Building the Perfect DUNE By Sean Murphy
Editor's note : This article originally appeared spread out over two issues of Video Watchdog Magazine. I'm still waiting for a David Lynch approved director's cut of DUNE.
If you would like to see the Shot-By-Shot breakdowns I did for each version of the film for this article, check out these pages : Theatrical Shot-By-Shot Breakdown, Television Shot-By-Shot Breakdown.
Sources :
DUNE (Panned & Scanned)
1985, MCA Home Video #40161, CX encoded Laserdisc, 135m 56s, 3 sides
DUNE (Widescreen)
1984, Comstock #PILF-7297 (PILF-729701), CX, 136m 3s, 3 sides
DUNE Part 1 (Television)
1988, Comstock #PILF-7297 (PILF-729702), CX, 93m 27s, 2 sides
DUNE Part 2 (Television)
1988, Comstock #PILF-7297 (PILF-729703), CX, 93m 24s, 2 sides
Total length for both parts of TV DUNE = 186m 51s
Actual time for TV DUNE = 176m 47s (Excluding "What Happened Last Night" footage and second credit roll on Part 2.)
I feel I need to make a confession before getting underway; I've never actually read DUNE by Frank Herbert. I mention this sad fact because it's important to know that this article approaches the filmed versions of DUNE from the perspective of what's presented on the screen, and supplemented by one version of the script, NOT what's found in the book. That said, I know there's a strong feeling among DUNE fans that the movie just doesn't do the book justice and, while this may or may not be true, I'd rather let that battle rage on the Internet. On the other hand, it's also true that fans of the film strongly dislike the television version because it's poorly edited with grainy "cutting room floor" scenes haphazardly reinserted. While I agree with this opinion of the television version, I also feel that the extra footage offers new insights into a film that could use a little reassessment.
DUNE, as captured on film, follows the story of a young man named Paul Atreides (Kyle MacLachlan) who fulfills a prophecy after his exposure to the spice found on the Planet Arrakis, also known as DUNE. Paul becomes the mythical Kwisatz Haderach, a leader of Arrakis and its people, the Fremen, and sets them free from the oppressions of the Emperor of the Known Universe and his henchman, the Baron Harkonnen.
The film version of DUNE had an extremely long gestation period, including many false starts and several different directors, before David Lynch was able to get the book onto the screen. Lynch wrote the 135 page script for DUNE and, "on December 9, 1982, a revised sixth draft was accepted as the final shooting script, though revisions were made throughout production."1 Principle photography began on March 30th, 1983 and was completed on September 9th, 1983.2 At that time, according to the Producer Raffaella De Laurentiis, "It looks as though the movie will run about two hours and twenty-three minutes. The rough cut ran about four hours but we had everything in it filmed from four different angles."3 This quote brings up an interesting point; the longest version of DUNE that existed as a rough cut, according to Raffaella De Laurentiis, was four hours long and yet rumors still turn up on the Internet newsgroups about once a week about the existence of a longer version of the film. No doubt this belief will continue.
The sources for this article are the Panned & Scanned Film Version (PSV) of DUNE, the Widescreen Film Version (WFV), the Television Version (TVV), and a script dated December 9th, 1983. This script, dated three months after principle photography was completed, is listed as the seventh draft.
Panned & Scanned Film Version vs. Widescreen Film Version
The Panned & Scanned Film Version (PSV) and Widescreen Film Version (WFV) of DUNE both share the same cut and running time, 135m 56s and 136m 3s respectively. There are only four differences between the two laserdiscs and they are: 1) the lack of chapter stops on the PSV (the WFV has 44 chapter stops), 2) the "Side Three" logo that appears at the beginning of the third side of the PSV, 3) one case of a different side break (discussed in the "Sources" section at the end of the article), and 4) the letterboxing.
Anyone who has seen the PSV knows how much of the image they are missing just by watching the opening credits, which are letterboxed, while the rest of the film is panned and scanned. Watching the widescreen version of DUNE is a revelation since the film was shot in Panavision and many of the cramped and sometimes confusing images found on the PSV finally become clear and understandable on the WFV. There are many examples of this and the following are but a few of them :
In the beginning of the film when Princess Irulan (Virginia Madsen) leaves the throne room at the request of her father, the Emperor Shadam the Fourth (Jose Ferrer) , we see her stop and look over her shoulder. We assume she is looking at her father in the PSV because no one is standing in the frame where she is looking (5:59 on Side 1 of PSV). In the WFV we can see that Irulan is actually looking at her father who is on the screen at the same time and imploring her with his eyes to leave quickly (5:29 on Side 1 of WFV).
While Paul watches his filmbook on Caladan before Thufir Hawat (Freddie Jones) , Gurney Halleck (Patrick Stewart), and Dr. Yueh (Dean Stockwell) arrive for the first time, all the planets and harvesters shown on the screen are very distorted and hard to make out (11:58 on Side 1 of PSV). The WFV remedies this problem very nicely by showing the audience the full image on the filmbook in the proper aspect ratio (11:28 on Side 1 of WFV).
There is one shot of "something" exploding on the PSV during the Harkonnen attack on Arrakis and it's almost impossible to see what that "something" is since the image is so cramped (21:20 on Side 2 of PSV). The "something" on the WFV is easily seen as several of the Duke's spaceships sitting on the ground. These spaceships are destroyed by explosions starting in the distance and quickly moving to the spaceship closest to the screen (21:24 on Side 2 of WFV).
There are several instances where three characters are present on screen in the WFV but only two are seen in the PSV. This includes the panning that occurs when Gurney, Dr. Yueh, and Thufir first arrive in Paul's room (12:56 on Side 1 of PSV, 12:26 on Side 1 of WFV) and when Paul speaks to Gurney about setting off the atomics at the end of the film and only Stilgar can be seen standing next to him (22:38 on Side 3 of PSV, 24:06 on Side 3 of WFV). Obviously, the WFV is much more pleasant to watch in this respect.
The worst victims of the panning and scanning on the PSV are the sets found on the planets Arrakis, Caladan, Geidi Prime, and Kaitain. Only on the WFV are we able to truly see all of the work, time, and money spent on these stunning sets. There is absolutely no competition between the PSV and WFV : the WFV is the only version to watch.
Widescreen Film Version Vs. Panned and Scanned Television Version
Many fans of the film version of DUNE would like to dismiss the television version (TVV) as a travesty, and while this is hard to disagree with, the TVV not only gives us several scenes not found in the WFV, it also restores the correct sequence of events after Duke Leto (Jurgen Prochnow) arrives on Arrakis (as found in the December 9th script). Lynch sued to have his name taken off the TVV when it was recut without his consultation. If you look in the credits of the TVV, you'll find that it was directed by "Alan Smithee" (the name used when a director has his/her name taken off of a film) and the screenplay written by Judas Booth (a name suggesting betrayal) even though David Lynch was responsible for both. He is properly credited in the WFV and PSV.
So what exactly did MCA/Universal have to do to the film version of DUNE to make the TVV? To begin with, the TVV had to be padded out and set up in such a way as to give the audience a story they could follow over two nights and have a point where the words "To Be Continued" could be placed halfway through the film. The first night of the TVV ends after Thufir discovers the Weirding Modules burning and the second night begins with the Harkonnen attack. The TVV begins with a prologue of drawn pictures and narration that helps set up the film for anyone who has not read the book. Although the extra footage and prologue help to give the film the epic feel it deserves and sorely needs, the editing and reinsertion of new footage was very poorly done. The quality of this new footage is grainier and fuzzier than the footage from the PSV and WFV. One step taken to make it easier for the television audience to know where the action was taking place involved several cutaway shots to planets, cable cars, and characters which were doubled and sometimes tripled to fill up time. Certain scenes, such as the Emperor's discussion with the Navigator about the Duke and Baron (discussed later) were horribly re-edited to make the story "easier" to follow. Battle scenes were also rearranged to make it more obvious who was fighting who and the blue eyes of the Fremen are not blue in the new scenes. All in all, the extra footage (approximately 50m 48s since some footage from the WFV was cut from the TVV, 40m 44s with the "What Happened Last Night" footage and second credit roll on Part 2 excluded) allows the TVV to gradually unfold, giving extra background to the story and allowing the characters more time to develop.
What's obvious from watching the TVV is that the WFV is just not long enough for the story it wants to tell. There's a lot of background material that the WFV doesn't have time to show and while the TVV does a better job of explaining the story, it's edited so poorly and haphazardly that it's sad to watch. Unfortunately, for anyone who has never read DUNE. the TVV is most likely a better first viewing choice in terms of understanding the story.
The WFV and the TVV are compared in the following four sections and if you have the PSV and would like to find the scenes described in the WFV on your PSV, you will have to do the following :
1) Whenever you see a time code on Side 1 of the WFV, add between 29-31 seconds to the time code for the WFV to find the spot on the PSV.
2) For Side 2 of the WFV, subtract between 2-4 seconds from the time code on the WFV for the time code on the PSV.
3) For Side 3 of the WFV, subtract between 86-88 seconds from the time code of the WFV for the time code on the PSV.
Narrators, Prologues, and Introductions
Why is Irulan the narrator of the WFV and why is some unknown and never seen male the narrator of the TVV? Who exactly is the male narrator? Was there even a narrator found in the original script? Some of these questions have answers and some have only speculation.
The only narration found in the December 9th script is delivered by the Reverend Mother Ramallo (Silvana Mangano) on page 1 :
----------
1A. INT. ROCK LEDGE - SIETCH TABR - NIGHT
BLACK
FADE IN to the dark eyes of the mysterious face of the REVEREND MOTHER RAMALLO, who sits against smooth black rock. Her eyes are deep blue-within-blue and her skin is a haunting translucent white. Her voice ECHOES as if in a great cavern.
REVEREND MOTHER RAMALLO
We are the secret of the Universe.
RESPONSE OF TWENTY
THOUSAND VOICES
Bi-la kaifa.
REVEREND MOTHER RAMALLO
We are the secret of the Universe. We know of spice...the spice called melange...the greatest treasure in the Universe. It exists on only one planet - ours, Arrakis, Dune. We know of spice and the Bene Gesserit sisterhood's selective breeding plan of ninety generations to produce the Kwisatz Haderach, the one the spice will awaken.
RESPONSE OF TWENTY
THOUSAND VOICES
Bi-la kaifa.
REVEREND MOTHER RAMALLO
And now the prophecy...
Silence...then a powerful low organ NOTE resounding in the cavernous space.
REVEREND MOTHER RAMALLO
(CONT'D)
He will come, the voice from the outer world bringing the holy war, a Jihad, which will cleanse the universe and bring us out of darkness. He will be born of a Bene Gesserit mother.
The Reverend Mother continues speaking the Prophecy, but we do not hear it. The huge wind organ BLOWS louder and louder, obscuring her voice.
The picture FADES.
----------------
Only a portion of this narration is found in the WFV while it is used twice in the TVV, once each night :
Reverend Mother Ramallo : "And now, the prophecy. One will come, the voice from the outer world bringing the holy war, a Jihad, which will cleanse the universe and bring us out of darkness." (41:22 on Side 1 of WFV, 5:39 on Side 2 of TVV, 36:47 on Side 3 of TVV).
As far as the script is concerned, the extended narration above is the only one needed to acquaint the audience with the film and the world of DUNE. Since this prophecy is the basis of the film it makes sense that it should come first, as in the script, but in both the WFV and TVV the shortened prophecy is spoken after the film is already well underway.
Irulan's function as the narrator can't be discovered by watching the WFV but all is made clear in a scene found in the December 9th script on Page 112. This scene was cut from all versions of the film.
--------
Paul looks to the Emperor.
PAUL
Now I shall tell you how it will be. Irulan shall be my wife, opening the way for an Atreides to take the throne.
EMPEROR
I sit on the throne!!
PAUL
You will sit on a throne on Selusa Secundus, your prison planet. Either that or you will die.
The Emperor is still. Paul moves to Chani.
PAUL
(to Chani)
The Princess shall have no more of me than my name...no child of mine or touch or softness of glance...nor instant of desire...This is my promise to you...
(Whispering)
...my love.
Paul turns to the others
Jessica turns to Chani and whispers to her.
JESSICA
Think on it Chani...We who carry the name of concubine...history will call us wives.
-------
Irulan was meant to marry Paul at the end of the film so that he could become Emperor and, after knowing this fact, it would make sense to have Irulan as the narrator of the WFV since Paul's story would also be her story. Without this scene, however, Irulan's relation to the film as a narrator is lost.
As far as the unknown male narrator in the TVV is concerned, there is no solid explanation as to who he is or what relation he has to the story. The truth of the matter is that it was most likely cheaper to hire a new actor to read the lines than it was to get Virginia Madsen to do it again.
If the reciting of the prophecy by Reverend Mother Ramallo was enough narration to carry the story, as far as the script was concerned, then the need for a narrator was most likely decided on after showing the film to a preview audience. This meant introducing a lot of information to the audience at the beginning of the film to ease them into the world of DUNE. This was achieved by having Irulan recite the following narration as a close-up of her face dissolved in and out before a field of stars.
The beginning is a very delicate time. Know then that it is the year 10,191. The known Universe is ruled by the Padashar Emperor Shadam the Fourth, my father. In this time the most precious substance in the universe is the spice Melange. The spice extends life, the spice expands consciousness, the spice is vital to space travel. The Spacing Guild and it's navigators, who the spice has mutated over 4,000 years, use the orange spice gas which gives them the ability to fold space. That is travel to any part of the universe without moving. Oh yes, I forgot to tell you. The spice exists on only one planet in the entire universe. A desolate, dry planet with vast deserts. Hidden away within the rocks of these deserts are a people known as the Fremen, who have long held a prophecy that a man would come, a messiah, who would lead them to true freedom. The planet is Arrakis, also known as Dune.
(After this introduction by Irulan and the opening credits, the audience is shown a long shot of a field of stars where four planets are revealed as if on a computer screen. The person who recites the following narration is someone from within the Spacing Guild of Navigators.)
A secret report within the guild. Four planets have come to our attention regarding a plot that could jeopardize spice production: Planet Arrakis, source of the spice; Planet Caladan, Home of House Atreides; Planet Geidi Prime, Home of House Harkonnen; Planet Kaitain, home of the Emperor of the Known Universe. Send a Third Stage Guild Navigator to Kaitain to demand details from the Emperor. The spice must flow (0:49 on Side 1 of WFV).
Irulan's prologue is very successful in confusing the audience by throwing a lot of information at them without any visual detail to support it. What is a "Padashar" Emperor? What exactly is this spice? What is "folding space"? Who are the Fremen? What is the prophecy? Who is the Messiah? Since everything she says will be revealed during the film, there must have been a fear of losing the audience long before any of these questions were answered. This fear most likely prompted the need for a prologue in the WFV. The section above, in parenthesis, involving the Guild was most likely the original beginning of the film as it identified the four planets involved in the story and actually takes us to Kaitain to open the film. Whether this was actually the original beginning of the film is unknown.
One of the first things MCA/Universal must have decided about the TVV was that it needed more background material for the television audience to be able to follow the film. The TVV prologue delivers this detailed history in an altogether different visual way than the WFV by using several paintings with sound effects and narration. While this information is very helpful, the execution is not much better then in the WFV. The narrator for the TVV is a male voice whose identity and connection to the story is never disclosed. The prologue is 5 minutes and 51 seconds long and, although very poorly done, is a good lead in to the film.
In the year 6041, before the reign of the Padashar Emperors, the Universe was ruled by thinking machines with human minds - computers and conscious robots. The people deteriorated into a state of apathy, then they became victims and slaves of other men with machines. Finally came the great revolt, the religious crusade against the machines.
After the great revolt, human beings were forced to develop their minds. Thus mental training schools were established. These schools would change the history of the universe. Only two of these ancient mental training schools remain. One is the Bene Gesserit school which was established primarily for female students. The function of the Bene Gesserit school is to carry on a selective breeding program among humans. Now the other existing school, the Spacing Guild, or the Guild, emphasizes pure mathematics. The Guild's space navigators, through the use of the orange spice drug, are able to fold space. That is to guide spaceships without moving from one planet to another. It is through the Guild's monopolies on the economic life of the universe that makes it so powerful.
Know then, that it is the year 10,192. The known universe is ruled by the Padashar Emperor Shadam the Fourth. For many years the Emperor Shadam the Fourth has ruled on planet Kaitain over all the great Houses of the Landsraad. The great houses of the Landsraad are members of the royal families who rule or govern over the major planets of the universe according to the ancient feudal system of government. Two of the great houses of the Landsraad are the House of Atreides on Caladan, ruled by Duke Leto Atreides, and the House of Harkonnen on the planet Geidi Prime ruled by Baron Vladamere Harkonnen.
In this time the most precious substance in the Universe is the spice Melange. The spice extends life, the spice expands consciousness, the spice is vital to space travel. Choam company controls the mining of the spice. The Choam Company is controlled by the Padashar Emperor Shadam the Fourth and the great houses of the Landsraad with the Guild and the Bene Gesserit as silent partners. This combine is the key to the wealth and political power of the universe. It is the Emperor Shadam the Fourth who dispenses Choam directorships and contracts to the various great houses of the Landsraad. The spice exists on only one planet in the entire universe. A desolate, dry planet with vast deserts. The planet Dune, also known as Arrakis.
Up until this time the Baron Vladamere Harkonnen has held a directorship from the Emperor Shadam the Fourth giving him a contract to mine the spice on the planet Arrakis. The Baron Vladamere, with his two nephews the Count Rabban and Feyd Harkonnen, live on the planet Geidi Prime. Planet Caladan is ruled by Duke Leto Atreides, cousin to Emperor Shadam the Fourth. He resides in the ancient castle Caladan with the Bene Gesserit Lady Jessica and their son, the ducal heir, Paul Atreides. The Emperor, fearful of the Duke's increasing popularity among the great houses of the Landsraad, has conspired with the Duke's mortal enemies, the Harkonnens, to destroy the House of Atreides.
A secret report within the Guild. Four planets have come to our attention regarding a plot that could jeopardize Spice production: Planet Arrakis, source of the spice; Planet Caladan, Home of House Atreides; Planet Geidi Prime, Home of House Harkonnen; Planet Kaitain, home of the Emperor of the Known Universe. Send a Third Stage Guild Navigator to Kaitain to demand details from the Emperor. The spice must flow (1:43 on side 1 of TVV).
This prologue explains what started the present course of evolution and gives some very helpful information about : 1) what the Choam Company is and the spice mining contracts it holds, 2) the purpose of the mental training schools, 3) the present power structure and the part the spice plays in it. As a side note, a different beginning year is used (10,192) than what is found in the WFV prologue (10,191) and no explanation is given for this.
A large problem with the prologue of the TVV is the fact that the unknown male narrator also reads the final section that was originally read by someone from within the Guild. The whole effect from the WFV is lost in the TVV by having the male narrator speak about the "secret report" as well as using a painting of the planets instead of the "computer screen" found in the WFV. Does this mean that since the male narrator speaks these lines that he is a member the Guild? The TVV never tells us.
Besides speaking all of the lines that Irulan did as the narrator of the WFV, the male narrator also introduces Gurney, Dr. Yueh, Thufir, Duncan (Richard Jordan) and Piter (Brad Dourif) with extra footage when they first appear, thus making their positions quickly known and easy to remember.
"Gurney Halleck, a troubadour warrior, is companion and teacher to Paul Atreides." (20:22 on Side 1 of TVV).
"Dr. Wellington Yueh, royal physician to the House of Atreides. He wears the diamond tattoo of imperial conditioning on his forehead. This signifies that he has had the highest conditioning against taking human life. Therefore, this makes him safe enough to attend even an Emperor." (20:29 on Side 1 of TVV).
"Among those who serve Duke Atreides is Thufir Hawat, Mentat Master of Assassins to the House of Atreides. A Mentat is a human being who is trained and conditioned for supreme accomplishments of logic. A human computer to perform certain duties." (20:53 on Side 1 of TVV).
"Another member of the Duke's household is Duncan Idaho, friend and sword master to Paul Atreides." (27:58 on Side 1 of TVV).
"Among those who serve the Baron is Piter Debres, Mentat Master of Assassins." (43:58 on Side 1 of TVV).
All of this information is interesting and valuable even though some of it is easily discernible, such as the fact that Gurney is a companion and teacher to Paul. The information about Dr. Yueh's diamond tattoo is revealed later by Lady Jessica (Francesca Annis) while she inspects the servants, "There's the Imperial conditioning. Assurance of trust." (11:44 on Side 2 of TVV, 11:18 on Side 2 of WFV). Also, the background on the Mentats helps to explain what Thufir is doing when the light is flashing on his face in the meeting scene with Duke Leto (19:48 on Side 2 of TVV, 15:44 on Side 2 of WFV), i.e. he is reading the light flashes like a computer. While this information is interesting and helpful for setting up the characters and their relationship to Paul and the film, the extra footage of Gurney, Dr. Yueh, and Thufir just standing there so that the narrator can talk is extremely awkward.
Both prologues and all the introductions are not found in the December 9th script and, although the information is very poorly presented, the TVV prologue is very helpful to more fully understand who everyone is and what's going on in the story.
Major New Footage Not Found in the Film Version
The one saving grace of the TVV may be the fact that it restores major footage to the film that hasn't been seen anywhere else. The one drawback to this is that the editing is so poor and the footage so obviously of a lesser quality that the new footage in the TVV is seriously compromised. That said, the new footage is a treasure trove of information about what DUNE could be if time was taken to let the film unfold at it's own pace. The major new footage in the TVV, as well as all the additional footage discussed previously, add immensely to the overall epic feel that DUNE deserves. From here onwards, any text in italics will denote new footage found in the TVV.
The most dramatic change to occur between the WFV and the TVV has to be the rearranging of several scenes so that the TVV, unlike the WFV, follows the December 9th script as it was originally written. In the WFV, after Jessica and Duke Leto are seen briefly in bed and Leto meets with Duncan on Arrakis, the palace is secured and the House Shield goes up. Next, the film immediately jumps to Duke Leto and Paul meeting Dr. Kynes to inspect the spice mining operation, then to Jessica inspecting the servants, then to Paul avoiding death from the Hunter-Seeker probe, then to the meeting of Duke Leto to discuss the traitor in their midst, and finally to the Harkonnen attack. The TVV adds a significant amount of footage to this sequence as well as rearranging it. After Jessica and Duke Leto are seen in bed (in a longer and different scene!) and Leto meets with Duncan on Arrakis, the place is secured and the House Shield goes up. Then, Jessica inspects the servants, Paul has his brush with death from the Hunter-Seeker probe, Duke Leto has a meeting to discuss the possible traitor in their midst, Shadout talks with Jessica about the prophecy, Paul and Duke Leto meet with Dr. Kynes to inspect spice mining, water is shared between Duke Leto and Dr. Kynes, and then the Harkonnens attack. By rearranging the footage in the TVV and adding new scenes, all of the new footage falls into place as found in the script and the film flows more naturally.
The first major sequence of this new footage occurs where only a small scene appeared before. Jessica and Leto are seen in bed in a flashback where Jessica says, "Oh I'll miss Caladan so much." (37:31 on Side 1 of WFV). This scene is replaced in the TVV by a scene that is not a flashback, as found in the WFV, but a stand-alone scene.
Jessica : "I once told you a daughter would be conceived at a time of parting."
Leto : "I remember. Conceived in love at a time of parting. Arrakis..."(The next three words are unintelligible)"
Jessica : "I must be sure you want this. It has to be tonight. Under these influences. I didn't hear. You are with the wind."
Leto : "I whispered yes."
Jessica : "And I whisper I love you." (0:17 on Side 2 of TVV).
This sequence is where Jessica's daughter Alia is conceived and Jessica is not seen as frightened as in the WFV. Through this scene we see Jessica's character differently, from a person fearful of the future to one who is controlling her destiny. She knows that the child conceived that night will be very important in the future even though she may not know exactly what will happen.
The Fremen are seen as a presence on Arrakis from the very first moment Duke Leto and his family step foot on the planet in the TVV. We first see the Fremen not in stillsuits, but in normal clothing climbing up a mountain until they can view the Duke and his ship through binoculars. The unknown male narrator describes who they are :
"Hidden away within the rocks of these deserts on Arrakis are a people known as the Fremen. These people, the Fremen, have long held a prophecy that a super being, a male child of a Bene Gesserit with great mental powers and courage, the Kwisatz Haderach, will come and lead them to true freedom." (6:18 on Side 2 of TVV).
A bearded Fremen with binoculars says, "Godan de sun" as Paul, Leto and Jessica walk down the stairs of their ship. [I'm not exactly sure what "Godan de sun" means and nothing in the TVV helps to explain it.] Seeing the Fremen without their stillsuits helps to show that not all the Fremen are out living in the deep desert but that some of them live "hidden away within the rocks" around the palace of Duke Leto.
Next, when the Duke meets with Duncan for the first time on Arrakis, their conversation is longer in the TVV and contains a warning from the Fremen, again establishing their presence on Arrakis.
Leto : "Duncan."
Duncan : "The Fremen have sent a message to you sire."
Leto : "Have you read this?
Duncan : "No. I was instructed it was for you."
Leto : "It says column of smoke by day, pillar of fire by night."
Duncan : "A warning.."
Leto : "Obscure one at best. What have you discovered about the Fremen, Duncan? Tell me. Why haven't we heard from you?"
Duncan : "My lord, I suspect so much. I think they are the allies we seek. They are strong, fierce. They do not give their loyalty easily or quickly. As you know, the Imperium has never been able to take a census of the Fremen. Everyone thinks that there are but wandering here and there in the desert. My lord, I suspect an incredible secret has been kept on this planet. That the Fremen exist in vast numbers. Vast. And it is they who control Arrakis." (7:47 on Side 2 of TVV, 42:44 on Side 1 of WFV).
This small insertion helps to show that the Fremen are actively taking charge in fulfilling their prophecy by becoming involved with Duke Leto at the very first opportunity they can by confiding in Duncan beforehand. This involvement of the Fremen in their prophecy carries over into a new scene found later where Shadout Mapes talks to Jessica to see if she is the one from the prophecy.
When Paul survives the Hunter-seeker in the TVV, this following scene occurs with Leto in a hallway surrounded by men who are running around looking for Harkonnens.
Leto : "Thufir, did you find anything?"
Thufir (Over a radio) : "Nothing yet."
Leto : "Keep looking."
Leto (thinking) : "And a traitor. God help us." (18:28 on Side 2 of TVV).
Immediately following this sequence comes a much longer scene of the Duke and his men around the large table discussing what has happened. Some of the new footage and dialogue found here explains why the next scene to follow should be the one with Dr. Kynes and the Ornithopter as found in the December 9th script and the TVV.
Thufir : "My Lord. Again, My lord, I wish to tender my resignation."
Leto : "Silence Thufir. Stop acting the fool, I told you yesterday. If you made a mistake it was in over-estimating the Harkonnens. Their simple minds came up with a simple trick. Paul's survival was largely because of your training. You didn't fail there. Sit down Thufir. Thufir, there's this traitor. I know you have cleared everyone, especially those close to us, but recheck and find him."
Leto (Thinking) : "They have tried to take the life of my son."
Thufir : "Sector 6 through 80 progress reports sire."
Leto : "Take it Thufir."
Thufir : "Sector 6-80...sum of the eighth...quadrant of the ninth...and called forth copy. Eight? Thufir Hawat, Mentat Master of Assassins. The palace is now secure. The city of Arrakeen is under marshal law. We have troops, here, headquartered underground in sub floors 6 through 10. The rest of the troops are stationed in Arrakeen and we have some on the airfield. Our new army is still in training, but everything, everything is shielded and with this shielding we are impenetrable. Kynes. Dr. Kynes is waiting. He is the Emperor's judge of the change, monitoring the evacuation of the Harkonnens and our taking control. He plans taking you on an inspection of the spice mining operation. Now he may or may not be sympathetic to our cause but, sire, with the attempt on the young sire I am against your leaving the palace."
Leto : "The attempt failed. Harkonnen captives have already been taken. We must crush the Harkonnen machine on Arrakis. You all know what to do. Gurney. We desperately need more spice miners. Many are threatening to leave on the next shuttle. We need spice drivers, weather scanners, yeoman. Any with open sand experience. You must persuade them to enlist with us."
Gurney : "They shall come all for violence. Their faces shall sup up as the east wind. And they will gather the captivity of the sand."
Leto : "Very moving Gurney. On your way. And take care of Dr. Kynes until Paul and I arrive. We will not be prisoners here in this place."
Gurney : "Behold as a wild ass in the desert go I forth to my work." (18:45 on Side 2 of TVV, 15:40 on Side 2 of WFV).
Paul laughs as Gurney leaves and the seriousness of the scene is lifted.
One of the most intriguing and ultimately disappointing new scenes has to do with Shadout Mapes approaching Lady Jessica with a crysknife, as per the prophecy, to determine if she is the Bene Gesserit spoken of in the prophecy. Jessica is found sitting in her room behind a desk in the TVV as Shadout Mapes knocks and enters the room.
Jessica : "Yes?"
Shadout : "I am the Shadout Mapes, your housekeeper, noble born. What are your orders?"
Jessica : "You may refer to me as My Lady. I am not noble born. I am the bound concubine of Duke Leto. Mother of the heir designate. Shadout. That's an ancient word."
Shadout : "You know the ancient tongue?"
Jessica : "I know many things. I know you came prepared for violence with a weapon in your bodice."
Shadout : "My Lady. The weapon was sent as a gift if you should prove to be the one."
Jessica : "And the means of my death should I prove otherwise."
[Shadout screams and falls to the floor.]
Shadout : "My Lady, when one has lived with prophecy for so long the moment of revelation is a shock." (22:53 on Side 2 of TVV).
Even on the printed page it is easy to see how ridiculously short this scene plays and it's obvious that something is missing. The scene ends abruptly and shows that the producers didn't have a clue as to how to edit it back into the TVV since they didn't include the whole scene as found on Page 41 of the December 9th script.
---------------
91. INT. PASSAGEWAY - ARRAKEEN PALACE - DAY
Outside in the passageway, feet suddenly move quietly toward the door to Jessica's room.
92. INT. JESSICA'S CHAMBER - ARRAKEEN PALACE - DAY
Jessica HEARS this and looks up just as the Shadout Mapes silently enters the room.
JESSICA
(STARING AT THE BLUE EYED WOMAN - WAITING FOR POSSIBLE DANGER)
Yes?
SHADOUT MAPES
I am the Shadout Mapes, your housekeeper, noble born. What are your orders?
JESSICA
You may refer to me as My Lady. I am not noble born. I am the bound concubine of Duke Leto. Mother of the heir designate. Shadout. That's an ancient word.
MAPES
(Strangely asked)
You know the ancient tongue?
JESSICA
I know the Bhotani Jib and Chakobsa, all the hunting languages.
MAPES
As the legend says.
JESSICA
(Inner voice)
That's it! The Missionaria Protectiva has been here planting protective legends against a day of Bene Gesserit need. And that day has come. I must play out this sham.
(Out loud)
I know the Dark things and the way of the Great Mother. Miseces prejin.
Mapes takes a step backward to flee.
JESSICA (CONT'D)
I know many things. I know you came prepared for violence with a weapon in your bodice.
MAPES
My Lady, I...the weapon was sent as a gift if you should prove to be the one.
JESSICA
And the means of my death should I prove otherwise.
(Inner voice)
Now we will see which way the decision tips.
Slowly Mapes reaches into her dress and brings out a sheathed knife. She unsheathes it.
MAPES
Do you know this my lady?
JESSICA
(Inner voice)
It could be only one thing...
(Out loud)
It's a crysknife.
MAPES
Say it not lightly...
(very slowly)
Do you know its meaning?
JESSICA
(Inner voice)
Here is why this Fremen has taken service with me, to ask that one question. Delay is as dangerous as the wrong answer. Shadout is Chakobsa...knife, in Chakobsa is...maker of death.
(Out loud)
It's a maker...
Mapes SCREAMS with elation and grief.
JESSICA (CONT'D)
(Inner voice)
Maker?...Maker is the key word...the tooth of the worm? That was close...
(Out loud)
Did you think that I, knowing the mysteries of the Great Mother, would not know the maker?
MAPES
My Lady, when one has lived with prophecy for so long the moment of revelation is a shock.
Mapes sheathes the blade...slowly.
JESSICA
(inner voice)
There's more here...yes!
(out loud)
Mapes, you've sheathed that blade unblooded.
With a GASP Mapes drops the knife into Jessica's hands and opens her blouse.
MAPES
Take the water of my life!
Jessica withdraws the knife from the sheath and, with the blade, scratches a line just above Mapes' right breast.
MAPES (CONT'D)
You are ours...You are the one.
Jessica's eyes stare ahead. She knows the words ring with truth.
------------
Now when Shadout screams, as seen in the TVV, her reaction finally makes sense.1 Here was a golden opportunity for the producers of the TVV to do something really great with the restored footage they had and they blew it. One upside of this restored footage is that it once again reinforces the Fremen presence on Arrakis and shows how seriously they take their prophecy.
This Fremen connection is solidified in another scene exclusive to the TVV between Dr. Kynes (Leader of the Fremen and the Emperor's Judge of the Change) and Duke Leto having a water ceremony and pledging to work together. As this scene opens, Gurney is given a chance to play the Baliset he was carrying in the beginning of the film (20:13 on Side 1 of TVV, 12:21 on Side 1 of WFV).
Yueh : "Dr. Kynes. Being in the employ of the Emperor, as you are, perhaps it isn't wise for you to, ah, associate too closely with us Atreides."
Kynes : "On the contrary, I feel very comfortable here."
[Kynes spits on the ground.]
Leto : "Remember how precious water is here. It was a token of respect. Are you enlisting with us?"
Kynes : "You see through to the truth of a thing sire."
Thufir : "That means a dual alliance. He's in with the Emperor."
Kynes : "A dual alliance? Yes, but not with the Emperor."
Paul : "The Fremen."
Leto : "Then let the water be a bond between us."
[Leto stands and pours out a container of water onto the ground, into which Paul sees the reflection of the moon through a hole in the ceiling. This is the same moon he has seen in his dreams and the one he will be named after, as Maud'Dib, when with the Fremen.] (34:07 on Side 2 of TVV).
This scene reinforces what Kynes has said earlier in the film, while flying the Ornithopter, about liking the Duke "against his better judgment" and shows the profound effect that the Duke has had on Kynes by risking his own life to save the spice harvesting men.
Another new extended sequence was originally a "quickie" scene found in the WFV that has Feyd saying, "I wish this was Paul" as he suffocates Leto (23:44 on Side 2 of WFV). The scene in the TVV is much longer and more involved.
[Leto is laying on a table as Feyd plays with his face and suffocates him on and off. Dr. Yueh is brought in by two guards.]
Feyd : "Bring him here. You've done a very good job. He hardly feels a thing."
[Feyd continues to play with Leto face and suffocate him as Dr. Yueh looks on very distressed and crying. Feyd rips an insignia off of Leto's uniform and walks over to Dr. Yueh.]
Feyd : "Open your mouth. Open it. Open it!"
[Feyd jams the insignia into Yueh's mouth.]
Feyd : "You've done a good job traitor." (9:37 on Side 3 of TVV).
Soon after this scene, when the Duke is brought before the Baron, he notices what has happened to the Duke's uniform. This occurs right before the Baron and Piter realize that the Duke's ring is missing.
Baron : "Duke Leto Atreides. Someone's torn the insignia off your uniform. That's carelessness."
Piter : "That was Feyd."
Baron : "That was Feyd? Feyd. Duke Leto Atreides." (18:57 on Side 3 of TVV).
As far as Dr. Yueh is concerned, you begin to see that the person who earlier drugged Duke Leto and gave him a poisoned tooth does indeed have a conscience and does not like seeing what happens to the Duke. Perhaps it was best that Dr. Yueh never learned that his plan to kill the Baron instead only killed his henchman Piter, ultimately making the sacrifice of the Duke all for nothing.
An entire subplot involving a Fremen named Jamis and his family was removed from DUNE before the film was originally released to theaters. "En route to the final cut, only one major story change has been made; the subplot involving Paul's killing of Jamis and his subsequent involvement with Jamis' mate Harah and her children has been completely excised."2 This deletion, a "major" part of the book according to Raffaella De Laurentiis, would have had Paul crying or "giving water" for Jamis. This is seen as a major occurrence on Arrakis where water is so precious as David Lynch revealed; "In the book, the Jamis confrontation is important because Paul gives water for the dead [he cries after killing the Fremen warrior]. For that one small part in the movie, though, the audience would have fallen asleep before they even witnessed that. It was a tremendous sideline to a story that was just barreling along."3 MCA/Universal made the decision to reinsert the footage of Paul killing Jamis and turning Jamis into water in the TVV but neglected to restore the footage of Paul crying. What was the point? Obviously only to fill up air time. We also never find out why Jamis is so angry and willing to fight with Paul in the first place. Besides the following two scenes in the TVV, all references to Jamis, his wife Harah, and their two children are still absent from the TVV even though Harah and the children are seen throughout both the WFV and TVV.
As this sequence appears in the WFV, without any mention of Jamis, Paul returns from the rocks with Chani after Stilgar has promised not to harm him or Jessica and has agreed to accept them into his tribe. Stilgar then gives Paul a secret name by which he will be known within the tribe. This name is Usil, which is explained as "the strength of the base of the pillar" according to Stilgar. Giving Paul this name seems strange in the WFV since Paul ran away and it was Jessica who captured Stilgar and made the Fremen accept them. The following footage from the TVV explains why Stilgar thinks Paul has strength even though it does not explain why Jamis is so angry to begin with.
Jamis : "He surprised me. It was an accident. Stilgar I invoke the Amtal rule."
Stilgar : "But Jamis you force this fight. These people have my countenance. If you should win, I will cut you down."
Paul : "Jamis I don't want to fight you. Maybe if I explain..."
Jamis : "Explain? Explain death. I am going to sheath my blade in your blood."
Paul (Worried) : "No shields. I'm used to shield fighting."
Chani : "Take my crysknife. Jamis turns to the right with his knife after a parry. And watch for a knife switch."
Jamis : "May my knife chip and shatter."
[Paul and Jamis fight and Paul eventually kills Jamis.]
Stilgar : "You have strength. You shall be known as Usil, which is the strength of the base of the pillar." (44:01 on Side 2 of TVV).
After Jamis is killed, his body is taken to the Water Masters, the "holy men" of the Fremen who care for the Water of Life, where he is turned into water. A procession carries Jamis' body into this "oven" room where the Water Masters wait for him.
Male Voice : "The wife and sons of Jamis."
[One son of Jamis and Harah puts a necklace on Jamis' dead body and then the body is put into the oven and turned on. The water extracted from Jamis' burning body is poured into an urn.]
Stilgar : "This water belongs to Usil. May he guard it for the tribe, may he be generous with it in time of need. Jamis carried thirty-three liters and seven and three-thirty seconds drachms. Do you accept them?"
Paul : "Yes."
[Stilgar hands the urn with Jamis' water to Paul.]
Stilgar : "Water Masters!"
[The procession leaves the room, each walking by Harah and her boys.] (39:00 on Side 3 of TVV).
Both of these scenes are absent from the December 9th script but the feeling you get after seeing them in the TVV is that neither is complete, especially since Paul never sheds a tear for Jamis. MCA/Universal was just trying to pad out the TVV with extra footage and no real concern for whether or not it all made sense in the flow of the narrative. This is truly a shame since this subplot could have been reinserted throughout the latter half of the TVV very successfully.
When Paul runs into the rocks in the above scene as Jessica takes Stilgar prisoner, Chani (Sean Young) comes up behind him and says, "I am Chani, daughter of Liet" (43:34 on Side 2 of WFV, 33:28 on Side 3 of TVV), although we never find out exactly who this Liet is in the WFV. This situation is remedied in the TVV with the inclusion of a scene of Chani mourning for her father Liet, also known as Dr. Kynes, after he is killed by the Beast Rabban. This following scene falls after Paul is shown the hidden cache of water underground and Chani asks about his home world (40:58 on Side 3 of TVV). Chani is dressed in a mourning gown and leading a funeral procession of Fremen down a set of stairs.
Paul : "What is it?"
Stilgar : "Liet, Chani's father, the leader of our people, is dead. Killed by the Harkonnens."
Paul (Thinking) : "For the father, nothing."
Paul : "Both of us have lost our fathers." (41:27 on Side 3 of TVV)
This very short sequence reveals how important Dr. Kynes/Liet was to the Fremen and how his position in the world of the Fremen has now been vacated. Also, with this new knowledge of who Dr. Kynes was, his death is even more poignant.
The Water Masters are seen again later in the TVV after Paul and Gurney meet up again in the battle field. The Fremen return to their cave after this joyful reunion and Stilgar takes Paul aside :
Stilgar : "Do you know the water of life? Come watch the mystery of mysteries. The end and the beginning."
[Stilgar takes Paul into a room where a 20 foot long baby worm is trapped in a water filled container which is drained and then the worm is pulled out and milked for it's blue liquid. This is then run from a spigot into a container that Jessica would drink from later.]
Stilgar : "The Water of Life. The Water of Life." (15:23 on Side 4 of TVV)
Why this scene should occur after the Fremen return from an attack on the Harkonnens is never explained since this footage shouldn't have been there in the first place. This sequence, poorly edited here into the wrong place in the TVV, is actually a continuation of the earlier scene where Jessica takes the Water of Life and would have made much more sense there. The decision must have been made that more footage was needed in the second night of the broadcast so this scene found it's way back into the film far from where it should have been. This is a shame since it would have made a great addition to Jessica's Water of Life scene.
Additional Footage to Pre-existing Scenes
Besides a wealth of new, previously unreleased footage, the TVV also gives us additional footage to scenes that were already found in the WFV. This occurs throughout the TVV and adds substantially to the impact of the story.
The Emperor of the Known Universe should be a very strong leader and yet, in the WFV, the Emperor looks and acts like a very weak and ineffective ruler. Eventually, you begin to wonder how he became and stayed Emperor of the Known Universe when, in the following scenes, the Third Stage Navigator arrives and just tells the Emperor what to do. Even the Reverend Mother Mohiam is disrespectful to the Emperor when he tells her to report back to him after scanning the Navigator and she ignores him so she can go tell her fellow Bene Gesserit sisters about leaving for Caladan to test Paul Atreides. A much stronger character is seen in the TVV with the qualities of a true Emperor of the Known Universe. The Emperor's initial meeting with the Reverend Mother Mohiam is longer and, unlike the WFV, the Emperor has a meeting with her again after the Navigator has left. The scene with the Navigator is longer and, on the whole, the TVV of this scene is more satisfying (with the exception of some annoying name changes discussed later).
After Irulan leaves in the WFV, the Emperor takes off his robe and then the Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam (Sian Phillips) arrives.
Emperor : "A Third Stage Guild Navigator will be here within minutes."
Reverend Mother Mohiam : "We felt his presence."
Emperor : "I shall want telepathy during his visit and a report when we're finished."
Reverend Mother Mohiam : "I am your truth sayer my Lord. He's here my Lord." (5:46 on Side 1 of WFV).
At the point when Mohiam says, "He's here, My Lord" no time has passed since the Emperor has just said that the Navigator would be there "within minutes." There is not a significant passage of time in the WFV to explain how the Navigator arrived so quickly and, after the Navigator leaves, Mohiam does not report to the Emperor as he has ordered her to do. The TVV approaches this same scene differently.
After Irulan leaves in the TVV, the Emperor thinks:
Emperor (Thinking) : "Why does the Guild send a Third Stage Navigator here? The spice, it has to be. He senses my plan."
Guard : "My Lord, the Reverend Mother is here. All entrance corridors and chambers have been cleared. We are dismissed?"
Emperor : "Yes, yes, he'll sense any surveillance. No eavesdropping of any kind." (10:13 on Side 1 of TVV).
The Reverend Mother Mohiam then arrives and everything is the same as in the WFV.
Emperor : "A Third Stage Guild Navigator will be here within minutes."
Reverend Mother Mohiam : "We felt his presence."
Emperor : "I shall want telepathy during his visit and a report when we're finished."
The TVV continues this conversation :
Mohiam : "Their minds are so.... They move in strange directions."
Emperor : "Yes?"
Mohiam : "Forced spice evolution of humans changes many things. I must sit close to him."
Emperor : "He will not permit anyone but me to see him. You must be outside this room."
Mohiam : "I am your truth sayer my Lord. He's here my Lord." (11:08 on Side 1 of TVV).
Now the Navigator's arrival is no longer so sudden as this additional dialogue makes it seem that some time has passed. There has also been two mentions of the spice thus far and the navigator's additional footage later will add more information about the spice, helping to orient the audience as to its importance early in the TVV. After the Navigator's arrival, the Emperor has more to say to him before the discussion turns serious.
Emperor : "Is there a problem? Usually there's a problem when one of you makes a visit."
Navigator : "The answer is within the problem. I see two great houses, House Atreides, House Harkonnen feuding. I see you behind it."
Emperor : "Yes."
Navigator : "You must share with us." (13:44 on Side 1 of TVV).
(The next portion of this dialogue was changed in the TVV most likely because MCA/Universal was afraid that having the Emperor discuss the Atreides House and Harkonnen House, instead of Duke Leto and the Baron, would be confusing to the audience. The not-so-brilliant way that MCA/Universal came up with for dealing with this problem involved the use of poor cutaways to cover the fact that the dialogue had been changed. The bold words are those found in the TVV while the words in parenthesis () are those found originally in the WFV.)
Duke Atreides' (The Atreides) House is building a secret army using a technique unknown to us, a technique involving sound. The Duke is becoming more popular in the Landsraad. He could threaten me. I have ordered Duke (House) Atreides to occupy Arrakis to mine the spice thus replacing their enemies the Baron Harkonnen (Harkonnens). The Duke (House Atreides) will not refuse because of the tremendous power they think they will gain. Then, at an appointed time, Baron Harkonnen will return to Arrakis and launch a sneak attack on Duke (House) Atreides. I have promised the Baron five legions of my Sardaukar terror troops (8:28 on Side 1 of WFV, 14:12 on Side 1 of TVV).
At this point the Navigator gets very agitated and spouts some important information, not found in the WFV, before revealing the fact that they want Paul Atreides dead.
Navigator : "So the Harkonnens will rid you of House Atreides?"
Emperor : "Yes."
Navigator : "Listen to me, the spice must flow. The spice has given me accelerated evolution for 4000 years, it has enabled you to live 200. It gives the Bene Gesserit sisterhood the metaphysical ability to see beyond. You have superior powers. Our power to fold space is in the spice. Without us your empire would be lost on isolated scattered planets. You would be lost. One small point."
Reverend Mother Mohiam (Thinking) : "Here it comes."
Navigator : "We ourselves perceive a small problem within House Atreides. Paul. Paul Atreides."
Emperor : "You mean, of course, Duke Leto Atreides, his father?"
Navigator : "I mean Paul Atreides. We want him killed." (14:50 on Side 1 of TVV).
The Navigator says his new lines very quickly as if trying to fit everything into the reedited scenes. This information is important in the context of the film since it reinforces the fact that the Spice permeates all aspects of the future society in some way. After the meeting with the Navigator is over, unlike in the WFV, Mohiam returns to speak with the Emperor :
Emperor : "Well?"
Mohiam : "They fear that putting House Atreides on Arrakis will hurt Spice production. For us, a small amount is enough to greatly extend our lives but they consume tremendous quantities. A great deal is needed to evolve the seeing eye. They worry."
Emperor : "The universe worries when they worry. What else?"
Mohiam : "So much was unclear."
Emperor : "You may go, Helen Mohiam, Bene Gesserit. "
Mohiam : "Yes my Lord."
Emperor (to a guard) : "She's Bene Gesserit. There's nowhere in the Universe you can escape them. The loyalty to the sisterhood is stronger than her loyalty to me. Watch her carefully. Why would they want the Duke's son killed?" (16:34 on Side 1 of TVV).
The tensions between the Guild, the Emperor and the Bene Gesserit sisters are very apparent in this scene. The Emperor is scheming and plotting his next moves and trusting no one while Reverend Mother Mohiam has plans of her own and the Guild worries about its Spice.
A good portion of the footage restored to the TVV helps to foreshadow what will come later in the film. A good example of this occurs in the first scene in which Gurney, Dr. Yueh and Thufir meet to talk with Paul and train him before leaving Caladan for Arrakis.
Paul : "Dr. Yueh, do you have any information on the worms of Arrakis?"
Yueh : "I've obtained a film book of a small specimen, only 125 meters long."
Paul : "Only?"
Yueh : "There have been documented sightings of worms as large as 450 meters in the deep desert. That's far from where we'll be in Arrakeen. The desert belt and the south polar region are marked forbidden." (14:54 on Side 1 of WFV).
The TVV continues the conversation :
Paul : "The storms and the worms. Is it true that the sand can blow at 700 kilometers per hour?"
Yueh : "It can render flesh into dust in minutes. And these dry winds can also produce tremendous amounts of static electricity in the atmosphere. Our body shields won't have enough power to operate in the open air on Arrakis."
Paul : "How do the Fremen survive there?"
Yueh : "We don't know much about the Fremen. They live in the deep
desert, some of them in the cities. They have blue within blue eyes."
Paul : "Ah, the eyes, yes. The saturation of the blood by the spice Melange. Could the spice effect us in other ways?"
Thufir : "Many dangers exist on Arrakis. For one, the Harkonnens would not have given up their Choam company contract so easily."
Paul : "The Harkonnens are our enemies, yes, but behind them I suspect is the Emperor."
Thufir : "You will make a formidable Duke." (24:00 on Side 1 of TVV).
This new information about Arrakis and the body shields helps to set up the spice and the Fremen in the mind of the audience before either is introduced on screen. Thufir's comment about the Harkonnen's not giving up the Choam Company contract easily doesn't make any sense in the WFV since we are never told anything about the Choam Company. The TVV rectifies this in the prologue by explaining that the Choam Company is in charge of spice production on Arrakis. A very significant piece of foreshadowing occurs later in that scene when Paul defends himself against the Fighter machine as Gurney talks to Dr. Yueh about Paul's style.
Gurney : "That's not a Duncan style. They're not mine. That's his mother's influence." (27:23 on Side 1 of TVV).
Paul uses the teachings of his mother to survive the Gom Jabbar test administered by the Reverend Mother Mohiam as well as teaching the Fremen a new fighting technique.
Some of the new footage found in the TVV helps to give more depth to various characters the first time we meet them. Before leaving their beloved planet Caladan for the last time, Duke Leto speaks to Paul on the balcony of their palace and the TVV includes one line not found in the WFV.
Paul : "Father."
Leto : "Thank you for joining me Paul. It'll be good to get to our new home and have all this upset behind us. Thufir Howath has served House Atreides three generations. He swears you are the finest student he has ever taught. Dr. Yueh, Gurney, and Duncan say the same. Makes me feel very proud."
Paul : "I want you to be proud of me." (29:09 on Side 1 of TVV, 19:31 on Side 1 of WFV).
This one line subtly shifts the focus of Leto's attention from Paul, as it was found in the WFV, to the many responsibilities a Duke must attend to, including his son. Leto is given a deeper sense of character and, with a final shot of the Duke's ring, the heavy burden of leadership as a man with many things on his mind. The ring, which is the one thing that the Baron Harkonnen (Kenneth McMillan) wants above all else, and the conflicts within Duke Leto will both reappear later.
Jessica, Duke Leto's bound concubine, definitely gains more character depth with restored footage in the first scenes where she is introduced. There is a whole discussion between Jessica and the Reverend Mother Mohiam, who has arrived on Caladan to test Paul, about the rights and duties of the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood and Jessica herself.
Jessica (Thinking) : "I know she has come to test him. No man has ever been tested with the box. Tonight I may lose my son."
Mohiam : "Jessica, you were told to bear only daughters to the Atreides. Jessica!"
Jessica : "It meant so much to him."
Mohiam : "You thought only of a Duke's desire for a son? Desires don't come into this. An Atreides daughter could have been wed to a Harkonnen heir and sealed the breach. We may lose both bloodlines now"
Jessica : "I vowed never to regret my decision. I'll pay for all my own
mistakes."
Mohiam : "And your son will pay with you." (21:44 on Side 1 of WFV, 31:30 on Side 1 of TVV)
The TVV extends this scene.....
Jessica : "Is Arrakis...Is it really so terrible on Arrakis? My Duke..."
Mohiam : "You entered into this with full knowledge of the delicate edge you walked. Jessica, girl, I wish I could stand in your place and take your sufferings but we must each of us take our own path."
Jessica : "I know. I understand."
Mohiam : "About Paul. What you did and why you did it we both know. But kindness forces me to tell you there is little chance he will be the Bene Gesserit totality. However, I will observe him. In a few minutes Jessica your son will be proved to be a living human being or he will be a dead animal. He is here." (32:50 on Side 1 of TVV).
The "Bene Gesserit totality" seems to be what the Sisterhood is trying to achieve by crossing royal bloodlines in the hope of one day producing the Kwisatz Haderach. They hope that, when this super being is produced, they'll have the ability to control him to gain more power in the universe. When Paul is tested by Mohiam with the Gom Jabbar, a poisoned needle, the TVV version contains more footage and dialogue.
Mohiam : "I hold at your neck the Gom Jabbar. Don't pull away or you'll feel the poison. A Duke's son must know about many poisons. This one kills only animals."
Paul : "Are you suggesting the Duke's son is an animal?" (37:30 on Side 1 of TVV, 26:34 on Side 1 of WFV).
Later, after the test is over, Mohiam again talks with Paul.
Mohiam (Thinking) : "But will he be ours to control?"
Mohiam : You know when people speak the truth?"
Paul : "I know it."
[When Mohiam touches Paul's forehead in the WFV, she sees an image of Chani which says, "Tell me of your home world Usil." (28:49 on Side 1 of WFV). This image and dialogue of Chani is missing in the TVV version.]
Mohiam : "Your mother wants you to tell me about your dreams. I only want to know one thing. Do they come true?"
Paul : "Not all of them. I know which ones will."
Mohiam : "Perhaps you are the Kwisatz Haderach.
Paul : "What is that?"
Mohiam : "The person who can be in many places at once. The one who bridges time and space. He will look where we cannot."
Mohiam : "Of the Water of Life? The bile from the newborn worms of Arrakis?" [The beginning of this sentence, "Do you know", is missing in the TVV.]
Paul : "I have heard of it." (39:48 on Side 1 of TVV, 28:45 on Side 1 of WFV).
The editing in this scene from the TVV is so poor in parts that it cuts off the beginning of the line, "Do you know-" for no apparent reason. "It's just plain sloppy," to quote Duke Leto later in the film. The additional information found in these scenes does, however, help to flesh out the story line as well as give the audience an idea of where Mohiam and the Sisterhood are coming from as far as their motivations are concerned. Their position in the universe is just as threatened by the coming of the Kwisatz Haderach as the Emperor and the Navigators.
Messages and secret missives play an important role in the TVV and this is revealed in two different scenes. Leto is seen writing in the WFV at his desk and turning a light out (24:28 on Side 1 of WFV). Later, when the Baron gets the note that Duke Leto was writing, we learn that Leto has rejected the Baron's "gesture of good will" concerning the handing over of Arrakis to the Duke. This scene is extended in the TVV by having Leto spend more time writing and thinking and is explained in a voice over by the male narrator.
The Baron Harkonnen sent Duke Leto a gesture of peace. No way would the Duke forgo the Art of Kanly, as Vendetta was known. This then is the Duke's response as he sat writing at his desk. 'Your offer of a meeting is refused. I have oft times met your treachery and as all men know the Art of Kanly still has it's admirers in the Empire.' Then he signed it, Duke Leto of Arrakis, knowing full well that his would annoy the Baron. With his ducal signet ring, the Duke put the seal of the House of Atreides under his signature, Duke Leto of Arrakis. Soon the Baron would have his answer (42:43 on Side 1 of TVV).
Once again the significance of the Duke's ring is reinforced and the Baron's angry reaction to the letter later in the film is exactly what the Duke wanted.
The second sequence involves the secret missive from the Baron to Dr. Yueh after Duke Leto has arrived on Arrakis. Dr. Yueh finds a message capsule in the body of a dead Harkonnen and this scene is extended in the TVV after Thufir leaves : Dr. Yueh uses the x-ray machine to find the message capsule in the Harkonnen body a second time and then he cuts the body open. He retrieves the capsule, washes it off, opens it, takes out the message, and reads it (12:56 on Side 2 of TVV).