Denis Villeneuve’sDunemovies are unbelievable, but theLord of the Ringsfranchise beat them to the punch on one crucial storytelling aspect.These two major franchises can be distinguished for their unique capability of combining blockbuster entertainment with cinematic excellence, bringing arguably the greatest works of fantasy and science fiction literature to life in the most authentic way possible. The Peter JacksonLord of the Ringsmoviesand the VilleneuveDunemoviesare the undisputed, definitive adaptations of two iconic stories.
J.R.R. Tolkien’sLord of the Ringsbookswere released between 1954 and 1955, with Frank Herbert’s prolificDunenovel being released just a decade later in 1965. Despite their similarly epic scope and genre-defining world-building, these novels have great differences thematically. In fact, Tolkien allegedly disliked Herbert’s book despite its widespread acclaim. However,there’s a major component of Tolkien’s story that exists inDune, and it’s not often regarded as one of its primary qualities.
LOTR & Dune Both Show Male Relationships In The Same Way
Both Franchises Show Healthy Masculinity Between Male Protagonists
The Fellowship inLord of the Ringsand the men of House Atreides inDunehave a lot in common. Both Tolkien and Frank Herbert were precise in craftingmale relationships that demonstrated healthy masculinity and a keen sense of camaraderie. The film versions of these stories importantly incorporate this in a similar fashion. Sure, there’s humor and teasing between characters like Legolas and Gimli or Duncan Idaho and Paul, but it’s always portrayed with an apparent sense of mutual respect and admiration.
These are meant to be exemplary men, and it’s telling of how Herbert and Tolkien viewed masculinity.
Themen in both of these stories aren’t afraid to show physical affection to each other and be vulnerable around one another. These are meant to be exemplary men, and it’s telling of how Herbert and Tolkien viewed masculinity. Frodo and Sam are an obvious example, so consider Aragorn as an alternative. At the end ofThe Fellowship of the Ring,when all hope is lost, he holds Gimli and Legolas by their shoulders to remind them to “stay true to each other.” Leto Atreides passes along similar gestures to Paul and his other household men.
Lord Of The Rings & Dune’s Trick Is Important
It’s Important For Media To Show Exemplary Behavior To Male Audiences
Demonstrating masculinity in this manner is so vital, especially regarding action-heavy blockbuster movies that are typically oriented to male audiences. There are countless examples of male protagonists in movies who either demonstrate poor behavior toward women or struggle to collaborate with other men. The buddy cop genre is practically built around hard-headed men who have to learn how to work together, and though it’s often played for laughs, these are stillthe examples male viewers will often look to as aspirational.
Lord Of The Rings' First Age Proves Morgoth Is So Much Worse Than Sauron With 1 Detail Of His Defeat
One aspect of Morgoth’s defeat signifies how much worse he was than Sauron as a villain and demigod in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.
Someone can watchThe Lord of the RingsorDuneand enjoy them for the action and adventure. InDune’scase, one might even enjoy the complexity of Paul’s descent into villainy, which differentiates it from Tolkien’s more hopeful message. However, it’s impossible to deny thatthese stories exemplify positive masculine bonds, vulnerability between men, and the unequivocally positive effect that comes from these qualities. It’s more prevalent in Tolkien’s work, but it’s still a crucial pillar of how Herbert constructs the characters of House Atreides, making them enjoyable to follow.
Dune Really Is The New Lord Of The Rings
Dune Has Embodied LOTR’s Cultural Presence From The 2000s
In terms of how it’s come to be perceived as a film franchise by the general public,Dunehas taken the place of whatThe Lord of the Ringsrepresented in the 2000s. Aside from just their portrayal of masculinity,both of these franchises represent massive, fascinating worlds, and their respective directors have portrayed them in such a way that they feel organic and lived in. They not only have the scale but also the details to fully draw the viewer in, introducing them to something spectacular. These are the franchises that long-term book lovers can truly celebrate.
While Denis Villeneuve was already a celebrated filmmaker before theDunemovies, the success ofDune: Part Twoin 2024 has made him one of the most acclaimed contemporary directors. Peter Jackson has had less success outside ofThe Lord of the Ringsfranchise, but their names still hold the same prestige. Theybrought “unfilmable” books to life on the big screen, making them popular and respected by the masses. These stories have immense thematic differences, and that’s also important regarding how they reflect the cinematic language of their era.
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a multimedia franchise consisting of several movies and a TV show released by Amazon titled The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The franchise is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s book series that began in 1954 with The Fellowship of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings saw mainstream popularity with Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
Dune
Dune is a sci-fi franchise created by Frank Herbert with the 1965 novel of the same name. In 1984, the first live-action adaptation was released from director David Lynch and starring Kyle MacLachlan. About 20 years later, a TV mini-series was released, followed by a new adaptation starring Timothée Chalamet.
