10 Great Films That Lost Money On Ambitious Sets

Dune had experienced several false starts, beginning in 1971. Its first producer passed suddenly, and then a few years later it was again picked up, slated to be directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky. After a few more hiccups, David Lynch was recruited to create the film at last. His final cut was three hours long, and the producers took rein and pared it down, also adding new footage. Though today the film has a cult following, it was not well received, and Lynch has disowned it, saying he was divested of artistic control.

Gene Siskel even criticized the film for having cheap special effects and an ugly appearance. Dune, however, remains for many fans an achievement of composite scenery and special effects, in the vein of Star Wars and 2001: A Space Odyssey. After all, although Lynch was still a very new director, he'd just been offered directorship of Return of the Jedi around the same time.

Matte backdrops may at times be obvious, as well as soundstage sets, replete with artificial water and weather, but that doesn't mean the results are unattractive, albeit often monochrome and bleak. The visual crew created miniature ships and architecture, as well as full scale models, and many in-between--cityscapes 8 or 10 meters high.

Dune actually was number two in the box office its release week, but it just never made enough back in the long run.