How Revell Gambled on Dune…and Lost!
How does a line of plastic models based on a big-budget sci fi epic, itself an adaptation of a classic novel that had already sold millions of copies, fail so hard that the kits nearly became an urban myth? Join me as I look back at how plastic model kit producer Revell gambled that 1984’s “Dune” would be the next Star Wars…but lost big!
Of the three licensed Dune kits that Revell produced, I’ve only ever built the Ornithopter. I’m still editing several “Vintage Build” videos documenting the construction of this unique kit, as well as a “Showcase” video featuring the completed build. You can find all my Dune-related videos at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAUpZuypEBx6r_tc_z_MjgMXwdFGvhaBi
This video was edited with Hitfilm Express, an amazing, easy-to-use, and most of all FREE video editing software package available from https://www.fxhome.com. No more Windows Movie Maker for me!
Special thanks to:
Brick Mantooth (https://www.youtube.com/user/palitoy) at https://www.plaidstallions.com for their nostalgia-inducing photos of vintage hobby and toy stores. If this video appeals to you and/or you grew up in the 70s or 80s, trust me…Plaid Stallions is the site (and channel) for you.
Allen B. Ury (https://www.fantasticplastic.com), Mike Walston, and Marco Scheloske for the images of their Dune builds. You can find more pictures of their work on one of my favourite online places: https://www.starshipmodeler.com.
Jeff-Z and Smokey the cat for (https://www.Jeff-Z.com) the use of their photo. Check out Jeff’s site for a lot of cool blog posts about self-described “eccentric hobbies”.
Clips:
“Dune” (1984), Universal Studios / DeLaurentis Entertainment Group
“Star Wars” (1977), Twentieth Century Fox
“The Black Hole” (1979), Walt Disney Productions
“Alien” (1979), Twentieth Century Fox
“Fang of the Sun Dougram” (1981), Sunrise Animation
“Battlestar Galactica” (1978), Universal Studios
“Buck Rogers in the 25th Century” (1979), Universal Studios
“Star Trek” (1966), CBS Television Productions
“The Elephant Man” (1980), Paramount Pictures
“Eraserhead” (1977), American Film Institute / Libra Films
Music:
“Sci Fi”, Bensound Music (https://www.bensound.com)
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/paul-yudin/illumination
License code: QNC2W0IIAGOSABU4
“80s-90s-ish”, Stolting Media Group (https://www.nicknimmin.com)
atoll logiciel
To some extent though, it does seem to me Revell didn't really think about what somebody, and perhaps more importantly what a youth, would want. That would be the "hero" ships. I agree picking vehicles that had practically no screen time and were incidental to the story made little sense outside of inherent play value to things with working wheels. Aesthetically going for the Atreides transport would have probably been a better bet: it has way more screen time, is associated with the hero, and looks really great. It's perhaps telling that MPC didn't do TIE fighters until '97. Yes, there are a lot, but they are all identical and piloted by faceless pilots. Now Darth's TIE was a totally different story.
Also it is unfortunate that while there's much that is great of the aesthetics of Lynch's version in many ways the 'thopter designs fall very short of the book description and the classic Shoenherr illustrations for the story. That's not Revell's fault though, that's just what they had to work with. In that respect the Villeneuve version's designs are better for an SF vehicle fan and much closer to the book.
Dune was one of my favourite movies ever… loved the production design too, very weird, retro-futurism yet futro-retrisim
I've wanted the Sandworm kit for years, but looking at the pics I would probably be better off scratch building it. 🤣😂
I purchased all three kits when they came out years ago. I built the ‘thoper and sandcrawler, but could not bring myself to build the worm – it was too badly designed. In hindsight, I wish I had left all three in the plastic and could be a few hundred dollars richer these days.
But I’m like you; I really liked that Harkonnen ‘thopter. I built it, added a few extra details, but it didn’t last long on the shelf. Moving and bad handling broke off the antenna and guns. It now resides in a box, waiting to be parted into other spacecraft.
The sandcrawler might still have a bit of a future. The wheels are rather close in shape to the beetle-like spice harvester and I’m hoping to cast a few more (seven more, to be exact) to be the starting point of a large scratchbuild of the harvester. That will get them ooh-ing and ahh-ing at Wonderfest!
Pro-tip: If the movie sucks, the model probably will not sell…
I think I am the 593rd subscriber. What did I win?! I want a revell Battlestar Galactica, Galactica. A cylon raider, a vipers. A Bandai stormtrooper, and a sandtrooper.😛👍
I would have liked a Spacing Guild navigator aquarium kit.
I would want those models now.
And I can't wait till you do the the robotech models. I still have some of those and the comic.
I would really like to see a 1/72 Ornithopter kit from the new Dune.
You gotta be kidding! Those models are really cool! I always liked them! They stand out because they're totally different than any sci'fi models we've ever seen. And what about the new dune models? They're even better! I love them because they look clunky so far away in the future!
Beautiful video! While I never bought any of the original Dune kits, I do remember my local SF hobby shop having them in 1985. But not in any great numbers. By comparison the Robotech Defenders and Changers kits had much wider availability.
I bought all 3 of them in 1985. Still unbuilt. Soooo glad I bought them. 🙂
Fantastic channel, thank you for what you do!
Very cool…I remember these models, wish I had them now!
So glad I came across your channel! Excellent work. Thank you! Subscribed ☺️
Maybe revell should've made decent molds. 🙄
Just looked up Revell Dune models on Ebay.
They seem to be worth a fair bit of money now.
Great video Scale icons! Believe or not I saw a Revel Dune Ornithopter model kit 2 years ago at a hobby shop across the state line here in New York … it was going for about $60 bucks. Sort of unfortunatly I chose to purchase the Moebius Model Kitf Ranger 1 from Interstellar … which right next to it. I enjoyed building the Interstellar model. But do wish I purchased the Dune Harkonnen Ornithopter model kit.
Incidentally, I just watched Dune a few nights ago. It was the extended, "Alan Smithee" version. Fantastic video and I've just posted a link to this on my own stupid channel. I'm sure you will do a video on Alien/Aliens kits, and you can send me an email about that. I worked a brief stint at Aoshima five years ago and went to Fox Plaza to pitch a proposed model line to their licensing agent. I never saw the actual kit toolings but I know that they still have some of them, languishing in one of their warehouses. I may be able to answer some questions if you have any. They obtained them from Tsukuda after they went bankrupt. Looking at Yahoo Auctions Japan, the Tsukuda kits rarely ever show up, but the Halcyon and Aoshima kits do.
Great video and very interesting. It's a pity that the movie and the models failed as hard as they did. While not my favourites, they truely are unique designs.
I can report that I saw a manufacturer's mock-up of the Atriedes Family Transport at a hobby industry show in Chicago in 1984, so I know the kit was planned. Also, thanks for featuring my Ornithopter build (although you spelled me name wrong. Common mistake.)
Very informative video. Isn’t there a new version of the movie Dune coming out soon. Do you think there will be a new generation of Dune plastic models?
Phenomenal editing quality for a first video. Keep up the great work, I'll certainly be checking out all future videos!
Great Video!