Acclaimed director Denis Villeneuve reflected on some of his favorite moments from his films during a career-spanning Screen Talk at the BFI London Film Festival on Saturday.
In a conversation with Ted Lasso star Brett Goldstein, who promised plenty of laughs during an hour-long discussion, Villeneuve explained the epic sandworm ride scene in Dune: Part 2. Villeneuve previously stated that the scene took 44 days to film and required an additional crew called the “worm unit.”
“I realized that I wanted to work on this and I didn’t want to compromise,” Villeneuve said. “The most important thing about visual effects is how you shoot them. And we wanted to shoot with natural light. And we realized that filming takes months. Each shot is very intricate. Because of the complexity, each shot took half a day, sometimes a day, and sometimes a week. If I had done it myself, I would still be doing it.”
The worm squad was led by Tanya Lapointe, who “completely understood my vision,” Villeneuve said, adding, “She’s also my wife.”
Denis Villeneuve and moderator Brett Goldstein speak on the Screen Talk stage at the 68th BFI London Film Festival.
BFI Getty Images
Villeneuve’s Dune: Part 2, starring Timothée Chalamet as the main character Paul Atreides, premiered in March to rave reviews and grossed $714 million worldwide.
When adapting Herbert’s beloved world of Dune for the screen, Villeneuve said the “keyword” was “women.”
“I found the Bene Gesserit sisters to be the most meaningful, interesting and relevant,” he said, adding, “When you adapt, people kill people. It’s just an act of artistic violence.”
But the film Dune wasn’t Villeneuve’s first foray into science fiction. In 2017, he directed Blade Runner 2049, the sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1982 classic. Villeneuve told Goldstein that he still considers the film one of the “riskiest” career decisions he has ever made.
“Making a sequel to Ridley Scott’s great masterpiece was probably the worst idea I ever had,” Villeneuve said with a laugh. But in the end he decided to accept the offer. Because, “Making a sequel to my favorite movie is a beautiful way to end my career.” I thought it was very romantic. ”
Fortunately, Blade Runner 2049 opened up a completely new path for Villeneuve. Villeneuve is currently considered one of today’s leading science fiction filmmakers, and is currently developing a third Dune film. Villeneuve remained silent on the topic during Saturday’s talk, but Dune 3 is based on Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah and takes place 12 years after the events of his first novel. becomes.
