Dune, The David Lynch Files: Volume 2: Six months behind the scenes on one of the biggest science fiction movies ever made.

by Kenneth George Godwin

As a young and inexperienced writer, Kenneth George Godwin met David Lynch in late 1981 to conduct interviews about the making of Eraserhead. The resulting article gained Lynch’s favour and in the Spring of 1983, Godwin found himself hired by Universal Studios to help document the production of Dune in Mexico. For six months, Godwin - working with cameraman Anatol Pacanowski - observed the chaos of one of the biggest, most expensive motion pictures made up to that time. On set and behind the scenes, Godwin witnessed David Lynch wrestling with the unwieldy beast, trying to impose his particular, idiosyncratic vision on what was for the studio and producer Raffaella De Laurentiis a massive commercial enterprise. Little surprise then that the movie which resulted is both magnificent and almost fatally crippled.In this companion volume to his previous book on the making of Eraserhead, Godwin reprints an edited version of the diary he kept that summer in Mexico, along with photographs and documents, and transcripts of some of the interviews conducted by the documentary team for a video account of the production of Dune which was destined never to be completed.

Genres: Nonfiction, Media Tie In

300 pages, Paperback

Published March 2, 2020

Reviews

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outstanding diary of the making of David Lynch's "Dune", but it's told from a very deep trench within the movie's self-sabotaging--often oblivious--pre-production through production. Godwin, in retrospect, writes that he fears his young man's tone may sound hostile in the book, but it's perfectly acceptable. This, when you understand that he is trying to make a documentary about the film surrounded by fools and liars and the usual sub-species of Hollywood who eat their own children. Why not be bitter? Godwin's film-making partner deserves to be punched in the face at least 100 times for his belligerence and incompetence. The bigshots in L.A. do nothing but lie about resources and money. Meanwhile, Godwin captures a lot of great material, and his profiles of the movie and its makers (and Mexico City) are all exciting. The chapters devoted to his adventures with actor Jack Nance are colorful, as well. Definitely an entertaining book.

[Lance Lumley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book does not tell major stories about the making of the film Dune, but the making of the documentary of behind the scenes of Dune. Godwin is hired to shoot footage that will end up on a documentary for the film, only to find out years later that his footage was destroyed when the studios realized the film was going to be a flop.
Film study fans will enjoy the book , which is taken in diary form, on the setbacks the writer had to endure; from studio people telling him what to and not do, the lack of quality equipment, and the weather situations. A general fan of films may get boggled down with some of the technical jargon, but those that know much about filming and equipment will enjoy this.
For an in depth review, visit my page at : https://lancewrites.wordpress.com/202...

[Mx · Rating 3 out of 5]

David Lynch claiming that he'd been hit with radioactive waves by East German military and also throwing a tantrum because he couldn't attempt to mutilate Jurgen Prochow's face for 'realism' is exactly the kind of shit you'd figure Lynch nerds would salivate over. Also extremely funny to hear the author's hemming and hawing at Blue Velvet given how successful it'd go on to be.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book

Exhausting but enjoyable and detailed behind the scenes look at the making of an underrated science fiction classic. Reading is a commitment that yields great rewards.