Anyone that has read Frank Herbert’s “Dune” knows just how difficult it can be to get through. For every person that absolutely adores the sci-fi classic, there are probably dozens that started it and never finished because of just how dense the prose can be at times. “Dune” has more in common with a philosophy book than it does “Star Wars.” And that is largely why adaptations of the novel have failed in the past. Because of that, one of the actors from Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” has some advice for those newbies to the world of Arrakis before stepping into the theater.
READ MORE: Denis Villeneuve Teases A ‘Dune’ Trilogy & Potentially Adapting ‘Dune Messiah’
Speaking to Screen Rant, “Dune” actor David Dastmalchian (who is also great in “The Suicide Squad” and, of course, Denis Villeneuve’s thriller “Prisoners”) gave his advice for what he thinks is the best way to experience the upcoming adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel.
“But here’s my recipe, and my advice to everybody who’s reading this right now: read the book first, right now, because you still have until October for ‘Dune’s’ release,” he explained. “Let’s call September ‘Dune Book September,’ and then we’ll call October ‘Dune Movie October.’ So, you’re going to read the book, and then you’re going to go see Denis’ version of the film on IMAX the weekend that it opens in cinemas. And then there are actually two other adaptations that have been done, as well as one that almost got accomplished.”
But your homework isn’t done yet. You have one month to read “Dune” and then experience the film in October. From there, Dastmalchian believes you’re ready for the other attempts to bring that story to life.
“I would recommend watching David Lynch’s [‘Dune’ adaptation], I would recommend watching the Syfy series, and then watch the documentary ‘Jodorowsky’s Dune,’ Dastmalchian added. “That’s the order I would recommend, just personally. This is me talking: read the book, then go see Denis’ film, and then in November you could do Lynch’s, the Syfy version, and the documentary ‘Jodorowsky’s Dune.’ And then we’ll all be authorities on ‘Dune,’ and we’ll get online together to have long discussions and debates. I can’t wait to hear everybody’s reactions to what Denis has created. It’s nothing short of a masterpiece.”
Obviously, Dastmalchian is a bit biased, considering he’s in “Dune,” but referring to Villeneuve’s latest as a “masterpiece” falls in line with all the other praise we’ve seen for the film already. And if you have the time and motivation, as a “Dune” diehard myself, I wholeheartedly recommend diving into the book first. And the good news is you only have to read the first half, as Villeneuve’s film is only Part 1 of a two-part film (if the second half ever gets produced, that is). Worst case scenario—you end up reading a great piece of sci-fi fiction and the movie isn’t that great. But odds are, you’ll enjoy both.
“Dune” hits theaters and HBO Max on October 22.