Villeneuve's Dune: Part One (2019)

[Foxbat]

This is how the baliset was seen in the Syfy series

And this is a lute. Suspiciously familiar….

 

[Droflet]

And when Patrick Stewart played the role:

 

[Foxbat]

It’s a very long time since I read Dune and perhaps I’m getting confused with something else but I seem to have the impression that the baliset had some kind of handle that a player would turn more of like a hurdy gurdy than a lute.

It looks like I’m wrong according to Dune wiki…

Baliset/DE

The baliset was a nine-stringed musical instrument, lineal descendant of the zithra, tuned to the Chusuk scale and played by strumming. The baliset was a favorite instrument of Imperial troubadors. Gurney Halleck owned a baliset, and often played it while reciting proverbs or singing folk songs...

dune.fandom.com

 

[Elckerlyc]

That does reminds me more of the music instruments Jack Vance describes in Durdane.

 

[Mon0Zer0]

Picard plays a Chapman Stick in Lynch's dune.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

Loving all these instruments.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

PS. Another Kermode fan here. He knows what he's talking about...

 

[Foxbat]

Love the sound of the Chapman Stick. I’m wondering if it was the image of this in Lynch’s Dune that made me think it had some kind of handle (that large piece of curved wood over the sound hole).

 

[Stephen Palmer]

When I saw that I immediately thought of the saz.

 

[Foxbat]

When I saw that I immediately thought of the saz.

I had to look this up. Found this video and it’s a great sounding instrument.

 

[Ursa major]

It looks like I’m wrong according to Dune wiki…

As it happens, the novel contains -- near the back, in a section of Appendix IV that has the title "Terminology of the Imperium" -- the following:

BALISET: Nine-stringed musical instrument, lineal descendant of the zithra, tuned to the Chusuk scale and played by strumming. Favorite instrument of Imperial troubadours.

Unfortunately, Herbert seems to provide no definition of the zithra... but Wikipedia, in its entry, Glossary of Dune (franchise) terminology, then links (rightly or wrongly) the word, zithra, to its entry on the zither, which states:

Historically, the name has been applied to any instrument of the psaltery family, or to an instrument consisting of many strings stretched across a thin, flat body. This article describes the latter variety.

 

[Foxbat]

Unless my memory fails me, the name Atreides was of Greek origin and with the zither being an instrument used a lot in eastern Europe, I suppose it’s feasible that the zithra could have been developed from it.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

@Foxbat the saz is a delight to play. You can get a good quality one for £250. Really lovely instrument.

 

[Foxbat]

@Foxbat the saz is a delight to play. You can get a good quality one for £250. Really lovely instrument.

It is something to think about. In recent years, I’ve found myself wanting to expand a little away from just the guitar (I now have a couple of bouzoukis and a keyboard). A saz would make a very nice addition. I’d also buy a Chapman Stick in a heartbeat if I thought I could become a decent player (it looks a pretty daunting instrument to play)

 

[BAYLOR]

And when Patrick Stewart played the role:

View attachment 83623

Yes, Captain John Luc Picard and Admiral Al Calavicci have both quantum leaped 20,000 into the future , and into the bodies of Gurney Halleck and Dr Yueh , To put right what once went wrong , both hoping the next leap will be the leap home.

 

[BAYLOR]

Picard plays a Chapman Stick in Lynch's dune.

Yes , Gurney Halleck sings, I Wanna Rock and Roll All Night .

 

[Rodders]

So if the second part is a success, has the studio expressed any interest in adapting more Dune books?

 

[Toby Frost]

Here is a deleted scene from the Lynch version, in which Gurney plays the baliset. It looks like the end of a party, where the spice is wearing off and one guy feels the need to muck about with a guitar. It also provides some background for Kynes and the Fremen.

 

[Venusian Broon]

So if the second part is a success, has the studio expressed any interest in adapting more Dune books?

Villeneuve has said that he would like to do Dune Messiah, because that would finish Paul's arc. But it wasn't official, just an off-the-cuff remark. He does mention the books after...but he said they get more 'psychedelic' and much more difficult to try and put into a movie.

 

[BAYLOR]

Villeneuve has said that he would like to do Dune Messiah, because that would finish Paul's arc. But it wasn't official, just an off-the-cuff remark. He does mention the books after...but he said they get more 'psychedelic' and much more difficult to try and put into a movie.

If part 2 is successful and there's is no reason why it shouldn't be, we'll likely get Dune Messiah and maybe more.

Dean Stockwell who played Dr Yueh in the 1984 film has passed away .