A visual feast of science fiction that left audiences cold, Dune is the epic and unbeloved adaptation of Frank Herbert's much loved 1965 novel. Now, 20 years on, and after some memorably poor DVD releases, we have a plush special edition two-disc release that not only presents the film beautifully but also takes a frank look back at this intriguing monstrosity of cinema.

No Lynch

As usual with any David Lynch DVD, there is no sign of him in terms of a new interview or commentary. You can spot him, though, in a vintage, rarely seen promotional featurette at work on the film. Dwarfed by gigantic sets, he doesn't seem to be fazed by the huge undertaking before him.

No Worming Out

In terms of memories and opinions, we have an impressive new documentary, Impressions Of Dune, that gathers together cast and crew from the movie, along with critics like Newsweek's David Ansen - who actually gave the film good reviews. All the contributors are pleasingly frank, including producer Raffaella De Laurentiis who muses over mistakes they made on the production, including being too faithful to the book.

As the opinions form, you get an insight into a production that took such immense effort to make that you actually understand what went so horribly wrong. To embark on a movie that needed two years simply to build sets before a single frame could be shot was always going to run the risk of losing narrative passion. Combine that with a critical frenzy that smelt blood as the production ran into major difficulties on every level and the project was doomed.

Dune Appreciated

For those with a soft spot for this much maligned epic, you now have a chance to view it with a quality picture transfer and an exciting new 5.1 sound mix. Combined with an insightful 32-page booklet and a short vintage Frank Herbert interview, it's hard to imagine a better DVD tribute to this movie.

EXTRA FEATURES

This DVD was reviewed on a JVC XV-N5 DVD player.