TMT: The Spice Must Flow
This is the next entry in a Theatre… a Movie… and a Time, a series that was begun here. Having just finished Ryan Britt’s splendid treatise, The Spice Must Flow: The Story of Dune, from Cult Novels to Visionary Sci-Fi Movies, it naturally tickled a memory download of when I first encountered the initial film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi masterpiece. Along with highlighting once again my penchant for watching movies only a few saw first-run because they bombed at the box office.
Paul: “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will let it pass over me and through me. And when it has passed I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where it has gone, there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”
Theatre
Movie
Time
December 8, 1984: Among other things, a number of very popular films surfaced in 1984: Ghostbusters, Gremlins, Romancing the Stone, and some even had controversy to go along with ticket sales like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom1. Heck, even critical hits like Paris, Texas, Once Upon a Time in America, and Amadeus came out that year. And with the highly successful Summer Olympics occurring in my hometown of Los Angeles back then, it really was a prosperous time for most2.
It all coincided with my 30th year, which occurred right after those same Olympic Games and made for quite an early birthday celebration on the 12th of August3. She-whose-name-must-not-be-spoken took it upon herself to have a limo provided for our night at the Magic Castle on our pre-birthday date. Hell, even the L.A. Raiders brought the city a football championship and Apple ran their ad for the Macintosh personal computer during ’84’s Super Bowl. Quite a year, indeed.
Well, almost for everyone.
By early December, all that giddiness had me anticipating the arrival of David Lynch’s Dune to the big screen. The filmmaker already on my radar due to his Eraserhead and The Elephant Man work. And even though I hadn’t yet read the author’s novel it was based on, I’d certainly heard of it. So, when an early preview was set at the Century Plaza Cinemas in Century City — which is nearby the 20th Century studio lot — I already made “plans within plans” for my attendance.
And since the girlfriend we don’t speak about would be working a hospital shift that evening, it was way better than sitting alone at our apartment on a Saturday night.
It turned out to be a fairly full crowd at the same theater where Jaws was taken in almost a decade earlier. They even passed out a brochure to attendees explaining the movie and the concepts of the novel it was based on4, which got me even more curious right before the projector lit. By the end, the crowd that night was decidedly silent as it walked out of the movie hall, and not in good way that likely led to bad word-of-mouth on what they had just witnessed in story and visuals.
And what about me, you ask? The memory of it all remains indelible as I made up my mind right then and there to read Herbert’s novel. To try and make heads or tails of the film and determine for myself what it really was about since I was still clueless by the end credits. Subsequently, Dune would consume me to a degree that I couldn’t get enough of it and its later written sequels. And wish for decades someone would get it right on the big screen, which they finally did in 20215.
Turned out the year and film also a trailer on how good times, and some relationships, don’t last.
The entire series can be found here. If you’re interested how it’s put together, click here.
- Temple of Doom was banned in India and criticized for its racially insensitive portrayal of Indian culture and its “white savior” narrative, along with its level of violence that caused a change in how movies were rated. ~ Why Temple of Doom Is the Most Controversial Indiana Jones Movie ↩
- Record attendance was also reported for that same year’s Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, February 8 -19, 1984. ↩
- L.A.’s movie-themed Closing Ceremonies occurred on this night. ↩
- Science Fiction did not have the same standing as it does today, as reflected on current cable and streaming services content; so, studio executives did not have confidence with moviegoers being able to follow the abstractions of Frank Herbert‘s seminal work. ↩
- Denis Villeneuve did with his part 1 version; but later reappraisal of Lynch’s ’84 film has gained it cult status. ↩
It Rains... You Get Wet 
8 Responses to “TMT: The Spice Must Flow”
Love this! Having lived in Beverly Hills for 20+ years, I know the theater you are talking about, well the location at least!~. As for the film, fascinating to see how one singular Director’s vision can obscure a plot that’s not really that complicated
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Those Century City theaters were a grand showcase for movies back in the day. And the presentation of the first DUNE adaptation was visually spectacular with its wide screen and sound system. Only wish I had read the novel first before catching this preview screening. Many thanks for the comment, John. Always appreciated, my friend. 🙂
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I am going to be sharing a story of the movie palaces of Seattle that I grew up with…all gone now of course but sitting in the dark in a palace has a huge influence one my life and career!
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Oh, I’m looking forward to reading about your experience, John. Thanks for the heads up. 🙂
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The spice must flow and the series must continue. This movie is a personal favorite and I remember the gut punch I felt when no one else in my theater seemed to appreciate it. Forty years later I love it even more.
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I’ve grown to appreciate Lynch’s ’84 adaptation more every time I revisit it. A great cast and visuals, and the costume design was truly magnificent. Some of the director’s touchstones are something I had expected, but do seem outside of what Frank Herbert envisioned once I read the novel. Still, now after some years, it does make it a unique experience.
Many thanks, Richard, for adding this. 🙂
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I have never heard of an explanatory flyer included at a movie! That’s incredible. I feel it’s also pre-internet logic as well as pre-SFF being well-regarded in mainstream logic. 🙂
I love that second shot of the theater.
Coincidentally I just watched Part I as it came to Netflix NZ. Being a big fan of the book I’ve never made an effort to watch the adaptations. I usually just read the book again if I felt like re-visiting the story. Being able to stream it w no effort finally made me hit play. 🙂
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Yeah, that was something else. Hadn’t expected to receive that flyer upon arrival and found it, the concept, and the story intriguing. Thank you. 🙂
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