Sandwalking on intertextuality:
Six films inside Denis Villeneuve’s DUNE PART TWO
Spoilers ahead.
It’s year 2001.
I am in front of the big screen, arms crossed, skeptical. I only want to watch ‘Harry Potter,’ but my mom thinks watching this new movie called ‘The Lord of the Rings’ is a good idea. The movie starts. After just five minutes, my eyes are glued to the screen in a way they have never been before. Suddenly, I am inside Middle-earth, feeling all the tension those hobbits feel. Three hours of pure adventure unfold, during which it feels like I leave my body behind to experience the magic of cinema for the first time. The kid who walked into that cinema is so different from the one who walks out.
It is impossible for me not to think of this experience, since I just felt the same feeling once again, but this time with a new movie. Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune’. Specifically, Part Two. Now I watched it for the second time, and I will watch it again, soon. And again, and again…
‘Dune’ is a two-part adaptation (and I think now it’s definitive that it is going to be a trilogy) of the Frank Herbert’s books. The first part came out in 2021 and after three years we finally got the second one. Paul Atreides is wonderfully portrayed by Timothée Chalamet, and then there’s an impressive cast, full of stars: Zendaya, Austin Butler, Javier Bardem, Christopher Walken, Stellan Skarsgård, Florence Pugh, Josh Brolin, Léa Seydoux, Rebecca Ferguson, and so many others. The crew was unbelievable too. Scored by Hans Zimmer, such a talented composer and well known by his previous masterpiece, the soundtrack of Christopher Nolan’s ‘Interstellar’. Greig Fraser is the cinematographer, and a few years ago, he and director Matt Reeves were acclaimed for accurately recreating Gotham City as it existed in our imaginations in ‘The Batman’ (2022). Also, in ‘Dune Part Two’, it is worth mentioning some of the stunning work made by: Patrice Vermette (production design), Joe Walker (film editor), and personally, I was deeply impressed by the quality of the casting process, led by Francine Maisler (worthy of a standing ovation). I’m not just referring to the main cast — I’m specifically talking about the secondary characters and extras. All these actors made the film incredibly believable, real, and relevant to our times (for example, reflecting a genocide in Palestine), making it truly transcendental. But the biggest mind of this project is, of course, the director. Denis Villeneuve.
There is so much to discuss and write about ‘Dune Part Two’. As I write this — or at the moment you are reading it — a multitude of videos, articles, reviews, and more are being released online. For now, I’d like to concentrate on a few iconic moments that demonstrate Denis Villeneuve’s mastery of intertextuality. Through his films, it’s evident how much he values creating an ongoing dialogue with the State of the Art and the films that inspired him to become the director he is today. So, let’s delve into some examples of intertextuality that particularly caught my attention in this cinematic masterpiece.
2001: A Space Odyssey’ (feat “Cloud Gate”)
The rhythm of Dune Part Two is completely different from Stanley Kubrick’s ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ (another adaptation, this time of the novel written by Arthur C. Clarke). For that reason, it would be so difficult to find a scene in Kubrick’s film in order to pay tribute. Although, Denis found it. One of the most iconic scenes in ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ is when Dr. Frank Poole (Gary Lockwood) jogs within a spacecraft’s centrifuge. It was its centrifugal movement of the image that made it so memorable. ‘Dune Part Two’ has a similar mesmerizing scene, which is when the Emperor’s (Christopher Walken) ship arrives to Arrakis.
Denis Villeneuve draws inspiration from Contemporary Art, by creating a ship that definitely reminds us to Chicago’s “Cloud Gate”, created by Sir Anish Kapoor (known as “The Bean”). It’s not the first time Denis does it, since he used the giant spider “Maman” (Louise Bourgeois) in his movie, ‘Enemy’ (my personal Villeneuve’s favorite). Denis shows us the ship arrival, mirroring the desert, centrifuging it in its reflection. As a spectator, you just stare at it, in awe.
Lawrence of Arabia
It is well known that Denis Villeneuve has taken inspiration from David Lean’s ‘Lawrence of Arabia’. This film is notable for its powerful imagery, such as the scene where Lawrence extinguishes a match, immediately followed by the view of a red sky in the desert where the sun begins to rise slowly. Although many might anticipate the scene of Paul riding the worm for the first time as a highlight of Villeneuve’s movie, film lovers may have speculated if Villeneuve would pay tribute to Lean’s iconic match scene with a sunset. And indeed, he does, although not in a quite identical manner. There are discernible parallels that cement the dialogue between the two films. Contrary to the singular action of a person blowing out a match, we observe the opposite: the Fremen burning a massive pile of Harkonnen bodies, followed immediately by a sunset that leaves us breathless.
Apocalypse Now
The most stunning helicopter scenes will always belong to Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Apocalypse Now’. But what about the best ornithopters scenes? In Coppola’s film, there are sequences where we can practically feel the metallic structure of the helicopters, the gust created by their propellers, and the dust that rises with it. One of the most iconic images of this movie features those helicopters slicing through the Cambodian sky towards the sun, illustrating how the United States relied on their technology during the war, and despite their dominance in the sky, they faced the consequences of venturing into unknown territory. Similarly on Villeneuve’s ‘Dune Part Two’, the ornithopters seem dominate the skies of Arrakis, but we see how Rabban and his Harkonnens are desperately searching for the Fremen, who are the true victors of this battle. Denis knew he had a situation in which one side, which is more powerful, underestimates their seemingly weaker opponent. It’s a David versus Goliath scenario, and both the Harkonnens and the United States are that powerful force, in contrast to the resilient Fremen in this conflict.
Triumph of the Will
Yes, ‘Triumph of the Will’ is a documentary — a Nazi propaganda documentary made by Leni Riefenstahl. And yet, it is considered a classic. During Hitler’s speech, we can see powerful images of Nazis raising their arms, showing admiration and respect to the man. Since it’s a movie from the 30s, it was naturally shot in black and white. It’s remarkable how something that was once a source of pride and excitement for many is now a source of eerie terror for us. Denis Villeneuve transmits this same feeling during Feyd Rautha’s (Austin Butler) birthday spectacle. It’s that choreographed movement of the arms that instills fear. The Harkonnens do this, and the horror remains. Also, some camera movements can remind us some of that documentary’s cinematic language.
Psychologically and narratively, mirroring this documentary was a wise choice to convey fear and disgust, but it doesn’t end there. The use of infrared camera technology by Villeneuve and cinematographer Greig Fraser to shoot certain scenes is a fascinating choice, as it adds a surreal, otherworldly quality to the film, potentially deepening the sense of unease and highlighting the alien nature of the Harkonnen threat. This technique, combined with the rhythmic chanting that, in my opinion, echoes the Maori Haka, could serve to bridge cultural references and underscore the universal themes of power and intimidation.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The film opens with a sequence that immediately sets a tone of mystery, but what truly gets us hooked is the anticipation of Paul Atreides’ return to the desert. When we see him again, he is found with his ear pressed against a dune, either asleep or attentively listening for the enemy. As he stands, he reveals his precarious position in the vast and dangerous desert of Arrakis. Though three years have passed for us, the audience, Denis Villeneuve skillfully takes us back to the heart of the story, as if no time has passed, in science fiction territory that feels as real as a survival drama.
This method of reintroducing us into a fantasy world in a visceral way, mirrors Peter Jackson’s approach in ‘The Lord of the Rings’, where Aragorn, portrayed by Viggo Mortensen, is similarly seen lying on a rock, seemingly at rest but actually listening for the Uruk-hai who have kidnapped the hobbits. Jackson, like Villeneuve, aims to immerse the audience from the outset. However, while Aragorn is in pursuit of the enemy, Paul and the Fremen are the ones being chased.
In an interview, Villeneuve mentioned that he felt the necessity to build a sand box with the first movie, and so he (and us) could play with it in the second. This makes ‘Dune Part Two’ not just a continuation, but a vivid expansion of the world he so meticulously constructed.
Force Majeure
It’s curious how the most famous scene Ruben Östlund has shot so far doesn’t come from ‘Triangle of Sadness’, but from a previous film called ‘Force Majeure’. It’s the avalanche scene. It has been shared on social networks so many times, since it’s been used as a false tragic real life event. It’s such a powerful scene, that many people really thought it was real. ‘Force Majeure’ is just ten years old, but that doesn’t stop Denis from recognizing a great cinematic piece. Denis takes inspiration from it by recreating the avalanche movement towards Paul, creating a sort of worm avalanche, replacing snow with sand.
As previously mentioned, the scene of Paul riding a desert worm for the first time was among the most anticipated moments of the movie, and it’s easy to imagine the pressure Denis Villeneuve must have felt. To craft such an iconic scene, he first had to build tension, which he wonderfully achieved by depicting an impressive avalanche of sand moving towards Paul Atreides, the camera and therefore, the audience.
These is just a handful of the films that may have inspired Denis Villeneuve to render ‘Dune Part Two’ so remarkable. The movie engages in a complex dialogue with art, featuring moments that not only brought a smile to my face but also left a lasting impression on my mind. Nonetheless, I believe there are many more examples in between the film stills. Feel free to share your observations in the comments. I would love to read your thoughts.
