Summary
Few pieces of media can boast an influence as large as that of Brian Herbert’sDunehas had on popular culture. Dune, much likeThe Lord of the Ringsbefore it, had long been considered a book incapable of being filmed. Of those adaptations that were eventually made, or were attempted, each bears the signs of their creator in distinct and sometimes unusual ways.
Jorodowsky’s abortive attemptin some ways informed the film that Lynch would go on to make, meant, at the time, to compete withStar Wars. In this regard, Villeneuve’s adaptation is no different. Certain aspects of the book were cut for time, or for tone, or changed outright. These are some that stand out the most.
6Dr. Yueh’s Betrayal
In Dune, the novel, the character and motivations of Dr. Yueh and his betrayal of House Atreides receive far more detail than a film adaptation could reasonably allot time for. This pairing down of his character is a necessary sacrifice when adapting the story to the screen, at the loss of his own personal history.
In the 2021 film, his duplicity is presented as a twist, whereas in the original novel, this plot line receives far more attention and foreshadowing from a much earlier point.
5Thufir’s Suspicions of Jessica
Going hand in hand with the changes to the subplot involving Dr. Yueh, in the original novel it is Lady Jessica who initially falls under suspicion for the betrayal that is to come. Much of Dune as a series is devoted to the machinations and power-plays of numerous factions spanning years if not generations.
Lady Jessica, along with being the mother of Paul, is also a member of the Bene Gesserit, a mysterious organization of “witches” with even more mysterious goals. At first, the mentat Thufir Hawat suspects Jessica of being the traitor inside the Atreides household.
4Thufir and the Fremen
Another, smaller scene missing from Villeneuve’s adaptation of Dune also involves Thufir Hawat, amentat, or, in essence, a human computer. In this role, he serves as head of security for House Atreides, with the duty of watching over Paul’s development.
In the original novel, Thufir at one point bears witness to a battle between Sardaukar warriors and a group of Fremen, with the Fremen being victorious in the end. Through this encounter the fearsome nature of the Fremen is revealed, who were previously dismissed as little more than nomads.
3Piter, the Twisted Mentat
The character of Piter de Vries, a mentat employed by the Harkonnen family, is one of the casualties of the 2021 film. He is the one who initially discovers how Dr. Yueh, the Atreides doctor, can be manipulated into betrayal.
This role is greatly reduced in the film, with much of his personality from the novel going by the wayside in favor of more important characters and their plotlines. This is, of course, to be expected, as the character eventually meets his end at the hands of none other than the machinations of Dr. Yueh by way of Duke Leto.
2Gurney’s Musical Skills
Gurney Halleck is Warmaster of House Atreides, mentor to Paul, and expert in all things military. These are the aspects of his character that are most emphasized when making the transition from book to film, but Gurney, however, has another side to his personality.
He was fond of playing the baliset, a zither-like instrument, which he accompanied with verse or song as the occasion called for it. A scene featuring this was filmed for the movie, though it was eventually cut from the theatrical version.
1Guild Navigators
In Dune, almost everything revolves around spice. Spice, or melange, is how travel through space can be achieved and is a resource that can only be found on the planet Arrakis. This feat is accomplished by the use of Guild Navigators, who by the consumption of spice are enabled to chart the course of ships on their journey through space with their minds.
These Navigators are not shown in the 2021 film, only agents of the Guild, and were not fully described until Dune Messiah, the sequel. They are nevertheless a background present in the narrative and were featured prominently in the adaptation directed by Lynch.
