Miles Phillips explores “the sands of influence”: Dune’s Legacy and its echo in Star Wars … claiming that the former is one of the best of science fiction films he’s seen in a long time.
The words epic probably fall slightly short as watching it on the big screen really immerses you in the sandy world of giant worms and breathing tubes!
This new film, Dune: Part Two, is the latest big-screen extract from Frank Herbert’s Dune.
First published in 1965, this seminal novel not only established a benchmark for the genre but also sowed the seeds of inspiration for countless narratives to follow.
Among these, George Lucas’s Star Wars saga is often cited as drawing considerable influence from Herbert’s desert world of Arrakis.
As Dune once again captures the imagination of audiences with its 2020 film adaptation, divided into two epic parts, it did make me think all too often that I was watching a rip off of Star Wars.
But on looking it up, Dune was published 10 year prior to Star Wars, so did George step into the darkside and copy Dune?
From Novel to Film Epic: The Journey of Dune
Before diving into the parallels between Dune and Star Wars, it’s essential to acknowledge Dune’s journey from a novel to a cinematic epic. Frank Herbert’s Dune is not just a story; it’s an intricate universe detailed with complex social, political, and ecological themes. It’s a tale of power, prophecy, and survival set against the backdrop of a desert planet whose sole valuable resource, the spice Melange, is the linchpin of interstellar travel and power dynamics.
The novel’s richness and depth made it a challenging prospect for adaptation, yet it has seen several iterations, including David Lynch’s 1984 film and a miniseries in 2000. However, it wasn’t until 2020 that Dune found a new life in the hands of director Denis Villeneuve. His adaptation, planned in two parts to do justice to the novel’s breadth, has been praised for its visual grandeur and faithful rendition of the source material.
Let’s break it down and look at the major similarities, and you can make your own minds up.
Dune and Star Wars: A Desert of Similarities
The comparisons between Dune and Star Wars are manifold and intriguing. Both narratives unfold in vast, interstellar settings and revolve around young protagonists destined for greatness, embroiled in the larger conflict of good versus evil. However, the similarities extend beyond these broad strokes into more specific parallels.
The Battle of Good vs. Evil
At their core, both Dune and Star Wars explore the eternal conflict between good and evil. In Dune, Paul Atreides battles against the corrupt forces that seek to control the spice production on Arrakis. In Star Wars, Luke Skywalker rises against the tyranny of the Empire. Both protagonists are driven by a sense of destiny and a need to restore balance and justice.
The Force vs. The Voice
The concept of a mystical power that can be harnessed by a select few is central to both universes. In Star Wars, the Force is an energy field created by all living things, used by the Jedi and the Sith to perform feats beyond the bounds of physical possibility. Dune presents a similar concept through “the Voice,” a power that allows its users to control others through tone and command. The Bene Gesserit, a secretive sisterhood to which Paul’s mother belongs, are masters of this technique.
Spice and the Economy of Power
Spice Melange, the most precious resource in the Dune universe, is crucial for space travel, extending life, and enhancing mental abilities. It draws a parallel to the importance of resources in Star Wars, albeit less directly. The struggle for control over resources, whether it’s spice in Dune or planets and systems in Star Wars, underscores the economic underpinnings of power in both narratives.
But we have seen Spice feature more prominently in the spin-off series of Boba Fett and the Mandalorian.
The Desert as Character
Arrakis, or Dune, is a desert planet whose harsh environment shapes its inhabitants and the story’s dynamics. Similarly, Star Wars introduces us to Tatooine, Luke Skywalker’s home planet, also a desert world with its own “sand people,” the Tusken Raiders. These desert settings are not mere backdrops but active elements that influence the plot and character development.
Echoes and Inspirations: The Debate
Given these similarities, the question arises: did George Lucas “rip off” Dune to create Star Wars? While it’s clear that Star Wars shares thematic and narrative elements with Dune, it’s also evident that Lucas drew inspiration from a wide array of sources, including mythology, samurai films, and Flash Gordon serials. Rather than viewing Star Wars as a derivative work, it can be seen as part of a dialogue among science fiction and fantasy narratives, each borrowing, adapting, and reimagining elements from its predecessors to create something new and unique.
Concluding thoughts
The second part of Dune, is a real feast for the eyes and ears. Watching it on the big screen is a must. I know that part two was the concluding part, but for me, it’s only just starting, and I hear rumours that Denis Villeneuve has started writing, so watch this space for part 3.
Miles Phillips runs Miles Marketing, an international marketing agency focusing on marketing strategy and delivering sensible marketing plans to achieve business goals. Miles was a keen rugby player in his youth and now enjoys being an amateur strongman. Miles is creative but struggles with dyslexia, so he is working on his weaknesses and trying to publish more written content.
ALSO BY MILES PHILLIPS: I’ve never met a nice South African: Catchy tune or spot on?
Have you seen Dune or Dune: Part Two?
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