Dune designs

dune01.jpg

Currently racking up the bids at eBay (again) is an early draft of Alejandro Jodorowsky’s script for his ill-fated film of Dune. Aside from some diverting glimpses of dialogue and plot elaboration, what’s most interesting about the draft is the character and scene sketches, some of which are sampled below. I’ve still not seen the documentary about the unmade film so I can’t say whether any of these have appeared in public before but if they have they’re new to me. No artist is credited but the naive style rules out both Moebius and HR Giger (who arrived late to the project in any case). Best bet is either Jodorowsky himself—in 1967 he was writing and illustrating a comic strip, Fabulas Panicas—or Jodorowsky’s colleague from the Panic Movement days, Roland Topor. In the early 70s Topor was working with René Laloux on the animated SF film Fantastic Planet.

dune02.jpg

Many of the conceptions differ radically from the more graceful designs that Moebius produced later on. Also of note are details such as the anal entrance to the Emperor’s throne room, a Harkonnen orgy and an insemination scene viewed from inside Jessica’s vagina. By the time Giger joined the production team the instruction was not to create anything too erotic or adult since the film needed to reach a large audience.

There’s more from the Dune script (and larger copies of these images) here. (Thanks to Jay for the tip!)

dune03.jpg

dune04.jpg

dune05.jpg

dune06.jpg

dune07.jpg

dune08.jpg

dune09.jpg

dune10.jpg

dune011.jpg

A proposed shot that’s remarkably similar to a page from Yragael (1974) by Philippe Druillet (below): same perspective, brickwork, scorpion tails and crashing waves. Jodorowsky had asked Druillet to work on Dune but Druillet apparently took umbrage during an early discussion.

druillet.jpg

dune012.jpg

dune013.jpg

dune014.jpg

dune015.jpg

Previously on { feuilleton }
Dune: some French connections
Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Dune

3 thoughts on “Dune designs”

  1. Many of the conceptions differ radically from the more graceful designs that Moebius produced later on.

    Many seem to be designed in the style of Tarot trumps.

  2. That’s not so surprising given Jodorowsky’s interests. The Emperor also has a kind of Kabbalistic medallion around his neck.

  3. a Harkonnen orgy
    Also Druillet-inspired? Particularly panels from Urm and Lone Sloane – Delirius.

Comments are closed.

Discover more from { feuilleton }

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading