You will feel an itching... DUNE fans, rejoice! :)

[airhead]

Gabe,

Christmas has come early this year. Astounding stuff. I had always felt that the critical rejection of the film and the apparent loss of the props was a tragedy. I have been a fan of David Lynch since seeing Eraserhead the first time around and have not been less impressed by the following glimpses into his special vision. Dune has been right up there on the list of favorite films (of any genre) - the opening sequence still takes me to that place - I think the Brian Eno theme helps. I had a wallpaper of that on screen for quite a while.

I guess the film was panned by some because it wasn't "Hollywood", or by others because it did trim the novel, but I never thought there were any plot inconsistancies worth worrying about. It's not supposed to be "the old west in outer space", it's David Lynch.

I am glad to see the extended release available and am most happy for you with the Pain Box. Just don't leave your hand in there too long.

David

p.s. Now if you can just get one of those blue boxes and a Club Silencio key.....

 

[Lord_Quietus]

I think that's a Fantastic prop... Congratulations. The movie DUNE had some of the best looking props and was one of my favorite films. It's too bad the film isn't as appreciated by the general public....

 

[Darth Domain]

Originally posted by Prop Runner+Dec 14 2005, 12:07 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Prop Runner @ Dec 14 2005, 12:07 PM)</div>

<!--QuoteBegin-Darth Domain

@Dec 14 2005, 03:38 AM
Congrats on the prop, cool review of the film, however, you didn't mention Patrick Stewart and his part, as he is  a classicly trained British actor who was involved in shakespearian acting, and also the near imortal Jean Luc Picard i demand he gets a mention

[snapback]1135528[/snapback]​

That's what this thread is for - so you can fill in the blanks, lol. Did you expect me to paste the entire DUNE Encyclopedia?

Here you go, mate - Patrick Stewart as Paul's trusted bodyguard and combat instructor, Gurney Halleck:

More pics here:

http://orelye.menor.free.fr/Album/Dune/Dune.htm

and even a few Gurney Halleck sound files, just for you:

This is a Harkonnen animal.

Not in the mood?.?.

We cool? B)

- Gabe

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[/b]

Cool, thanks for that, this is a cool Dune thread, not been one like it, well done :thumbsup

 

[SmilingOtter]

Congratulations. You have "caught your one-armed man" as friend phrased it.

I love the second sketch, with the friggin' huge worm surrounded by the lightning...

Remind me, since I haven't read the book in forever: was the box responsible for causing pain, or was it a Bene Gesserit thing, or a combination (only BG's could use the box or something like that.)

 

[dropshipbob]

Kul Wahad.

I had no idea when you hinted at this yesterday...I mean, I knew roughly what it might be, but to actually see it and hear the story behind it finding it's way to you...

words fail me. I can only guess what this must mean to you. I'm sure it will have a good home, and thanks for sharing it with us all.

 

[PodRacer X]

WOW. Just... freaking... WOW.

And now I'm all excited about the DVD next month.

 

[allosaur176]

I don't think I've ever seen someone soo excited about anything as much as I just witnessed in this post.. I'm glad you recieved your "Holy Grail", but now, your at the top of Mt Everest, and its all downhill from here

So now, do you plan on restoring this to its original state, or are you going to leave it as is???? Als, how are you going to display this??? I can't wait to see


Here's to you Gabe :cheers


Rob

 

[Aztecface]

Amazing prop from an amazing movie. Congratulations.

 

[Prop Runner]

Thanks again, guys. I'm humbled by your reactions - for the longest time I believed I was in a very small and often mocked minority of sci-fi fans who loved this movie so much.

Originally posted by SmilingOtter@Dec 14 2005, 07:51 AM
Remind me, since I haven't read the book in forever:  was the box responsible for causing pain, or was it a Bene Gesserit thing, or a combination (only BG's could use the box or something like that.)

Ah, good question.. To answer that, I had to pull out my yellowing heavily dog-eared copy of DUNE paperback that I've had since age 15 (paperbacks were still $2.50 back then )

Here's a direct excerpt from page 7:

He felt a sense of cold as the blackness closed around his hand, then slick metal against his fingers and a pricking as though his hand were asleep.

Page 9:

It stopped.
As though a switch had been turned off, the pain stopped.

Page 10:

"Pain by nerve induction," she said.  "Can't go around maiming potential humans.  There're those who'd give a pretty for the secret of this box, though."

There you have it. Based on the novel, I'd have to conclude that it's simply what in modern medicine we call an FES (functional electrical stimulation) or FNS (functional neural stimulation) device. I know this stuff because once I worked on the design of a medical device that treats female urinary incontinence by electrically stimulating and contracting the PC muscle. :angel

The Bene Gesserit powers are both perceptive and suggestive. The Reverend Mother used her perceptive powers to gauge Paul's thoughts and feelings during the test, and used her suggestive Voice to compel him to take it. So I'd have to say that the actual box appears to be just a machine, but one possibly controlled or responsive to the operator's thoughts or brain wave patterns (unless the Reverend Mother had a hidden remote control/kill switch to regulate the pain's intensity). Furthermore, I believe it's the box that created the painful sensation of burning while the Reverend Mother used suggestive words and phrases to create a visual for Paul to focus on. Then again, maybe the box has a setting that makes the subject feel like sandworm larvae are burrowing into his skin or little Maud'dib mice are nibbling away at his flesh... :lol I'll ask Ron if he has any special insight into this question - there really is no definitive answer based on the novel or movie alone.

As for restoration and display: I don't believe in restoring a screen-used prop unless an elephant stepped on it or it had been cannibalized and parts recycled into other props or simply thrown out, as is so often the case. Anything short of that, I believe that it's in good enough condition both aesthetically and structurally to leave it alone. Tampering with it may lower its collectible value, even though I have no intention of EVER selling it. In an odd way, the damage and dust buildup makes it look like a real world relic, lost for many years and then recovered. And for that reason, I'm torn between leaving it as is or giving it a careful but thorough cleaning. I wouldn't want any of the dust or dirt already on it to contribute to further decay.

Any thoughts from veteran collectors?

Oh, and I plan to purchase a custom-made glass or acrylic display case with a recessed groove in the wooden base to accept a rubber gasket in order to protect the prop from humidity.

- Gabe

 

[DrStranglove]

Great snag...


I for one have always wanted a hero still suit....

 

[Rylo]

I missed a still suit for 400 bucks back in the early 90's

One was hanging on the wall of a sci-fi shop in Orlando/

Still kicking myself. Any suit I've seen that survived is falling apart now.
Not much left to even look at.

 

[Peace Hunter]

Gabe, what's the movie about?

 

[Prop Runner]

Originally posted by Peace Hunter@Dec 14 2005, 12:54 PM
Gabe,  what's the movie about?

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Don't start with me, dude...

Rylo: I'm sure DAVIDYR1 or someone with similar talents here could sculpt up a stilsuit replica. I have more shots of it:

I'll ask Ron if he's got shots of the male suit.

Does anyone know how many designs were actually fabricated? All the suits looked the same to me (with the gender and child exceptions)...

- Gabe

 

[Rylo]

David and I have discussed it more than once...

The suits were just cut foam pieces glued to a dance suit and then sprayed with latex.

Not all that flattering in the back-yard are they??.

 

[dropshipbob]

...

 

[Riv]

Very neat.

I discovered Dune for the first time watching the extended, "Alan Smithee" cut on WGN in the 80s. Taped it to VHS, in fact, and so that was the only version I watched for years.

I always figured I was alone in finding it to be a remarkably fascinating movie. I'd heard about how "terrible" it was for a long time, and while I could see where the criticism came from, it was just too interesting a movie for me to dismiss.

Of course I didn't read the original novel until I got into college. But even then, when I was reading the book- I was seeing the movie in my mind's eye. Even now, with the Sci-Fi original release fresh in the memory, and even with it's flaws, I still think of the Lynch version as definitive. I think that's largely because it was just such a visually innovative and unique film.

Blade Runner is my all-time favorite film. Being another flawed/critically lambasted yet highly visually provactive film, I suppose it makes a certain sense that I would also like Lynch's Dune. It had never occured to me until now, that there was that connection.

It wasn't until I got the "official" Lynch Dune release that I realized why a lot of people didn't like it, or outright hated it. There was so much in the extended "Smithee" cut that filled in the blanks and expanded the story, that I was surprised Lynch had cut all of it out.

In terms of the box itself, I agree that I'd want to preserve it as is, rather than restore it. But it would also be cool to do a replica based on it, since you now have the original for reference. Do something that looks totally brand-new and minty fresh. That way you can have the best of both worlds Based on the design, I can't imagine it would be very difficult to recreate.

 

[tgreco]

so are you gonna post dimensions for those of us who may want to try and reproduce that bad boy

looks to be about 15" long x 10"wide x 10"high

doesn't look like it would be too difficut to replicate, and make an accurate replica of

it is an absolutely beautiful piece

 

[B-Wing]

WOW. That is an amazing addition to you collection :thumbsup . It is a once in a lifetime find. Congrats. After see it and reading how you got it, I think I'm going to have to pop the tape in the VCR and watch Dune this weekend.

 

[Prop Runner]

I guess I should have held a stopwatch to see how long it would take someone to ask if I'd offer a replica or measurements. Oh - wait a minute - this is the REPLICA prop forum.

Right now, the answer is: I have no plans, and no plans within plans. Making a replica was the farthest thing from my mind when I made the purchase, and after seeing how complex the door mechanism is, a hero replica would be extremely cost-prohibitive and delicate.

Out of respect to Ron Miller, I'd first have to ask him if he has any objections to the idea of a static replica being made. At the very least, I doubt he'd mind if I just provided the critical measurements of the exterior for the scratch-build one-off crowd. And personally, I wouldn't feel the value of my acquisition diminish BECAUSE IT AIN'T EVER LEAVING MI CASA, AMIGO.

So let me get back to you guys on that one...

Riv: you and I and one other guy here have made similar coments re: Blade Runner and DUNE. Isn't it amazing how we can hold to equally high esteem a critically acclaimed masterpiece and a critical and theatrical flop? :lol A bunch of kindred spirits, we are, indeed. I'd add to the list Chronicles of Riddick - definitely on the "flop" side of that fence, huh?

- Gabe

 

[Lord Abaddon]

Gabe what a find. That's fantastic and a wonderful piece to have. I too loved the original Dune, to me it was a true sci-fi epic film (and I keep hoping that some day Lynch will get the rights to do a real Director's Cut).

Those pics are amazing too, I especially love the one of the stage 4 Navigator.

Thank you for sharing.