Big surprise - new Dune director doesn't get it either

[EsperandoAGodot]

But wasn't Berg already spouting off before they chose what's-his-name as the screenwriter?

Has there been any more news about this project?

Didn't one of the hacks say something in one of the interviews about there being a limit on the option, that they had to have a screenplay by the end of the month or it would be lost?

(And wasn't that in September or October?)

They said that at a book signing. And I suppose no news is bad news.

Actually, I'd imagine if the company dropped the project, somebody would have made a big deal about it.

[GamePlayer]

And the worst part is, they're being brazen about it.

But anyway, didn't Berg say that the themes are there but he doesn't really care much about them? I mean that quote needn't be taken quite so terribly. Frankly, it makes him sound like someone who's been working hard on the process of adapting the story for a movie. Dune is a daunting work. In order to distill it and make it into a successful screenplay, you need to figure out where the actual story hangs. For a screenwriter, everything else is themes and window dressing - they don't have the same luxury a novelist does.

So yes, it could just be Peter Berg speaking pedantically and sounding like an ass about something that's really rather benign, i.e. the process of adapting an epic novel into a screenplay.

Or he could be retarded.

I'll take retarded for a thousand, Alex.

Personally, I see little cause to doubt the critics. Not every fan critical of Berg's Dune is demanding the new film follow some narrowly defined list of must-haves as laid down in stone by the geek elite of the all powerful internet. We also aren't being critical just for the sake of being critical. Some of us do have perspective.

What I do see in articles about Berg-Dune is all the wrong ideas. They hire Berg, whose films have all the subtlety and subtext of a UFC match; looks like he learned little from Mann. Then Paramount hires Hollywood's latest hard-on, Zetumer, to pen the thing, who from what I can piece together on this near-unknown, is another pretentious screenwriter that talks Kubrick but writes McG. And then we get shit like this:

As the article notes, "The filmmakers consider its theme of finite ecological resources particularly timely."

Berg: There is a sense in the book that the commodity is driving the train. But I don’t want to hang the story on that. I read the book and really liked it. What I never saw in Lynch’s film was a really strong adventure story. There’s a much more muscular time to be had there.

Now which muscle would that be? The one in Berg's anus? Doesn't sound like he's using the muscle on top of his shoulders, except to stick it through the muscle in his backside.

Seriously, I'm just looking for one sign that the filmmakers understand the material and don't plan Dune as the next I, Robot-in-name-only. But from what I'm reading, the new Dune is well on it's way down the Hollywood gamut into a fate as repackaged, obtuse summer action flick. I want to hear someone involved with the film say they aren't going to focus the film on one subtext like the ecology and instead endeavour to create an adaptation as substantive as possible. I want to hear from some script writer who isn't afraid of the complexity of Dune, but actually embraces the challenge to do the deep, multi-layered world of the novel justice. I want to hear from a DP who says they have a great idea for the visual motif of the film that will work brilliantly with the subtlety of the script. I want to hear from a director who doesn't spout "muscular adventure" for a story that is anything but.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think that's too much to ask from a proper Dune adaptation.

[Omphalos]

But wasn't Berg already spouting off before they chose what's-his-name as the screenwriter?

Has there been any more news about this project?

Didn't one of the hacks say something in one of the interviews about there being a limit on the option, that they had to have a screenplay by the end of the month or it would be lost?

(And wasn't that in September or October?)

They said that at a book signing. And I suppose no news is bad news.

Actually, I'd imagine if the company dropped the project, somebody would have made a big deal about it.

Taht is what I am saying. The bad news is that they are still making the damn thing.

[EsperandoAGodot]

I'll take retarded for a thousand, Alex.

Personally, I see little cause to doubt the critics. Not every fan critical of Berg's Dune is demanding the new film follow some narrowly defined list of must-haves as laid down in stone by the geek elite of the all powerful internet. We also aren't being critical just for the sake of being critical. Some of us do have perspective.

And I didn't mean to imply otherwise. I still see it as a negative, but having spoken to a number of people who write stage and screen adaptations of novels, there's a chance - perhaps a slim one - that what he's saying is nothing all that controversial, despite being poorly phrased.

I don't think it'll be good, but I'd like it to be.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think that's too much to ask from a proper Dune adaptation.

Absolutely not too much to ask.

[Freakzilla]

There is more here than meets the eye. One of the most important things is corporate politics. Big corporations are bureaucracies that often promote people who are best at covering their asses. Such people run scared, fearful of any suggestion they can make mistakes. And they surround themselves with others who run the same way.

Don't take risks.

Find out what succeeds and copy it.

Some of the most successful practitioners plagiarize and steal without a qualm, knowing they can stall their victims for years with expensive legal maneuvers. Creativity often has little to do with movie making except when writing promotional copy.
~FH, Intro to Eye

[GamePlayer]

And I didn't mean to imply otherwise. I still see it as a negative, but having spoken to a number of people who write stage and screen adaptations of novels, there's a chance - perhaps a slim one - that what he's saying is nothing all that controversial, despite being poorly phrased.

I don't think it'll be good, but I'd like it to be.

Most of us want a new Dune film to be good; especially as fans. Look at my posts back on Dumbnovels and you'll see I was all for a new Dune adaptation. But that was before they hired all the wrong people and said all the wrong things in each news story.

Perhaps quotes from the filmmakers were misstated or not given much thought. But taken as a whole, I see more cause to be concerned for this new Dune adaptation than I do for celebration. No one would be happier than I if this new Dune film was an entertaining, faithful adaptation filled with fine performances, wonderful intrigue and a few grand, epic battles. But my analysis of everything so far tells me tis not to be

[EsperandoAGodot]

Agreed. I'm just saying that this particular quote we're discussing is not necessarily a death knell - there's no indication so far that they're handling the material well, but there's no proof yet they're not.

I'm not optimistic, but so far I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt where possible.

[GamePlayer]

Exactly. I think the new Dune is going to suck and that's not based on just one quote. Besides, I've followed more than enough pre-productions through to release to pick up on a vibe I don't like. No ones perfect and I may be wrong, it's just not likely in this case. I'd rather state an opinion and be accused of arrogance than bury my head in the sand when my gut is telling me a turd is coming down the Hollywood sewer pipe

It's all about chance; you make as informed a choice as possible and live with it. Berg-Dune? I'm not taking a chance on that, not based on the people involved or the press released thus far. The cast is going to be really telling; it's either be really awful or a desperate grab at legitimacy. If it's actually good, I'll eat crow

Berg-Dune is a download, as the kids say these days.

[A Thing of Eternity]

I'll see it in theaters, I cant pass that up regardless of how shitty this is going to likely be, but like I've mentioned before, I'll pay for a different movie and then just walk into Dune so KJA doesn't get my money.

[Freakzilla]

For me, it depends on how [well] the promotional copy is written.

[EsperandoAGodot]

We may get a chance to see some of Zetumer's writing soon.

" 'The Infiltrator' is a thinking-man's action movie," Zetumer says. "It's got these big set-pieces, but at the same time it's kind of an anti-James Bond film. It's inspired mainly by John le Carre, but with a good dose of 'The Bourne Identity' thrown in."

If he manages to actually pull that off, I'll at least be more confident in the Script.

Zetumer is working on another dramatic script he wants to set up independently. "Once that's finished, I'd love to do a big science-fiction epic fantasy," he says. "It's about time my characters started having some fun."

Cute. Real Cute.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111796 ... =2607&cs=1

[SandChigger]

My stance remains unchanged: I want it to fail and fail majorly and I want the stench of it to follow these idiots around until they die.

[TheDukester]

My stance remains unchanged: I want it to fail and fail majorly and I want the stench of it to follow these idiots around until they die.

Gotta agree.

I don't feel good about cheering against a Dune movie that is based on FH's work, but I just can't get around the fact that Hacky and The Sidekick will be so involved. There's no two people on earth who have done more to destroy FH's legacy, so why in hell would I want them or their ridiculous movie to succeed?

I'd be happy to cheer for Dune 2010 the minute the two idiots announce they are leaving the project, but that ain't gonna happen. When's the last time KJA ever passed up easy money?

It looks like I'll just stick to my SciFi versions, both of which I like very much. Especially the hats.

[Tleszer]

The hats were the best part. As much as I would like to see a decent movie adaptation of Dune, I don't really want to pay Bri-Bri and Kevvy. Maybe it would make a decent "double feature."

[GamePlayer]

I'm definitely NOT hoping it will fail. Hollywood destroys more than enough fine works of literature with their monstrous adaptations, they won't get my support ruining another, even if all I could contribute is negative word of mouth. I want this film to succeed, but at the rate it's going, not even Muad'Dib himself could see a golden path for this tragic production.

[Freakzilla]

The hats were the best part.

Are y'all trying to piss me off?

[EsperandoAGodot]

I'm definitely NOT hoping it will fail. Hollywood destroys more than enough fine works of literature with their monstrous adaptations, they won't get my support ruining another, even if all I could contribute is negative word of mouth. I want this film to succeed, but at the rate it's going, not even Muad'Dib himself could see a golden path for this tragic production.

That's pretty much my stance. I could care less if BH and KJA are involved so long as they aren't involved enough to mangle it; that is to say, their involvement isn't encouraging, but hey, I'm not willing to write it off because it's supposed to be based on FH's Dune.

So yeah...things aren't looking good, but...it'd be great if they could...

[Freakzilla]

lookin' California but feelin' Minnesota

[SandRider]

[EsperandoAGodot]

My, what a lovely hat!

[SandRider]

[SandChigger]

Hoh! (diva gasp) Does that come in PINK.




You can always rationalize it this way:

It won't be Frank Herbert's Dune.

[GamePlayer]

lookin' California but feelin' Minnesota

I LOVE that song

I'm feelin'
Oh, I'm feeling outshined, outshined, outshined, outshined,

AAAAAHHHHH, yeaaaaahhhaaaaaa!

[Freakzilla]

lookin' California but feelin' Minnesota

I LOVE that song

I'm feelin'
Oh, I'm feeling outshined, outshined, outshined, outshined,

AAAAAHHHHH, yeaaaaahhhaaaaaa!

I love the scene in True Romance where Brad Pit is sitting on the couch smoking a honey bear bong and the mafia walk in while it's playing on the stereo.

The guitar is great, some of the best screams in that song too.

[EsperandoAGodot]

How much of that has to do with the actress, though?

Or do you just have a Victorian fetish?