Dune References in (Un)Popular Media

[Mahdi]

Film:

Television:

- Saturday Night Live

In a skit involving George W. Bush being advized by Dick Cheney, etc, someone mentions the country Yemen.  Bush says something like "You mean Fremen."  Cheney corrects him, saying "Fremen is from the science fiction novel Dune."

- The Simpsons

The episode in which Apu moves in with the family.

Homer:  "Whats the matter Lisa?  Is the curry too spicey for you?"

Lisa: "I can see through time."

- Tiny Toons

In one episode they stand in a video store advertising the worst box office bombs of all time, dune is prominently on display.

- Star Trek

Numerous planets and stars bare the same name as places in Dune.  

- The Critic

The first was in a review of a movie, and the second one as Jay's hallucintaton in the desert of Iraq.

- Sponge Bob Square Pants

In sponge bob they are looking for worms or something their is a huge worm nearly identical to the one in lynch's film. Oh I beleive sponge bob also managed to ride it.

When they are looking for the Alaskin Bull Worm as it is called Sandy the Squirel says "wormsign" and picks up a small sign with a worm,

- Doctor Who

There's a 21st-season episode (the last episode with the Fifth Doctor, Peter Davidson) called The Caves of Androzani.  it involves a deserted, quazi-desert planet (there is no water per se, but there is boiling hot mud-tides in the underground caves) called Androzani Minor, whose cave network is the only source of a substance called Spectrox.  Spectrox, the horribly poisonous secretions of bat-like creatures, can be refined into an extremely valuable drug, which can effectively double the lifespan of a human being.

This drug is cherished by the populated world of Androzani Major, but mining of the substance is being hindered by an army of androids, led by Sharaz Jek, who was once betrayed by Morgus, the man who owns the monopoly on Spectrox mining...

- Trigun

First of all, the planet is a sand planet with nearly not water at all. Yep, but in the 22th episode there are sandworms. When they attack, one of the character shouts:

"Worms! Is this thing built on solid bedrock?"

- Hellsing

The vampire Seras Victoria is given a large shell-firing weapon called the Harkonnen cannon. Or alternatively, Hellsing ARMS Anti-Midian Cannon 'Harkonnen.' Later, she is shown with a heavier version, 'Extra Long-Range Bombardment Firearm system for Localized defensive use "Harkonnen II."' Finally, the two can be used in conjunction as a grenade launcher of sorts, launching the two 'explosive incendiary grenade for wide-area field dominance "Vladimir." I can't find any pictures to verify this, but I believe that this last addition actually has 'Vladimir Harkonnen' written on the side.

- Chuck

Main character has a Dune poster in his bedroom

One episode is called "Chuck vs The Sandworm" and has the main character and his best friend dress up as shai-hulud for Christmas.

Another episode quotes the start of the litany against fear and has the main character trying to stop a traitor doctor by knocking out a false tooth.

Music:

- Fatboy Slim "Weapon of Choice"

"...walk without rhythm and you won't attract the worm..."

- Iron Maiden "To Tame a Land"

The entire song is based on Dune.

- Blind Guardian "Traveler In Time"

The entire song is based on Dune.

- Eon "Spice", "Fear - The Mind Killer"

The songs utilize samples from Lynch's Dune

Internet:

Books:

- Star Trek: Log Eight by Alan Dean Foster

In this novel, based on the TOS cartoon episode "Eye of the Beholder", Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are searching for a missing starship crew on the planet Lactra III.  In a patch of desert, they are attacked by a large creature.  After their escape, Kirk mentions that the creature was identical to a desert beast from the planet Canopus III.

-  "Witch's Brew" by Terry Brooks

The protagonist is attacked by a creature thought up by his daughter and created by the antagonistic witch: a giant worm that his daughter remembers from from a certain book.

Video Games:

- Warcraft III

When you click on the Undead Acolyte enough times, he'll eventually say  "All I see is blackess... Oh, my hood's down".

Druid of the Claw he will say "The Sleeper has awakened."

One of the lines of the Huntressess is "I shall not fear."

- Fury of the Furies

Second level, where you play in desert. Intro screen shows little Furrie on a "sandworm", hunting a food on a fishing stick.

Also in setup you can choose a "fremen" language...

- C&C: Tiberian Sun

Map named "The Ice Must Flow"

- Jedi Academy

On a desert planet called Blenjeel, there are these worm-like "Sand Burrowers" that will kill you if you walk on the sand for too long.  Also, if you throw thermal detonators, they will destract the creatures.

- Space Quest III: The Pirates of Pestulon

One can find a postcard from Arrakis

Dying enemies say "Fear is the mind killer."

- StarCraft

On Korhal there's the giant skeleton of a sandworm, it's got that distinctive three-jawed head.

- Fallout

A drug called mentats which increases intelligence

- Lotus Esprit Turbo 3

The jingle before the "Futuristic" track is a remix of the intro of Dune the game

Other:

- July 19th 2002 Dennis Miller Live referenced a certain part of his anatomy as a "Dune worm".

- Tenacious D DVD's "In the studio" feature, you can see in the backround a whiteboard saying Dune Vs Hobbit.

First Four pages from the below thread have been combined in this post.  The plan is to combine that entire thread into this one and then sticky it.  All excerpts have been copied and pasted from that thread - none were written by me.

http://forum.dune2k.com/index.php?topic=17005.30

[MrFlibble]

- C&C: Tiberian Sun

Map named "The Ice Must Flow"

"The Ice Must Floe" ;D

I wonder why you did not list Star Wars, parts of which are just huge Dune references in themselves ;)

[Mahdi]

Because this thread is for references, not rip-offs.

[gunner154]

Music:

- Fatboy Slim "Weapon of Choice"

"...walk without rhythm and you won't attract the worm..."

- Iron Maiden "To Tame a Land"

The entire song is based on Dune.

- Blind Guardian "Traveler In Time"

The entire song is based on Dune.

- Fallout

A drug called mentats which increases intelligence

I'm pretty sure Fallout is a video game, not music ;)

[Dunenewt]

The Lady Gaga reference...

[MrFlibble]

In the game Warlords 2, there's a Giant Worm unit in some scenarios, which looks exactly like the classical depiction of the sandworm, with visible rings and the three-jawed mouth.

Also, in the Deluxe edition of the same game, the main menu randomly displays various quotes from famous philosophers about warfare and power, among which is Lord Acton's aphorism, "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely". It might be a coincidence that this is one of Frank Herbert's favourite and often-cited quotes, but, taking into account the obvious Dune reference above, it might be not.

[seaofgits]

Looking over this list I thought of something to add. Forgive if this is already up on the board elsewhere.

First is the even more overt references in the ongoing Hellsing OVA than was used in the original anime. Now, so far I've only seen the first four episodes (the only ones that are in English yet), but instead of just calling Seras Victoria's gun the Harkonnen cannon, she is actually visited by the spirit of her gun, who is obviously supposed to be Lynch's Baron Harkonnen (picture attached).

I was also going to mention the Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy references but a quick check shows someone else already pointed those out.

By the way, I'm new to this forum though I've been watching it some since I found it a while back.

[Mahdi]

This weeks episode of Chuck had Morgan quoting the litany against fear and Chuck trying to stop a traitorous doctor with  fake tooth.

[Dante]

There was some argument, I seem to recall, whether the name of Seras' gun was supposed to be translated as Harkonnen. This was back when the manga was translated I think. You do occasionally find sources that call it Hallkonnen instead, which strikes me as pretty dumb as a) the characters that visit Seras in her dreams can only be from Dune and b) she later gets a second, similar weapon called Vladimir.

Still, it's nice to see that someone else noticed that. I was positively delighted when I first saw it on the page.

[Dante]

Not actually a Dune reference at all, but I feel some people here would approve.

Part 1

Part 2

Turns out that the prequel authors are just trying to save the world by promoting clean energy! Who'd have thunk?

[arnoldo]

In G.I. Joe The Rise of Cobra there is a device which is drilled into the head of a deceased person capable of capturing thoughts/images of the deceased.  Of course there is counter defense against this via nanobots which can destroy a person's brain before any info can be processed.  T-probe and shere concept ripoff??

[arnoldo]

In the TV show Fanboy and Chum Chum there is a reference to a "Cone of Silence" which actually looks like a dome.  Also, in Heretics of Dune there is a possible reference to a star wars character  ;)

[MrFlibble]

Also, in Heretics of Dune there is a possible reference to a star wars character  ;)

Eh? What character?

[arnoldo]

Eh? What character?

C-3PO (someone else on a different forum pointed this out).

[Dunenerd]

In the Order Of The Stick (webcomic) the heroes rescue some traders from beetle monsters in the desert. One of the traders gives Belkar a box of a strange substance that produces a sensation described with a vulgar paragraph. It causes his eyes to turn blue, then a sandworm attacks them. Elan also references someone (can't remember the name) saying "Talk without rythm and you won't distract the worm.

I'll look for the links tomorrow.

Also, there is a scene in the Vicar of Dibley, during a prolonged drought where one charecter is mentioned to have spat on the table when the water ministry came to propose a solution.

[MrFlibble]

C-3PO (someone else on a different forum pointed this out).

Oh, you mean the "three P-O". Personally I find the interpretation of this as a Star Wars reference highly dubious. But who knows.

In the Order Of The Stick (webcomic) the heroes rescue some traders from beetle monsters in the desert. One of the traders gives Belkar a box of a strange substance that produces a sensation described with a vulgar paragraph. It causes his eyes to turn blue, then a sandworm attacks them. Elan also references someone (can't remember the name) saying "Talk without rythm and you won't distract the worm.

I'll look for the links tomorrow.

I'm certain either Dante or Edric have already posted the links to this issue some time before.

[arnoldo]

Pink Floyd has lots of hidden Dune references.  The following references is from Animals.

Dogs

Who was born in a house full of pain (House Atreides).

Who was trained not to spit in the fan (Fremen water conservation).

Who was told what to do by the man (Duke Leto).

Who was broken by trained personnel (BG).

Who was fitted with collar and chain (Fremen Collar).

Who was given a pat on the back (Qizarate).

Who was breaking away from the pack (hidden).

Who was only a stranger at home (hidden).

Who was ground down in the end (the preacher).

Who was found dead on the phone (hidden).

Who was dragged down by the stone (prophecy).

[arnoldo]

In "What's New, Scooby-Doo?" episode, The Fast and the Wormious, a giant sandworm is attacking off-road racers in the deep south-west.  There are also worshipers of the sandworm who call it "El Grande Gusano" and are against the off-road racers disrupting the desert environment. 

* Spoiler Alert*

If it wasn't for those meddlesome kids no one would've ever discovered the true identity of the villain!

[athanasios]

Here come some dunes of another type-and new possibilities for BH and KJA to write more stuff:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/whycassini/cassini20100729.html

[arnoldo]

In the Matrix, Neo is blinded while fighting Smith who then calls Neo a "Blind Messiah"- which may be a nod to the parallel of events in Dune Messiah. Next, Neo somehow aquires a second sight and is able to kill Smith. 

[MrFlibble]

Oh yes, I definitely thought about Dune when watching that one. I'm pretty sure it's a conscious reference - after all, the Matrix films are crammed with them oh-not-so-obvious references to various things.

[SandChigger]

OH MY GOD! That's so MIND-BLOWING! Blinded Neo is Paul in Messiah?! OH MY GOD!

arnoldo, it's amazing how good you are are finding and regurgitating the obvious. It's a gift. Yes indeed, I would most definitely describe you as "gifted."

[Vanguard3000]

SandChigger, the purpose of this thread is to find references and nods like the one Arnoldo posted. Whether you find it obvious or not really isn't that relevant.

Apparently the official forum rules have gone missing, and I may be a doddering old man by FED2K member standards, but I seem to remember there being something about flaming, trolling, and pointless posts.

[SandChigger]

Rather irrelevant as no one here seems capable of recognizing arnoldo as an uber-troll. :)

[Andrew]

Even if he is a troll as you say, he doesn't attack others and he provides sources for his discussion. Sorry, but he doesn't seem to be trolling here. Drop it.