El Aurens is best: 60th Anniversary of Lawrence of Arabia

The first time I saw “Lawrence of Arabia” in 70mm was May 1, 1979, at USC. The stereo sound was a revelation and the images looked more impressive, but the color had faded for all but one brief minute or two in the whole 3 hour 20 minute “pink” epic. With the 1989 release of the restored version I finally saw the completist version in the glory of new 70mm prints, in superb theaters.
The first time I ever saw “Lawrence” in August 1971, I thought about leaving at the intermission since it was the second feature and I’d been there over 4 1/2 hours. I’m so happy I stayed. But the latest return to the desert and director David Lean’s masterpiece two days ago at the Vista completes the story.
The print at the Vista, while 70mm with all the movie’s vibrant colors, was old and way too scratchy. I left at the Intermission.
David Hunter May 12, 2024

French poster with reflections from the lobby of the Vista Theatre in Los Angeles, where "Lawrence of Arabia" played in 70mm this past weekend.

‘Dune: Part Two’ Review: Bigger, Wormier and Way Far Out

". . . the obvious touchstone is David Lean’s 1962 epic “Lawrence of Arabia,” with its own blue-eyed hero.
"Lean’s movie is based on the life of T.E. Lawrence, who played a role in the Arab Revolt of 1916, in which British-backed Arab forces expelled the Ottomans from parts of the Middle East. That film, with its white savior and the anguished colonialist history it evokes, hangs over “Dune” provocatively. For all the challenges that Villeneuve has faced in adapting the novel to the screen none have seemed more insurmountable than remaining faithful to the complexity of Herbert’s Paul Atreides, whose power is less than triumphant." Manohla Dargis, New York Times

‘Dune: Part Two’ Review: Bigger, Wormier and Way Far Out Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya make an appealing pair in Denis Villeneuve’s follow-up film, and the actors fit together with tangible ease.

Dune Part Two, Part I, An Essay (so stop now and save time), by David Hunter

“It was as though he rode within the wave of time, sometimes in its trough, sometimes on a crest—and all around him the other waves lifted and fell, revealing and then hiding what they bore on their surface.” “Dune” p. 329

I was going to direct the ultimate movie version of “Dune” when I was 50. It was going to be 18 hours long and include the first three books of author Frank Herbert’s 6-book series. That was the pipe dream about 40 years ago and I missed it by a galactic mile.
The good news? A real director, Denis Villeneuve, and everyone else involved, have gone far to realize a superior cinematic version of “Dune” that’s big, like “Lawrence of Arabia,” and faithful to the strengths of Herbert’s book. Not long enough or just right? I’ll let you know after I see “Dune: Part Two.”
My favorite movie for 50-plus years has been “Lawrence” and for many years I named “Dune” as maybe my favorite book. They are both long and share the desert, Islamic culture, and a wildcard outsider hero who unites and leads fierce “desert power” tribes against imperial forces. “Who are you?” they both ask the reader/watcher.
I first read “Dune” (1965) as a teenager, followed by the sequel “Dune Messiah” (1969). I subscribed to “Analog” and read installments of “Children of Dune” (1976). As Herbert pounded out sequels—all long, dense, and progressively weirder--I bought them new in hardback.
By book four, “God Emperor of Dune” (1981), Paul Atreides is long gone, but he (and several others) return, as recreated copies or gholas, in the final two volumes, co-authored by Herbert’s son Brian and Kevin J. Anderson. These two writers have now collaborated on many prequels and additions to the ongoing Dune universe.
I’ve recently been binge-reading Dune books, including numbers five and six in the initial series, “Heretics of Dune” (1984) and “Chapterhouse: Dune” (1985), the last written by Herbert before his death in 1986. He left many notes and outlines.
Brian Herbert’s and Anderson’s “Hunters of Dune” (2006) and “Sandworms of Dune” (2007) are the last 1,100 pages of the frankly gonzo Dune franchise that spans some 15,000 years. There are now 24 Dune books, the same amount of Tarzan novels written by Edgar Rice Burroughs (I read all those).
To completely know the Dune storyline amounts to consuming millions of words. I stopped after “Chapterhouse” and am only now committed to eventually reading the 14 books I haven’t touched. I’m one-quarter through “Sandworms” and can only say, Yikes! It would take many words to summarize where we’re at now. I’ve been told it definitely ends with this book.
I know there are precious few perusing this or seeing the new movie who have read any of the books. It’s okay. That’s what I’m here for. Meanwhile, the first (and best) one is still the biggest selling science fiction novel. It and everything Dunewise is wild, profound, frustrating, bizarre. More to come.

"The miracle is accomplished."
December 10, 1962, the Royal Premiere of "Lawrence of Arabia" in London. Queen Elizabeth II meets Peter O'Toole and David Lean.

60 years ago, today was the big day before the really big one. December 9, 1962, the first screenings of the finished "Lawrence of Arabia" occurred at the Odeon Leicester Square. One in the morning for crew and guests; one in the afternoon for the press and more special guests, including David Lean and Anne Coates. The Royal Premiere came the next day.