Dune: 'Extended Edition' DVD vs. 'Long' TV version?

POSTED BY: Declan
UPDATED: Thursday, March 16, 2006 00:15
VIEWED: 9947
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DECLAN

Sunday, January 29, 2006 6:06 PM

I've seen ads for an "Extended Edition" DVD of the David Lynch version of Dune to be released on 31 January. Does anyone know how this compares with the "Long" version, occasionally shown on SciFi channel? This would be the "Alan Smithee" version with the painted images introduction and history voice-over.

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"'Course, there are other schools of thought."

ECGORDON

Sunday, January 29, 2006 6:57 PM

amazon.com says it has both versions included with this release.

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

CHRISISALL

Monday, January 30, 2006 1:20 AM

As I understand it, they were trying to get Lynch to do a long version edit, but he stands by his theatrical cut.
The DVD has both the theatrical, and long 'Smithee' version, first time in anamorphic widescreen for both.
I'm SO there.
(I like the theatrical version better, btw.)

Chrisisall, who's name is a killing word

KANESKI

Monday, January 30, 2006 1:59 AM

Hmm... on the one hand, the original movie had a better cast, effects, etc., but the TV miniseries told much more of the story. For a complex world, you need the time. I felt the movie was pretty much the best of quotes with some vehicles and people moving in between and even extending it to 3 hours won't make up the difference.

So, I'd still go the miniseries.

DECLAN

Monday, January 30, 2006 3:36 PM

My thanks to all for their help.

I had heard about a long version edit so I was wondering if the DVD version was going to be different from the long Smithee version, i.e. a third version. It appears not.

I have a vague recollection that when the long version was first shown on Broadcast TV it was 5 hours with commercials.

I know that the SciFi Channel version is 4 hours with commercials -- and no one does more commercials per hour than SciFi...

As to relative worth, to me the recent mini-series is very true to the book but it lacks something. Some spirit or spark.

I have very mixed feeling about the Lynch movie but it does have more of an epic feel to it.

I saw it in the theater with my then girlfriend. I literally squirmed in my seat. I didn't like the liberties that Lynch had taken with the story. The voiceovers of the characters thoughts didn't work in the movie and came out awkward. And the heartplug scene...! Well, I didn't like the movie, then.

Now, I can watch either movie version, long or short, but tend to prefer the long. The short version seems to take 80% of the movie to tell the story in Book One and then rushes the remainder of the story.

Another vague remembrance, I think Harlan Ellison either wrote in F&SF or said somewhere that he had seen a 5 hour Lynch cut and it was GOOD. It has always made me wonder.

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"'Course, there are other schools of thought."

CHRISISALL

Thursday, February 2, 2006 10:13 PM

Declan, there was never enough filmed to make a 5 hour version. He must have meant WITH commercials.

And I like long, too, but that 15 minute intro with the bad drawings is something I'll always skip when watching the 3 hour version.

My b-day's coming soon, I'll be visiting the Fremen again in no time *crosses fingers*

Chrisisall on Arakis

SINGATE

Saturday, February 4, 2006 8:09 AM

Bought the DVD this week and watched the extended version because I hadn't seen it in a while. There are a couple of things that bugged me:

1. There were scenes missing from the extended version that I vividly remember from the theatrical version. Not that these scenes are particulary important, in fact the ones I'm thinking of are rather disgusting, but shouldn't they be in the extended version?

2. The deep blue eyes the Fremen, and later some of the main characters, have disappear from one scene to the next. Is this just bad editing on this version or has it always been this way?

I suppose I should watch the regular version to check on my own but I wanted to see if anyone else noticed these things.

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We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far.

CHRISISALL

Saturday, February 4, 2006 4:39 PM

The blue eyes thing is effects not done yet, but the scenes were used anyway to extend the movie.
The heart plug and other stuff was edited out to make it acceptable for the general audience. The extended verson is nothing new, just on DVD, and widescreen for the first time.

The theatrical version is still superior, but it's nice to have both to compare...

Chrisisall, blue eyes not hands

CHRISISALL

Monday, February 6, 2006 1:37 AM

singate, have you watched the theatrical version yet? I'm hanging on the edge waiting to hear your comparison review...

Worm riding Chrisisall

SINGATE

Monday, February 6, 2006 3:46 AM

I probably get to it tonight after watching the charming programming run on adult swim.

It wasn't my intention to give the impression that I didn't like the extended version. I was just a little confused about some things being left out. It always been my experience that extended means same as the theatrical but with some added scenes.

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We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far.

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