This text’s headline may result in a convincing “duh” from many people, however let me clarify. In October 2021, Warner Bros. launched Dune: Half One in theaters and on HBO Max. Streaming from house was the brand new craze, and I purchased into the idea. I had simply watched and loved Zack Snyder’s Justice League from the comforts of my sofa a couple of months earlier, so why wouldn’t I really like Dune in the identical surroundings?
Whereas I don’t have the most important TV or highly effective sound system, I used to be assured my first viewing would produce a mind-blowing expertise. I actually favored the film, however I admit to pausing it a couple of instances for a fast snack or rest room break. Since then, I’ve rewatched Denis Villeneuve’s epic a handful of instances and loved it, however I by no means really beloved it.
That each one modified final weekend.
With the anticipated Dune: Half Two on the horizon, I couldn’t move up the chance to observe the unique on the massive display — not to mention IMAX! I dragged my daughter to a 7 p.m. exhibiting. After roughly half-hour of trailers and promos, Dune lastly began, and I used to be hooked from begin to end, mesmerized by Villeneuve’s unimaginable photographs, Hans Zimmer’s highly effective rating, the large story, the compelling characters, and the motion; the whole lot clicked. Not as soon as did I have a look at my telephone, and I didn’t even take a toilet break regardless of consuming almost a gallon of Pepsi earlier than getting into the theater.
Lastly, I noticed Dune: Half One because it was meant to be seen.
We stay in a wierd time the place studios battle for dominance within the streaming world. Dozens of tv reveals are launched weekly. There’s an excessive amount of content material to sift by way of. A lot of mentioned content material sucks; skinny storylines stretched to their breaking level throughout lots of of viewing hours, all leaning on the identical drained troupes we’ve seen numerous instances.
WB may have simply turned Frank Herbert’s Dune collection right into a long-winded TV present. Sufficient materials exists to permit for a couple of fascinating seasons. Nonetheless, very like Star Wars, Herbert’s grand science fiction story doesn’t operate as properly on the small display (see 2000’s Dune miniseries), the place the colossal desert landscapes, thunderous sandworms, and epic battles and conflicts are diminished. Some tales require the biggest display possible to understand.
Dune: Half One is a superb movie by itself. Villeneuve, Jon Spaihts, and Eric Roth do an exquisite job adapting the complicated novels right into a mesmerizing 155-minute movement image. Further viewings are required to know your entire story, however that’s solely as a result of this unusual universe is so huge in scale and filled with characters executing private targets.
But, whereas the politics of Dune are riveting, the grand visuals stay the movie’s final ace within the gap. The sights and sounds of Arrakis typically pop due to the impeccable manufacturing, however on IMAX, they’re wonderful to behold. Villeneuve shot a lot of the movie with IMAX cameras in order that the plush photographs occupy your entire display, not simply to fulfill his urges.
The acclaimed director understands that audiences should see huge, arid Arrakis landscapes to totally embrace the wrestle on the movie’s core. Exterior of, say, a 200-inch projector display, I’m unsure the know-how at house exists to correctly translate Dune’s scope.
Now, don’t get me fallacious. I’d love nothing greater than to see streaming take off. I stay for popular culture. And but, I’m satisfied nothing will ever trump the theater-going expertise. On the threat of sounding like Nicole Kidman, going to the flicks is an integral a part of the human expertise. Sitting in a darkish room crammed with a bucket of popcorn amongst strangers to gawk at larger-than-life tales, characters, and visuals is an occasion that can’t be replicated at house.
I already knew Dune: Half One was an excellent film, however IMAX satisfied me that it’s an incredible one— ditto with latest big-screen viewings of Jaws, E.T., Titanic, Glory, and Avatar. For all our makes an attempt to squeeze the whole lot onto our TV units, the way forward for cinema lies, properly, within the cinema.
And sure, I’ve already received my tickets for Dune: Half Two.
