Editing Dune (1984 film) (section)

===Lynch's screenplay and direction===
In 1981, the nine-year film rights were set to expire. De Laurentiis renegotiated the rights from the author, adding to them the rights to the ''Dune'' sequels, written and unwritten.<ref name="nytimes production"/> He then showed the book to [[Sid Sheinberg]], president of [[MCA Inc.|MCA]], the parent company of [[Universal City Studios]], which approved the book. After seeing ''[[The Elephant Man (1980 film)|The Elephant Man]]'' (1980), producer [[Raffaella De Laurentiis]] decided that David Lynch should direct the movie. Around that time, Lynch received several other directing offers, including ''[[Return of the Jedi]]''. De Laurentiis contacted Lynch, who said he had not heard of the book. After reading it and "loving it", he met with De Laurentiis and agreed to direct the film.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Sammon|first=Paul M. |url=https://archive.org/stream/cinefantastique_1970-2002/Cinefantastique%20Vol%2014%20No%204-5%20%28Sept%201984%29#page/n29/mode/2up |title=David Lynch's ''Dune''|magazine=[[Cinefantastique]] |date=September 1984 |volume=14|number=4/5|page=31}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |title=David Lynch Interview from 1985 on Dune|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvCeLzC2sNs|language=en|access-date=October 25, 2021|archive-date=October 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211025161253/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvCeLzC2sNs|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theringer.com/movies/2021/10/20/22735151/dune-david-lynch-1984-movie|title=When David Lynch Took on the Impossible Task of ''Dune''|first=Keith|last=Phipps|date=October 20, 2021|website=The Ringer|access-date=April 11, 2024|archive-date=March 6, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240306204726/https://www.theringer.com/movies/2021/10/20/22735151/dune-david-lynch-1984-movie|url-status=live}}</ref> Lynch worked on the script for six months with [[Eric Bergren]] and Christopher De Vore. The team yielded two drafts of the script and split over creative differences. Lynch then worked on five more drafts. Initially, Lynch had scripted ''Dune'' across two films, but eventually it was condensed into a single film.<ref name="nytimes production"/>

While De Laurentiis looked for a young actor for the film;<ref>https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-09-23-ca-1803-story.html</ref> [[Tom Cruise]], [[Kevin Costner]], [[Lewis Smith (actor)|Lewis Smith]], [[Zach Galligan]], [[Michael Biehn]], [[Kenneth Branagh]] and [[Val Kilmer]] either auditioned or were screen-tested for the role of Paul. Kilmer was the top choice for the role until MacLachlan screen-tested.<ref name="comingsoon">{{Cite web|url=https://mashable.com/article/dune-masterpiece-of-disarray-excerpt|title=David Lynch's ''Dune'' almost cast Val Kilmer, and more secrets from the ''Dune'' oral history|first=Belen|last=Edwards|date=August 25, 2023|website=[[Mashable]]|access-date=March 12, 2024|archive-date=March 12, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240312201326/https://mashable.com/article/dune-masterpiece-of-disarray-excerpt|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/features/902475-cs-interview-kenneth-branagh-on-orient-express-thor-more|title=''CS'' Interview: Kenneth Branagh on ''Orient Express'', ''Thor'' & More!|first=Max|last=Evry|date=November 11, 2017|access-date=March 27, 2024|archive-date=March 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240327085230/https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/features/902475-cs-interview-kenneth-branagh-on-orient-express-thor-more|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/masterpiece-in-disarray-david-lynch-dune-oral-history-book-excerpt-exclusive/|title=David Lynch's ''Dune'' Oral History Book Excerpt Chronicles One Actor's Feelings of Losing Paul Atreides Role|first=Grant|last=Hermanns|date=September 4, 2023|website=[[Screen Rant]]|access-date=April 28, 2024|archive-date=January 15, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240115123045/https://screenrant.com/masterpiece-in-disarray-david-lynch-dune-oral-history-book-excerpt-exclusive/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Aldo Ray]] was cast as Gurney Halleck, but due to his alcoholism was replaced with Stewart.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/david-lynch-dune-mess-or-misunderstood-masterpiece/|title='Morally depraved' or misunderstood masterpiece? How ''Dune'' drove David Lynch to despair|first=Ed|last=Power|date=March 4, 2024|website=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|url-access=subscription|access-date=April 28, 2024|archive-date=April 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240427063929/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/david-lynch-dune-mess-or-misunderstood-masterpiece/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Glenn Close]] tested for the role of Lady Jessica, but lost to Annis.<ref name="comingsoon"/> [[Helena Bonham Carter]] was originally cast as Princess Irulan, but she left due to scheduling conflicts with ''[[A Room with a View (1985 film)|A Room with a View]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/609065/dune-david-lynch-movie-facts|title=12 Epic Facts About David Lynch's ''Dune''|date=November 22, 2019|website=Mental Floss|access-date=March 27, 2024|archive-date=March 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220326191402/https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/609065/dune-david-lynch-movie-facts|url-status=live}}</ref> Madsen said in 2016 that she was signed for three films, as the producers "thought they were going to make ''[[Star Wars original trilogy|Star Wars]]'' for grown-ups."<ref>{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l_UJzn7L7A|title=Virginia Madsen on ''Dune''|date=September 11, 2016|website=DuneInfo|via=YouTube|access-date=July 16, 2018|archive-date=April 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200424062743/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l_UJzn7L7A|url-status=live}}</ref>

On March 30, 1983, with the 135-page sixth draft of the script, ''Dune'' finally began shooting. It was shot entirely in Mexico, mostly at [[Churubusco Studios]]; De Laurentiis said this was due in part to the favorable exchange rate to get more value for their production budget, and that no studio in Europe had the expansive capabilities they needed for the production. With a budget over $40–42 million, ''Dune'' required 80 sets built on 16 sound stages, and had a total crew of 1,700, with over 20,000 extras. Many of the exterior shots were filmed in the [[Samalayuca Dune Fields]] in [[Ciudad Juárez]], [[Chihuahua (state)|Chihuahua]].<ref name="nytimes production"/><ref name="Dune, Behind the Scenes">{{cite web|title=Emilio Ruiz del Río|website=DuneInfo|url=http://www.duneinfo.com/arrakis/erdr/|access-date=July 21, 2012|archive-date=November 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111120740/http://www.duneinfo.com/arrakis/erdr/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Samalayuca Dunes declared natural protected zone |url=http://www.chihuahuanfrontier.com/state/news/65-samalayuca.html |website=Chihuahuan Frontier |date=June 9, 2009 |access-date=July 21, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130119015806/http://www.chihuahuanfrontier.com/state/news/65-samalayuca.html |archive-date=January 19, 2013}}</ref> Filming ran for at least six months into September 1983, plagued by various production problems such as failing electricity or communication lines due to the country's infrastructure, or health-related problems with their cast and crew.<ref name="nytimes production"/>

====Editing====
The rough cut of ''Dune'' without [[post-production]] effects ran over four hours long, but Lynch's intended cut of the film (as reflected in the seventh and final draft of the script) was almost three hours long. Universal and the film's financiers expected a standard, two-hour cut of the film. Dino De Laurentiis, his daughter Raffaella, and Lynch excised numerous scenes, filmed new scenes that simplified or concentrated plot elements, and added [[voice-over]] narrations, plus a new introduction by Virginia Madsen. Contrary to rumor, Lynch made no other version than the theatrical cut.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlE7DZrzik0|title=David Lynch on Dune|date=September 30, 2021 |via=www.youtube.com|access-date=April 19, 2024|archive-date=April 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240419085601/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlE7DZrzik0|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Versions====
A television version was aired in 1988 in two parts totaling 186 minutes; it replaced Madsen's opening monolog with a much longer description of the setting that used [[concept art]] stills. Lynch disavowed this version and had his name removed from the credits. [[Alan Smithee]] was credited, a pseudonym used by directors who wish to disavow a film.  The extended and television versions additionally credit writer Lynch as [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]] [[John Wilkes Booth|Booth]].  This version (without recap and second credit roll) has previously been released on DVD as ''Dune: Extended Edition''.

Several longer versions have been spliced together, particularly for two other versions, one for San Francisco station [[KTVU]], and the other a 178-minute [[fan edit]] from scratch by SpiceDiver. The latter cut was officially released by Koch Films (on behalf of current international rights holder [[Lionsgate]]) on a deluxe 4K/Blu-ray box set released in Germany in 2021. The KTVU and SpiceDiver versions combine footage from the theatrical and television versions, and downplay the repeated footage in the TV cut.<ref name="VW 1996">{{cite web |url=http://www.figmentfly.com/published/dunearticle.html |title=Building the Perfect ''Dune'' |first=Sean |last=Murphy |work=[[Video Watchdog]] |issue=33/34 |year=1996 |access-date=December 15, 2014 |archive-date=December 29, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229101252/http://www.figmentfly.com/published/dunearticle.html |url-status=live }}</ref> While working on ''A Masterpiece In Disarray'', Max Evry discovered a never before-seen deleted scene which was released in restored form in March 2024.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nerdist.com/article/watch-newly-restored-deleted-scene-from-david-lynch-dune/ |title=See a Restored Never-Before-Seen Lost Deleted Scene From David Lynch's DUNE |first=Michael |last=Walsh |website=[[Nerdist]] |date=March 11, 2024 |access-date=March 13, 2024 |archive-date=March 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240312132132/https://nerdist.com/article/watch-newly-restored-deleted-scene-from-david-lynch-dune/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The author also reconstructed the film's originally planned ending which is more in line with the source text.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nerdist.com/article/watch-newly-restored-deleted-scene-from-david-lynch-dune/ |title=David Lynch's 1984 "Dune" Had a Different Ending |first=Mary Anne |last=Butler |website=[[Nerdbot]] |date=September 13, 2024 |access-date=March 13, 2024 |archive-date=March 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240312132132/https://nerdist.com/article/watch-newly-restored-deleted-scene-from-david-lynch-dune/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Although Universal had approached Lynch for a possible [[director's cut]] prior to the director's death in 2025, Lynch had declined every offer and preferred not to discuss ''Dune'' in interviews.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.duneinfo.com/kaitain/articles/dune-resurrection.asp |title=Dune Resurrection – Re-visiting Arrakis | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090502142658/http://www.duneinfo.com/kaitain/articles/dune-resurrection.asp | archive-date=May 2, 2009 |website=DuneInfo |access-date=January 18, 2013}}</ref> In 2022, though, during an interview about the remaster of his film ''[[Inland Empire (film)|Inland Empire]]'' (2006), he admitted to the surprised interviewer that he was interested in the idea. He offered the caveat that he did not believe it would ever happen, nor that anything in the unused footage would satisfy him enough for a director's cut, as he said he was "selling out" during production. Nevertheless, he said enough time had passed that he was at least curious to take another look at the footage.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Simon |first1=Brent |title=David Lynch on remastering Inland Empire, revisiting his earlier work and the chances of a Dune do-over |url=https://www.avclub.com/david-lynch-inland-empire-interview-dune-restoration-1848795394 |website=The A.V. Club |date=April 15, 2022 |access-date=April 16, 2022 |archive-date=April 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220416043716/https://www.avclub.com/david-lynch-inland-empire-interview-dune-restoration-1848795394 |url-status=live }}</ref>