Before “Star Trek,” there was “Star Wars.” And before “Star Wars,” there was “Dune.”
Frank Herbert’s 1965 masterpiece “Dune” quickly became a best-selling novel and inspired numerous sci-fi classics, such as “Star Wars” and “Star Trek,” that defined the film industry for decades.
The book was made into a movie in 1984 by David Lynch, but it was a box-office flop. Its failures did not stop the comic-con hippies — who have probably never read the book — from crying incessantly for a remake that would fill their wildest psychedelic dreams. Instead, the remake leaves them with a lesson in politics.
“Dune” brilliantly captures the difficult political and economic issues of empire-building. It follows the story of Paul Atreides, played by Timothée Chalamet, son of the Duke of the noble House Atreides. They’re thrust into deep political and physical danger on the harsh, desert planet of Arrakis. Think “Game of Thrones” but with spaceships, giant sandworms, and a lot less personality thanks to a mopey Chalamet.
As the movie builds the world and its characters, it’s easy to notice parallels to today: “Dune” is the artistic embodiment of the oil conflict in the Middle East. Arrakis is a planet rich in a commodity referred to as “spice,” which is essential for travel. Its inhabitants, the Fremen, have long been terrorized by the colonization of different Houses in their pursuit of the substance. Whoever controls Arrakis controls spice and whoever controls spice wields great political and economic power. As one might expect, this leads to militaristic danger.
Unfortunately, importance tends to breed conflict in both “Dune” and in reality. Oil is the real world’s “spice.” Since 1927, when a massive amount of oil was discovered in Iraq, global powers quickly jumped at the opportunity to maximize their economic and political strength.
Despite the oil existing on their own land, the Iraqis did not benefit from it. Instead, the oil was distributed mostly to the United States, Great Britain, France, and Holland. In 1958, the Iraqis, recognizing the exploitation of oil by the West through the Hashemite monarchy, overthrew the government. The new government immediately forced the Iraqi Petroleum Company, which held a monopoly on the nation’s oil production, to limit distribution to other nations. In fear of losing oil, President Eisenhower began the US occupation in Iraq. This fueled numerous conflicts, such as the creation and rise of OPEC, the 1979 Energy Crisis, and even the war in Iraq which reopened the Iraqi oil industry to western nations.
The act of building an empire requires tearing another one down. In “Dune,” every House has its own conception of justice, but each is governed by their own self-interest. Their interests propel the Houses to expand themselves in hopes of maximizing their political standing. Yet, this is done at the expense of the native Fremen, which creates further conflict. The mission of Paul Atreides is to become the messiah he is believed to be. He arrives on Arrakis hoping to further the power of House Atreides. But as his House falls apart on Arrakis, he realizes that perhaps he is to save the Fremen instead.
“Dune” treats its audience to over two and a half hours of cinematic excellence, with stunning shots of a sandy landscape, a soundtrack that captures the beauty of the interstellar universe, and incredibly impressive CGI that would make even J.J. Abrams cry.
Even with the important lessons the movie conveys, the actual story feels nonexistent. As soon as the movie has developed the setting and political drama sufficiently, the credits are rolling. While some might feel as if they wasted two hours of their time to what seems like a long introduction, I find the world-building to be the magic of the movie. When it is finished, you are craving more. Praise God they are working on part two.
Watch “Dune” at the theater this weekend. For a $10 ticket, you’ll not only receive a beautiful cinematic experience, but perhaps also a lesson in politics that Constitution 101 could only ever dream of giving.
