The "Dune" experience twice - Watching theatrical in Black&White + Q2
Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2017 9:59 pm
Back in December when my David Lynch obsession started up again (these things goes in cycles for me though i am of course always a fan) i was reading a book on Lynch recommended on here. Can't rememember which one, but if anyone needs quotes i will be able to dig them up, and it mentioned in bypassing that some of the things David wished have done with "Dune" was to make it into a three hour movie and a wish to film it on black and white film stock like his two previous features. At first i thought that was just something he had lightly played with but never truly been serious about, then i came upon another article which stated that he fought to have it made in B&W, a third quote from an interview that he originally wanted it done in B&W. And i'm pretty sure that he has called "Blue Velvet" his first colour film - meaning that it is his first movie where the colour really plays an integral part to the images and story (although i've read that he toyed with the idea of making that black & white as well).
this of course had me thinking what "Dune" would've been like in B&W, could it really work? On a mainstream level it would of course never work, and it would have been a production suicide by Rafaella DeLarentis to agree to something as bizarre as making a big sci-fi epic in the early '80s amidst the original Star Wars craze. A three hour cut would have been feasible though considering they tried to make the entire first book into one film, but we'll get to that later. either way, i wanted to see "Dune" in B&W to see what it would look like.
I popped in the R2 DVD of my "Dune" theatrical cut and changed the colour settings to completely drain out the colours and set the blacks and white/greys to my preferences for what i think would look good for a B&W early David Lynch film. of course there's a difference in filming on original film colour stock instead of using regular and then draining the colour from it, but both processess are done by commercial film studios. i only wanted to see a small sample for myself but i ended up watching the entire film on the edge of my seat -not a scene in colour. Already from the start when the princess head floats in and out of the air, WOW BOB WOW, the early Lynch level was bumped up a knot. Matter of fact many images became more striking and it was much easier to see the resemblance to the same visual artist that made "Eraserhead" and "Elephant Man", visually it became a more logical next step. The early scenes on Caladan, the cheesy special effects, the kidnapping and crashing out in the desert and the meeting of the Fremen, all improved in B&W.. Some scenes felt unnatural in black and white, mainly the last part of the movie with the action and attack scenes (which is already very clumsy). But all in all i did think it improved the movie and as crazy as it sounds I would recommend giving it a try.. if you don't like the experiment after 15 minutes it's a safe bet that you'll find the rest of the exercise stupid and wrong, but if you're like me you'll be suprised by the kinship to "Eraserhead" and "Elephant Man". How could it not be, a black and white movie made by the same young director - who also happens to be one of the most visual and artistic directors out there. Mind you, I would NEVER EVER do this with any other DLK film, it's unimaginable to drain the colour from "Twin Peaks"; "Blue Velvet" and "Wild at Heart" - the colour play a very important part there in a way that i feel it doesn't in "Dune" in the same way. of course some of the lavish production designs are not fully exposed, but the otherwordly feel you get by the B&W is enough compensation.. It's like Lynch has said that with B&W you are already one step into another realm, one step removed from reality as we know it, so it's an easy invite to an other world. and "Dune" has many different worlds to offer
this of course had me thinking what "Dune" would've been like in B&W, could it really work? On a mainstream level it would of course never work, and it would have been a production suicide by Rafaella DeLarentis to agree to something as bizarre as making a big sci-fi epic in the early '80s amidst the original Star Wars craze. A three hour cut would have been feasible though considering they tried to make the entire first book into one film, but we'll get to that later. either way, i wanted to see "Dune" in B&W to see what it would look like.
I popped in the R2 DVD of my "Dune" theatrical cut and changed the colour settings to completely drain out the colours and set the blacks and white/greys to my preferences for what i think would look good for a B&W early David Lynch film. of course there's a difference in filming on original film colour stock instead of using regular and then draining the colour from it, but both processess are done by commercial film studios. i only wanted to see a small sample for myself but i ended up watching the entire film on the edge of my seat -not a scene in colour. Already from the start when the princess head floats in and out of the air, WOW BOB WOW, the early Lynch level was bumped up a knot. Matter of fact many images became more striking and it was much easier to see the resemblance to the same visual artist that made "Eraserhead" and "Elephant Man", visually it became a more logical next step. The early scenes on Caladan, the cheesy special effects, the kidnapping and crashing out in the desert and the meeting of the Fremen, all improved in B&W.. Some scenes felt unnatural in black and white, mainly the last part of the movie with the action and attack scenes (which is already very clumsy). But all in all i did think it improved the movie and as crazy as it sounds I would recommend giving it a try.. if you don't like the experiment after 15 minutes it's a safe bet that you'll find the rest of the exercise stupid and wrong, but if you're like me you'll be suprised by the kinship to "Eraserhead" and "Elephant Man". How could it not be, a black and white movie made by the same young director - who also happens to be one of the most visual and artistic directors out there. Mind you, I would NEVER EVER do this with any other DLK film, it's unimaginable to drain the colour from "Twin Peaks"; "Blue Velvet" and "Wild at Heart" - the colour play a very important part there in a way that i feel it doesn't in "Dune" in the same way. of course some of the lavish production designs are not fully exposed, but the otherwordly feel you get by the B&W is enough compensation.. It's like Lynch has said that with B&W you are already one step into another realm, one step removed from reality as we know it, so it's an easy invite to an other world. and "Dune" has many different worlds to offer