Dune - The Movie
 

So, I was talking with a friend and the subject of Dune somehow came up. I told him that I thought the movie was better than the miniseries on Sci-Fi and he asked me if I seen the original. I gave him a quizzical look and said, "huh?" He told me there was an original theatrical release that was like six hours long. My response, "You, sir, are a damn dirty liar. If you value our friendship you will retract such an outrageous statement." He didn't so I am sans friend. Has anyone else heard of such a thing as a six hour Dune?

It's a legend and a half-truth.

The 'six hour version' is legend. But there was an intentioned longer version. From the IMDB:

So it is half-true.

I've got the 4 hour version on video. It's great, excellent soundtrack, star-studded cast, (Sting as Feyd, if you can believe it and Captain Picard as Gurney).

I taped the long version on TV years ago; with commericals it was about 6 hours.

Now for the other good question which was better the movie or the miniseries. (If possible taking out the element of which followed the book closer, but focusing on enjoyment factor)

I hope you guys have all read the book cause its awesome...

I don't remember how long it was... 4-6 hours??? I do remember watching an extremely extended version on video when I was overseas.

There are two versions of the original Dune:
David Lynch's cut, which was the cinema release
Alan Smithee's cut, which is a tv-only release (afaik)
Not sure if one is longer than the other, but Lynch's version is far better than Smithee's, esp if you already know the story roughly.

As for comparing the mini-series and the film heres where I think each did better:
Overall Story: Mini-Series
Scenes: Movie
Sets: Movie
Effects: Mini-Series
Acting: Movie
Costumes: Tie


Edit:
Just found this article on H2G2 which explains more on the differences between the two film versions

How can you give a 'tie' in costumes!? The dreaded Sardaukar most feared soldier/convicts in the known universe looked like <b>Pastry Chefs!</b> (this is so hard to overlook in a other wise great miniseries)


Granted – in the movie, the Sardaukar looked like welders… I'd be more scared of a welder.

lol

Pastry Chefs...glad someone else thinks with their stomach when dealing with feared soldiers

I just had a real problem with the "weirding module" concept. I felt it wasn't needed at all, and that the SF channel did a better job, really.

OTOH, there's SF's "Children of Dune", which is just superb.

Alan Smithee is the name that directors and other's in the film industry use to replace their names when they want to have their names taken from a project they no longer want their name associated with...

Lynch only wanted the release he put in theatres... While I haven't seen the Sci-Fi version yet I can say that I really enjoyed Lynch's version until about half way in... Pretty much after Paul and his mother crash in the desert (just when they meet the Fremen) the film becomes too truncated and odd... the wierding module was just that wierd.