Movie Script for DUNE by Frank Herbert---Part 1

1. ARRAKIS - A SCENE FROM SPACE Also known as DUNE, home of the Fremen, former Zenzunni wanderers. 1A. INT. ROCK LEDGE - SIETCH TABR - NIGHT BLACK FADE IN to the dark eyes of the mysterious face of the REVEREND MOTHER RAMALLO, who sits against smooth black rock. Her eyes are deep blue-within-blue and her skin is a haunting translucent white. Her voice ECHOES as if in a great cavern. REVEREND MOTHER RAMALLO We are the secret of the Universe. RESPONSE OF TWENTY THOUSAND VOICES Bi-la kaifa. REVEREND MOTHER RAMALLO We are the secret of the Universe. We know of spice...the spice called melange...the greatest treasure in the Universe. It exists on only one planet - ours Arrakis, Dune. We know of spice and the Bene Gesserit sisterhood's selective breeding plan of ninety generations to produce the Kwisatz Haderach, the one the spice will awaken. RESPONSE OF TWENTY THOUSAND VOICES Bi-la kaifa. REVEREND MOTHER RAMALLO And now the prophecy... Silence...then a powerful low organ NOTE resounding in the cavernous space. REVEREND MOTHER RAMALLO (CONT'D) He will come...the voice from the outer world, bringing the holy war, the Jihad, which will cleanse the Universe and bring us out of darkness. He will have been born of a Bene Gesserit mother. -- The Reverend Mother continues speaking of the Prophecy, but we do not hear it. The huge wind organ BLOWS louder and louder, obscuring her voice. The picture FADES. 1B. KAITAIN - A SCENE FROM SPACE Home planet of House Corrino and Shadam IV, Emperor of the known universe. 2. INT. DROP - NIGHT FADE IN to: ...interior of one drop of water. The image changes subtly. 2A. EXT. - DROP - NIGHT PULL BACK to a shot revealing the outside of the drop. There is a distant ROARING and within the drop we can see the distorted image of a space ship landing on a sophisticated landing field. 3. (Deleted) 3A. EXT. LANDING FIELD - EMPEROR'S PALACE - NIGHT On the dark landing field, chemicals spill out of the ship in troughs and tank-suited Guildsmen begin to swarm out of a hatch opening. 4. through 6. (Deleted) 7. INT. THRONE ROOM - EMPEROR'S PALACE - NIGHT The EMPEROR is surrounded by crowds of COURTIERS in his Throne Room. Suddenly a GUARD enters from a small door and quickly crosses to ANOTHER GUARD. A warning SOUND begins. The Emperor turns nervously. Guards quickly begin to clear the large room. Several women are rushed toward us to a door beyond. One of the woman, IRULAN, stops and turns back for a worried, caring look to her father, the Emperor. IRULAN Father. -- EMPEROR Irulan. She sees that SARDAUKAR OFFICERS are surrounding him now, speaking to him. Irulan turns and leaves. The Emperor moves away from his officers to the center of the now-empty room. He drops his golden robe from his shoulders. He stands in his elegant black uniform, thinking. The Reverend Mother is ushered in and the Sardaukar Officers leave her alone with the Emperor. EMPEROR (quickly) A Third Stage Guild Navigator will be here within minutes! REVEREND MOTHER We felt his presence. EMPEROR I shall want telepathy during his visit and a report when we're finished. REVEREND MOTHER Their minds are so.... They move in strange directions.... EMPEROR Yes? REVEREND MOTHER Forced spice evolution of humans changes many things.... I must sit close to him. EMPEROR He will not permit anyone but me to see him. You must be outside this room.... Do what you can. REVEREND MOTHER I am your Truthsayer, my lord... (sensing something outside the room) He is here, my lord. Under the carved inscription "Law is the Ultimate Science", the doors to the Emperor's chambers slide open and FIFTY GUILDSMEN wheel in a forty-foot long giant black box. One of the Guildsmen addresses the Emperor through a translating device. TANKED GUILDSMEN #1 The Bene Gesserit witch must leave. -- The Emperor looks to the Reverend Mother. EMPEROR Leave us. REVEREND MOTHER Yes, my Lord. EMPEROR (after she has gone) We are alone... 8. INT. HALLWAY - EMPEROR'S PALACE - NIGHT The Reverend Mother enters through doors and takes a seat on a chair just outside the door. She closes her eyes. 9. INT. THRONE ROOM - EMPEROR'S PALACE - NIGHT Inside the Emperor's chamber, the TANK-SUITED GUILDSMEN are arranging themselves in a "V" formation around the box. Suddenly the box opens, slowly and beautifully revealing a huge, thick glass tank. Inside the tank floats a THIRD STAGE NAVIGATOR twenty feet long, much like a cross between a pasty, pale human being and a fleshy grasshopper. The tank is filled with swirling orange spice-gas, and Guildsmen continuously vacuum up the toxic chemical spills dripping from under the tank. Suddenly the Guild Navigator swims towards the Emperor. His head is enormous and fleshy, like a huge grasshopper head -- the eyes are totally deep blue. His voice is a high, fleshy whispering and an intricate electrical apparatus in the front of the tank translates into English and broadcasts it into the room. NAVIGATOR We have just folded space from Ix... EMPEROR (extremely nervous) Yes?... How was your journey? NAVIGATOR (after a long pause) Many machines on Ix... new machines. EMPEROR Oh yes? -- NAVIGATOR Better than those on Richesse.. You are transparent... I see many things... I see plans within plans. EMPEROR Is there a problem?... Usually there is a problem when one of you makes a visit. No answer. NAVIGATOR (finally) The answer is within the problem... 10. INT. HALLWAY - EMPEROR'S PALACE - NIGHT Outside the Emperor's chamber the Reverend Mother sits, her eyes closed, straining. 11. INT. THRONE ROOM - EMPEROR'S PALACE - REVEREND MOTHER'S MENTAL IMAGE - NIGHT A very blurred scene of the Emperor with the Guild Navigator. She is not getting the English version but a much different language version which is fascinating to listen to. A lilting, sing-song monologue. 12. INT. THRONE ROOM - EMPEROR'S PALACE - NIGHT NAVIGATOR I see two Great Houses -- House Atreides, House Harkonnen -- feuding... I see you behind it. EMPEROR Yes. The Navigator breathes the spice-gas heavily and swishes gently in his tank. NAVIGATOR You must share with us. -- EMPEROR The Atreides house is building a secret army!... using a technique unknown to us... a technique involving sound. The Duke is becoming more popular in the Landsraad... he could threaten me.... I have ordered House Atreides to occupy Arrakis to mine the spice... thus replacing their enemies the Harkonnens.... House Atreides will not refuse because of the tremendous power they think they will gain. Then, at an appointed time Baron Harkonnen will return to Arrakis and launch a sneak attack on House Atreides... I have promised the Baron five legions of my Sardaukar terror troops. NAVIGATOR So the Harkonnens will rid you of House Atreides... EMPEROR Yes. 13. INT. HALLWAY - EMPEROR'S PALACE - NIGHT Outside, the Reverend Mother is seeing the scene mentally. She suddenly sees and flinches. 14. INT. THRONE ROOM - EMPEROR'S PALACE - REVEREND MOTHER'S MENTAL IMAGE - NIGHT The Guild Navigator turns toward her and comes very close to her. We hear the Navigator speak to her. NAVIGATOR (to Reverend Mother, mentally) Reverend Mother... I will give you the Tleilaxu Path. REVEREND MOTHER (V.O.) (an excited whisper) A chance for escape? But for whom?

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