Now that Denis Villeneuve has proven that “Dune” can be faithfully adapted from its classic source material, film fans are beginning to look back at the earlier attempts with new eyes. And the biggest attempt to get re-examined is David Lynch’s 1984 film version, which has been controversial since its release. But Lynch wasn’t the first director attached to “Dune” back in the ‘80s. Ridley Scott was ready to go on it but backed out after scouting locations where he’d have to shoot.
According to an interview with TotalFilm, after the success of “Alien,” Ridley Scott was ready to take on Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel, “Dune,” and make his own version of the sci-fi epic. He said he had a script ready to go and was excited to begin work. That is, until the producers told him where he’d have to shoot it.
“We did a very good take on ‘Dune,’ because early days, I’d work very, very closely with the writer,” explained Scott. “I was always glomming the look of the film onto what he or she was writing. And then [producer] Dino [De Laurentiis] had got me into it and we said, ‘We did a script, and the script is pretty fucking good.’ Then Dino said, ‘It’s expensive, we’re going to have to make it in Mexico.’ I said, ‘What!’ He said, ‘Mexico.’ I said, ‘Really?’”
He continued, “So he sent me to Mexico City. And with the greatest respect to Mexico City, in those days [it was] pretty pongy. I didn’t love it. I went to the studio in Mexico City where the floors were Earth floors in the studio. I said, ‘Nah, Dino, I don’t want to make this a hardship.’ And so I actually backed out and instead moved on to ‘Legend.’”
Of course, we know what happened next. “Legend” wouldn’t become the next film for Scott. Instead, he would go on to direct “Blade Runner,” yet another sci-fi classic that would inspire generations of cyberpunk tales. But you can’t help but wonder what his version of “Dune” would have looked like. Would it have resembled Lynch’s in any way? Would it have been a two-hour movie like the studio demanded? We’ll never know.
Instead of watching Ridley Scott’s “Dune,” you can watch “House of Gucci” in theaters now, which judging by the performances, is pretty close to science fiction too.