Writer/Director Denis Villeneuve talks to The Inside Reel in this edition of Awards Track about the approach to Paul Atreides, structure, detail and the essence of poetry in regards to his lauded science fiction war movie: “Dune - Part Two” from Warner Bros.
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Short filmTranscript
00:00I am Paul Vardeeve Atreides, Duke of Arrakis, and of the Blue Sea of Zantar!
00:30He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.
01:01Could you talk about looking at that path of him for you?
01:05For me it's very moving to see Automata evolve in front of the camera as an actor and as a human being.
01:11I think that he's an incredible actor and I'm very proud of the performance he did for both movies.
01:19And I know that during part one I felt that I had to, like if you think of an actor that has a horse, I had to keep him to go slower, slower.
01:32He wanted to push, he wanted to push forward and I kept all that energy for part two.
01:39Where he exploded in front of the camera, where he became that charismatic, powerful charismatic leader.
01:47And for me I was looking forward to witness that and I'm very proud of how Automata brought that energy to the screen.
02:17Madi, Madi. Only tribe leaders can speak. If you wish to share your voice, you must take his place by defeating him and returning his water to the well.
02:35You think I'm stupid enough to deprive myself of the best of us?
02:40Take my life, Uzul. It is the only way.
02:47I'm pointing the way.
02:52Slow down.
03:10I will take your life.
03:28Do you think you could have a chance?
03:30It's not that, Josh.
03:32She hold Chelsea.
03:35She's a hick.
03:36Is she dumb?
03:37Masha Bito?
03:38Adam?
03:39Ashley.
03:43Look, hot.
03:44Sash.
03:45Fatigue.
03:46Kala.
03:47Gosh.
03:48Oh, Zulfa.
03:49Bit.
03:50Nair.
03:51Gabby.
03:52Barta.
03:53What?
03:54What?
04:15Now in terms of pace, because I mean, there's so many large scale pieces, but you want to make it intimate.
04:22What was one of the biggest challenges in that, in creating that intimate story of this man within a war movie like this?
04:30Yeah, the thing is that John Spitt and I wrote the screenplay thinking about the idea that the whole structure of the story will be based on the relationship between Paul and Shani.
04:47Through their love story, we unfold the whole tragedy of Paul and the drama and geopolitical drama of the movie.
04:54And that being in the art, I kept saying to my crew that it will be my focus, that I will try not to be distracted by the VFX or the big scale that are in some ways easier to do.
05:09So I really tried to make sure that to have all the necessary elements to make sure that this relationship will come to life and will move the audience.
05:21And because through the dynamic between both of them, the movie is born.
05:29Is that okay?
06:00She's game shoddy.
06:15This is my father's ducal signet.
06:17I am Paul Mwadeeb Atreides, Duke of Arrakis.
06:31But it's also the structure.
06:33I am the son of Arrakis!
06:37I am the son of Arrakis!
06:41I am the son of Arrakis!
07:02Where did you find the necessary to find those details?
07:06The details you wanted to make sure ultimately were included in both these films?
07:10In order to protect some of the details you're talking about, I had to make bold choices.
07:16And one of the first choices I had was to make two movies instead of one.
07:22So I will have more screen time, obviously.
07:26Then also I insisted on the idea that these two movies will focus on the Bene Gesserit sisters.
07:34For the people who know the book, we know there's a lot of different aspects that I didn't bring to the screen because it was too complex.
07:44I tried to focus this adaptation on the Bene Gesserit sisterhood.
07:52And so that allowed me to try to protect some of the poetry that was in the book,
08:01like some elements of the ecosystem, some of the characteristics of the biology of the planet,
08:10some little details about the Fremen culture that I wanted to make sure that it would be on screen.
08:17Tiny details, tiny shots that readers will catch and understand where it's coming from.
08:47You should have believed you chose the wrong side side.
09:01You of all people should know there are no sides.
09:07Reverend Mother.
09:27The life that has been paid, spare my father now and I will be a willing bride.
09:31The throne will be yours.
10:31And my last quick question is about poetry.
10:50You said poetry. It's about being lyrical.
10:52It's about having a flow and almost a dance.
10:55I mean, when he's there dancing across the sand and walking, that's dance.
10:59Can you talk about the importance of movement and movement of a film
11:03and how that sort of ingrains itself in the heart of the audience?
11:06I believe that the art and it's the essence of cinema is about the language.
11:13It's based on the movement you're talking about.
11:18This idea, it's a dance between the actors and the camera.
11:21And it's a try to create images that will have a poetic meaning
11:26that will not necessarily be conveyed by dialogue.
11:29And I'm trying to bring as much as possible as any filmmaker, by the way.
11:34I have nothing original to say here.
11:37I'm just like the others trying to do as much as possible
11:41with the power of the language of cinema.
11:44And that is something that I'm trying from one movie to the other
11:48to increase, to try to be able to express myself through cinema.
11:55And it's a long quest, long journey to be able to...
12:00I hope one day we'll be able to make a movie with as less dialogue as possible.
12:04Your father...
12:11was a weak man.
12:16You'll cruise back from the dead.
12:19No do must be done.
12:23We gave them something to hope for.
12:24That's not hope!
12:31I will love you as long as I breathe.
12:34This prophecy is how they enslave us.
12:39It's not a prophecy, it's a story.
12:41I don't care what you believe, I believe.
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