While today’s world of comics still sees the odd motion picture or cartoon tie-in, they simply aren’t as prevalent as they once were. Mainly that has to do with the lack of interest from youngsters in the American comic industry. Today the only movies that you can count on to have a comic adaptation are from characters produced by Marvel and DC making it to film or major genre projects. The past couple years have seen comic adaptations of: Daredevil, Hulk, X2: X-Men United, The Punisher Spider-Man 2, Catwoman, and most recently, Elektra and Constantine. Outside of the realm of comics-to-film-to-comics Star Wars: Episode III is on the way and Van Helsing hit last summer. These aren’t the only recent comic adaptations of films, but they are part of a rather select group.
Trust me when I say that’s small number is a major shift from the ’80s and ’90s.
It’s been a long time since I actually read a comic adaptation, but when I was a wee lad weaned on comic books in the 1980s a major staple of any comic rack were movie adaptations and television show tie-ins. Just about any movie that could appeal to kids was adapted into comic form. I was a sucker that bought nearly every one.
To be honest, I loved these things!
In the ’80s video was just catching on. Blockbuster motion pictures often saw numerous re-releases to theatres over the space of years. So, your favorite film coming to video or cable oftentimes was measured in years. A far cry from the 3-6 month turnaround most pictures see on DVD/VHS these days. Movie adaptations were a way to “extend” the film beyond the confines of the theatre. Movie programs (thick magazines with all the necessary information) and abridged dialogue recorded onto records or tapes were another means to take your favorite movie home.
Still, the comic book was the coolest, by far.
I can’t even count the numbers of times the original Star Wars trilogy comic adaptations were read by my young eyes. Over the next few months I’d like to take a look at a variety of these movie/comic adaptations. This will give me an excuse to talk about two of my favorite things at the same timeâ€â€movies and comic books.
So, where do I start?
Star Wars?
Nah. Maybe closer to the release of Episode III.
Perhaps Indiana Jones?
When Lucas, Spielberg, and Ford get on the ball with the sequel, I’ll do the same for a NMM look.
One of the Star Trek incarnations could be fun”¦but not this time.
How about lesser known films that made the transition to comics:
The Last Starfighter, Krull, Buckaroo Banzai, or The Muppets Take Manhattan?
No.
I won’t be taking on any of those works this time. For my first foray into movie adaptations let’s have a look at one of my all-time favorite films, books, and overall fantasy creations”¦Dune.
Frank Herbert
Dune was created by Frank Herbert. The original novel was published in 1965 and spawned five Herbert-penned sequels until his death in 1986. Herbert’s original Dune novel is world renowned. It is considered one of the pinnacles of achievement in science fiction. The story seems to have inspired many creators since, including a man named George Lucas. For a relatively simple coming of age story, it is delightfully complex. Much like life.
The story of the original Dune begins with a round of political intrigue as the Emperor Shaddam IV uses the “evil” Harkonnens to rid himself of the problem of the rising power of Duke Leto Atreides. While important to the grand-scheme the intrigue is secondary. The focal point of Dune is Leto’s son Paul as he grows into the role of savior of the universe. Paul’s a potential messiahâ€â€The Mahdi to the Fremen and Kwisatz Haderach to the Reverend Mothers. Paul develops into Maud’Dib and unleashes jihad against the galaxy.
Maud’Dib hopes to free the galaxy from the tyranny of the rule of Shaddam IV and the Spacing Guild. Shaddam IV, and the known universe are at the mercy of the Guild because they can fold space, which is like light speed, except that it’s instantaneous. The Guild’s Navigators are capable of folding space only because of a spice called melange. The Navigators are at the mercy of whoever controls the planet Arrakisâ€â€Duneâ€â€because it’s the only place in the universe where melange can be found.
I won’t give too much away, but guess who ends up controlling Dune?
While other sci-fi stories have appeared smart over the years, there is no question that Dune is. Paul’s journey is not the pat voyage of Luke Skywalker or most other heroes where the “happily ever after” is just around the corner. Themes of politics, drug use, religion, and the power to do what you please are explored in depth. The characters and situations go far beyond those in most works. Due to Frank Herbert’s extraordinary grasp on these varying themes and his extensive research Dune‘s universe is probably the most fully-realized fantasy realm ever!
With depth often comes confusion. Much of Dune takes place within the thoughts of a character, and there’s a massive backstory at work as well. Thoughts and background are difficult to bring to the silver screen, thus Dune was considered by many to be un-filmable.
Bringing motion to the story of Dune
Over the next twenty years many men tried and failed to bring Dune to the big screen. Dino De Laurentiis and Universal finally succeeded in 1984. The film was directed by a Hollywood visionary, David Lynch. Lynch was first recognized for his off-the-wall 1977 film Eraserhead, but received mainstream credit with the multiple Academy Award nominated The Elephant Man in 1980. With his acclaim at its pinnacle, Lynch made what many would call a classic blunder, when he turned down a chance to direct Return of the Jedi so he could mount his adaptation of Dune.
David Lynch films never seem to waiver from his vision. Lynch’s vision can be rather unsettling at times, which often is at odds with a mainstream that’s rather squeamish. The one thing you’re guaranteed from a Lynch film is a weird world where you must use your mind to make some assumptions and decisions about what you’re watching. It’s the same thing that the Wachowski Brothers did with their Matrix trilogy. These filmmakers demand a viewer to open their mind and come to his/her own conclusions. Something many filmgoers seeking a popcorn experience are unlikely to do.
Being a lover of the novel, I must say that Lynch’s adaptation of Dune was quite good. While every minute element wasn’t there, and a few things were changed, as a whole the magnificent tapestry of Dune was brought to the screen wonderfully. The settings were larger than life and seemed truly alien. The acting was superb. The direction was visionary. The story set into motion as it should be and the rise of Paul Atreides (brought to life with an amazing portrayal by Kyle MacLachlan) was pitch-perfect from beginning to end. Plus there was plenty of action.
All of the elements seem to have been put in place.
Lynch’s biggest mistake was adding in some rather vicious moments of bloodshed and graphic storytelling, especially from the Harkonnen point-of-view. These sequences didn’t have a place in a film aimed at a wide audience. Plus there was the complexity of the material. If you hadn’t read the novel it was difficult for adults to access let alone children.
At twelve I loved the movie even though every detail didn’t make perfect sense. After seeing the movie I bought the novel. I didn’t make it all the way through until several years later, but I gave it my best effort. What I did find was the comic adaptation, which fit my youthful sensibilities and brought my love of Dune to the next level.
Marvel Comics enters the world of Dune
The first thing that I’ll say about the Dune comic adaptation is that the artwork is brilliant. Bill Sienkiewicz clearly worked from voluminous resources provided by the production company. Many film adaptations suffer because they miss the small details that contribute a great deal to the feel of a filmâ€â€hell, many miss out on the big details. On the other hand, this adaptation captures every minute piece that David Lynch included. Even the actor’s likenesses are some of the best that I’ve seen in comic form.
The script was another triumph. Ralph Macchio–not The Karate Kid, but the current editor of Marvel’s Ultimate brand–took care to include much of the original script and bring it directly to the comic page. I’m amazed at how much was crammed into a three-issue miniseries. There are many pages that are inundated with word balloons, but there’s no other way to bring Dune to a comic page. If you leave too much of the story out it would be incomprehensible. The action is sometimes abbreviated a bit, but as a whole everything from the film is here for the reader to enjoy.
The other aspect that made comic adaptations standout at the time was the chance to view deleted scenes long before that was a cool thing. Dune was no exception. A number of sequences that didn’t make it into the theatrical cut were available for my young eyes. The scenes further clarified what was going on and the saga made a great deal more sense. This was one more perk of reading the comic. Now we have DVD.
Take us home”¦
The fact is that most readers, and more importantly, filmgoers didn’t get, nor enjoy Dune in 1984. Dune is high-concept fantasy and nothing like the space opera of Star Wars. Religious and moral themes are the central focus of Frank Herbert’s epic. David Lynch’s violent interpretation turned off even more viewers.
David Lynch’s Dune may have been a commercial failure, but it should never be considered a creative failure. In fact it’s a masterpiece. Lynch didn’t divert from his vision and succeeded masterfully in bringing the vision of Frank Herbert to the big screen as it should be. Very few films have captured the look of a fantasy world like Dune. If you care to open your mind there isn’t a better story in the world of cinema.
Dune may be the greatest sci-fi story ever told. Unfortunately, it will never have the broad appeal of Star Wars or Star Trek. The biggest reason that Dune failed in 1984: it wasn’t commercial enough. Dune was probably the most expensive art-house film ever produced, but what a fantastic art-house film, with an equally brilliant comic adaptation. All made possible because of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel.
In closing I would like to thank Frank Herbert, David Lynch, Dino De Laurentiis, Ralph Macchio, Bill Sienkiewicz, Kyle MacLachlan, and everyone else that helped bring Dune to life in 1984. Without the movie I may never have enjoyed everything else associated with the Dune name.
The Reading Rack
Pick up the comics if you can find them, I’m sure they’ll be cheap. More importantly go to the bookstore and get the book Dune! It will rock your world!
Next from me: A Tale of Two Star Wars
