I really wanted to like this in HD. Really. The story of Dune is complex, futuristic and totally fit for an awesome HD experience. Unfortunately sci-fi movies from the 80’s not named “Star Wars” are not typically fit for HD wihtout some major remastering. It is hard to recommend an HD DVD where blue screen clipping is present. Regardless, David Lynch did a great job telling this story. So much so that I can say this is the weirdest big budget sci-fi movie I have ever seen. the HD DVD contains the 2 and a half hour version - unfortunately, no 4-hour version exists.

 The picture is less than exceptional - even 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen could not save Dune. The movie is set in the year 10-thousand-someting-or-other. Its really far into the future. There is space travel which is really controlled by “the spice”,mined on the desert planet Arrakis. Giant sandworms exist on Arrakis that threaten the humans (Fremen) and spice miners. These sandworms are essential to the film so selling the effect is crucial to the film. HD DVD exposes every weakness of 1980’s miniaturues and blue-screen effects. The scenes with the worms were laughable. Similarly, the ships the characters travel in looked like colorforms placed on a starfield background. I loved this movie when I saw it in the theatres. My friends and I would run around yelling “Muad’Dib” and pretend to use the futuristitic weapons as portrayed in the movie. I want this movie to work becasue it would help HD DVD sales. Unfortunately the HD DVD video transfer weas horrible and is in need of major post-production effects rework (how about a 5-disc offering like with Blade Runner?).

The audio was a sufficient 5.1 mix. Little things that needed to sound pronounced and powerful did - namely, the thumpers used to distract or attract sandworms provided a nice bass tone. Other than that, there was nothing exceptional about the audio track, and that’s just too bad.

The extras were comprehensive, but nothing extraordinary, just the typical run of the mill info featurettes. While I am on this topic, the menu was generic.

Lack of attention to the HD DVD transfer and a lack of features geared towards the cult followign Dune attracts makes it tough to advocate buying this movie. If you can get it as part of a promotion, and you are familar with the story, do it; but you won’t convince any friends to go to HD movies with this.

ILHDDVD Rating: 3/5 (I felt too much removed from the action)
Video/Image: 1/5 (failure to address effects shortcomings ruins this)
Audio: 4/5 (acceptable)
not recommended

Did you see this HD DVD? Rankit: (3 votes, average: 2.67 out of 5)

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