My new book Adaptations of Dune: Frank Herbert’s Story on Screen has been released! Find it in paperback and ebook versions on Amazon. This book is all about the three screen adaptations of Dune — David Lynch’s 1984 film Dune, John Harrison’s 2000 television miniseries Frank Herbert’s Dune, and Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 Dune: Part One — and how faithful they are to Herbert’s source material. It is the first study of the miniseries and the first extended study of Dune: Part One, and provides the groundwork for understanding these adaptations and how closely they align to the book so beloved by people
Read moreCommentary in Variety article on Middle Eastern and North African Influences in Dune: Part Two
Sharareh Drury in ‘Dune 2’ Criticized for Lack of Middle Eastern and North African Inclusion and Influences: ‘A Missed Opportunity’ addresses the Dune: Part Two film’s treatment of Middle Eastern and North African elements and Islamic culture, casting, and the missed opportunity to adapt Herbert’s novel Dune in a way that involved and represented marginalized communities. I appreciated the opportunity to provide background and commentary about the Fremen and their depiction in the source material. Great quote from writer Khaldoun Khelil in this article: “The problem for the movies [and] the director’s vision and his perspective is that he did
Read moreCommentary in Inverse article on Dune adaptations
Rory Doherty in Should Denis Villeneuve Make More Dune Sequels? Dune Scholars Aren’t So Sure for Inverse interviewed me and others about potential future sequel adaptations of Dune. I find interesting that people are praising the films for supposedly changing ‘nothing characters’ into something, but also not minding the downplaying or erasure of others such as the Mentats and Guild. It’s also interesting how journalists continue to have a much broader definition of who qualifies as an expert or scholar and tend to draw from their own media pools. Academics may be harder to get a hold of but there is
Read moreChani on Gom Jabbar Dune Podcast
There’s much ado about Chani. Find me on the Gom Jabbar Dune Podcast with Abu and Leo discussing the depiction of Chani in the book vs. the film Dune: Part Two.
Read moreReview: Dune Imperium Uprising Game
My review of the Dune: Imperium Uprising board game from Dire Wolf is up at Dune News Net. This updated version of the original Dune: Imperium game adds new elements such as sandworms and spies and incorporates visuals from the Dune: Part Two film. It’s a fun way to immerse yourself in the Dune universe and its politics and intrigue through gameplay.
Read moreMy Analysis of Chani in Dune: Part Two
My analysis of Chani in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two film has been published on Dune News Net as Chani and the Empowered Woman Stereotype in ‘Dune: Part Two’: No Family, No Faith, Just Fight. Chani’s portrayal in the ‘Dune’ movies eliminates key roles she held in the book, reducing her agency and depth as a character. This piece continues my analysis of the women in the film, begun in Dune: Part Two’s Treatment of Women is an Abomination, which focuses on Jessica and the Bene Gesserit. It draws from my prior scholarship on Chani’s character and my discussion of
Read moreInterview about Dune: Part Two Film on Nomads Podcast
I had a great discussion with Maggie Freeman, PhD candidate at the Nomads, Past and Present Podcast, about the depiction of the Fremen in Dune: Part Two compared to the book, including the term ‘jinn’, the Fremen’s diet, and the historical influence of Lawrence of Arabia and the Arab Revolt. Find the episode “Dune, Part Two” on the New Books Network.
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