Frank Herbert’s epic novel Dune was long considered unfilmable. Master director David Lynch failed when creative control over his 1984 version of Dune was taken away from him. To this day he doesn’t want to talk about the result. According to many fans, only Denis Villeneuve managed to bring the sci-fi project appropriately to the big screen with his Dune two-parter.
Long before the new Dune films and Lynch’s failure, cult director Alejandro Jodorowsky (El Topo) dreamed of adapting Herbert’s story as a monumental work pushed the boundaries of cinema would have. The stirring documentary about his broken dreams is called Jodorowsky’s Dune and you can stream it for free in the Arte media library.
Jodorowsky’s Dune combines unimaginable sci-fi ambitions with sympathetic megalomania
In the documentary, the director talks about his over-ambitious plans for his Dune film adaptation preferably for 10 to 14 hours would have become! The artistic and creative staff that Jodorowsky chose to assemble in front of and behind the camera for his vision of the sci-fi epic sounds nothing short of incredible.
While the celebrated rock band Pink Floyd, among others, was supposed to compose the film music, the director wanted personalities such as the legendary painter Salvador Dalí, Citizen Kane director Orson Welles and The Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger to appear in acting roles.
The director also wanted to use the designs of the Swiss illustrator HR Giger. His designs were ultimately used for one of the best sci-fi horror films of all time: Ridley Scott’s Alien – The eerie creature from a strange world.
Check out another clip from Jodorowsky’s Dune here:
Jodorowsky’s Dune – Clip (English)
In addition to the director himself, other voices have their say in Jodorowsky’s Dune to rave about the dream project that was never realized. These include, for example, Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn and producer Michel Seydoux. In the end the film is one Intoxicating contemporary document about dreams and ambitionsthat shatter at the boundaries of reality. Individual elements have nevertheless left their mark on film history.
You can currently still play Jodorowsky’s Dune until August 18, 2024 Stream in the Arte media library.