Dune (2020) - Denis Villeneuve
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That's certainly the way it used to be and maximised profits of a film before appearing on streaming some months down the line. The film studios thought that the pandemic was a way to accelerate their plans for cutting out the cinemas and doing direct sales to customers via their streaming services, but I think they have been brought up short. There are a lot more streaming services competing with each other, a lot less people willing to sign up to them and pay significant money over the subscription to see a day one movie. Movies like Dune are not going to make back their money based on streaming service subscriptions, especially at a time when people are out of the habit of visiting the cinema, and many have realised there are better uses of their time and money bar the occasional spectacular movie event like Dune. Movies like Dune need the cinema as much as the cinemas need movies like Dune.
Plus don't forget that movie companies can and do change their plans at the drop of a hat. No plans for a day one streaming release today doesn't mean they won't change their minds if they think it will make them more money that way.
I also believe it's inclusive of the HBOMax subscription, don't think there was any uplift to view this if you already had a sub.
Also let's not forget those who just download/stream using the 'free' option, a lot of revenue will be lost that way when a shiny 4k rip appears on day 1.
Yes, but you might not have a HBO Max sub because you're paying for a Disney+ sub instead. I think movie companies realised they can't get their money back on films that cost hundreds of millions of dollars without it being a special event trip to the cinema for many people. If these big movies are just every day things that appear on the tv in your living room, the film companies are not going to get the money they expected by cutting out the cinema (because they won't get all that money simply passed to the streaming service).
That high cost film production model for a spectacular movie needs the cinema release to be financially viable.
Soldato
It's like watching the Napster years all over again with this idiotic media companies.
Needing a cinema release is nonsense. These days many people have no interest in going to cinemas, but are quite willing to pay for a streaming option.
It's the ***** in charge that are insisting on big budget films being included in subscriptions, in order to shift subscriber numbers that are the problem.
Release in cinemas on day 1.
Release to buy on streaming a couple of weeks later (get your big opening weekends in).
Put on streaming subscription services six months later.
Cinema nerds get their fix.
People with cash to throw at buying it at home get it without waiting aeons.
Streaming sub cheapskates get to watch it later...everybody's happy.
Needing a cinema release is nonsense. These days many people have no interest in going to cinemas, but are quite willing to pay for a streaming option.
It's the ***** in charge that are insisting on big budget films being included in subscriptions, in order to shift subscriber numbers that are the problem.
Release in cinemas on day 1.
Release to buy on streaming a couple of weeks later (get your big opening weekends in).
Put on streaming subscription services six months later.
Cinema nerds get their fix.
People with cash to throw at buying it at home get it without waiting aeons.
Streaming sub cheapskates get to watch it later...everybody's happy.
@Steampunk chani will be the female protagonist in part 2. Does she play an important part in book 2. ( I known Paul is still main character) or is this a Hollywood move?
Hollywood move. But it might be very exaggerated, given all the fuss they made of Jessica (already a strong female character that didn't need changing) and race/gender swapping Liet Keynes (a minor character who's job is a little bit of exposition and a noble and fitting death).
Chani is not a terribly important character in the books, though she is Leit Keynes daughter, who they race/gender swapped in this movie. She is Paul's consort, advisor, bodyguard. She's his wife in all but name, but rather like Leto I and Jessica, Paul doesn't marry Chani, he marries Princess Irulan (Emperor Corrino's daughter) to make a political marriage and further legitimise his claiming of the throne. Chani is Paul's love interest, the woman he is destined and pre-determined (by his visions) to be with, and the mother of his children. Her storyline is not as interesting as (say) Alia's in book 3, and it would be a mistake for Villeneuve to focus too heavily on Chani. She's a supporting romantic character, (taking for granted that every Fremen character is also a ferociously dangerous combat expert who knows how to live in the deep desert of Arakkis).
Chani's main job in the storyline is to fall in love with, and give Paul an heir. Their first child is killed in a Harkkonen attack. After that, Irulan is secretly poisoning her to prevent a pregnancy. Irulan thinks that if Chani never bears an heir, then Paul will have to turn to her (something Paul has vowed never to do. Irulan is purely a politcal convenience). Chani eventually bears twins Leto II and Ghanna, after going on a Fremen diet to aid pregnancy (and thus unknowingly avoiding Irulan's poisoning). Chani dies of complications after the birth (thanks to Irulan's poisoning), and then becomes an existential temptation to Paul after the Tleilaxu offer to bring her back as a Gola (clone with all memories intact). Paul refuses this as it would interfere with the progress of the Golden Path, and place him in the power of the Tleilaxu, along with accepting a possible trojan horse in the form of a resurrected Chani who might have been reprogrammed to do anything by the Tleilaxu (who are another powerful faction in the Dune universe, specialising in biological technology and have created convincing golas of Duncan Idaho and their own failed Kwizatz Haderach).
Chani's main job in the storyline is to fall in love with, and give Paul an heir. Their first child is killed in a Harkkonen attack. After that, Irulan is secretly poisoning her to prevent a pregnancy. Irulan thinks that if Chani never bears an heir, then Paul will have to turn to her (something Paul has vowed never to do. Irulan is purely a politcal convenience). Chani eventually bears twins Leto II and Ghanna, after going on a Fremen diet to aid pregnancy (and thus unknowingly avoiding Irulan's poisoning). Chani dies of complications after the birth (thanks to Irulan's poisoning), and then becomes an existential temptation to Paul after the Tleilaxu offer to bring her back as a Gola (clone with all memories intact). Paul refuses this as it would interfere with the progress of the Golden Path, and place him in the power of the Tleilaxu, along with accepting a possible trojan horse in the form of a resurrected Chani who might have been reprogrammed to do anything by the Tleilaxu (who are another powerful faction in the Dune universe, specialising in biological technology and have created convincing golas of Duncan Idaho and their own failed Kwizatz Haderach).
Went again to watch this last night and noticed a lot more minor visuals early on of Bulls and some mentions of future actions etc that I just Glazed over on first viewing. Visually I took in even more too. It really is a beautifully vivid film, especially nearer the end when the switch between dark and light scenes occurs more often and it strains the eyes.
I went to see this earlier this evening, I dont know if the cinema I went to had the audio levels all out of whack, but Jesus Christ the background BAUUM through the entire 2.5hrs was distracting as hell. I was waiting for the movie to end by the time Paul met with the Fremen, it detracted a lot from an otherwise good movie.
@Steampunk thanks. So does the story keep getting better in every book or it starts to drag/get boring in the later books?
The first three books are Paul's story, and that of his children's rise to power. Those are pretty self contained. Book 4 is the end of the Golden Path, where Leto II is God Tyrant, and rebuilds humanity to have freedom from superhumans like the Kwizatz Haderach. This is a sort of big sequel/addendum to the first three books, and all four tie up Paul's story, and Leto II's story that is started in Book 3 and finished in book 4.
The series starts to drag after that as we go further into the future of humanity, and see all sort of things getting progressively more convoluted and bonkers, and I'd only recommend those to the completionist. They are not terrible, but don't reach the heights of the first three or four books. Book 5 and onwards certainly feels like Herbert is riding a successful book series, and doesn't want to get off until the fans stop buying, and it sort flatlines until you get to the Brian Herbert/Kevin Anderson novels which IIRC take a notable dip.
I'd certainly recommend the first four books. After that, if you've had enough of the Dune universe, I'd stop there, or if you really want to delve into the deeper future of the Dune universe on the chance it's hooked you in, then keep going until you get fed up. If you start to see a drop off in interest, it's not likely to pick up for you as you continue down the series.
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Our local Cineworld IMAX is like this, need earplugs! Think this was bad try watching Dunkirk, dear god I was dead for a month afterwards!
I too thought the volume could do with dialing down a notch as it starts to make you fatigued after a while.
Soldato
Why do people feel the need to insult others for the crime of spending less than they do?
You should get some help if you seriously feel offended by that post. Genuinely, you must be in a delicate place if that's what's upsetting you.