Dune House Atreides’ Weirdest Choice Is Deeper Than You Think
Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Dune is a cinematic masterpiece. But a strange new choice carries a much richer and deeper meaning for House Atreides.
Denis Villeneuve made a rather strange and audacious choice in Dunes to announce the entry of House Atreides on the planet Arrakis, but it has a deeper meaning than one might think. Based on Frank Herbert’s series of novels, the Dunes saga has often been considered the pinnacle of science fiction literature. The stories have inspired multiple media adaptations, including songs, movies, a TV miniseries, and even video games. Villeneuve drew heavily on the book’s source material and was largely reluctant to emulate previous screen adaptations.
The story of Dunes hit the big screen in 1984, under the direction of David Lynch. In the latest adaptation of Dunes, Villeneuve made several bold choices from this original filmed version and with several differences from the Dunes delivered. The most notable difference is that the 2021 film only covered the first half of the original book (luckily the sequel has already been greenlit). Several lines were changed from the novel for the film, greater emphasis was placed on the individual character of Paul and the religious practices of the people of Arrakis, and although Gurney was not given the chance to play l fictitious beacon instrument in the 2021 film, another strange instrument appeared.
Denis Villeneuve, in collaboration with composer Hans Zimmer, has chosen the bagpipes as the royal instrument of Maison Atréides. Although the bagpipe is commonly associated with the Scottish Highlands today, the instrument carries a much deeper history. As Zimmer explained in an interview, “If you look at their history, what can be older than something that’s made out of a piece of wood?” (via Inverse) Most scholars agree that bagpipes originated in the Middle East before being carried across Europe by groups such as the Romans and Greeks. According to Dunes tradition, House Atreides was originally founded in Greece on Earth, so the connection to the ancient instrument is historically sound.
But the choice to use bagpipes goes even further. Paul mentions that his grandfather fought bulls for sport, a common activity practiced in Spain. Ancient poetry from Castile, Spain in the mid-13th century depicts several types of bagpipes in illustrations and in the poetry itself. Moreover, the natives of Arrakis await the coming of the Mahdi, Dunesit is the Messiah who will deliver them from their sufferings. Herbert borrowed the title Mahdi from Islam to signify a savior who will appear at the end of the world to destroy all evil and injustice. Again, as most historians now agree, the bagpipe was originally invented in the Persian Gulf, just south of modern Iran, so the instrument is also related to the Arabic tradition.
Zimmer and Villeneuve are masters of their respective crafts, so it’s no wonder that a single pick like this has incredible visual and aural impact. The sound of the bagpipes is completely unexpected, yet perfectly appropriate to complement the story. The amalgamation of diverse cultures and a rich world of characters in Dunes makes the bagpipes the perfect choice of instrument to announce the arrival of House Atreides.
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