Frank Herbert’s Dune novel has long been considered unadaptable for the big screen because of how extensive its lore is, making it difficult to incorporate and encompass every important detail in the movie.
The franchise is indeed one of the biggest and most influential in pop culture, and despite the criticism that David Lynch’s 1984 version endured, it remains top-notch when it comes to authenticity, as compared with Denis Villeneuve’s duology.
Dune 1984’s Alia Atreides Proved To Be Book-Accurate
One of the most controversial situations in Dune: Part Two is Anya Taylor-Joy’s Alia Atreides. Denis Villeneuve certainly made quite a lot of changes when it comes to her narrative. While the Canadian director has future plans for Alia, one cannot deny that his treatment of the iconic figure ultimately lost the character’s authenticity.
A fan on Twitter expressed their love for David Lynch’s 1984 version as well as Alicia Witt, the young actress who portrayed Alia. In this video clip, Witt was seen wearing a small Bene Gesserit costume and speaking in a creepy tone.
Man, this kid rules. It’s this kinda wacky stuff that makes me love Dune (1984) https://t.co/C1OpOhxuO6
— Kazmo (@OIHEYOO) March 5, 2024
The way she uttered every syllable sent chills down Baron Harkonnen’s spine. Even the Reverend Mother could not resist but scream, “Get out of my mind!”, proving Alia’s power is beyond measure.
Lynch’s version of Alia is pretty accurate since the book illustrated her as an ominous and creepy child. Villeneuve skipped the toddler Alia and instead opted for an adult version perhaps in order to avoid the creepy vibe, which, in modern theater, would definitely give an absurd and hilarious effect.
There’s no doubt that this particular scene from the 1984 version was absolutely comical, but for some strange reason, it worked and fit the movie. Many things went wrong with the original Dune film, but Alia was undoubtedly the most accurate in terms of portrayal.
Denis Villeneuve Chose Shock Value Over Authenticity
Another unforgivable moment from the sequel is how Denis Villeneuve stole Alia Atreides’ epic scene from the book and gave the credit to Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides. Alia was supposed to kill Baron Harkonnen and say, “I’m sorry Grandfather… you’ve met the Atreides gom jabbar.”
Instead, what fans got was Paul slaying the baron while rasping, “You die like an animal, Grandfather.” Indeed, viewers were shocked at the scene, but those who have read the books know this is inaccurate.
If anything, this revenge scene proves that Paul is as ruthless as he is supposed to be. From an outside perspective, it looked fitting that he would exact his vengeance upon the Harkonnens, but the director has an important note to say (via USA Today):
“By doing this, Paul steps away from the Atreides way and becomes a Harkonnen. It’s one of the most powerful moments of the film. All of the sophistication and vulnerability of Paul Atreides is gone. We see in his eyes the madness of war.”
Villeneuve opted to use the power of shock value in his movie instead of observing authenticity.
Dune: Part Two is now showing in theaters.
