The movie Dune Part II destorys Frank Herberts themes
I was very impressed with Dune part I but was disappointed my part II. The love story between Paul and Cheney, which is so important to Frank Hubert's book, was lost. She was turned into an angry and confrontation character on the currently held false belief that for a woman to appear strong she must become antagonistic. Paul and Chaney support each other in the book. In the movie she comes off as selfish and rude. At the end of the book, Chaney knows that Pail is marrying the emperor's daughter for political reasons and will never love or sleep with her. Chaney will bear Paul's heir. She will hold that power. She does not run off in a huff and ride a worm.
The movie leaves out the birth of Paul's sister, Alia, a vital part of the plot of the book because she is born aware and is the first to confront the emperor. She is so powerful, she silences the Bene Gesserit who have been manipulating genetic parings for centuries for their own purposes. Alia stops their plans.
Now, I support strong women in literature and cinema. My books are filled with strong, competent women in major roles. In my fantasy trilogy The Carandir Saga, some wield swords. Still, all are female characters, not testosterone filled male characters with female names. Women are powerful as women and in many respects stronger than men, such as in social power and pain endurance. It is true, women have been subjugated for millennia in many cultures, including the one we currently live in, denied opportunities given to men and treated as property to be possessed. Yet to think a woman has to become a man to succeed sets back woman’s’ rights.
Motion pictures are a different media than books and changes must be made to fit that media where there is only sight and sound. Producers, directors and screenwriters who change the temperament and essence of characters or the themes of the author to fit some current idea of social acceptance, which can change in years or even weeks, are creating their own story and should not label it as the book author's work or title.
Dune Part II makes these mistakes. I realize they set things up for a Dune Part III, but I won’t go to see it.
The movie leaves out the birth of Paul's sister, Alia, a vital part of the plot of the book because she is born aware and is the first to confront the emperor. She is so powerful, she silences the Bene Gesserit who have been manipulating genetic parings for centuries for their own purposes. Alia stops their plans.
Now, I support strong women in literature and cinema. My books are filled with strong, competent women in major roles. In my fantasy trilogy The Carandir Saga, some wield swords. Still, all are female characters, not testosterone filled male characters with female names. Women are powerful as women and in many respects stronger than men, such as in social power and pain endurance. It is true, women have been subjugated for millennia in many cultures, including the one we currently live in, denied opportunities given to men and treated as property to be possessed. Yet to think a woman has to become a man to succeed sets back woman’s’ rights.
Motion pictures are a different media than books and changes must be made to fit that media where there is only sight and sound. Producers, directors and screenwriters who change the temperament and essence of characters or the themes of the author to fit some current idea of social acceptance, which can change in years or even weeks, are creating their own story and should not label it as the book author's work or title.
Dune Part II makes these mistakes. I realize they set things up for a Dune Part III, but I won’t go to see it.
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