Villeneuve's Obsession with Dunes

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In the colorful world of directors'quirks, Quentin Tarantino has a thing for women's feet, Christopher Nolan loves intricate narratives, and James Cameron is all about the ocean. But for Villeneuve? Well, his heart seems to belong to the sands of "Dune." His take on the desert is a marvel: it's not just about vast, desolate expanses, but the dance of human’s life and emotion amidst its grandeur, making his love for it truly touchy and relatable!

What's the secret behind Villeneuve's desert mastery? Let's take a peek at his cinematic journey! Before his epic dive into "Dune," he already had a desert oasis of experience under his belt. Out of his impressive lineup of 10 films, four of them were sprinkled with desert vibes! It's like he's been honing his desert-filming skills all along, gearing up for the grandeur of "Dune"!

"August 32nd on Earth":

Let's rewind to 1998, the year Villeneuve unveiled his filmmaking chops with this gem. It seems a realistic desert love story but actually one blossoms in a fictional dreamy white desert on a fictional date —an otherworldly backdrop indeed. Take a peek at one scene: the play between minuscule characters and endless vistas. Look familiar? The same is also seen in "Dune," where humans face off against gargantuan sandworms or witness colossal spacecraft gracing the sands of Arrakis.

"Incendies":

Fast forward to 2010, and Villeneuve's talent earns him an Oscar nod for this masterpiece. On the surface, it's a tale of siblings uncovering their mother's secrets, but beneath lies a narrative of cultural divides. Set in Canada and the war-torn Middle East, it mirrors the unsettling unfamiliarity felt in "Dune," akin to Paul Atreides' arrival on Arrakis. The film showcases the Middle Eastern deserts, a backdrop of conflict amplifying the characters' sense of desperation—nowhere to hide, easily preyed upon by foes.

"Sicario":

In 2015, Villeneuve ventured into the deserts of the US-Mexico border. Here, the film unravels the savage dance between law enforcement officials and drug lords in this lawless expanse. Villeneuve's depiction of the desert is riveting, heightened by the mastery of Hollywood's elite cinematographer, Roger Deakins.

The film opens with a hauntingly barren battlefield in the white desert, setting a tone of desolation. Aerial shots then capture the stark Mexican landscapes of sparse greenery and prickly bushes, evoking an unsettling discomfort. The seamless editing transitions from desert panoramas to opulent urban sprawls and impoverished mountainous regions, enveloping viewers in the suffocating aura of a sprawling slum.

"Blade Runner 2049":

After "Sicario," Villeneuve ventured into the sci-fi realm, helming both "Arrival" and "Blade Runner 2049." Even on futuristic sci-fi landscapes, deserts find in their place, like the dust-covered Las Vegas in the cyberpunk-styled "Blade Runner 2049." Though fleeting and not immediately noticeable, these desert scenes paint a vibrant picture of an apocalyptic world. You might doubt these sparse desert vistas adequately showcase the director's fascination in deserts. However, Ridley Scott's original "Blade Runner," known for its rainy settings and cyberpunk metropolises, reveals Villeneuve's deliberate inclusion of the element of desert in this otherwise unrelated film.

Interestingly, Villeneuve's love for deserts goes beyond just these four films. Even before stepping into the director's chair, he was drawn to "Dune." At the tender age of 23, he crafted a documentary short for Canada's CBC television network, incorporating the soundtrack from David Lynch's "Dune" adaptation.

Looking back on Villeneuve's journey, it's clear how deeply "Dune" and the recurring elements of deserts have shaped his filmmaking. It’s no wonder his take on "Dune" has been met with such universal praise.

Catch you later for more movie musings!