actors, including Kenneth McMillan, Patrick Stewart, Jose Ferrer, and Sean Young help carry any slack that MacLachlin might be leaving.
The tale is too complex to even try to recount here, but the main idea behind it has a war between two ruling houses over the planet Arrakis, which holds the key to the power of the universe. Paul Atredies, the son and duke of one ruling house, is destined to be the planet's and the galaxy's saviour, seeing the downfall of both houses. The film recounts the fulfilling of the prophecy of which Paul is part.
Dune is hands down the best science fiction drama that has ever been put on celluloid, having everything from political intrigue and conspiracy to romance and war. It's truly one of few films that can be called an epic in its own right, and I hope someday it will get the credit it deserves.