The Spice Must Flow
The Story of Dune, from Cult Novels to Visionary Sci-Fi Movies
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Geek-culture expert Ryan Britt takes us behind the pages and scenes of the science-fiction phenomenon Dune, charting the series' life from cult sci-fi novels to some of the most visionary movies of all time.
Using original, deep-access reporting, extensive research, and insightful commentary, The Spice Must Flow brings the true popularity of Dune out into the light for the very first time. With original interviews with the beloved actors and directors behind the films—including Timothée Chalamet, Kyle Maclachlan, Denis Villeneuve, Patrick Stewart, Rebecca Ferguson, Alec Newman, and many more— The Spice Must Flow also examines the far-reaching influence of Dune on art, music, politics, and, most notably, its status as the first ecological science-fiction story specifically concerned with climate change.
Britt skillfully and entertainingly guides readers through the history of how the Dune universe has unfolded, including the novel’s unlikely evolution from a failed piece of journalism about Oregon sand dunes into an epic science-fiction story, the way Herbert’s work inspired George Lucas, untold stories from the 1984 David Lynch film, the knife-edge balance between blockbuster hit and indie film Timothée Chalamet brings to the 2021 movie, and the exciting future of the franchise. Through a blend of narrative, oral history elements, and fascinating trivia, The Spice Must Flow is the new essential guide to the behind-the-scenes story of Dune.
The fiction of Dune is deadly serious, but the real-life story of how it came into existence is full of wonder, surprises, and spice.
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Britt (Phasers on Stun!) provides an entertaining crash course on Frank Herbert's Dune series, a science fiction epic about a young royal heir who becomes the messiah of a desert planet. Britt notes that the first novel's concern with taming nature (namely, to obtain the naturally occurring "spice" drug that enables space travel) stemmed from research for an article Herbert had planned to write on how the Department of Agriculture stopped the movement of sand dunes in Florence, Ore. After failing to sell the article, Herbert turned his notes into a novel that was "published piecemeal, written on demand, and workshopped and revised as it was being written" for serialization in the sci-fi magazine Analog in the early 1960s. Britt offers insightful analysis of Herbert's books, suggesting that his inclusion of the powerful Bene Gesserit, a "secretive matriarchal sect," presaged a more explicitly feminist strain of sci-fi that would gain prominence in the ensuing decades, and that the sequels subvert the idea of heroes by turning protagonist Paul Atreides into a dictator. An overview of Dune's major adaptations finds David Lynch's 1984 effort "difficult but fun" and Denis Villeneuve's 2021 film a treat for both hard-core acolytes and newbies. Britt brings a superfan's zeal to the proceedings, and the detailed account of Dune's journey to publication enlightens. The result is a riveting testament to the saga's enduring appeal.
