Seven Nights of DAVID LYNCH
DUNE
Experience David Lynch's most troubled and fascinating failure - a deeply flawed but visually stunning adaptation of Frank Herbert's epic that stands as one of cinema's most notorious production disasters and most compelling what-if stories. This 1984 science fiction spectacle represents Lynch's only studio blockbuster attempt, and the creative compromises that nearly destroyed his career paradoxically created something genuinely unique in sci-fi cinema.
Kyle MacLachlan makes his screen debut as Paul Atreides, the reluctant messiah who must navigate the deadly politics of the desert planet Arrakis to claim his destiny. Supporting him is an extraordinary ensemble including Francesca Annis, Jose Ferrer, Sting in his acting debut, and Max von Sydow, all inhabiting Lynch's bizarre interpretation of Herbert's universe where baroque costumes meet industrial nightmares.
Lynch's vision transforms Herbert's cerebral epic into a fever dream of grotesque villains, whispered internal monologues, and body horror that feels more like Eraserhead than Star Wars. The production design creates a lived-in universe of impossible architecture and organic machinery, while Toto's unconventional score adds an otherworldly atmosphere that's both majestic and deeply unsettling.
Butchered by studio interference and disowned by Lynch himself (who removed his name from some versions), Dune nonetheless contains moments of genuine brilliance that hint at what might have been. The film's passionate cult following has grown over decades, drawn to its singular weirdness and Lynch's unmistakable fingerprints on material that should have been impossible for him to tackle.
A beautiful disaster that's more fascinating for its failures than most films are for their successes.
Presented in authentic 35mm film for the true cinematic experience!
When: Thursday, January 22nd, 2026 at 7:45 PM
Where: The Revival House Perth
Rating: M (Moderate violence and disturbing imagery)
Lynch's most expensive fever dream - a studio blockbuster filtered through the mind of cinema's strangest visionary.