The 2021 adaptation of Dune by director Denis Villeneuve did great at its opening weekend, grossing $100 Million at the domestic box office. Dune’s original adaptation, made in 1984 by David Lynch, however, was met with a series of negative reviews. Frank Herbert, the mastermind and author behind the Dune series, was very content with how Lynch handled the complexities of the world of Arrakis. However, fast forward about 40 years, the scene Herbert was eager to see never made it to the big screen yet again.

Starring Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, and Oscar Isaac as Leto Atreides, Dune had some stunning visuals from beginning to end and with an impeccable soundtrack to match. The movie contains multiple scenes from the book series that accompany the characters into their fight to live and which are vital in making the story come alive. The Dinner party scene, or else known as the Banquet scene, was one of the most complex and best scenes of the novel but was cut from the movie. As a director adapting a book into a screenplay is already challenging as is and requires the knowledge and depth to know which scenes to cut. This is because movies are made of dialogue whereas books contain the latter along with internal thought, so Villeneuve did what he thought best.

The Banquet scene that Herbert wanted in the movie was very significant to the plot and the character development in the book/movie. The dinner was executed by Lady Jessica to accumulate all the necessary relationships and power they would need for survival. The scene starts with the Duke wondering if any of the guests attending will try to kill him in his own home. In attendance was the Duke, Paul Atreides, Duncan Idaho, Lingar Bewt, Esmar Tuek, an unnamed agent of the bank and Harroken spy, and lastly, Liet Kynes. The guests make it clear where they stand by being aloof and casually manipulative while trying to spy on each other for their masters or themselves. Next, The Duke drinks half of his water and pours the rest on the floor. His guests are expected to follow him, but many convey discomfort with wasting water. Kynes, however, pours his into a hidden container. The night continues as the guests start poise conversations with one another, discussing politics while being quite wary of one another.

Another important part of the Banquet scene is when The Duke is called away on a business matter, leaving his son Paul to be in charge. The banker then insults Paul and all of House Atreides' guards take place to prepare for the inevitable battle. Paul responds with an act that causes the banker to push his chair back from the table. This sends multiple characters into a cautious state not knowing what to do or who to trust. Kynes has a vital part in this scene because of the signals he makes across the dinner table, leaving the other characters confused. This scene also makes it clear that Kynes is a powerful and mysterious player in Dune.

As you can tell, the scene examines the many points of bureaucracy and power play the characters uphold throughout the movie. It contained an intense aura around the characters and set the stage for the partnerships and battles to come. Although Frank Herbert isn't here with us anymore, Denis Villeneuve shares the scenes he would have liked to show the late author. "I think that I would love to show him three scenes. I would love to show him the arrival of Reverend Mother, followed by the Gom Jabbar. I would love to see how he feels about that. I think that’s pretty close to the book! I think I would love to share with him my interpretation of Paul’s first journey in the desert with the Duke and Gurney, when they see a harvester for the first time and Paul’s first footstep in the desert." said Villeneuve.

Villeneuve did an excellent job in his adaptation of the classic novel and we can only hope he continues to show the cinematic world his tremendous work. You can watch Dune (2021) in theaters and on Amazon Prime Video.