Average Rating: 
Rating:  - A Great TV Movie, A Great Adaptation
The Special Edition of the Dune mini-series has a number of scene cut out of the American TV because of nudity (not very much, but with the causality of a European television) and because of time constraints (American television has more commercials).
The content of the show is much closer to the original novel with a more traditional direction than the cult classic 1984 movie. The design concepts are very well conceived and conjure images of feudal Europe dealing with the Middle East. Most fans of the novels should be satisfied with the amount of subplot lines that are full fleshed out in the movie. The whole plot is much better fleshed out than the original movie and this is likely to be the best adaptation possible, no need for anyone else to try again. The best expansion of a character is princess Irulan, play extremely well by Julie Cox. Unfortunately you sympathize with Irulan more than Paul's concubine, Chaney, in the end because their relationship lacked some needed development. Paul is play well, though there are a few rocky moments, by the Scottish actor, Alec Newman, who changes from a petulant teenager to a Messiah in the course of the movie. William Hurt, though touted before the title, is stolid and stayed for his part and only makes cameos in the second two installments. This is not one of Hurt's better performances. The rest of the international cast operates well, with many distinguishable accents, but once got past can be easy understood. The desert scenes have the flat painted back drops that signals that they are obviously on a soundstage, but are used effectively to create the appearance of the desert on a television budget. The number of extras, the well-filmed street scenes, and the quality of the cinematography make this TV movie look and feel like a film. Worth seeing and worth buying
Rating:  - Not Emmy or Cable ACE Award material, but ok
I've seen both the original David Lynch version of Dune as well as the extended version and found them to be quite good, so I bought the Sci-Fi Channel miniseries on tape with high expectations which were, for the most part, not met. For one thing, it seems that director John Harrison can't direct his way out of a paper bag--the pacing of the scenes is so far off in some parts that I found myself having to drink an entire pot of coffee in an effort to stay awake through it.Another issue that concerns me is the casting in this miniseries. William Hurt, while a fine actor in most of his other films, simply did not have the spark and passion needed to play Duke Leto. His lines were delivered in such a wooden manner that I thought an Egyptian mummy could have done a better job than he did. Saskia Reeves wasn't much better; her Lady Jessica had no life at all, and seemed to be little more than animated set dressing. The supporting cast of Frank Herbert's Dune were the one saving grace of this miniseries. Alec Newman delivered an excellent performance as Paul Muad'dib Atreides, the future mahdi of the Fremen, and Barbora Kodetova was a good choice for the role of Chani, Muad'dib's Fremen concubine. Ian McNeice's Baron Harkonnen was wonderfully decadent and evil, as was Matt Keeslar in the role of Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen and Laszlo Imre Kish as Glossu Rabban. I thought that Uwe Ochsenknecht did a passable job as Stilgar, the Fremen naib who helps Paul to discover his destiny, and PH Moriarty was the most enchanting Gurney Halleck I've ever had the pleasure to watch. Julie Cox as Princess Irulan Corrino was a delight, especially since Irulan got to do more than just stand there. Young Laura Burton made a stunning debut as Paul's sister Alia, who was born to consciousness while still in Lady Jessica's womb. In fact, her Alia rivals the one played by Alicia Witt for sheer creepiness. Once all is said and done, Frank Herbert's Dune is definitely not a miniseries that will be enjoyed by most veteran Dune fans because of the slow pacing, stilted acting by the two main stars, and cheesy costumes that would not look out of place in Rocky Horror Picture Show. For someone who is being exposed to the world of Dune for the first time, however, the miniseries would be a passable introduction. Not worthy of an Emmy or Cable ACE Award, but okay nonetheless.
Rating:  - It would be hard to top this...
...but the Sci-Fi channel is trying with the sequel: "Children of Dune". Finally, somebody made a version of this great story that is faithful to the book. Along with Fred Saberhagen's "Beserker" series, Asimov's Robot stories and Larry Niven's "Ringworld" universe, "Dune" is one if the corner stones of Science Fiction literature and this film version is worthy of the title. Now we can take all the copies of David Lynch's mess and burn them! If you did not get a chance to see this epic on the Sci-Fi channel when it first aired, buy this DVD. You will not be disappointed.
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