Editing
Upon completion, the rough cut of Dune without Post-production effects ran over four hours long, but Lynch’s intended cut of the film (as reflected in the 7th and final draft of the script) was almost three hours long.
However, Universal and the film’s financiers expected a standard, two-hour cut of the film. To reduce the run time, producers Dino De Laurentis, his daughter Raffaella, and director Lynch excised numerous scenes, filmed new scenes that simplified or concentrated plot elements, and added Voice-over narrations, plus a new introduction by Virginia Madsen. Contrary to popular rumors, Lynch made no other version besides the theatrical cut; no three- to six-hour version ever reached the post-production stage. However, several longer versions have been spliced together.Although Universal has approached Lynch for a possible director’s cut of the film, Lynch has declined every offer and prefers not to discuss Dune in interviews.
