In science fiction cinema, what was considered a disaster 40 years ago is often reclaimed as a classic. Call it Blade Runner-ism, a film that was largely ignored by the public in 1982, but achieves near untouchable cinematic praise today. Two years later, David Lynch’s Dune would also bomb at the box office, but unlike Blade Runner, the 1984 Dune hasn’t quite rebounded in the cultural consciousness. Outside of any nuanced discussion, Dune (1984) is often considered an artistic failure even within the circles of people who love it. But, the thing is, if you haven’t seen it, you have to see it. The cult film, based on Frank Herbert’s first Dune novel, just hit Netflix. Here’s why it’s a great time to watch it for the first time, or, with fresh eyes.
