Cinematography of DUNE (2021)

 What's Good Everyone!

DUNE (my most anticipated film behind Justice League in 2021) has finally dropped on blu-ray, I copped, & it holds up just as great on my televison. This movie is INCREDIBLE and visually stunning. I loved every minute of this film and never wanted it to end. Check my review if you haven't already. 

Now, that that's out of the way, lets get into these beautiful shots from the film!

The costume design in this movie is immaculate. The body inside is fully covered, so it lets your imagination roam as to what is inside. Is it a human? Is it something that looks like a human but is actually alien? Is it an alien period? Great way to set the tone in the first few seconds. 

Pshhhhhhhh S***, what a shot. The scale of this one frame is insane. Yet again, there's no time wasted in prepping the audience on what type of film this is going to be. The shot lingers here for a few seconds to let us soak in the scope. 

Great cinematography says so much in one frame. The people of Arrakis look old world ridden by their clothing; stealthy prepared by camouflaging themselves within their environment; militant by their positioning for attack. So much detail for only a few seconds. 

The sheer scale of a shot like this is incredible. The VFX team needs a royalty check for how good they look in this film because, damn. This is the most tangible sci-fi movie I've ever seen. All of these ships look real and the massive fleet of them add to the scope. 

When you have to question, "What in this shot is VFX, and what isn't?" the crew did their job wonderfully. Yeah I know the big ass ship isn't real (even though it looks incredibly real) but the people in the shot. Are they all CGI? Are they all real people? Are they a mix? I don't know but man they nailed it. 

This film should be titled, "Dune: Scope of the Galaxy" because of the realism. These fantastic wide shots really pull us into how expansive this universe is. Space scares the s*** of me because of the sheer size of the solar system & this is a great shot to represent that.

I really dig this peek inside of their living space. The structure seems to be made from a mix of, materials from the old world, and advanced technology that gives a certain quality to the design that resonates with me. You can see the evolution of what things were, from the past to now. The minimalist furniture adds to that idea. 

I adore this production design and Denis' choice to get a closer look at a lot of the things that went into it. I love the old world royalty displayed in the chandelier & painting. The minimal bull sculpture looks handcrafted, aged, & the detail can be seen across the entire sequence. When you fill your set with interesting things to look at, every angle will look plush on screen. 

I love the circular emphasis in the structure and framing throughout the movie. It's a reminder of the planetary scope of the film.

Magnificent blocking with color and positioning. First of all, these suits are dope af. They literally look like space samurai's and I LOVE that. The all black color choice for the costumes makes them pop with the blue sky for the back drop. 

I've never read the books but based on Denis' passion, I can tell this is probably exactly how they're described. It look so much better when you merge a CGI object into a real location. The space shot to me, looks like footage of earth taken from a satellite and they either used it as is, or had the vfx team build a carbon copy of that footage from scratch. Either way, it looks hella good & believable. 

The scope AGAIN. You don't really understand how big the ship is in the shot above, until you see it framed from this angle. My jaw dropped when that realization hit me. I also love the soldiers formation and how militant they look. I'm a fan of taking fantasy seriously & Dune doesn't drop that concept at any point. 

These costume designs are EVERYTHING, my God. As stated before, I love how covered these suits are so you really don't know who or what's in them. That's such a sci-fi trait and it's maximized here. The futuristic helmets paired with the worn gold scepters & intricately printed robes, add so much texture to these beings. All of this detail for characters who don't even say s***. 

Daft Punk made their cameo. Okay I'll stop but their design extends that 'mysterious being' concept I spoke about but adds another flavor to it. The black costumes look more relaxed, more old world-esque like clothing seen being worn in a dojo. Makes you wonder what's their position? What's the hierarchy between those in the black relaxed suits, and royal white robes. So much story told through a few seconds. 

Here we have another costume that helps block the scene while also adding more layers as to why her costume is so different. We can actually see the face of this person but not those behind her. Why?

Its unbelievable how good the VFX look in both of these shots. These sequences are just serious flexes to amplify the scope. 

These 2 shots mirroring each other back to back are lined up in a simplistic yet, well thought out way to appease the human eye. The human eye recognizes symmetry as a sign of being clean and polished, regardless of what chaos is seen in the 2nd shot. Not to mention, they're both foreshadowing to what happens later.

Storytelling at it's best. One of the slickest ways of foreshadowing in the form of, "Show don't tell," because at this point in the film, we think this is just some alien desert bug but we learn much more, later in the movie.

I love the eerie nature of this shot. That blinding bright light speaks to something other worldly. Fitting for a movie with an intergalactic scope. The silhouettes of those people seem ghost like, which adds to the creep factor. 

The worldbuilding is so immaculate. In this sequence, you're getting exposition through the dialogue, but also the set design. Even if you haven't seen the movie, I'm sure you could guess what this location is, based on these pictures alone and that's fantastic. 

I'm not sure what this is hinting at but I think there's something to be said here by lining Paul up with the dummies perfectly in this frame. What do y'all think?

Sometimes, you can just shoot things cool af without many layers to it like this. I love how the scene is lit in a way to totally black out everything behind the dummies to add mystery to it.

The scope, the gotdamn scope is what I live for in this movie. This is how you go big!

This is science fiction gold right here. A mysterious ship dropping from the gloomy grey sky, with ominous fog, lit by headlights! The icing on the cake here is the design of the roof as it opens. It could've easily opened like a standard automated sliding door but no, that's too plain. Brilliant choice to have it open in the form of a symbol or star. Something so simple, makes such the difference. 

What a way to introduce your big bad for the first time. The layers of visibility play out just like before, making you question what you're seeing and who these people are. In this instant, it seems like the hierarchy of power is tied to the visibility of each entity in the room. That being the case, we know who's in charge.

My God what a shot this is. Not only is the scope incredible but the lighting is perfect. There's just enough to drive you eye in the direction of what you should be looking at, while also keeping the rest of the frame a dark mystery.

This looks like something out of a graphic novel. The blocking and lighting plays a huge part here. They were able to put a full set of dark neutral colors on the screen without it look like... nothing, to be frank. It's pretty easy for shape & detail to be lost when anything is dark in a frame. Not here though; It's perfectly executed. 

This frame isn't necessarily a spectacle of a shot,  but what I love is how the light emanating from the object actually looks like it's lighting the scene. It could very well be the only thing lighting this room but it's hella convincing if it isn't. A lot of films will use a tiny light source like a lighter, to totally light a room which is ridiculous. Kudos for staging this realistically. 

Silhouettes and more silhouettes. One thing i really love about this film is the amount of danger and mystery that is at every turn. Most sci-fi films on a similar path, don't play up the danger factor as much as Dune does. You pretty much never feel safe at any point in this movie. Everything is so secretive and unexpected, which is how I would imagine intergalactic politics would be.

 

Denis broke this scene down on Variety's YouTube channel, so there's not much I can say about this that he hasn't already said. That being the case, I still wanted to recognize this sequence for it's brilliant imagery. The textured room, the detailed objects (specifically the box), the hand positioning etc. It all adds a level of mystique to this sequence. 

A gorgeously framed shot. The coverage and blocking just makes for pure eye candy! Denis is a master at this. Even if there isn't much depth in story of a particular shot, the imagery is wonderful. 

Another sequence that mirrors their entrance keeping the same eerie feel. These images make me gush with how spectacular they look. The culmination of the entire set at work, to create this mythical art piece of a few shots. 

I LOVE the field of depth here. It's all about how you create an overall mood. As I've mentioned so many times, you see who you need to see, in order to move the story and character arcs along, but you're left to figure out who those, out of focus are. 

Denis and crew are just snapping at this point. Let us catch our breath, please! The film is edited in a way to let every beautiful frame breathe for just enough time to gawk at the sight on screen, without being held for too long and deemed obnoxious. 

The scale is INCREDIBLE. The use of wide shots are ALL purposeful here. I was watching this movie in awe, wondering how they got all of these massive ships to look real. It's utterly insane how tangible these different worlds feel. 

Another great shot of how incredible the set design is. It's the small details that continue to stack layer upon layer, of eye candy that makes the entire film feel like you're reading a space encyclopedia. 

Wow, wow, WOW! A picture's worth a thousand words. I've said this a number of times, but the framing is what makes a lot of these shots on point. Every single second of this film was meticulously plotted, mapped, and it shows in each shot. 

Outside of the great cinematography on display, I like to think that this is the representation of being in the dark, about the bright future a head. When that door opens, they're hit with the blinding light of Arrakis, which suits they're first time being on the planet since being given the deed of protection. 

I really love the pops of color throughout this film. Every color used from this point on, accents the tan world of Arrakis. It's another small detail that makes every single frame a work of art. 

The scope of this shot is so massive, it's difficult for me to wrap my head around how this was filmed and created in post. 

I love the design on these ships. Those hummingbird wings are something I've never seen on a space ship, so that in itself separates this from any other sci-fi films.

Another intricate set and costume design that catches the eye, even though it's briefly shown.  This movie makes me want to look into the book because the designs are so detailed, I'm wondering how it all is described in the literature, to make Denis translate it on screen like this. It's masterful. 

I love the way this film handles it's exposition. At this point in the story, The House of Atreides, have now been appointed protectors of Arrakis. We learn a lot about the planet through Paul's eyes, since he is next in line to lead . This small stent about the sandworms is presented in a beautiful handcrafted sculpture like wall piece; but it's also down played at how big a deal these things actually are. Great storytelling!

Another shot of blocking the scene with characters in way that lets the viewer know who's in charge. Also another play on how to use neutrals to your advantage. Black isn't the only neutral to represent evil. Play with different hues in that family to make a scene dark and cool.  

Idk what it is about this shot but I find it really cool. This entire film has a 'minimal fashion,' like approach. A lot of what makes it so beautiful is, it doesn't feel like it's trying hard, but it has a calculated symmetric edge that defines itself with the details. 

This shot was in every trailer but it's nothing in comparison to how it fits in within the entire sequence. A true spectacle of a scene. 

 

Another frame that speaks 1,000 words even without context. I love the color choices of this sequence, from the color of the clothing and set, to the filter placed over the scene it's self. That red really pops over these shades of brown and yellow. 

I love how this sequence is captured with such uncertainty. It's a thin line being walked of calm confidence, or silent malicious intent. Denis made sure to hit you with the wide shot to get a glimpse of the architecture, and mid shot for the detail. The shadows make it even more eerie.

I love how unsettling this entire scene is. Even without the sound, (which adds another layer of uneasy feeling) one can form an idea about what could be happening. There's something spiritual about the positioning in each frame & in this case, the spirituality on display does NOT look good. 

I love framing a shot like this. It never gets old and it will always be a classic and perfect way to insight fear into the audience.

What a haunting image this is. This puts me (and the audience) in a position to imagine what would happen if I looked up and saw this behemoth of a ship floating overhead. 

These wide shots from ground level capture the scope of this mayhem perfectly. I think it brilliantly depicts how massive an attack this really was. I know, I know; It makes sense to shoot it like that but rarely is it captured like this in space films. This is shot like a war film in the sense that the framing puts the viewer ground level, on the battlefield as all the action unfolds. That feeling is amplified when you see bombs dropping from gigantic ships above. Hell of an experience. 

I love the symbolism here. Paul finally realizing he now has to be the leader because his father has now passed (literally) it on to him. 

I love how conflicting these 2 shots are & they speak to how these premonitions are seen by Paul. Are they dreams or nightmares of the future? In the first sequence, Chani looks enchanted and angel like as she overlooks her planet. The next sequence changes position and color grading, accompanied by a bloody hand. WTF is going on? *But in a good way*

I love these suits. They remind me of the Power rangers zeo costumes, but armored and no; I don't mean that as a diss. I think they're dope. This intrigues me so much for what's in store for Part 2!

Such incredible shots! Especially the second frame with the silhouettes being created from the bright light emanating behind them. I'm thinking this was done practically (amplified with a green screen backdrop) and if so, how many watts are those f***in bulbs to be THAT bright? 

As usual, the dream is followed by something nightmare-ish. I love this back and forth between the two concepts. 

Like, where is this even at? It's so dope when a film can make you ask these questions, because of the way it plays with your imagination. This had to be a set that was built right? Then again, the sheer size of this thing makes me think otherwise. Dune raises all the right questions here.

I LOVE how this looks in motion. When I saw this in the trailer, I assumed it was a slow motion sequence until I saw them walk at a normal speed upon touching the ground. Such a small but effective detail that speaks to where the technology is in this advanced future. 

I mean.... C'mon, Space Samurai's??? The idea of that makes me want to write a story centered around these people alone. 

I really like the blocking & framing of these 2 shots back to back. Playing with the same symmetry but altering the position as sort of, "In & out," as a memento of the things to come. 

Another wide shot showcasing the scope. Again, where the hell is this? I can't wait to watch all of the behind the scenes material for this because that has me the most intrigued.

Besides being a beautiful shot, this is a very subtle frame that plays out by the end of the film. Usually, a movie like this would make her ridiculously utter exposition out loud, as to what she's doing but no; You're not told anything and I love it.

Another cool shot of the space samurai's that I had to include.

The sand worms are terrifying. Could you imagine the size of one of these things in real life? 

What a shot. One of the greatest sci-fi frames I've ever seen. 

This shot in particular reminds me of the 3rd act in Fury road. Being compared to such a film like that, is a compliment of it's own. 

I really love the nightmare color pallet. Something about it is warming, but still eerie. 

The tonal shift that happens when Vladimir is on screen, is jarring. Everything is quiet, the color pallet is neutral, everyone is in formation, eye contact is a huge no. It's all building into an explosive part 2 that I'm foaming out of the mouth for. 

Gorgeous shot. No better way to make characters feel alone, than to capture everything possible in an empty location. 

Amazing what you can do with the right costume and great natural lighting. Shots with clothes blowing in the wind will never not be cool. 

The moon makes this shot! Great way to expand a natural shot with vfx in post, by simply adding an extra detail to block the scene. 

The moment we finally get a real look at the sand worm. F***ing terrifying to see a creature that large. This is one that really paid off in IMAX.

The blocking with the characters here, reminds me of that shot in the beginning of the film, with the Fremen standing on the same rock structures in broad day. 

Great imagery here. He's accepted his calling and finally wears the ring with confidence. He's now found were this title was calling from, in his new home.

Love the blocking, Denis does this so damn well. This is their land and their formation is that, of the land they live. 

More imagery of this blade and how these premonitions aren't streamlined as Paul sees them. Great form of storytelling to keep us guessing the entire film, frame by frame. 

I love this mythical code solely spoken through action. Again, there's no big expositional dump as to what's going on and I dig that so much. Sci-fi movies like this have multiple chances to do that but it would rather speak through it's images.

Phenomenal blocking, as well as the end to a new beginning. 

Remember when Liet was standing with those tools overlooking the Dunes....

What a frame to end the movie on. Another painting like image that says so much. 

Alright folks. 

This was a long one I know, but Dune has so many beautiful images, I could've posted the entire film on here. Are there any shots that I missed that you may have loved? What are your interpretations? Let me know in the comments and as usual, Thanks for the read!

Peace!

*I do not own any of these images and all rights are owned by their respected shareholders*