Dune, The Movie: Good vs. Evil

What is the message of Dune? How does the 1984 movie, directed by David Lynch, differ from the book by Frank Herbert? While the viewer roots for the House of Atreides, even they represent a future endlessly dominated by old-style oligarchy - the perpetual enemy of freedom. Is Frank Herbert catering to our fascination with feudalism? Or is he trying to shake the reader awake? Science fiction author David Brin comments on the social implications of Dune.

David Brin's books include The Postman, Startide Rising,and The Uplift War, as well as his non-fiction work, The Transparent Society, which deals with issues of privacy and secrecy. For more information about David Brin, visit his website: http://www.davidbrin.com/
Twitter:http://twitter.com/DavidBrin1
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/David-Brin/22358129265

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• cherylb801
• David Brin
• Dune
• Frank Herbert
• Lord of the Rings
• Tolkien
• Star Wars
• science fiction
• fantasy
• Atreides
• Harkonnen
• feudalism
• oligarchy
• Brin
• good
• vs.
• evil

[EXDE601E]

@DoctorB9 yes, but we mustn't take the words of the God Emperor for granted. Remember, we was trying to teach humanity a lesson, the lesson they/we failed to learn all these millenia, to stop looking for guidance from an all powerful God-Emperor and to make out own choices and destiny.

[darrylsloan]

When I read the Dune novels, I realise I'm being guided by somebody who's much smarter than me. It doesn't often happen when I read fiction, and it's fabulous when it does.

[thekwizatshaderach]

Fear is the mind killer.

[Ulieq]

Interesting. So when will the next Uplift novel come out! I can't wait to see what comes next!

[MingleMediaTVNetwork]

Love your provocative nature!

[ProfessorDJINN]

It seems Herbert was trying to hint at imperialism. The native people of IRAQis (sp) , the mujaheddin, would have been equally bad off under the Americans (Atrates) or the Soviets (Harconin) . And in true western fantasy style, the poor natives could not prevail until the sophisticated European took an Indian name (Dances with Spice Worms) and switched sides. :-)

Also I read your teasers on the uplift sequels, hurry please, I am one of your completeness nerds. What happens to the sooners?

[PtAltmVansanTarr]

@bookmanpc I meant design.

[PtAltmVansanTarr]

@bookmanpc aren't choices narrow by chance as well as dewing

[DoctorB9]

Interesting take on Dune. I am not sure I agree that Herbert intended the books to be a warning. In the later books, The God Emperor Leto speaking (I believe) in Herbert's own voice, is extremely critical of democracy and liberalism. The later books seem to suggest that we as a species are fundamentally unable to make liberal government work, and that we revert to feudalism as a less bad system. This is at odds with Brin's own work.

[Jacnas]

@bookmanpc Not Star Trek. Star Trek portrays a world of opportunity; it's not just a tale of mythic heroes, significant and deliberate effort was made especially in ST:TNG to show how egalitarian and progressive it is. ST:TNG gives the little people their 5 minutes everywhere it can. Wherever it doesn't go further with this is explainable in terms of the constraints of it being a TV series.