Dune - Part II, another science fiction masterpiece soon in Italian cinemas

Translated by Michela Scappaticci

Having no limits within a finite space-time is one of the characteristics of Cinema that has always fascinated me the most. This is 'tangible' if we look at the compositions that follow one another within the frame, but it is also 'intangible' if we think of the boundlessness of the stories, themes and messages that can be described and explored through the first 'level'.

When I think of this boundless possibility of imagination, I immediately think of the planets and space of Star Wars, one of the sagas that have most marked science-fiction cinema, in some way shaping it.

From there, the story of Dune, which was released in its first version in the 'distant' 1984 with a David Lynch still in the early days of his career as director, came to life in a certain way. At that time, the first trilogy, Star Wars (1977) - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) - Return of the Jedi (1983), had just come to an end and the wave of the genre was only to be ridden. Films of the calibre of 'E.T. -'The Extraterrestrial', under the direction of Steven Spielberg, who had already directed 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' and 'Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark' a few years earlier, were shown in cinemas. Not to mention 'Mad Max', 'Back to the Future' or 'Terminator'.

Returning to the focus of this article, Dune: Part One, comes to life from the book series of the same name written between 1965 and 1985, from the pen of Frank Herbert and remains one of the science-fiction films most subject to remakes and cinematic reworking. As already mentioned, the first version dates back to 1984 and is under the direction of Lynch, a version later followed by the documentary by director Frank Pavich that tells of Alejandro Jodorowsky's project, never realised, to produce a film inspired by the book.

But it is the latter two versions that this article wants to talk about. The direction is, for both films, by Denis Villeneuve, Canadian director, famous to the masses for the film 'Blade Runner 2049', starring Ryan Gosling, sequel to the magnificent 'Blade Runner' (1982) directed by Ridley Scott and starring Harrison Ford and Sean Young (irony of fate?).

Dune - Part I, is certainly an introductory film, magnificent from an aesthetic point of view, somewhat less engaging if one prefers the rhythmic perspective of the film. The setting of Dune is approximately 20,000 years in our future and tells a story revolving around the evolution of humanity over several millennia.

Young Paul Atreides, played by the new French face of Hollywood, Timothée Chalamet, is the result of a breeding programme that has been going on for many generations, orchestrated by the Bene Gesserit sisterhood, a secret and powerful order of women who manipulated the inhabitants of the Imperium.

Ten thousand years before the beginning of Dune, all thinking machines and artificial intelligence had been violently removed from the Imperium during the Butlerian jihad, destroying humanity's ability to travel safely at the speed of light.

In the opening of Dune, however, space travel is possible thanks to the existence of melange, often referred to simply as spice, the most sought-after commodity in the universe. Without it, there would be no trade between the thousands of worlds in the Dune universe and the Imperium would collapse.

In addition, the spice also has properties that greatly prolong the life of those who consume it, and it is of great importance to the Witches of the Good Gesserit who would lose many of their abilities without it. The spice increases longevity, heightens awareness and creates an addiction that if unfulfilled leads to death.

Arrakis, also known as Dune, is the only planet in the universe where Spice can be found. It is a deserted and hostile planet where gigantic worms roam the dunes attacking anything they can pick up. The planet belongs to the Fremen, a population that has developed a suit that does not disperse liquids, which is essential to survive in the hottest desert. Chani and Stilgar, Zendaya and Javier Bardem respectively, are part of it.

At the beginning of Dune, Paul Atreides and his family move to the planet Arrakis, forced into a plot orchestrated by the Emperor and the sworn enemy of Paul's father, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, played by Stellan Skarsgård.

A multi-layered storyline that intertwines the lives and intrigues of so many different and scattered dynasties around the world. We left young Paul struggling with a new culture and settling into a context he has never encountered, what can you expect from the next chapter?

Surely all the answers will be in front of us from 28 February, so let's get ready and head to the cinema for what promises to be a great experience.

Copyright © 2023 - Mondo Internazionale APS - All rights reserved