Terrible special effects, incomprehensible dialogue and textbook wooden acting -
and it's still great!
In college my wife worked at a Suncoast Movie Co. in Seattle, and she said it was probably the biggest mover of all the pre-1990 films. This infamous flop has some magical attraction to it that continues to draw viewers, despite dire warnings from stodgy acquaintances. That attraction is the indelible mark of Lynch, whose mark has never failed him, even in his lesser work - with the exception of the unspeakably bad Twin Peaks movie (and what a let-down that was).
Not many people seem to know that after the success of Lynch's "The Elephant Man," George Lucas offered him the chance to direct a movie called "Revenge of the Jedi," but Lynch didn't take it. In some other plane, the world is a much different place, with Lynch's name and very subdued mark on "Return of the Jedi." I believe Lynch turned the offer down because he knew he would be on a tight leash, whereas good old Dino and his Mexican stages would leave his hands untied (until the money started running out - those process shots!).*
There are so many campy things in this movie, that even for first-timers to Herbert or Lynch, or non-believers in the whole genre of sci-fi, that it's still fun to watch despite its crippled, top-heavy nature (unlike "TP: Fire Walk with Me"). McLachlan's hair helmet, Sting's one-note performance (I think he has only one line, which he merely emotes a little differently each time: "I WILL kill him," "I will KILL him," etc.), and the poor decision (probably made by Lynch at wit's end) to have many characters spell out the gears of the plot with dubbed thoughts (and it's still hard to follow to those who haven't turned the pages). I think the opening 15 minutes is by far the best section of the movie, but others swear the entire film "RULES." Great sets, great costumes, and look for Lynch himself as a spice harvester... "But, sire, THE SPICE!"
My opinion on the series is that it gets progressively more lame with each book. I've read the first one twice, and once anxiously dove into the series. The second book is good. Then, Herbert seems to have taken a cue from Dickens and written the rest to pay the rent.
* Duwayne Dunham, one of Lynch's editors ("Blue Velvet," the Twin Peaks pilot), did end up cutting ROTJ. After the TP gig folded, he went on to do kids movies. (!?)
and it's still great!
In college my wife worked at a Suncoast Movie Co. in Seattle, and she said it was probably the biggest mover of all the pre-1990 films. This infamous flop has some magical attraction to it that continues to draw viewers, despite dire warnings from stodgy acquaintances. That attraction is the indelible mark of Lynch, whose mark has never failed him, even in his lesser work - with the exception of the unspeakably bad Twin Peaks movie (and what a let-down that was).
Not many people seem to know that after the success of Lynch's "The Elephant Man," George Lucas offered him the chance to direct a movie called "Revenge of the Jedi," but Lynch didn't take it. In some other plane, the world is a much different place, with Lynch's name and very subdued mark on "Return of the Jedi." I believe Lynch turned the offer down because he knew he would be on a tight leash, whereas good old Dino and his Mexican stages would leave his hands untied (until the money started running out - those process shots!).*
There are so many campy things in this movie, that even for first-timers to Herbert or Lynch, or non-believers in the whole genre of sci-fi, that it's still fun to watch despite its crippled, top-heavy nature (unlike "TP: Fire Walk with Me"). McLachlan's hair helmet, Sting's one-note performance (I think he has only one line, which he merely emotes a little differently each time: "I WILL kill him," "I will KILL him," etc.), and the poor decision (probably made by Lynch at wit's end) to have many characters spell out the gears of the plot with dubbed thoughts (and it's still hard to follow to those who haven't turned the pages). I think the opening 15 minutes is by far the best section of the movie, but others swear the entire film "RULES." Great sets, great costumes, and look for Lynch himself as a spice harvester... "But, sire, THE SPICE!"
My opinion on the series is that it gets progressively more lame with each book. I've read the first one twice, and once anxiously dove into the series. The second book is good. Then, Herbert seems to have taken a cue from Dickens and written the rest to pay the rent.
* Duwayne Dunham, one of Lynch's editors ("Blue Velvet," the Twin Peaks pilot), did end up cutting ROTJ. After the TP gig folded, he went on to do kids movies. (!?)