Dune (2021), the SF Messiah?

IMAGE – Where the desert reveals its beauty

Playing shadows and light, the majestic photograph with the cold beauty of Greig Fraser (Rogue One, The Batman) emulates a silver recording even though the film was shot digitally. To do this, images from Arri Alexa LF and Mini LF (4.5K and IMAX certified cameras) were transferred on 35 mm film before being recovered in 4K. Unique, this approach allows access to an admirable pictorial rendering where the homogeneity of granularity does not degrade the precision of the definition. And as of course, only the UHD Dolby Vision transfer is able to return this artistic choice as faithfully as possible.

Increased fineness of textures (sand particles, Leto beard, Fremen distillery, Arrakeen infrastructure), meticulousness of contrast values (thanks to better carved shadows, low light sequences – like the rite of passage – gain in readability), enhanced richness of the colorimetric palette (light yellow) « gold » of the desert, the blue eyes of the pioneer Dune people, the double tint of the energy shields, the broken white armors of the Sardaukars) and accentuation of lighting (globally moderate with the exception of the « revelations » by Paul where the brightness becomes overwhelming) better dressed, allow the 4K Ultra HD to escape from the otherwise more matte and overexposed look (especially on reflective surfaces) of the Blu-ray.

Deprived of the IMAX experience for its domestic operation, Dune It is expected that all its spices will be recovered with the upcoming release of a new edition respecting the alternation of the ratios 1.78 and 2.39. Since its date of publication is not yet known, it will only have to be armed with patience to acquire it.

SON – In the beginning was the Voice

Barded with atmospheres and expressive as possible, this Dolby Atmos mixing (in VO as in VF) which continuously exploits all the channels allocated to it imposes itself as a very « large piece » acoustics.

The soundscape is full of relief with ambiences (sand movements, wind blowing) and/or effects (the activity of the harvester, explosive shell guns) which simmer from everywhere (the rear scene is regularly taken by storm), dynamic sends the decibels badly (cf. the flash attack of the Harkonnen House on Arrakis), the dialogues that remain balanced in all circumstances are delivered with great clarity, the loudspeakers are shown on many occasions (Paul's visions, the ornithoptères, the Coriolis storm at the Mad Max: Fury Road, the spaceships), Hans Zimmer's shamanic score has a staggering amplitude and the LFE channel, which tirelessly pilsons the bottom of the spectrum (the Voice of Bene Gesserit, the approach of worms, Liet Kynes' hammerer), mixes ardently with the festivities.

CONCLUSION – 2021, Odyssey of spices?

At the height of expectations, this major science-fiction work made ofpic and depuration gets the stars in 4K Ultra HD! Rendez-vous is therefore taken on November 1, 2023 for part 2 of this immense prophetic saga.