I understand the bad reviews — it is a highly flawed, overly ambitious production that does border on the cheesy in some parts — but you have to measure it in context of Frank Herbert’s incredibly dense novel. You can’t do it justice in just over two hours. The fact that the mini-series version is a more successful adaption is evidence of this.

That said, the essence of “Dune” is there, augmented by the stunning production design and cinematography. The cast is nothing to sneeze at either, boasting the likes of Max Von Sydow, Jurgen Prochnow and Dean Stockwell. Despite its flaws, when I re-read the “Dune” series, I now visualize Lynch’s version of that world and it is breathtaking. For that, I am grateful.