On this episode of Cinema Verbi, Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt dive into the futuristic universe of Dune. They share some of their critical views on the films and unpack the commentary on religion, power, and control found in the narrative. They discuss where they find truth, goodness, and beauty in the movies and also note some important distinctions between religion found in these stories versus the life of the disciple.

(01:00) Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian introduce this month’s topic: Dune, Parts 1 and 2. They share about their familiarity with the books written by Frank Herbert and briefly describe the universe in which the movies take place. They also share the main premise and key plot points of the narrative.

(08:03) They both share their initial reactions to seeing Dune for the first time. They mention the potential for more movies in this franchise, given that there are more books in the series. They highlight the actors and their performances, share important terminology in the films, and discuss where they find the good, true, and beautiful in the movies.

(14:01) They highlight the role of the religious leaders in the film, the Bene Gesserit, and discuss the origin of their name as coming from the term “Jesuit.” They discuss Frank Herbert’s choice for this title and what it implies about his perspective on religion and religious leaders.

(16:12) Fr. Brian notes the overtones of call and vocation he finds in the film and draws parallels to the sacrament of Baptism. They discuss various plot points and the themes of good, evil, power, and control found in the narrative.

(20:46) They contrast the religious figures found in the film who seek power and control with those who faithfully live out the Christian faith, highlighting the life of sacrifice, humility, and even suffering found in Christianity. They discuss the fact that themes of love and sacrifice also seem to be missing.

(25:14) They discuss some of the choices Frank Herbert made that highlight his criticisms of religion, and the way in which authentic discipleship differs from his portrayal of religion as purely a pursuit of power.

(27:18) Both give their “seed rating” on the movies, sharing what they liked about the movies.

(29:05) Fr. Brian challenges Fr. Matt to a game of “Dune or Deuteronomy,” in which Fr. Matt must determine whether a short phrase came from Dune or the original Hebrew text of Deuteronomy.

(35:34) They give a short preview into next month’s episode, which will be on The Holdovers, a favorite of both Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian.