I love Dune, but I hope the movie improves a few things (spoilers)

[Baldanders]

I first read Dune in 1984 around the time of the first film. I love the series (well the first four) and I have re-read it many times. It has some logical problems here and there however.

1) What exactly is a Kwisatz Haderach, and what would the Bene Gesserit do with one if they had one?

It seems at first this superman will be able to access male ancestral memories, which BG members can't do. But this doesn't seem to be an important ability for Paul, ever. His sister manages it (with terrible results) and no one seems to think it is a sign she is a messiah.

Is the important ability prescience? By book two, tons of folks are dabbling in prescience, and Guild Navigators seem to be pretty good at it. Is the KH just the best at ?

2) Why do the noble houses let the Bene Gesserit control their bloodlines? It's a terrible deal, even for the emperor. If they trained men, it would be another story, but supposedly Paul, Count Fenring, and a few other males are oddities.

3) Why is anyone wearing Defensive Shields when a laser pointer would make them go off like a nuke?

I've never understood why Herbert made shields work this way. It would make more sense to simply have them block lasers like they do everything else.

4) Why does the Spacing Guild let the nobility control Dune?

They have a monopoly on interstellar travel. They could make sure no one else ever gets there, and they could mine the spice themselves.



One question that every adaptation has to answer to some degree: how far does the technology ban go, and what kind of technology can your average planet make?

I assumed that the Imperium is maybe at the level of the Industrial Revolution before electricity when I first read the books, with the exceptions of Ix, Richese, and the Bene Tleilax. Even a space heater is from Ix in the second book. No video technology seems to exist. I assumed this tech level for the 84 film, too.

ETA: film books may count as video technology, depends on how you interpret it

The sequel series by Herbert's son and Anderson (which is an ABOMINATION 😉 ) seems to assume the tech is like Star Wars minus the Droids and navigation computers. The SyFy adaptation seemed to assume this level of tech as well.

Any other fans have hopes for changes or clarifications in the upcoming movie?

[Jim Watson]

3) Why is anyone wearing Defensive Shields when a laser pointer would make them go off like a nuke?

As I understood it, the laser blows up, too.

I agree, the whole layout is bizarre so as to carry his story line.
But if you think the Herbert Jr. sequels are bad try (better, don't try) the prequels.

I find it interesting that a lot of SF, especially in movies, depicts a poor future society. Star Trek is one of the few shows that has what looks like a comfortable spaceship.

[Bergeron]

Even the Hebert, Sr. sequels are terrible. God Emperor was actually good, but super weird and really a different story. The rest- I wish that I hadn't wasted my time. Dune is the stereotype for an amazing, lightning-in-a-bottle sci-fi story that totally goes off the rails with bad sequels.

As far the tech, in my mind, it's no integrated circuits.

[Doc_Glock]

Not enough of a Dune person to answer your questions, but I do know I love this director's work thus far and hope he continues the good work with Dune.

[archangel]

Semi related - I joke that my wife uses the same precognitive navigation as the Guild Navigators, because her directions tend to include landmarks _after_ the turn. Like, "Turn left before you get to the McDonalds"

[nalesq]

Star Trek is one of the few shows that has what looks like a comfortable spaceship.

Except that you are under constant government surveillance, you don’t get paid for work, and the booze doesn’t give you a buzz.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Baldanders]

As I understood it, the laser blows up, too.

I agree, the whole layout is bizarre so as to carry his story line.
But if you think the Herbert Jr. sequels are bad try (better, don't try) the prequels.

I find it interesting that a lot of SF, especially in movies, depicts a poor future society. Star Trek is one of the few shows that has what looks like a comfortable spaceship.

Still, just put the laser on a timer and "house shields" are useless.....

I read ONE prequel and ONE sequel. Both were "Star Wars as Dune." Awful.

[Jim Watson]

True.
I like E.E. Smith's view: If it weren't for the present increase in piracy, the income tax would have to be reduced again to keep too much money from accumulating in Patrol coffers.

[Baldanders]

Even the Hebert, Sr. sequels are terrible. God Emperor was actually good, but super weird and really a different story. The rest- I wish that I hadn't wasted my time. Dune is the stereotype for an amazing, lightning-in-a-bottle sci-fi story that totally goes off the rails with bad sequels.

As far the tech, in my mind, it's no integrated circuits.

I actually think "Dune Messiah" should be book four of Dune. The story ends at an odd part in the first novel. I haven't read "Children" in decades, but I used to think it was decent, but "God Emperor" is more interesting. The last two books have some interesting ideas but mostly they read like the last writings of a guy who lost his wife and was in mourning, with some bizarre bits probably best left forgotten, mostly the sex stuff. I didn't like his reveal of the Tleilaxu culture much--it seemed repetitive and not in sync with their portrayal in the earlier books.

"No integrated circuits" seems like a good guide to Dunetech outside of the high-tech planets.

[Joe in PNG]

I'll try to answer

1) As it says in the appendix, the Kwisatz Haderach is a sort of super mentat, with a more full set of precognitive abilities than either the Bene Gesserit or the Guild Navigators. Part of it comes from being able strong enough to handle the stronger version of truthsayer drugs (Water of Life in his case) without dying, giving him an advantage over the Guild. He's also strong enough to see into both parts of the collective unconscious, and get a more full version of prescience.

The deal with Alia is that because she was given the truth drug at such an early age, she never really developed a personality of her own, meaning she was hapless against the personalities of her ancestors... meaning she allowed herself to be taken over by her grandfather's personality.

2) The BG's breeding plan was a deep, deep secret- note the Reverend Mother's reaction when Paul points that out. As far as the Noble Houses knew, the BG was basically a finishing school for useful and aristocratically acceptable wives or concubines. Their other abilities were not very well known- not many saw the steel fist in the velvet glove and lived.

3) As pointed out elsewhere, the potential for explosion was a variable. Better not to risk it, but most combat forces happily used lasguns where shields weren't common. It could also look a lot like the use of atomics, and thus a violation of the Great Convention.

As for the Baron, he wanted to make a work of art in Kanly. A simple shield explosion wouldn't be enough, and probably wouldn't get the whole family anyway.

4) It's mentioned in the appendix that they had the chance earlier, but have a tendency to be risk averse. If they can't see an absolutely safe course presciently, they shy away from it. Challenging the Emperor for control of one of his fiefs, and his right to give it to one of the noble houses was a risky move they didn't want to make.
Smugglers exist, and challenging the control of Dune would be a way to lose one's monopoly.

5) I get the idea that automation is the thing that's banned. A simple clockwork item is fine, but anything more complicated is prohibited. Videos are done on film and audio is recorded on wire.