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Conference noted::sf

Title:Arcana Caelestia
Notice:Directory listings are in topic 2
Moderator:NETRIX::thomas
Created:Thu Dec 08 1983
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1300
Total number of notes:18728

1077.0. "One more view..." by FRUST::HAMILTON () Wed Jul 01 1992 09:46

    In my experience, movies that have the breadth of a vignette but that
    explore this limited subject matter in depth usually succeed, if well
    done.  Movies that try to present more subject matter than that usually
    fail because they end up trivializing it. "Dune" is a case in point as
    far as I'm concerned.  While it was interesting to see certain chapters
    or themes visualized on the screen (and I believe this was well done),
    what was lacking was the long spun out narrative underneath to give
    a foundation or setting to what was seen. I remember thinking as I 
    watched the movie "Thank God I read the book or I wouldn't have any
    idea how this all fits toghether into any sort of coherent narrative".
    Having asid that, I don't see how the Foundation trilogy can be effect-
    ively done as a movie. I believe the only viable vehicle for works of
    this scope is the mini-series where we get see and digest a chapter a 
    week. Unfortunately, trying to get the requisite depth & quality out
    of the TV networks is probably more difficult that is the case for
    Hollywood. The one exception to this which imediately comes to mind
    is "Shogun" which I thought was excellent.7 
    
       
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1077.1..was addedOLDTMR::FOXFri Jul 03 1992 22:534
    "Dune" came to TV as a two part mini-series format with narrative and
    background added to turn a 2.5 hr movie into a 4 hour hour series.
    
    
1077.2DKAS::KOLKERConan the LibrarianSat Jul 04 1992 22:126
    reply .0
    
    As a movie "Dune" was soooo baddd that it should have been made to
    viewed with Polaroid(tm) glasses.
    
    
1077.3fairs fair SNO78A::NANCARROWSun Jul 05 1992 11:4412
    re .1
    	Is that true that there is a mini-series for DUNE ( or at least
    a decent length movie for it !).
    
    					mike N.
    
    p.s I don't think it was that bad it just required about 5 hours more
    	but try to sell a 7 1/2 hr movie to a movie house nowadays.
	I have sympathy for the director and producer the reports I heard
    	said the majority of the movie was left out to cut the time
    	down for some of the low interest rate movie moguls(morons).
    
1077.4OOPS...FRUST::HAMILTONMon Jul 06 1992 07:1214
    This note was originally meant to be a REPLY. I sort of goofed when I
    entered it by typing "write" instead of "reply". What's worse, I can't
    find the note I was replying to. 
    
    In any case the theme running through the original note concerned how
    bad most Hollywood attempts at presenting good SF were. I really do
    feel that the mini-series is one of the great inventions of our time.
    Imagine the Foundation series in this form, running as long as, say
    "Knot's Landing", with characters being written into and out of the
    story as it progresses. This is the one scenario where television
    in my opinion could equal or even surpass literature. 
    
    Scott
     
1077.5MILKWY::ED_ECKRambo Among the RosesMon Jul 06 1992 12:426
    
    Herbert had a note in _Eye_ (collection of his short stories) that
    Laurentis had filmed enough material to bring _Dune_ out as a
    miniseries, and was thinking of doing so.
    
    E.