View Full Version : Second Dune mini-series
From a sci-fi newsletter I get:
Children Of Dune To Start
The Sci-Fi Channel has given the green light to begin production on Children of Dune, a six-hour miniseries sequel to its Emmy-winning Frank Herbert's Dune. The miniseries begins production in Prague in April 2002 and is slated to air in 2003.
Dune adapter John Harrison wrote the script, based on Dune Messiah and Children of Dune, the second and third novels in Frank Herbert's six-volume Dune Chronicles series. Richard P. Rubinstein comes back on board as executive producer.
The sequel will continue the story of the Atreides family and recount the fall of Paul's empire, with the future resting in the hands of Paul's heirs, his twin children. No casting has been announced yet.
The premiere of Frank Herbert's Dune in December 2000 was the most-watched program in the history of The Sci-Fi Channel and earned a place among the top 10 of all original basic cable miniseries in the past five years.
Deaks.
I have to say i'm very tempted to buy the mini-series without even seeing it! Is it good?, it certainly looks it!
Have only seen one episode so far (mainly because of a big housemove) but enjoyed that a lot.
I'm probably not the best person to ask if you should buy the mini-series as I buy practically anything resembling Dune without reading reviews etc. I own the TV edit of the film as well as an unabridged audio book that lasts 24 hours! Strangely enough I got into Dune by first playing the point and click strategy / walk around meeting ppl game on the P.C.
Anyway I did like the mini-series and would recommend it although perhaps not at the £30+ over here. Why not buy the standard R1 version for about £14 and then see if there's a special edition coming out. Really looking forward to the new dune mini-series and I'm suprised that they've took so long to give the go ahead. I curse ITV digital for not having Sci-fi but I'll buy the R1 dvd anyway.
I remember them saying that they'll probably make children of dune and god emporer dune (although this will require a good bit of CGI given the main character). If theyt are doing this then why stop there?
Off topic what do people think of the Prequel's (books) I've only read the first two but I've been very impressed and hopefully the final book will be written by them (Brian Herbert & Kevin Anderson I think) next.
Its a little more faithful to the source novel - but is a hugely wasted opportunity.
The direction is poor
The acting is appalling (the actor playing Paul Atriedes has absolutely no charisma at all)
The SFX are among the worst I have seen in recent years.
And the director of photography (who also directed Apoc. Now) must have had his eyes closed all the way through the film - it suffers from an overuse of coloured filters (blue/red/green) to try and convey mood/location.
Unless your a big Dune fan / completist this is one to avoid - stick with David Lynch's interpretation its far better (and shorter :) ).
Scott
I was hugely disapointed with the Lynch version and much prefered the tv mini series. I liked the sandworms and found Atreides more how I had imagined him. The Lady Jessica and Halleck were a disapointment but, Stilgar and Chani were brill.
I also found the Harkonens too gross and over done in the film. In the mini series they are still foul but not repulsive.
nwgarratt
16-03-2003, 22:14
I have just seen the children of dune trailer and it looks a good sequal to the orginal miniseries.
Does anyone know how many parts it is and how long.
Looking forward to the DVD.
It's three 90min parts. I'm halfway through part 2.
Deaks.
nwgarratt
16-03-2003, 22:24
It's three 90min parts. I'm halfway through part 2.
Can you post a message to say what it is like?
Originally posted by nwgarratt
Can you post a message to say what it is like?
hmmmm, it's difficult to compare it to the first as it's so long since I've seen it. I would say there's a little more money on screen this time in terms of FX, sets and costumes, though it still looks a little "cheap".
Story wise it's fairly slow, but I think that's the source material. I haven't read the books but I understand them to be more full of political intrigue than action.
Deaks.
Like McMikey, I'm probably not the best person to ask, as I'm a huge Dune fan (even my pseudonym is taken from Dune Messiah).
The first episode of the second miniseries, called Frank Herbert's Children of Dune and incorporating the books Dune Messiah and Children of Dune, is airing tonight on the US SciFi Channel.
I've seen it, on a *cough* download. (I know, :nono: )
It's great! :clap: :D
The first miniseries was so-so, but this one is an improvement on all fronts. They've got a new director, Greg Yaitanes, who brings a great deal of the visual flair that was missing in the first one. The producers have identified and fixed all the major problems viewers complained about from the first mini (ridiculous costumes, exaggerated lighting, fake-looking backdrops). And the acting and effects have been brought to a new level.
A (R1) DVD release has been announced for May already. I'm going to wait for the inevitable Special Edition.
Nelson Crowe
17-03-2003, 03:43
The first installment aired here tonight, (the original miniseries ran before it, just to remind everyone and/or give them another chance to catch it). Judging by the first night, it's an improvement over the original miniseries (which I liked very much, don't misunderstand). The SFX are all digitally created, and there is an inherent limitation to that, but within that limitation, they're quite wonderful.
I'm looking forward to the intrigue that will develop over parts 2 and 3, and am especially enjoying the interesting turn by the great Susan Sarandon. As pleasant and empathic a person as she apparently is in real life, she has a flair for playing cruelly charismatic characters like this.
In short: very pleased, so far. :thumbs:
nwgarratt
17-03-2003, 10:19
bronso wrote,
A (R1) DVD release has been announced for May already. I'm going to wait for the inevitable Special Edition.
I would thought there wouldn't be a SE of Children of Dune. There was only a SE of the first one as the first release was a mess. It was non anamorphic and only DD 2.0 and had some scenes missing.
THe C.O.D. DVD wiill be have DD 5.1 and anamorphic.
Originally posted by nwgarratt
I would thought there wouldn't be a SE of Children of Dune. There was only a SE of the first one as the first release was a mess. It was non anamorphic and only DD 2.0 and had some scenes missing.
THe C.O.D. DVD wiill be have DD 5.1 and anamorphic.
There was a SE of the first one because they could sell one. :D
This initial CoD release isn't going to be as bad as the first release of the original miniseries, but it's still going to be bare-bones. Only two discs (so 3 hours = low bitrate on one of them), no audio commentaries, and no director's cut.
Having watched it, I'm fairly certain that there are scenes the director would put back in or extend when the constraints of TV (both time and content!) don't apply.
And I also think it's going to be enough of a success to make a 3-disc SE with a director's cut, commentaries and other extras commercially viable.
So yeah, I'm betting on a Special Edition.
nwgarratt
17-03-2003, 18:38
Only two discs (so 3 hours = low bitrate on one of them)
If that is the case, I don't want it, unless it's a 3 disc version. I am not bothered about commentaries, but I just want a version and no missing scenes.
The Karate Kid
17-03-2003, 23:56
Originally posted by SShaw
Its a little more faithful to the source novel - but is a hugely wasted opportunity.
The direction is poor
The acting is appalling (the actor playing Paul Atriedes has absolutely no charisma at all)
The SFX are among the worst I have seen in recent years.
And the director of photography (who also directed Apoc. Now) must have had his eyes closed all the way through the film - it suffers from an overuse of coloured filters (blue/red/green) to try and convey mood/location.
Unless your a big Dune fan / completist this is one to avoid - stick with David Lynch's interpretation its far better (and shorter :) ).
Scott
It aint that bad.
You make this sound like a low budget straight to video film, which it clearly is not, regardless of how you rate the acting and SFX (which aren't too bad for TV)
I actually rate the TV mini series as quite good, not brilliant, but definately worth a look. Certainly achieved more than what Lynchs film did. Even though i prefer the lynch version.
I'm looking forward to Children of DUne.:smokin:
Originally posted by nwgarratt
If that is the case, I don't want it, unless it's a 3 disc version. I am not bothered about commentaries, but I just want a version and no missing scenes.
It's all three episodes on two discs. I'm sure no scenes will be missing as such. I mean, no scenes were actually missing from the first DVD release of FH's Dune, it was exactly what was shown on TV. The European releases had some added nudity that couldn't be shown on American TV. The director's cut added plenty of material that had originally been cut for time.
I hope something similar is going to happen here.
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