DUNE

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DUNE:

Screenplay by Alexandro Jodorowsky

Adapted from “DUNE”

by frank HERBERT

The center of the Galaxy: a sphere of emerald-green light, the middle of which is a whitish-yellow color. Just one single planet is circling around it.

A 25th century city: Frantic, baroque, gigantic architecture. Everything seems motionless and lifeless. Total silence.

The ship lands in a park overgrown with brushwood.

A vehicle leaves the ship.

The vehicle crosses the city which is deserted, overrun with dust and vegetation. There are huge vegetal jelly-fish; lots of beetles as big as motor-cars; and ruins.

The vehicle stops opposite a steel building which looks like a temple. It bears the following inscription: “MUSEUM OF MAN”.

Twelve DOG-BEINGS get out of the vehicle. They walk with electronic paws, imitating a human walk. After drawing aside the door’s cobwebs they enter, showing signs of anxiety.

MUSEUM INTERIOR:

The dogs enter an empty hall, enormous by its very length, and although there are no windows, there is light. The door closes automatically behind them.

The light changes, and the sound of church music begins. Half-light. A projector illuminates the group of dog-beings, who huddle together in terror.

A MECHANICAL VOICE:

You are on Kaitan, capital of the Galactic Empire of Man. You are going to hear the history of the human race.

A projector reveals a man crucified at the back of the hall. The dog-beings become excited and begin to shout.

THE DOG-BEINGS:

It’s man, the Master!

They run up to the crucified man. After arriving at the foot of the metal cross, they fall to their knees and bark pitifully, as if imploring.

Seeing that he makes no reply, they draw nearer and examine him. With deep disappointment they discover a “ROBOT PROJECTOR” plate under his feet.

There is a button beneath the plate. After a dog has pressed it, the robot comes back to life and moans.

ROBOT:

WHY.... HAVE YOU.... ABANDONED ME?

The robot is weeping tears of oil. Excited, a dog presses other buttons. A white screen comes down from the ceiling. The robot receives painful electric discharges which dehumanize him; two rays of light come out his eyes and project the history of humanity on to the screen.

On the screen, the planet Earth can be seen with thousands of ships flying.

away from it.

The planet explodes.

FLASHBACK ONE:

Flashback showing the Earth exploding. Fragments of planet are thrown out into space. Space-ships are flying away towards all points in space.

VOICE OF THE ROBOT:

The history of man begins with the destruction of his mother-planet Earth. There remains no record of the earlier period.

FLASHBACK TWO:

Thousands of ships travelling through the Galaxy. A planet in flames.

VOICE OF THE ROBOT:

Man travelled for centuries to conquer the Galaxy.

On an exotic planet, men in space-suits are fighting against enormous white globules.

VOICE OF THE ROBOT:

With the extermination of the Bactoglobules, the war of conquest was over. From now on, man was Master of the Galaxy.

FLASHBACK THREE:

A transparent wall, on the borders of the Galaxy. Beyond waves, lines and geometrical figures can be seen. Opposite the wall there is a space-ship cemetery. In the foreground, a ship tries in vain to get past the wall.

VOICE OF THE ROBOT:

But the Galaxy is an island and a prison. Its force of gravity is such that man will never be able to overcome it. There is nothing left to conquer nor learn.

FLASHBACK FOUR:

Interior of a large room filled with machines, robots; a luxurious atmosphere (couches, jewels); fat human beings, their skin daubed with color, are taking drugs and making love. A sumptuous meal and bottles filled with drink (a decadent atmosphere). Through a window, a magnificent glittering city can be seen with various levels of overhead roads and a great many space vehicles.

VOICE OF THE ROBOT:

Triumph killed ambition. The machines did everything and the citizen degenerated.

FLASHBACK FIVE:

Streets of a luxurious city of the future. In the middle of a fat, drunk and bedaubed crowd, some impassioned young people, albino, bald and thread-like, are destroying the little cars which were used as legs they can be seen getting rid of their mechanical crutches, while others, crawling, destroy a machine. Computers are falling from the windows. Machines which have been destroyed are strewn over the ground. Men are running after some robots. The robots are being destroyed by the crowd. Whole groups of robots and machines are being destroyed by ferocious groups of humans.

VOICE OF THE ROBOT:

Neptoris 22nd 20134 marked the beginning of the bio-revolution against the machines.

A gigantic computer, shaped like a brain, is attacked by thousands of people. Mechanical arms are tearing men to pieces with their claws. Shells come out of openings, destroying the space-ships which are attacking the computer, a part of which is in flames. There are a lot of dead bodies.

VOICE OF THE ROBOT:

The central-computer was destroyed.

FLASHBACK SIX;

In the middle of a ruined city, the representatives of each planet, with their different emblems, are holding a conference around a table shaped like a horseshoe. Applause can be heard. Close-up on the face of one representative.

VOICE OF THE REPRESENTATIVE:

We shall not construct machines imitating the human mind.

Ovations. Shots of the decors foreground, where delegations are burning flags and constitutional documents.

VOICE OF A LEADER:

No more wars! No more atomic arms.

ANOTHER VOICE:

One language!

SECOND VOICE:

One currency! One law!

A THIRD VOICE:

One religion!

Ovations, applause, flourishes of trumpets.

FLASHBACK SEVEN;

A large tournament, both futuristic and mediaeval. Tents can be seen in a big valley, various coats of arms. Two champions are representing their respective planets. Behind each of them, armies and space-ships can be seen. The stands are occupied by noblemen from various planets, including a central box where the Emperor and his courtiers are sitting. A baroque banquet with slaves serving, minstrels, and officials doing business deals.

VOICE OF THE ROBOT:

Three centuries later, the good resolutions were forgotten....

Shots of the tournament in detail. A group of soldiers is killing off another group belonging to the defeated opposing army. In the stands, a group is celebrating victory. Hands receiving the money gained from bets.

VOICE OF THE ROBOT:

Wars were illegal, but not duels fought “for honor”.

Various groups are shown sitting in the stands; their arms, coats of arms and flags.

VOICE OF THE ROBOT:

The planets were organized into “Houses”. The Houses established a Senate....

Shot in detail of the Emperor’s central box.

VOICE OF THE ROBOT:

... which elected, or dethroned, the Emperors.

Shot in detail of the banquet. One group is conspiring together, another is exchanging money. Hands are signing contracts. Mouths are whispering into ears. A nobleman is whipping a slave.

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