Description
Book SynopsisLIMITED FIRST EDITION contains red foil gilded page edges and a black satin ribbon marker.
As featured in Pitchfork, Empire, MovieMaker, Nerdist, The Wall Street Journal, The A.V. Club, Mashable, Wired, Yahoo's "It List," IGN, SFX, The Wrap, Gizmodo and more!
“I see many things. I see plans within plans.”
Following his underground hit Eraserhead and critically acclaimed The Elephant Man, visionary filmmaker David Lynch set his sights on bringing Frank Herbert’s beloved sci-fi novel Dune to the screen. The project had already vexed directors such as Alejandro Jodorowsky (El Topo) and Ridley Scott (Alien). But by the early ‘80s Universal Pictures was prepared to give Lynch the keys to the kingdom – and the highest budget in the studio’s history at the time – so that he could lend his surrealistic chops to this sprawling story of feuding space dynasties. They would also hopefully be creating a “Star Wars for adults” franchise-starter.
As the hot young filmmaker commanded a cast with 42 major speaking parts as well as a crew of 1,700 (plus over 20,000 extras) on 80 sets built on 8 sound stages in Mexico, what happened next became as wild, complex, and full of intrigue as Herbert’s novel itself.
Film writer Max Evry goes behind the erratic ride of David Lynch’s Dune like never before, with a years-in-the-making oral history culled from a lineup of new interviews with the film’s stars (Kyle MacLachlan, Sean Young, Virginia Madsen, etc.), creatives, film executives, and insiders – not to mention Lynch himself.
David Lynch’s Dune initially left many filmgoers and reviewers scratching their heads, most dismissing the film upon its release. However, four decades and a big-budget remake later, Lynch’s Dune is finally poised to find its rightful place alongside the director’s other masterpieces such as Blue Velvet and Mullholland Drive.
Max Evry’s A Masterpiece in Disarray takes you back to 1984 with the deepest dive yet into the cult classic that is David Lynch’s Dune.
Trade ReviewHoliday 2023 Gift Guide Mentions: The Wall Street Journal, The Hollywood Reporter, The A.V Club, Gizmodo, /Film, The Film Stage, Screen Crush.
"A treasure trove for Dune and David Lynch aficionados. Author Max Evry spoke with dozens of actors and production personnel, and their conversations cover every possible aspect of the creative process, leaving no sandworm unturned." – Library Journal (starred review)
"Max Evry's A Masterpiece in Disarray: David Lynch's Dune spills the spice from this cult fave." – Mashable
"The definitive guide to David Lynch's Dune movie, with a wealth of new interviews." – DuneNewsNet
"Making-of books are often not much more than glorified press notes, studio-sanctioned marketing beats that don’t come close to telling the real story of what happened behind the scenes. But every once in a while, a no-holds-barred account still surfaces. And that’s where the new book about David Lynch’s Dune comes in, which at 560 pages seemingly has the scoop on everything that went into making the infamous sci-fi spectacle." – IGN
"Five stars. This hefty volume looks at the film in granular detail… It’s hard to imagine a more definitive examination of such a singular and strange film." – SFX
"The (fittingly behemothian) oral history of David Lynch’s doomed 1984 Dune. It’s hugely enjoyable to sift through the sands of this comprehensive chronicle. 4/4 stars." – Empire
"This is a book to be cherished, and one that is likely the definitive account of the making of a poorly-treated film." – The Film Stage
"A Masterpiece in Disarray is the comprehensive account of David Lynch's Dune. Max Evry’s expansive oral history captures the film's chaotic production with commentary from key talent. Through their stories and the author's own appreciation for the film's quirks and eccentricities, Disarray makes the case for why we shouldn't fear 1984's Dune. After all, fear is the mind-killer." – Yahoo
"For aspiring filmmakers and casual fans alike, it’s a fascinating look at the chaos that often goes hand in hand with creative genius." – The A.V. Club
"Disarray is an accounting of one of the wildest boondoggles ever committed to celluloid. The finished product was a legendary mess of a picture that threatened to undermine the director’s career before it had achieved liftoff, but the behind-the-camera story is a pleasure to follow: Mr. Evry delivers the spoiled goods with aplomb." – The Wall Street Journal
"There are a slew of great new books about movies and television this fall, but there might not be a better looking book (or a more comprehensive one) than A Masterpiece in Disarray. This 560-page epic explores the creation of Lynch’s Dune from innumerable angles; it’s hard to imagine any fan wanting more than is contained in this very handsome hardcover." – Screen Crush
“Wonderfully detailed…extensive new interviews with principals and players, stuffed to the gills with facts and figures and tasty gossip.” – Kurt Loder (MTV, Rolling Stone)
Table of ContentsCHAPTERHOUSES
Prologue
Author’s Note
I. Pre-Production
Dune Origins
Previous Dune Attempts
The Man from Another Place: David Lynch
Detour to a Galaxy Far, Far Away
Romancing De Laurentiis
Building Four Worlds: Designing and Scripting Dune
Casting a Galaxy of Stars
Oral History: Pre-Production
II. Production
Location, Location, Location
Start of Production
Common Threads: Costuming
Actors’ Experiences
Production Problems
Things That Make You Go Boom: Special Effects
Oral History: Production
III. Post-Production and Release
Band-Aids and Chewing Gum: Visual Effects
Slice and Dice: Editing
Not in Kansas Anymore: Toto’s Music
Knife Fights on Lunchboxes: Marketing
Dune and Gloom: Classic Reviews from 1984
The Infamous Glossary
Box Office and Awards
Filmbooks: Home Video Releases
Plans Within Plans: Alternate Cuts
The Book vs. The Film
Oral History: Post-Production & Release
IV. Legacy
Dune Aftermath
Oral History: Legacy
Dune in Pop Culture
Pyrrhic Victory: Fan Tributes
Gholas: The Remakes
Modern Impressions of Dune
Mysteries of Love: Dune Symbols
Interview: David Lynch
Final Thoughts
Acknowledgments
Image Credits
About the Author
