3rd Dune

On the vernal equinox, it was announced that there will be a third attempt to get it right and another Dune will be done, this one faithful to the book.

Right. So then there will be more flashy scenes and such? Whos making it?

Meh, I liked the 2000 miniseries even if it wasn't so true to the books.  :)

Seconded, I thought the sci-fi Dune miniseries was pretty good. It's too bad Sci-Fi doesn't spend more time making quality miniseries like Dune, Battlestar Galactica, and that wizard of oz one that was on recently... instead they seem to spend more time pumping out unwatchable sci-fi/horror flicks or showing the ECW wrestling...

Never watched the first Dune movie to its completion, but I've heard its pretty awful. Will be nice to see another version of it on the silver screen.

instead they seem to spend more time pumping out unwatchable sci-fi/horror flicks or showing the ECW wrestling...

What was so wrong with The Man With the Screaming Brain?

"The Man With the Screaming Brain" was not something Sci-Fi specifically did, it was Bruce Campbell's personal project that he got Sci-Fi to show because he agreed to be in their absolutely awful "Alien Invasion".

Not all "Sci-Fi Originals" are actually made by the Sci-Fi channel.  Sometimes they are imported from other sources.  Key examples are "The Man With the Screaming Brain" and the "Dark Kingdom" miniseries.  It's like "Quentin Tarantino Presents:" whatever.  Most of them, however, are funded by Sci-Fi, and of course the general rule is that the movies stink, and the mini-series are usually awesome.  There are, naturally, exceptions that prove the rule.

In this day and age of giant Hollywood blockbusters, the Sci-Fi originals harken back to the days of the B-Movies.  Yes, most of them are terrible, but some of them are great because they are so terrible (though, mostly, they're just bad).  It is a way for unknown talent to try and make a mark in this industry, both actors and writers.  It's also a way for actors that haven't seen work in ages to actually get a job.  Note that many actors in the movies tend to have been on some Sci-Fi show or another.

It still doesn't excuse the quality, but it at least explains it a bit.

P.S. Saturday on Sci-Fi is called the most dangerous night on television because it's the night you're most likely to want to cause harm to yourself from watching what they show. 

Having watched Chiller Theater and Double Chiller Theater (both with Dr. Shock) in my early teens, I saw more than my share of bad B movies.  Mamie van Doren in a tight sweater was the plot.  Occasionally you got an Angry Red Planet, The Thing, or The Day the Earth Stood Still, but mostly one saw mutated insects.  God Bless radiation.

Fortunately in the 60's The Outer Limits came on the scene, and provided 48 minutes of quality written, decently acted material every week.

Never watched the first Dune movie to its completion, but I've heard its pretty awful.

Its my favorite rendition so far. Even though it isn't very close to the book it is still a quality film.

Tell me who told you this? They will fall upon my Crysknife.

I like the original Dune... Patrick Stewart was awesome in that movie.

As for sci-fi originals... yeah some of them are really bad, but you have to enjoy them for what they are.  like some folks here said... they're like the B-movies of yesteryear.... Ed Wood and the like.

LOL.  Ed Wood is not yesteryear.  The Wasp Woman, now that's yesteryear.  The Blob (saw it at a double feature with the Mummy, the latter of which scared this 10 year old)  The Tingler - gods, how that sucked.  Yet, like a moth to flame, I was drawn to them.

Peter Berg is slated to direct www.imdb.com/name/nm0000916/

The people who think the original Dune is horrible are usually the folks who are never happy with an adaptation because they think every lil thing in a book has to be in there and nothing can be altered to fit a wider audience. The original movie didn't take so much away as it added things. Most just go by critics' reviews of the time, who never understood the source to begin with.

I personally love the original Dune, but then I've always been able to seperate books and their movie counterparts. People need to start thinking of movies that come from books as being more inspired by books and not direct interpretation. Books are long and can go into detail, movies only have such long of a time frame.

I've attempted the first movie 3 times, but not having read the book I can't more than 20 or so minutes in

I guess I'll have to give the original movie another try sometime.

The main sticking point I get from folks is all the "inner dialogue" that you hear in the beginning.  Not too many people like that.  I personally had no issue with it.  For the fan-girls out there, you get to see a very youthful and ripped Sting in weird alien bikini-brief.  For the guys... Sean Young is in it.

Lotsa Hollywood names are in the movie... Kyle MacLachlan, Patrick Stewart, a very young Virginia Madsen, Brad Dourif, Linda Hunt, Dean Stockwell, Jack Nance.  Many of these folks and other cast members have gone on to do other big things.  Not saying this movie was a stepping stone for them, but for some... it helped add to the resume.

If there was any old fantasy/sci-fi movie you would like to see get re-made, what would it be?  I, personally, would love to see a nice remake of Excalibur (the 1981 Nigel Terry version).  Sure, there have been tons of King Arthur movies, but none in the same cinematic fashion and vein as the 1981 version.  Another film would be the Blade Runner.  Sure I love the original, but I feel that a new take and spin of the movie could be adapted and done.

Actually is was the big stepping stone for Kyle MacLachlan, it was his first big staring role. Now we all know my opinion in this is biased since it was made by David Lynch and he can do no wrong, cept for not finishing the story.

As for other remakes, Excaliber is about as perfect a movie about Arthur as you can get and shouldn't be touched. They're in the processes of making another one called Gallahad, where Guineverre frames him with Arthur's murder...no I'm not joking.

Blade Runner, I wouldn't touch either unless you make it more faithful to the original Philip K Dick source.

The soon to be wife would still like to see a good Black Cauldron movie made and we all would like to see a good D&D movie.

My co-worker just suggested Scanners.

Personally I would love to see My Science Project remade and see what they could do with technology now.