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“I see many things. I see plans within plans.”

Following his underground hit The Elephant Man, visionary filmmaker David Lynch set his sights on bringing Frank Herbert’s beloved sci-fi novel Dune to the screen. The project had already vexed directors such as Alejandro Jodorowsky (El Topo) and Ridley Scott (Alien). But by the early ‘80s Universal Pictures was prepared to give Lynch the keys to the kingdom – and the highest budget in the studio’s history at the time – so that he could lend his surrealistic chops to this sprawling story of feuding space dynasties. They would also hopefully be creating a “Star Wars for adults” franchise-starter.

As the hot young filmmaker commanded a cast with 42 major speaking parts as well as a crew of 1,700 (plus over 20,000 extras) on 80 sets built on 8 sound stages in Mexico, what happened next became as wild, complex, and full of intrigue as Herbert’s novel itself.

Film writer Max Evry goes behind the erratic ride of David Lynch’s Dune like never before, with a years-in-the-making oral history culled from a lineup of new interviews with the film’s stars (Kyle MacLachlan, Sean Young, Virginia Madsen, etc.), creatives, film executives, and insiders – not to mention Lynch himself.

David Lynch’s Dune initially left many filmgoers and reviewers scratching their heads, most dismissing the film upon its release. However, four decades and a big-budget remake later, Lynch’s Dune is finally poised to find its rightful place alongside the director’s other masterpieces such as Blue Velvet and Mullholland Drive.

Max Evry’s A Masterpiece in Disarray takes you back to 1984 with the deepest dive yet into the cult classic that is David Lynch’s Dune.

CHAPTERHOUSES

Prologue
Author’s Note

I.   Pre-Production
     Dune Origins
     Previous Dune Attempts
     The Man from Another Place: David Lynch
     Detour to a Galaxy Far, Far Away
     Romancing De Laurentiis
     Building Four Worlds: Designing and Scripting Dune
     Casting a Galaxy of Stars
     Oral History: Pre-Production

II.  Production
     Location, Location, Location
     Start of Production
     Common Threads: Costuming
     Actors’ Experiences
     Production Problems
     Things That Make You Go Boom: Special Effects
     Oral History: Production

III. Post-Production and Release
     Band-Aids and Chewing Gum: Visual Effects
     Slice and Dice: Editing
     Not in Kansas Anymore: Toto’s Music
     Knife Fights on Lunchboxes: Marketing
     Dune and Gloom: Classic Reviews from 1984
     The Infamous Glossary
     Box Office and Awards
     Filmbooks: Home Video Releases
     Plans Within Plans: Alternate Cuts
     The Book vs. The Film
     Oral History: Post-Production & Release

IV. Legacy
     Dune Aftermath
     Oral History: Legacy
     Dune in Pop Culture
     Pyrrhic Victory: Fan Tributes
     Gholas: The Remakes
     Modern Impressions of Dune
     Mysteries of Love: Dune Symbols
     Interview: David Lynch
     Final Thoughts

Acknowledgments
Image Credits
About the Author