The failed Jodorowsky adaptation had a positive side effect. HR Giger was involved in the production designing the Harkonnen where he met Dan O'Bannon. Once the project failed O'Bannon returned to the US and started working on what would become Alien. The rest is history. As for the game, the Amiga game is a fuzzy memory at this point, but I vividly remember the first time I visited a Fremen water reservoir and the game established its rarity so it somehow made an impression.
Kim, I have listened to all your FF reviews videos and several of the Top 50s and 100s... i love your selections as the are often well thought out and refreshingly surprising. I also love the amount of information you uncover in your comprehensive documentaries. I truly loved this particular game on PC cd. Very well done, great voice clips and sound. A joy I reacquaint myself with every few years. Thank you for this. Great content!
I replay the original Cryo 'Dune' every other year. It is by far one of my favourite games of all time and I don't see that ever changing. i do hope with a new movie adaptation in the horizon, new 'Dune' video games get released but they will have an awful lot to live up to...
You know I never played the game, but I loved the film, even as a kid. I had no idea what was going on,, too young but for me it was a magical world with those huge worms and visuals for its time. I got me dad to rent it 3 times in a row from the rental shop.... ahhh I miss those too, what an experience they was on a Friday night.... crisps, 2 liters of rocket fuel coke and the biggest bag of Butterkist popcorn!
Same loved the film as a kid, they don't make epic space opera like that anymore, it really fascinated me. It's a masterpiece the director even tried to make such a big book into a film! He succeeded in creating that epic world in film.
Always happy to see Cryo's Dune get the attention it deserves. The 1992 PC-CD re-release was a real marvel - full voice acting with animated lip sync, new 3D-rendered flight sequences, and Stephane Picq's soundtrack still as strong as ever. What I'd give to see it appear on GOG.com someday. Also, perhaps somewhat ironically: Despite their success with their first Dune game, Cryo would soon fall victim to the Dune curse. Their 2001 game adaptation of the Sci Fi miniseries was a commercial and critical failure, and their MMO-RTS "DUNE Generations" ultimately went unreleased as the company went bankrupt in 2002.
Terrific stuff. I never had either of the games back in the day, but Amiga Power always raved about them [more so Dune 2] and they were always in the Complete Control section [cheats, hints tips] which meant people were playing them for years after release. I have since played them both on an emulator, and they are fascinating games.
Wow. So glad you made this film about Dune. Okay, so I have always loved David Lynch's films and I always thought the 84 film was very good. Back in the day I mistakenly called it the 'Poor mans Star Wars,' but, knowing what I do now - I'd like to go back in time and cuff that boys ears because. Basically Star Wars is the poor man's Dune. I loved Dune 1 and 2 as games - having played both in the day on the faithful old Amiga. They were like my go-to games. Recently decided to sit down and finally read the 6 books. At the end of the fifth. 6th one waiting. It's interesting the history of the film productions. That Ridley Scott was onboard for a while - then made Blade Runner (and of course Alien before it), that DeWhat'shisname made Bladerunner 2049 and is now on board for the Dune reboot. There are a lot of similar themes in the Alien / Bladerunner and Dune films. All based on good American 50s /60s /70s sci fi novels. I really hope if there is a film franchise reboot and they do all Herberts 6 books new games will come with them. I only wish I could be a part of working on them....! I love everything Dune and its taken a lifetime to absorb it all.
Dune entranced me with its music and style when I found it, and it led me to read all the books in the series. Zoning out to "Chani's Eyes" or other tracks while flying over the desert in twilight hits a spot no other game has managed. It's such a melancholy game I think, the lonely sietches, the angular palaces, the strange people carrying the weight of the universe on their shoulders. It really captures that aspect of Herbert's book quite well. Speaking of Chani's Eyes (my favorite track), it really pays to listen to it and the rest of the music on the pretty rare Adlib Gold soundcard, which was what composer Stephane Picq was using. The whole thing is just superb. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-SPEDAR7qWRI.html
I'm probably one of the rare people that like the Mini-Series on TV. OMFG, I just got to the Limmy's Show part Kim... omfg, WRONG WAY DOWN A ONE WAY STREEEET!
Another fantastic video, Kim :) Imagine if they went through with the 14 hour film version, and cut it up like modern day cinema, into separate films released within a very short time period. Maybe 5 films in total, released within 5 years? I suppose it'd cost a fortune, but like you said, studios were giving everyone tons of cash! Oh well, guess it's just a fantasy!
Great video, Kim! Really enjoyed that. I actually loved the film as a kid, despite its reputation, although certain bits always freaked me out. Dune II: Battle for Arrakis was the game that I loved. I must've played that for countless hours back then.
BRAVO KIM. Another great video. As someone who has almost no interest in Dune, Ive never read the book or seen the Lynch IE Smithee version, nor played the game, but I did see the Sci-Fi channels mini which i enjoyed a bit and did see the documentary about the failed making of Dune, I always imagine an alternate reality, going to the cinema and seeing a triple feature of Jodorowsky's Dune, Gilliams' The Man Who Killed Don Quixote and Buckaroo Banzai Vs The World Crime League. Suffice to say with little interest on the topic,I enjoyed the video a lot, was entertained all the way through and must admit I am tempted to seek the game out as it looked really cool. Great work.
Thanks so much for this video, it brings back some really sweet memories! I actually never REALLY played the first game, I barely understood English back in the days and I remember the game kept crashing for some reason. I also found out about it after getting hooked on Dune 2 (which I played through an unimaginable number of times with all 3 houses - most of the songs are stuck in my head to this day) so I was a bit confused by it. Also, anyone remember Dune 2000? It was basically a Command and Conqueror reskin, but I still loved it. Also liked Emperor: Battle for Dune a lot. Sigh, good times. The movie I thought I liked, but dang, I hated the mini series - really hungry for that new Dune movie and while I don't think it'll happen, I really wish it'd result in the birth of a good new Dune RTS as well. God, I miss Dune.
I could never figure out how to play the original Amiga game back in the day (maybe I was too young ). I remember being introduced to Dune 2 on a friend's PC though and how completely enthralled I became. Another wonderful video :)
I never read the book or saw any screen plays of Dune (including the recent 2021 film) but what I played to death was Dune 2000 on my Amiga, RPG was totally new to me at the age of 21 and despite toying with early C&C my best memories of real-time RPG stopped with Dune and I never got back into the genre... Great history, thank you
One of my all time favourite Amiga games. I spent most of the 1992 Summer holidays playing this beauty. A fantastic video that does the game justice (See what I did there ☺)
I played both the dune games but it's always the first that I fondly remember due to the many great strategy games that replaced me memories of dune 2. Thanks for the great video bringing back some great memories, I really should go back and play the first game again.
Hey great video kim. Keep up the great work your still one of the best channles on youtube. I loved dune the battle for arrakis on the mega drive as a kid still one of my favorite battle strategy games of all time . I searched high and low for the sega cd version as a kid and necer could find it even ordered it along with snatcher back in the funcoland days. But they never showed up. Hopefully ill get the chanxe to play it someday becouse hell i still have the hardware to play them being a collector and all. Any ways thanks again kim yoyr a jem.
Another great one Kim. I've got a big soft spot for the Lynch Dune, I like it a lot, but as a big fan of Jodorowsky, thinking what might have been is almost painful.. I try very much to stay away from hype culture, but the fact that Blade Runner 2049 is such an excellent film has made me kind of excited about the possible Villeneuve version.
amazingly crafted documentary Kim as usual you rock in this given format, yet I lone for your old genesis/ megadrive review format, maybe one day my dear friend.
Lovely, great choice Kim for a deep dive on a video. Have a lot of love for the Dune games. Funny how games were licensed and released long after they were current. Doesn’t happen so much these days.
No idea you were well versed in cinema too! You are absolutely awesome Kim and the your standards stay as high as ever. I played Dune 2, then 1, then saw (and bought) the movie. Loved it no matter what the critics said.
Awesome video as always Kim. With the recent controversy over EA's Star Wars Battlefront 2, I'd love to see you cover the two LucasArts and Pandemic games from the early 2000's, they're some of my favourite games of all-time.
Good shit, Kim. I know its a short story and a rather short point and click, but "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream" is also an interesting tale of adaptation. Also reminds me of the first Darkseed game too for some reason. Anyway, thanks for the video
Good work on this Kim. I had read about Westwood's Dune but I had no idea this existed. Also, unrelated but, may I suggest you make a fade out- fade in effect for the places where the ads play in the video?. I don't mind the ads themselves but having them cut-in in the middle of the video is kinda jarring.
Great piece. I love the film and think it is one of the most atmospheric sci-fi films made. For me it really captured the otherwordliness and scope of the author's universe.
Dune 2 was quite the opposite. The pc version had not only slightly impressive graphics, but all of the voices were cut out and replaced with simple sounds and some really cheesy music queues.
dune wasn't that bad, might be lynch's worst effort, but then again lynch is a top artist in his own right, even his worst stuff has at least some charm.
1st time I saw dune was a game master review was amazing seeing them worms ... finally got it on the Amiga as as you said that music is fantastic and still played it as a mod .. watched the film around 10 years ago and didn’t get it .. really great in depth video Kim very much enjoyed
When it comes to movie adaptations from books, Dune has always struck me as one of those rare unicorns that no matter what you do, there's something that's not quite right. Another novel series I would love to see in movie format, but hope they never attempt because I know it will probably not be very good is Asimov's Foundation series...
Oh Boy, can you imagine if Peter Jackson was put in charge of a film adaptation of the Foundation series? It would result in at least a dozen movies lol.
The Dune mini-series is better than any earlier Dune film attempts (the PC/PS2 video game adaptation of the mini-series almost flopped, I remember playing the PS2 version though) and I remember playing the CD-Rom version of Dune (the game), which has voices and scenes from the 1984 film. And also, there is going to be a Dune game also by Cryo which was also based on the mini-series called Dune: Ornithopter Assault, and it is a shooter game where you control an Ornithopter. It was going to be released for the Game Boy Advance months after the PC/PS2 game but was never released due to Cryo being bankrupt at the time.
I brought the Dune by Cryo in 2002 on the pc with speach. I consider it the most magical game I have ever played. It should be noted that many people who worked on the 1970s Dune film such as HR GIGER and Dan obannan went went on to make Alien instead.
I loved the Dune games growing up, battle for arakis on genesis, dune 2000 on ps1, then many years later found emperor on pc, wish this series would come back. I watched the movie a few years back and I liked it, was a little odd at times but I found the story interesting enough.
I think the Lynch film is fine, it's a story length much better suited to a TV series but as a film you'd need at least three to stay faithful to the book. I mean Frank liked it, think that would make people cut a little slack for the Dune film. Yeah if Dune2 didn't happen would Warcraft have happened? I can't say I've played the other game but as you say it has rich multimedia production value for the era. Plays in chunks well, that's good for anyone picking it up today. :D
Logan I too enjoyed the Lynch film well enough (I think it did an okay job of a very difficult task). I think it might have done better in terms of reception had it gone the route Westwood did- that is to say added more battles. I think the film captured the politics quite well, but I was less impressed with how the film fast forwards through Paul's military campaigns against the Harkonnen via a montage. Particularly as all told the events of the montage span quite some time and account for a lot of characters - particularly Rabban who I found it quite unsatisfying how the dealt with his end/comeuppance. That said with the costs of filming in the desert etc it could well have proved impossible. I would be interested in seeing a film or tv series based on the prequel novels which I am slowly working my way through as I have found them to be brilliant so far. Though bloody hell there are a lot of them! I like how they create a past link between House Atreides & Harkonnen and explain the mutual loathing the houses come to have (and make the Harkonnen at least somewhat justified which all heels should be to be believable, but Baron Vladimir Harkonnen is a superb character - representing a once noble line brought low by bitterness and madness)
Well Lynch isn't well known for his battle film work, I don't think he has much interest in that. Shame Ridley Scott couldn't have made it since he's directed some fine film battles but I'll take Blade Runner as fair trade. Still I should go watch the film again, it's been a while since I've seen it. :)
That's a good point as well - yeah Lynch isn't probably the best candidate for that. That and as I say the whole costs involved and so on. It's not a bad film still. Not sure how Ebert reached the conclusion of worst film that year put it that way.
Ebert, still arguing with him even though he's dead lol. I don't how he made conclusions like that. I'm still pissed at him and Siskel for all the hate they fueled towards the horror genre in the 80s, good, bad, it was all bad in their eyes.
Great video Kim. I would have liked to have seen Jodorowsky's vision of Dune, however bonkers it would have been! David Lean might have had a good stab at it, but at the time, his career was in the doldrums after the unnecessarily overblown romance Ryan's Daughter, which kept him from directing for 14 years. We have Denis Villeneuve's take on Dune opening this Christmas, I have faith in him, plus Warner Bros have a second part earmarked if this is a success.
I would defend Lynch's adaptation of Dune to the end of the world with a beer on top, it's certainly flawed, but calling it a failure just because it didn't make the box office is a bit petty in my opinion. The movie introduced me and probably countless other people to the dune universe , the epic book collection from Frank Herbert , and some great games, which you mention. The Dune universe and more importantly the meaning behind it, difficult to adapt ? Yes, but when you see how popular everything Dune has been in popular culture (especially in gaming) I wouldn't say it was a failure, I still enjoyed your analysis, and great presentation, it was a pleasure to watch and hear, and you make a lot of good points but I don't agree with your conclusions. Others fascinating scifi universes from equally talented writers (The Foundation universe from Asimov comes to mind) are relatively unknown , but the Dune universe , misunderstood as it is, has made a lot of waves and still do in gaming and others arenas.
can't give a thumbs up due to my deep love for the film, but a nice look at the awesome game. Cool to see some of the differences in the Amiga visuals as I only played the Sega CD version as a kid (& also only played the battle for arrakis on the Genesis version). Good video.
I used to work at a company called Intelligent Games, we did a Dune game, I can't remember the name of it but it was a Command and Conquer type game with 3D models. I didn't work on it ( was doing graphics for FIFA) but it looked really good for the time.
Would that be Dune 2000 or Dune: Emperor? From what I can tell, both games were developed by Intelligent Design and published by Westwood Studios. I still cherish my copies of those.
Ah it was Dune Emperor, I didn't work on it though, It was Intelligent games, went out of business soon after, I think Dune was the last game we completed.
Hi Kim, any chance of you reviewing Cinemaware's It Came From the Desert on Amiga? This too was a very immersive game and transported me to the world of a 'B' Movie.
I hope the Denni Villeneuve adaptation goes forth. If anyone can do the source material right, he can. I mean, after all the pretentious art house bullshit this novel had to go through. anyone would be better. But the style of Blade Runner 2049 would be so perfect.
I had dune on the mega cd..... no idea why i felt like i wanted to share that.... guess i miss my sega collection that i had to sell during hard times. Thank god for emulation ay??! ~ what do you mean booooo!
I loved the movie. I admit there were things i probably missed but I thought it was fantastic. The book was too although I know there was a lot I missed there too, but it evoked such amazement and feeling. The games sound cool too.
I love the Lynch Dune movie, back then it was a new sort of Sci-Fi for us that caught our imagination. Also played Dune II on Mega Drive quite a bit, even though I'm not a huge fan of the genre, I very much prefer turn-based war/strategy games. The other Dune game you present here looks exactly like the stuff we tried to avoid back then, too much cinematics/FMV and clicking and babble and whatnot.
TheRealTakumaji it has nothing to do with fmv games. It's a light strategy game centered around a great adventure and a great presentation. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed. ;)
I saw Dune in the theater. The heckling and banter from the audience was the only thing that made it tolerable. Only at a screening of Highlander 2: The Quickening had better heckling.
It's always amazed me that Dune wasn't made into a space 4X game. Choose a House (there are literally hundreds of them) then conquer the galaxy. As for film, if LotR was successfully translated, then a grand Dune movie should still be possible.
I owned the Mega CD version of Dune. I did play it but the problem with it was that the game would take up almost all of the internal storage of the system so you had no choice but to remove all of your other game saves.
mmmh relying entirely on an internal save system without any external solution at all seems like a bit of a design flaw. The SNES versions of RPG maker at least support an optional external save device that connects through the cartridge port. (as you might expect a game creation tool would both tend to have very large 'save' files, and it could be extra devastating if those files have to be deleted.) You'd think they would have considered save games more carefully when designing the Mega CD... But I guess not. Soon afterwards you got all the major consoles having dedicated devices for saving data. (even though the n64 didn't particularly need it, still had it anyway. go figure.) Not meaningfully being able to back up my save files has always been my biggest peeve with older consoles. Especially the ones that use a battery for the save files. You can guarantee that battery will die eventually, but there's not actually anything you can do about it through legitimate means. (And the solutions that do exist are difficult to do and expensive.)
Same I owned the Mega CD version. You could buy a backup cartridge to add more storage space but that is more cost on top of a Mega Drive, Mega Cd and the game - gets expensive! Still utterly brilliant game and the music, epic.
I'd give a nut to be in the parallel dimension where Jordorowsky made his Dune, and David Lynch did Return of the Jedi. Not one of mine, but a nut nonetheless
Funny the Dune purist love the Lynch movie, but to me always seemed to be a fever dream, I like more the miniseries, but of course, the purist are more driven by nostalgia than everything else.
Never understood,dune as a kid not until i was an adult at least.Sure the movie flopped at the box office but it became a cult classic at least.I never played any of the dune video games but i am curious to try one at least.
