This week marks the 40th anniversary of David Lynch's *Dune*, a film that, despite its initial $40 million box office disappointment upon its release on December 14, 1984, has cultivated a dedicated cult following over the past four decades. This is particularly notable when compared to Denis Villeneuve's recent two-part adaptation of Frank Herbert's iconic novel. The announcement of renowned filmmaker David Lynch taking the helm from Ridley Scott in May 1981, shortly after Scott's departure, was a significant moment in the project's history.
Until recently, little was known about the version of *Dune* that Ridley Scott developed for producer Dino De Laurentiis before Lynch took over. Thanks to the diligent efforts of T.D. Nguyen, a 133-page draft of Scott's unproduced *Dune* film, penned by Rudy Wurlitzer, was discovered within the Coleman Luck archives at Wheaton College and shared with this author.
When Ridley Scott joined the project following the success of *Alien* in 1979, Frank Herbert had already crafted a two-part screenplay that was both faithful to the source material and challenging to adapt cinematically. Scott, after considering some scenes from Herbert's script, enlisted Wurlitzer for a complete rewrite, aiming to create a cinematic vision that would be the first part of a two-part series.
Rudy Wurlitzer, reflecting on the adaptation process in a 1984 interview with Prevue Magazine, described it as one of the most challenging tasks he had undertaken. "It took more time to break it down into a working outline than to write the final script," he said. "We kept to the spirit of the book but, in a sense, we rarefied it. We interjected a somewhat different sensibility."
Ridley Scott, in a 2021 interview with *Total Film*, expressed confidence in their work, stating, "We did a script, and the script is pretty fucking good."
The reasons behind the collapse of Scott's *Dune* project were multifaceted, including emotional challenges following the death of his brother Frank, reluctance to film in Mexico as demanded by De Laurentiis, a budget exceeding $50 million, and the allure of the *Blade Runner* project. Additionally, as Universal Pictures executive Thom Mount noted in the book *A Masterpiece in Disarray – David Lynch's Dune*, "Rudy’s version of the script did not receive unanimous, glowing enthusiasm."
The question remains whether Wurlitzer's adaptation was a poor cinematic execution of Herbert's expansive narrative or if it was simply too dark, violent, and politically charged to be a commercial success. Readers can explore our detailed script analysis to form their own opinions.
Rudy Wurlitzer (age 87) and Ridley Scott were contacted for this article but were unable or opted not to participate.
A Wilder Shade of Paul
The October 1980 draft of *Dune* opens with an impressionistic dream sequence of hot deserts, where white dust vapors morph into apocalyptic armies ravaging the universe, setting the stage for Paul's "terrible purpose." Ridley Scott's visual style, known for its density and complexity, is evident in descriptions like "birds and insects become a whirling hysteria of motion," showcasing his unique artistic vision.
As Scott mentioned to *Total Film*, "We did a very good take on *Dune*, because early days, I’d work very, very closely with the writer. I was always glomming the look of the film onto what he or she was writing."
The narrative then shifts to Paul Atreides, a 7-year-old with long blonde hair, waking from a dream as rain pelts the windows of Castle Caladan. He faces the Reverend Mother's test with "the box," reciting the Litany Against Fear, which is intercut with his mother Jessica's own recitation, highlighting their psychic bond. The script includes vivid imagery of a burning hand, reminiscent of Lynch's version, though not literal.
After passing the test, young Paul uses The Voice to retrieve a sword from a guard and nearly kills Duncan Idaho in his sleep to test his warrior skills, embodying a "savage innocence." Stephen Scarlata, producer of the documentary *Jodorowsky's Dune*, notes, "Rudy Wurlitzer’s version of Paul is far more assertive. He actively takes charge. We even see a flash-forward of his growth spanning from age 7 to 21, where his relentless training leads him to surpass Duncan Idaho."
By the time Paul reaches 21, he is described as a master swordsman, "handsome, charismatic, regal." Duncan, taking Gurney's place, is portrayed as "broader with white hair and beard" and shares a humorous demeanor akin to Jason Momoa's portrayal.
Long Live the Emperor
The script then transitions to a scene outside the castle where Jessica observes a gardener raking white pebbles into patterns. Suddenly, rain begins to fall, and the gardener, falling to his knees, proclaims, "the Emperor is dead." This pivotal moment, as noted by screenwriter Ian Fried, adds a new layer to the story, though it deviates from the book.
The narrative then moves to the Emperor's Inner Kingdom, surrounded by Snow Peaks and a Mystic Circle, where members of the Twenty-Four Great Houses gather to mourn the Emperor. The scene becomes mystical as the dead Emperor speaks through a Medium, bequeathing the Planet Dune/Arrakis to Duke Leto Atreides to combat the gathering darkness.
The darkness manifests through Leto's cousin, Baron Harkonnen, who, via Feyd-Rautha, proposes splitting Arrakis' spice production to avoid conflict. Leto rejects this, leading to a confrontation where the Baron utters a line similar to one in Lynch's film: "He who controls the spice controls the universe."
Flight of the Navigator
The script also includes a scene aboard a Guild Heighliner, where a Navigator, a spice-mutated creature, is described in detail, echoing elements later seen in Scott's *Prometheus*. Ian Fried expresses disappointment that Villeneuve's films did not include a similar depiction.
Upon arriving on Arrakis, the Atreides' Arakeen fortress is described with a medieval aesthetic, reminiscent of Scott's *Legend*. The script emphasizes ecological themes, with Liet Kynes introducing his daughter Chani and discussing the impact of spice harvesting on the planet's ecosystem.
The script includes a new action scene where Paul and Duncan follow a Harkonnen agent into a trading post, leading to a bar fight. This scene, while adding action, is critiqued by Scarlata for making Paul seem too invincible too soon, potentially undermining the tension and growth central to his character's journey.
The script also introduces Stilgar, the stoic Fremen leader, and a scene where Jessica levitates during meditation, emphasizing her Bene Gesserit abilities.
Baron Wasteland
Dr. Yueh, after receiving a secret message, shares a moment of regret with Paul before sending him into the city. Paul experiences visions after inhaling spice vapor in a Fremen Spice Den, encountering an Old Crone and a baby sandworm.
Yueh's betrayal leads to the deactivation of the house shield, allowing Harkonnen Death Commandoes to infiltrate the castle. Paul returns to face a Hunter-Seeker, described as a bat-like creature with a cobra's head, which he decapitates.
Duke Leto fights the Death Commandoes but is ultimately poisoned by Yueh. Duncan arrives to save Leto but is fatally wounded. Jessica places a poison gas capsule in Leto's mouth before their escape, leading to a graphic and intense sequence of violence.
The Deep Desert Controversy
Paul and Jessica's escape into the deep desert is fraught with intense action, including a crash-landing and a face-to-face encounter with a massive sandworm. Notably, this draft omits the controversial incest subplot between Paul and Jessica, which had been present in earlier versions and was a point of contention for both Herbert and De Laurentiis.
The script concludes with Paul and Jessica hiding in a giant worm carcass, where Paul engages in a brutal duel with Jamis, solidifying his role as the Lisan al-gaib. The Fremen perform a Spice ceremony, and Paul is given the name Maud'Dib. Chani, Jamis' widow, accepts Paul as her new mate, and they join the Fremen in their quest to transform Arrakis.
The climax features a Water of Life ceremony, where Jessica becomes the new Reverend Mother, and Paul is accepted as the Messiah. The script ends with Jessica calling a giant sandworm, hinting at Paul's future ride, a key element Herbert emphasized as crucial to the story.
Conclusions
Frank Herbert's *Dune* series aimed to critique the dangers of charismatic leadership, a theme more central to Villeneuve's adaptations than Lynch's. Wurlitzer's script presents Paul as a confident young man accepting his destiny as a universal dictator, with complicit characters like Chani and Kynes supporting his rise for their own ends.
This script, conceived during the rise of modern science fiction cinema, may have been too ambitious and mature for its time, akin to Zack Snyder's *Watchmen*. Ridley Scott's vision, as he noted in 1979, sought to bring the vast readership of sci-fi novels to the screen, despite the genre's underground status.
Wurlitzer's script, while deviating from the novel, offers a unique visual and thematic approach, emphasizing ecological, political, and spiritual elements. It corrects some narrative issues present in Lynch's film, such as the relationships between key characters and the Emperor's role in the story.
The legacy of this unproduced *Dune* includes H.R. Giger's designs and the influence on Scott's later works, such as *Gladiator II*. Wurlitzer's adaptation, praised by Scott as "a decent distillation of Frank Herbert," remains a fascinating exploration of the novel's themes, particularly its ecological concerns.
As Herbert's book approaches its 60th anniversary, the themes of environmental decay, the dangers of fascism, and the need for awakening remain as relevant as ever, suggesting that future adaptations might delve deeper into these aspects.
