Why House Atreides Has A Pug In David Lynch's Dune (But Not Villeneuve's)
David Lynch's Dune was released in 1984 and had the inclusion of a pug in various scenes as the loyal pet of house Atreides, sparking an inquiry among fans and critics alike. This earlier adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel was a box office flop, getting a mixed reception from fans and detested by many critics upon its release. Much of the criticism was targeted at how David Lynch's movie compared to the book. Despite its early performance, the film has since become a cult classic, and the mystery behind the inclusion of a pug continues to be a point of discussion decades later, especially after Denis Villeneuve's Dune left out the pet.
The story of Dune takes place thousands of years in the future, following Paul Atreides and his noble family from their home planet of Caladan to the desert planet Arrakis. The plot itself is a struggle between various factions to obtain control over a drug-like commodity known as «spice» that is essential for space travel and is exclusive to Arrakis. The expansive worldbuilding in the novels lends to the possibility of many Dune sequels and has since made the novel series highly regarded in the genre. From the throne room on Caladan to battle with the Harkonnen and Sardaukar and finally the showdown between Paul and Feyd-Ratha, the small dog makes several appearances. Both the novels and Villeneuve’s adaptation are pug-free which has heightened the mystery behind Lynch’s choice as it does seem rather odd.
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The most common explanation for the pug's inclusion in a Lynch’s Dune is a nod by the director to the European renaissance period. There are a few animal motifs used in the film that have metaphorical significance to the characters and
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