Why This Scene From Dune 2 Felt So Insane
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 ธ.ค. 2024
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In this video I breakdown of the sandworm riding scene in Dune: Part 2 and how sound design, cinematography, performance, VFX and directing, all work together to make it so effective.
// References:
Greig Fraser and the Cinematography of Dune: Part Two - Dolby Institute Podcast: • Greig Fraser and the C...
Dune: Part Two' Director Denis Villeneuve Breaks Down the Sandworm Scene -Vanity Fair: • 'Dune: Part Two' Direc...
Caught In Avalanches Compilation: • Caught In Avalanches C...
Additional Stock Footage Provided by Getty Images and Storyblocks
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#ThomasFlight #VideoEssay
sound design in both films is top notch. the thumping sound alone is iconic
I adore getting lost in the sound in either Part One or Part Two of Dune. It's beyond fantastic and sometimes given that I've seen both movies easily over 8 times it's great to close your eyes at some points to really let the audio take over... it's really at least 50% of what makes the movies insane to me next to the visuals and all of course.
The only other example coming to mind, coming close or even being on the same level is Oppenheimer. Though there's nothing that can replace that freaking iconic thumping sound haha... I love how they recorded sand layers even beep below the thumper to make sure it really sounds tactile and "right", that deep deep thumping.
@@menuki6996 the loud clicks of the sandworms before the final war, and the massive ship horn when they open their mouths and show them to the audience? Flawless.
Though I do think Blade Runner 2049 also has wonderful sound, as well as the Oblivion movie with M83's sound and music. Oppenheimer is a titan thoughit was amazing 🙌
The bass in IMAX shook the seats
I've friends who watched this at home on streaming instead of in the cinema and I just want to slap them. Like why did you even bother?😮💨
@@mauz791 This may sound silly but this comment alone made me rewatch the movie just for that scene. Epic as always...
And I totally agree with BR 2049!! I feel a bit bad for not mentoning it but anyone who likes the work of Denis HAS to check out BR too generally next to amazing audio and all. Fabulous movie as well..
I will never get over how huge the Dune movies are. The sheer sound of it all is overwhelmingly epic.
I'm epically overwhelmed.
As written
It's why I get pissed at Gen Z who say they hate Dune, and of course they didn't see it in theaters; they watched it at home, on a crappy 32'' LCD, with no sound system of any kind.
Dune's soundscape is utterly _massive._
It _commands_ an IMAX viewing. Just... Truly another level stuff.
the CRAZIEST thing is... from the moment the "enemy" warriors float and transcend the mountain. until one of the last minutes of the film, most scenes are really incredible. its just a well-woven multilayered quality of great filmmaking and creating powerful scenes.
@@Soniti1324 has a single gen z person said they hate the film? I heard thousand of real gen z children say they love it.
The way Villeneuve communicates how worm-riding works in this scene is also worthy of remark; using the hooks to expose the spiracles, and then the worm instantly responding by rolling the xposed section up and away from the sand, a single shot demonstrates what half a page of text explains in the book. Remarkable work.
I love the inclusion of the “no, lower” from Chani, and the punching of the dune to hear the resonance, as if there is a skill, a touch, that is learned (or foreknown) like English in billiards. It’s fantastic!
But how do they get others on the worm after the rider takes control? Even Lynch was able to show more worm riding than this one did. It was just more visually intense.
@@treborkroy5280 It's important to note that Paul is much less skilled in this scene than most riders so they'd have more control _and_ the worm he rides is one of the biggest worms in living memory so it's safe to say the typical experience is _much_ more controlled than the scene in the film. As for how it's done, they stick anchors and ropes in the thick skin and then just ride it in circles while everyone grabs on and climbs up, it's like trying to catch a bus that can't stop but will do slow laps round the block while people jump into the open door.
@@Imperial_SquidAhhhh, makes sense. Still must be bloody tricky getting all those people and gear up there. Dennis said in an interview he has an idea how they do it and he hopes to show us next time🤞
@@briancolwill3071 The desert takes the weak. If you cannot climb the worm, you are not a fremen.
As a surfer I 100% felt the wipeout inspiration of the sandworm scene. The quick rush of darkness and deep sound followed by chaos. Trying to keep control while tossed about, barely knowing where your limbs are. Extremely visceral
extremely and ridiculously impossible
just silly film making, for middling minds that like stunning visuals and nonsensical narrative
I’ve seen a lot of surf footage of the really big wave stuff - Jaws, Pipe, etc. - and I suspect Denis spent a lot of time asking “How do I get that feel?”!
@@richarddecredico6098 Yes yes we see you, you're so smart!!!
Really nice touch of realism when the worm blasts across the plain: Paul first stand still, thinking it's heading toward him, then starts moving left, realizes that it isn't going that way, then starts moving rights, and then realizes it's not nearly as close as he thought it as and has to start sprinting to intercept it. People do have a hard time judging the movement and distances of very large objects (thus why people keep getting hit by trains) so that is something that feels entirely real.
Actually, he knew exactly where the worm was gonna go, thats the point of the thumper..
this comment 1000% the last bit where he struggles to push himself up from his knee. tell us how absolutely fast this massive beast is going without telling us how absolutely fast this massive beast is going. filmmaking at it's peak.
0:10 fun fact, the year 10,000 refers to 10,000 years since the founding of the spacing guild, not from now, it's set more like 20,000 years from
Unless...
NERD!!!
That is a fun fact! Dune lore is still a foggy area for me, but damn do I love the movies
This blew me away when I read it in the Dune Encyclopedia way back. I know it's not seen as "canon" now, but after giving some of the prequels a go, I have to say the Encyclopedia feels a lot more like the world Frank Herbert originally created.
Was just typing this then saw your comment haha
I was a VFX Artist in this film and on several of these sequences. I think what makes DV such a great director to work with is that he doesn't diminish CGI's importance (cough Nolan) or see it simply as an 'extension' of practical effects but as a tool in it's own right. Therefore he doesn't cut corners in either and is very clear about the kind of things he wants to achieve with it, with an inherent understanding of how importance practical REFERENCE is for us to do what we do. The filmed sequences were really good reference for lighting and materials but I think the general public has no clue how many of the scenes in this film are 80-100% CGI, this sequence included. I guess it is the testament to the work that was done but when DNEG releases their Deep Dive on this film I hope many people will get to see how much labour was put into this film on the VFX end.
Here's the VFX Deep Dive for the first film. Deserves way more views imo:
th-cam.com/video/UARrOsNPviA/w-d-xo.html
The quality and seamlessness of the effects are clear to me. I started on Photoshop on its first iteration decades ago and was one of the first people in the United States to receive a college degree in computer photographic imaging in the 90s. While I've moved on to another career and the technology has passed me by, I can appreciate the effort and integrity shown by you and the other artists.
This film was an example of well-developed effects from different sources blended together so well that there's nothing to pull a viewer out of their immersion. I know how anything at this level of competence requires cooperation and vision, not just by the leader of the project but by everyone involved in each segment of the art produced. I could see it in the films and the behind-the-scenes DVDs from Lord of the Rings years ago, and I can see it in the finished results from Dune Part 2. Congratulations on a job masterfully done.
@@rikk319 perfectly said. Dune 1 and 2 use VFX in the same way LOTR and Jurassic Park and Fury Road did. These films will hold up forever because of the VFX using the strengths of practical and CGI together.
@@erikschwartz1214 Thanks for reminding me of Jurassic Park and Fury Road, two other films definitely deserving of praise for similar excellence.
Would love to hear more about your experience working on this film!
Nolan's films suffer so much because of this mentality recently, which is why his best work for me is still Inception.. like, dude makes a movie about Nukes.. uses obvious gasoline explosions instead of an accurate Nuke depiction..
Surfer of 32 years here. This scene captures better than any surf video what it feels like taking on big waves. The timing, focus, rapid decision making, sounds, physics, sense of scale and outright terror and elation - it’s all there. Talked to other surfers and they said same. These people really did the research. Great job breaking down the scene Thomas.
10:45 Zimmer's score kicks in and I get goosebumps all over again. It really is a testament of greatness
That point I also got goosebumps and a huge smile watching it in the cinema. Probably my favorite scene in the film
That's when I realized I'd been holding my breath for the past minute. Both times I saw the movie haha
this scene made me leave my body and the cinema room behind and only return after the movie ended
Bless the Hans and his music
That scene sold the movie for me. I literally bought the books because of that scene
Gonna need this man to break down the whole movie.
Watch this video to find out how to see him doing just that. LOL
are you that dumb that you need someone to explain the simplistic tropes and memes used here?
Dune 2 is the first movie in a very long time where I just had no idea how they made it. The vfx, miniatures, and actual footage were seamless in IMAX. And no one else mixes sound like this. Villenueve and his team have leveled up.
true. felt like a dream.
100%! I've the 1984 Dune nostalgics try to claim there's so much bad CGI in the new Dune movies and I just loooool😂 They're huffing some serious copium. Dune 1984 looks like a school play in comparison. The art direction and VFX in both Part One and Two are beautiful. The cinematography and music is beautiful. Top notch acting from all of the cast. Absolutely sublime. Movies like Interstellar, Blade Runner 2049 and both new Dunes shows its still possible modern classics to emerge. It just takes a director with a clear vision and dedication and the right combination of cast and crew to create works of art in an era of such generic formulaic garbage. The optimistic in me is meekly hoping the Dunes will spearhead a new era of film making but I'll believe it when I see it.
Babe, wake up. Thomas Flight made another Dune video
We've been waiting for Dune 2 videos 😍
It do be that time of the year!
@@AllisonRoadWest I was waiting for him to drop this video. And you truly itself is crime considering you put it in this channel
@@AllisonRoadWest Thanks. Yours isn't
@@AllisonRoadWest Atleast not pointless like yours😅
When this scene was over in the theater I relaxed and realized I had been sitting straight up, completely tensed and gripping the seat. Haven't felt that in a movie ever before that I can remember.
that's beautiful.
Steven Spielberg said this scene "is one of the greatest things I've ever seen. Ever!" and I wholeheartedly agree with him. Seeing this in Imax was like a religious experience.
Wholeheartedly agree
The audience rose with Paul, and it nearly transcended the theatrical experience
@@SPIKESPIEGEL1969 He did
I wormheartedly agree.
@potatosaladinfinity A podcast interview both spielberg and DV participated called "Director's Cut", he even said DV is one of the few "world builders directors", same way nolan and kubrick are. Just search "Steven Spielberg Dune 2" on google
Spielberg has long been a hack
I agree about Chalamet's performance. It's seems simple, but having taken some intense rides myself when I rode longboards at over fifty miles per hour, I could feel Paul's anxiety from his breath and repetition of, "okay."
I saw Dune Part 2 in the Screen X format, meaning I had picture in front of me and on both sides, like 270 degrees visual surround. This scene brought me to tears from the sheer awe of what cinema can accomplish. I was riding the worm with Paul in that scene. With so many shots from “on the worm,” and sandy chaos literally surrounding me on three sides, I was there. I can’t compare it to any other movie-going experience.
Every great Sc-Fi ever made has its own unique sound. It's almost like a movie's ID card. "Predator", "Alien", "Terminator", "Star Wars" ect. Once you see the name to anyone of these films, you can instantly recall the vibe to it. "Dune 2" is the 1st Sc-Fi from recent memory to actually achieve this. The thumping, the score, that weird ass robot exposition quote in the beginning that sends chills down my spine will always come to the forefront when I hear/see the name Dune 2. And respectfully Dune in general.
I love how guttural and visceral, almost primal, dune's sound design and score is. It instantly sets it apart from other movies in the sci fi genre, but it also makes the world feel ancient and dangerous. This isn't a sci fi future where all problems are fixed and there's a techno solution to everything. It's a dark, war-ridden, sci fi future where survival is never guaranteed, at least on arrakis.
Just instantly one of the greatest scenes of the 2020's. Going back to 1984 Dune it's outright comical how different the sand worm riding is portrayed.
2020's? One of the greatest scenes of the 21st century so far. lol
@@ComedyBros5 are you fn kidding me? I pretty much forgot this scene. It's cool but it just look like tom cruise in a top gun cockpit. its no different. forgettable - as proven by me forgetting it.
@@philmcclenaghan7056 are you fn kidding me? I read your comment and immediately forgot you existed.
@@philmcclenaghan7056bro what? Literally one of the most memorable moments from the film
@@philmcclenaghan7056 Yeah I'm sure you could make it much much better, Denis is an amateur who doesn't know how to make a movie.
I am sad that he adapted Dune and not you.
"Don't show too much worm".
Excellent life advice right there, awesome film analysis dude.
One of the sound designers on LOTR said that the key to doing a big scene like a battle is zeroing in on the most important sound for a shot and then switching to the next one very fast. Interesting to see some of the same principles being applied here.
Hooks pulled up on flaps that covered some sort of inlets, which presumably need to be protected from sand intake. So it seems somewhat reasonable that the worm would trend up...but ALL showing and no telling....Villeneuve is a virtuoso.
@K.C-2049 Well, that's the filmmaker he wants to be. Tarantino's films would be somewhat let down by Villeneuve's level of dialogue, but it's perfect for what Villeneuve is doing, and as a result, Villeneuve was the perfect director for Dune, as much of the book is internal monologue and intellectual/world building exposition without words from the characters. He might be the best show-don't-tell director working right now.
Really hope he gets $ for two more.
“Hey, Muad’Dib! Don’t embarrass us! Call a big one!”
Not that big!!
A grandmother of a worm
@@mgasukihanwa841umm actually it's grandfather
@@dingdongs5208 ..achtually, no, literally, Grandmother of a Worm..
@@StayFractalesque Shai-Hulud literally translates as Grandfather of the Desert or Old Man of the Desert.
4:38 just realized, after seeing the scene for the 10th time, that they could have delayed the sound of the worm breaking through this dune by a second to show the distance…
a piece of dialogue that really sells this scene for me is stilgar’s concerned “not that big!” as we see the worm cloud approaching. because we trust stilgar’s wisdom, him being concerned over the size of the worm for a first time rider heightened the suspense so much
I have no problem sitting through extended, director`s cut of two movies combined together :) give me 7 hours of Denis Villeneuve`s Dune
the movie you saw on screen IS the director's cut.
5:17
The best example of this camera work is Pacific Rim vs the shitty sequel that we agreed doesn't exist.
I really get what he's saying and it is true, but it's the cinematography of Dune is so static and aritifical it doesn't help at all to ground the scene. Camera movement is Fraser's weakness.
I mean that's the opposite of what's he saying@@r.c.c.10
..what do we think about the PR Anime?
The comparison with surfing and avanlanches was a real eye opener, thanks!
10:52 I'd go even further, when the score comes in it gives the feeling of what it must be like to make sense and control the chaos of the worm, the music overcomes the sound as Paul overcomes the worm
Isn't it the very same music that comes in when Paul overcomes his fear and gains control of himself in the gom jabbar test?
The moment where the sand fully encapsulates Paul and the sound almost has a 360 enclosing effect, which was incredible in IMAX, was the part of this scene that I remembered the most!
When I saw this scene in the cinema, I was already hoping for videos highlighting how fantastic it was. The lack of music, the amount of dust thrown at the camera, the actual struggle taking place, is a masterclass in grounding a character and bringing the entire story closer to the audiences. Easily my favorite scene of the two films as well!
Please do the Speech scene at the end of the movie too, that scene made me feel things like no other movie scene has ever done
Let's be honest, it's the way Timothée shouts
*"D U K E of Arrakis"*
@@janmajer4662also the chakobsa lines for "hand of God be my witness. I am the Lisan al-gaib" while pounding his chest and looking up to the sky. Absolute chills. I've watched that scene like 20x and it hasn't lost its efficacy.
@@piadox It is absolutely captivating
Almost primeval. Just transfixing. I know exactly what you're talking about.
@@piadox saw it three times in theaters. all three times I was captivated more than I've ever been but god, that first time evoked a feeling in me like no other. "I am the voice from the outer world. I will lead you to paradise"
Im an atheist and watching that scene I was literally starting to believe Paul was the Lisan Al Gaib especially with the “Your mothers warned you of my coming”. And at the end when everyone’s chanting Lisan Al Gaib I almost got out of my seat and started chanting to then sat back down immediately reminding myself that I am watching a movie
I like the sandworm ride scene as well. One thing though, when the sandworm crashes through the dune that Paul is standing on, Paul runs towards the chasm created by the worm, but it takes him a while to get there. It seems like when he finally jumps through the chasm the worm would already be gone, at best he would catch the tail end of it. Maybe worms are a lot bigger than I think they are, but my perception of worm size is what is given to me by the movie. Either way I think what makes this scene tense is that if Paul fails he could end up being buried alive. Scary stuff.
The fight between K and Luv was crazy and so good. Far better than the fights with world ending stakes in other movies.
These films were masterpieces. Not once did i ever feel like they didn't just film the whole thing on arrakis. Everything felt so tangible.
💚 Denis & Hans poured their love into both movies, which is clear to see ... The worm scene took 40 days to film 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Kills me that everyone gets this wrong. The Dune series is set in the year 10191 A.G (Or after the founding of the Spacing Guild). That event happened at the end of the Butlerian Jihad against thinking machines. There had been space travel for 11200 years BEFORE 1 A.G. So Dune is set AT LEAST 21000 years in the future, amd most likely more like 25000 years in the future.
Its not really that important tbh.
It is so! the timeline is integral to the whole story
@@carmelmosser8028 Definitely is. I remember in Dune Messiah I think Paul mention about the Nazis and how Jews they killed but Stilgar wasn’t impressed by the numbers
Thank you for doing the math, I love getting to know little things like that for freeeeee
@@sk8mafia214 Fascinating that the nazi regime is more ancient to them than the pyramids are to us.
I genuienly started tearing up at what i was seeing on my IMAX screen. My jaw was agape, goosebumps all over. The way my seat shook- it felt like I was there in the scene with them. Just amazing.
For me, the sound when the worm first surfaces and crashes into the dune is flawless. Scratches a certain part of my brain.
I was so emotional when seeing this scene in IMAX on my second viewing, it was epic, surreal, and once in a lifetime.
For me, Paul accomplishing sandworm ride misison with such struggle adds more geniunity to the movie. We`re not watching Marvel super hero. He is still a young man in late 20s. So, I expect him to have hard time to stand on a giant moving animal
I could be wrong but I think he's a teenager in the books. The movie doesn't really say how old he is though
@@hookoffthejab1 I never read the books but in the novel, checked a couple of articles, they say he is a teenager. His age in the movie never revealed specifically but we can take Timothy`s own age represents Paul`s age in the movie.
@@mrshadow2514 In the book, both Paul and Feyd are 15-16, but we pass through 3-4 years before the end of the book. Paul was described as a wiry, fit teen, short for his age, so Timothee was a perfect cast for Paul's physicality. I think both book author and film director got across the point that someone doesn't have to be physically imposing to be charismatic--or dangerous.
@@rikk319Chalamet is nearly 6 feet so he’s def not short.
@@rikk319 Yeah. Bautista's Rabban is the most physically imposing character in Dune 2, but feels **least** dangerous!
This scene, the opening eclipse scene and the Harknonnen Arena scene...jaws on the floor. Just incredible.
Seeing the whole movie but especially this scene in IMAX was one of the most incredible theatrical experiences I've ever had.
My god. My hair was in the air.
One of the best movies I’ve ever seen in my life, and one of the best scenes from it.
Great video dude!
Can we just give this movie 10 academy awards already. No need to wait.
1:58 is my favourite shot in any movie ever.
Thats crazy to me theres better shots in this movie alone. But glad you liked it.
This video essay reminded me of the one Nerdwriter made on Ghost In The Shell. One of the things that made the anime work but not the live action is in how the movie showed the city--the live action uses soaring drone shots over an obviously-CGI'd city, yet the anime shows shots of the buildings and sceneries that stays in place on the ground, like it was from the perspective of people gazing out of a window. I think it's the same with Dune Part Two: the cameras stay "grounded", and it made the world more believable, like there was actually a camera on top of a sandworm, or someone is on a helicopter filming a sandworm approaching.
The sound design in this film was top notch!
From the Worm riding scene to Jessica's Reverend mother transformation!
If this movie doesn't win Best Picture in every award show forthcoming then there's something wrong with those award shows. This film is a perfect film.
Hey red, how GOOD. Is this film really? Your honest humble
Opinion. in some youtube videos people are very mixed about it like others say this movie was garbage/trash boring and some parts strayed from the book. While others loved it so much and called it a masterpiece. I saw dune part 1 last night and must say wow im impressed. Im hoping going in to part 2 i want to have a satisfying experience. Saw the reviews of dune part 2 wow its probably the highest rated film for sci fi in YEARS. Is it really as good as empire strikes back as some would say it?
@@mco51193 really?!!🥰😱wow thx for the reply! Omg omg yes! Finally someone i can count on. yeah i keep hearing thst its the best sci fi in the last 20 years. And the lotr and star wars of our time. You know the most absurd comment some make is that they say the modern dune films are boring and trash and say it strays from the books and the antagonist sucks. and also claiming the 1984 version or the mini series are better.
Thats pretty absurd. I mean i saw the classic david lynch version and i will say its alright I guess 🤷🤨its not bad nor a masterpiece. but the special effects look really dated. Some would say its awful. What do you think
@@ukrainefighter2456 I haven't seen a single person saying that it's trash and boring. It is the single best sci-fi movie I've ever seen.
@@Bruh-el9js thats cool. But in some section in some TH-cam videos. You would see people saying that they prefer the old david lynch dune film from 1984 over the newer ones and say that movie was better. My reaction was😨🤦noo way, that movie was unique for its time but its in noo way better. Theres so many cheesy moments in that film and just looks comical in comparison to the denis version. What do you think? Have you seen the old dune movie or tv mini series?🤔
@@ukrainefighter2456 These people are gatekeepers who want to pretend that any big budget movie today is bad and that Cinema is dead. Don't listen to them. Lynch's movie is not nearly as good.
My 6th watch in theaters still gave me goosebumps. That sound design is incredible.
Denis is so good at building atmosphere and tension within a scene. He doesnt just show the action, he shows you the characters perspective,reaction, the feeling through sound design and camera work. Something many action films can't dream to replicate.
That scene was undoubtfully a great cinematic moment, the entire room was rumbling to the core. Glorious.
you discussing the similarity between GoPro extreme sports footage and falling onto the worm reminds me of Laura Marks' haptic visuality theory. Also the documentaries of Verena Paravel & Lucien Castaing-Taylor like 'Leviathan'
10:14 Another excellent and recent example of waiting to use the score in a movie is Top Gun: Maverick. Right after Maverick and crew have managed the bombing run part of the scene (which, I may add, also manages to avoid using too much score as well), they need to evade a gauntlet of missiles. The next minute or two are the sounds of the planes roaring past SAM sites, the sounds of the proximity alarm beeping, the panicked sounds of heavy breathing and screaming as the pilots desperately calling out maneuvers, and the wonderful sound of the planes dumping flares. It's really, really great.
Seeing this movie twice in IMAX made me so IMAX pulled in a way I didn’t think was possible
Incredible. ...I didn't want to be invested in this movie. The genre isn't really for me and my husband is the one who's gotten me to watch them. That being said, watching at the theater I was IN this scene in spite of myself because of all of this tension. As the silence stretched out and the thumper felt intensified, I actually felt the anticipation and was sitting there just being blown away by the production. Being aware of my emotion around it I consciously thought, "Wow guys, well done."
It's pretty rare these days for me to be fully roped into a movie, but even this was such a fresh and interesting experience that Denis Villeneuve officially has my attention and major admiration.
Thanks so much for breaking this down. You always take my existing wonderment and elevate it to new levels of amazed!
Good art transcends genre. I don't have to be a country music fan to know that Johnny Cash's version of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt" was a masterpiece.
@@rikk319 💯 so well said!!
10:44 was the moment we were all waiting for. Goosebumps all around. I think I forgot to breathe for a while then.
Never clicked on a video so fast in my life. I’ve seen all of Thomas’s Dune 1 videos at least twice.
It’s fantastic that the dynamic contrast is touched upon. The human ear won’t notice a gradual dynamic shift as much as a quick, dramatic change.
With a friend, test this by talking very loud, then begin counting immediately at a soft volume. See how long it takes to hear each other’s voice.
Dynamic change often swells or diminishes closer to when the volume change is meant to be affected because of this.
Got chills and was holding my breath the 3 times I saw it in the theater and again when watching it at home. A legendary scene that met and surpassed any expectations of a massive Dune book fan.
The sound was almost overwhelming in IMAX, yet it wasn’t uncomfortable feeling like the poorly mixed previews were in that theater.
Love how you broke down the realistic camera angles
I hope you keep making video essays for a long time because I really enjoy your analysis
I watched D2 again last night, this scene just blows me away every time. As you say everything about this scene adds to an amazing moment in the story. Thanks for sharing!
Can you please do a cinema of meaning discussion of Blade Runner 2049?? That’s one of my favorite movies and I would love your breakdown on it!
Cinema of Meaning stopped with the Dune 2 episode
An extraordinary gift, maybe the most important in cinema’s history, ever made to science fiction.
This have nothing to do with this video, but i have to say: I really hope they gave Oscar Isaac his portrait as Duke Leto Atreides... the one that is burned on the pile of dead Atreides. It's such a beautiful painting of the man...
You just perfectly described the relation between cinema and electronic music!! A controlled linear atmosphere that builds and releases tension in ways that complements and emphasizes each of it’s elements
If there was ay doubt before that Denis Villeneuve was the heir apparent to Spielberg, his stinginess on showing the worms like the shark in Jaws and the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park drives it home completely.
I think he is also heir apparent to Christopher Nolan.
Homeboy needs to hang it up, Denis has been doing it better for basically a decade at this point.
My mom told me how incredible it was to watch star wars in theaters as a child, specifically the first scene, where the title scroll stops and the "camera" pans to the surface of a planet. then, Leia's ship, out of the top right corner, small within the frame. Then, completely dominating the top half, top two-thirds of the screen, the star destroyer.
I feel like this scene is as close to child her as I'll get. The pure enormity of the moment, the awe of movie magic and the majesty and domination of the spectacle, of the star destroyer, and of the worm.
When i saw this scene at the theater, and after i picked up my jaw, i was thinking what your hot take would be.
congrats on 1 million subs tommy!
This is such an awesome post!
Thank you for the time and effort it took and for sharing it with us.
i remember watching this scene in the cinema and just *feeling* the sound, absolutely incredible
In terms of Paul only just managing to ride the worm, I understood this to be because the worm was much bigger than they ever expected and this unexpectedly won over a lot of the doubters within the group.
I've only just noticed "Boy with Apple" in the background. That is wonderful.
This video is longer that the actual scene, the power that this movie has is just amazing.
this movie was simply the best experience i ever lived in a cinema. I didn't know it was possible to live this during a movie !
IMAX at his best, for all reasons you explained in this video.
Denis is the absolute master of building and building and building tension… Think of the border crossing scene in Sicario. The actual action is just seconds long… but it feels so much more since he builds so much tension before that
I love the sound design and score that Zimmer and Denis cooked up in Dune because it's completely dissolves my brain into the film
Release the 5 hour cut
7 hour director’s cut
If you've ever been caught in a dust storm or intense snow storm you know the feeling when the debris becomes brighter because its letting up, this scene is so good because it genuinely feels like you are falling through a haboob.
I agree, I love how Denis let the sound design have moment to shine then let the score come in. He did the same thing George Lucas did with The Phantom Menace pod race, you get a showcase of the great sound design then once Anakin starts the third lap then the John Williams score comes in. Such a brilliant Directorial choice.
When I first saw the worm riding scene in the preview shown after the Part 1 theatrical rerun, it was great but not phenomenal.
But seeing it again in the context of the film and with the full buildup it was just mind blowing. Shows how well Denis makes story progression and blockbuster set pieces fit together.
I wasn’t lucky enough to see this in IMAX, but even in the theater I went to, I got roller coaster thrills from this scene.
One of the things I loved about these two movies is how the score "codes" the scenes with Paul. The score that kicks in at 10:50 is the one I call "The Monster", it represents the Mahdi, the Kwisatz Haderach, and the Lisan-al-Gaib. Paul is many things during these movies: among them; a boy who gets lost on a strange world and falls in love, the dutiful son of a Great House, and also the inevitable, monstrous, super-bering that will wield prophecy to seek revenge and unite humanity under an iron fist.
If you listen closely in the scenes with Paul on screen, you can identify who is present by the score.
The music (Worm Ride) that plays when Paul finally finds a steady posture on the back of the worm is an updated version of Ripples In The Sand.
13:00 I LOVED the way they used the score there. The score plays such an instrumental role across the two movies in underlining the fact that Paul's growing power among the Fremen is *not a good thing*. The especially downcast minor key in this moment, sneaking in on the back of the initial triumphant blast and playing out while Chani looks unnerved at how her friends have become worshippers, tells us in certain but subtle terms that this moment is a TRAGEDY for the Fremen. But the trappings of religious fervor obscure this fact from all but Chani -- the one closest to Paul, who most knows that he is only a man. It's so good, I love everything about this scene and everything about how it fits in with everything they did to contextualize it both before and after its place in the film.
This was my favorite scene in the movie. One of the most engaging I'd ever seen in a movie theater.
I love your videos. Thank you for such a deep dive into technological aspects, the crescendo effect and pop music example, reference to pov videos of ski and surfing fall off, explanation of camera angles, this helps to expand my impression of the film and discover new layers of director's vision. Bravo! True love for cinematography.
This presentation was Superb in every way I could think of. You're one hell of an Analyst and Teacher. The Brain on you......😁👍🏾
I liked the little things in the books they explian how between the scales the worns are sensitive to the sand so steering them the lift the scales to expose the tender underside and stop the worms rolling over and steer by pulling one side or the other. This is showen by as he lifts the worm scales having like nostrils with fine hairs sucking in sand and you see these contracting in discomfort. Its over in a second but really shows loads of dune lore right there in 2 seconds of clip. Vey clever.
Really good breakdown! Despite the technical impecability, I didn't really feel that much tension throughout the scene. It felt like riding a sandworm was a walk in the park for Paul. They could have had Paul not immediately latching onto the worm and almost getting squashed by its sheer size. Then he would have found a way to latch onto its body and climb up, only to be struck by the sand dune so strongly that one of the hooks dislodges and it sends him flying back. In the end he finds a way and Stilgar screaming "Lisan al Gaib" would have had an even bigger impact. The film was of insane scope and I understand that it's easy to lose track of every single detail but those small moments could have made it even more amazing :)
Shout out to the camera operators recording Paul while holding onto the worm with him.
Especially the operator riding alone.
WB should just send out your videos for the Dune 2 Oscar season - you pinpoint and explain everything that is so great about this movie, and the amazing craft that went in to it!
I saw this in IMAX, and during this scene, when Paul jumps off the collapsing dune and slides into chaos, I noticed I had involuntarily raised my hand to my mouth and was pushing my entire body back against the chair because it was so unbelievably intense, and frankly bloody terrifying! Then when he stands up and the score hits I was grinning from ear to ear and felt it in my soul. Pure cinema, an iconic scene from a modern masterpiece.
The Imperium's year zero is roughly 10,000 from now. Which sets Dune approximately 20,000 years into our future. Zero Year marks the moment when the Padishah Emperor first granted the Spacing Guild a total monopoly over all space-based travel in the Known Universe.
Greg Frasier should win another Oscar for the Cinematography on Dune Part Two, look up how he prepared (beforehand) where the actors should be standing in the eclipse, he uses 'Unreal Engine' and imports a scan of the area, as there was an eclipse due on location, and they wanted to use it, with the Infra-Red filter removed from the camera, giving it that lovely red & orangey hue at the start, so the eclipse scenes were real (apart from the CGI added moon on one of the shots) and had to be 'practiced virtually' ahead of time, so they knew where to put the actors & cameras.
12:57 it's this scene that really does it for me. the score turns into something more sinister and forces you to question whether this is truly a moment that should be celebrated. "they were friends, now they're followers"; you see this in real time and chani is the self-insert that forces us to reflect on the prophecy and whether this path is a righteous one.
One thing you didn't mention which I loved was 0 exposition on how riding works and why the worm doesn't take the rider down with it. And yet it made perfect sense when seeing it.
They could have easily included a dialog like "remember, keep dem holes open or you dine in hell tonight" but they didn't and im glad.
Kills me you never see him put the goggles on, because the scene IS SOOO amazing. Great video as always 🤙