A Masterpiece in Disarray - by Max Evry (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Following his underground hit Eraserhead and critically acclaimed The Elephant Man, visionary filmmaker David Lynch set his sights on bringing Frank Herbert's beloved sci-fi novel Dune to the screen. The project had already vexed directors such as Alejandro Jodorowsky (El Topo) and Ridley Scott (Alien). But by the early '80s Universal Pictures was prepared to give Lynch the keys to the kingdom - and the highest budget in the studio's history at the time - so that he could lend his surrealistic chops to this sprawling story of feuding space dynasties. As the hot young filmmaker commanded a cast with 42 major speaking parts as well as a crew of 1,700 (plus over 20,000 extras) on 80 sets built on 8 sound stages in Mexico, what happened next became as wild, complex, and full of intrigue as Herbert's novel itself. Film writer Max Evry goes behind the erratic ride of David Lynch's Dune like never before, with a years-in-the-making oral history culled from a lineup of new interviews with the film's stars (Kyle MacLachlan, Sean Young, Virginia Madsen, etc.), creatives, film executives, and insiders - not to mention Lynch himself. David Lynch's Dune initially left many filmgoers and reviewers scratching their heads, most dismissing the film upon its initial release. However, four decades and a big-budget remake later, Lynch's Dune is finally poised to find its rightful place alongside the director's other masterpieces such as Blue Velvet and Mullholland Drive. Max Evry's A Masterpiece in Disarray takes you back to 1984 with the deepest dive yet into the cult classic that is David Lynch's Dune"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

Limited edition containing foil-gilded page edges and a black satin ribbon marker. The FIRST PRINTING has RED gilding, and the SECOND PRINTING has BLUE.

As featured in Pitchfork, Empire, MovieMaker, Nerdist, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, The A.V. Club, Mashable, Wired, Yahoo's "It List," IGN, SFX, The Wrap, Gizmodo and more!

"I see many things. I see plans within plans."

Following his underground hit Eraserhead and critically acclaimed The Elephant Man, visionary filmmaker David Lynch set his sights on bringing Frank Herbert's beloved sci-fi novel Dune to the screen. The project had already vexed directors such as Alejandro Jodorowsky (El Topo) and Ridley Scott (Alien). But by the early '80s Universal Pictures was prepared to give Lynch the keys to the kingdom - and the highest budget in the studio's history at the time - so that he could lend his surrealistic chops to this sprawling story of feuding space dynasties. They would also hopefully be creating a "Star Wars for adults" franchise-starter.

As the hot young filmmaker commanded a cast with 42 major speaking parts as well as a crew of 1,700 (plus over 20,000 extras) on 80 sets built on 8 sound stages in Mexico, what happened next became as wild, complex, and full of intrigue as Herbert's novel itself.

Film writer Max Evry goes behind the erratic ride of David Lynch's Dune like never before, with a years-in-the-making oral history culled from a lineup of new interviews with the film's stars (Kyle MacLachlan, Sean Young, Virginia Madsen, etc.), creatives, film executives, and insiders - not to mention Lynch himself.

David Lynch's Dune initially left many filmgoers and reviewers scratching their heads, most dismissing the film upon its release. However, four decades and a big-budget remake later, Lynch's Dune is finally poised to find its rightful place alongside the director's other masterpieces such as Blue Velvet and Mullholland Drive.

Max Evry's A Masterpiece in Disarray takes you back to 1984 with the deepest dive yet into the cult classic that is David Lynch's Dune.

Review Quotes

"A treasure trove for Dune and David Lynch aficionados. Author Max Evry spoke with dozens of actors and production personnel, and their conversations cover every possible aspect of the creative process, leaving no sandworm unturned." - Library Journal (starred review)

"Max Evry's A Masterpiece in Disarray: David Lynch's Dune spills the spice from this cult fave." - Mashable

"The definitive guide to David Lynch's Dune movie, with a wealth of new interviews." - DuneNewsNet

"Making-of books are often not much more than glorified press notes, studio-sanctioned marketing beats that don't come close to telling the real story of what happened behind the scenes. But every once in a while, a no-holds-barred account still surfaces. And that's where the new book about David Lynch's Dune comes in, which at 560 pages seemingly has the scoop on everything that went into making the infamous sci-fi spectacle." - IGN

"Five stars. This hefty volume looks at the film in granular detail... It's hard to imagine a more definitive examination of such a singular and strange film." - SFX

"The (fittingly behemothian) oral history of David Lynch's doomed 1984 Dune. It's hugely enjoyable to sift through the sands of this comprehensive chronicle. 4/4 stars." - Empire

"This is a book to be cherished, and one that is likely the definitive account of the making of a poorly-treated film." - The Film Stage

"A Masterpiece in Disarray is the comprehensive account of David Lynch's Dune. Max Evry's expansive oral history captures the film's chaotic production with commentary from key talent. Through their stories and the author's own appreciation for the film's quirks and eccentricities, Disarray makes the case for why we shouldn't fear 1984's Dune. After all, fear is the mind-killer." - Yahoo

"For aspiring filmmakers and casual fans alike, it's a fascinating look at the chaos that often goes hand in hand with creative genius." - The A.V. Club

"Disarray is an accounting of one of the wildest boondoggles ever committed to celluloid. The finished product was a legendary mess of a picture that threatened to undermine the director's career before it had achieved liftoff, but the behind-the-camera story is a pleasure to follow: Mr. Evry delivers the spoiled goods with aplomb." - The Wall Street Journal

"There are a slew of great new books about movies and television this fall, but there might not be a better looking book (or a more comprehensive one) than A Masterpiece in Disarray. This 560-page epic explores the creation of Lynch's Dune from innumerable angles; it's hard to imagine any fan wanting more than is contained in this very handsome hardcover." - Screen Crush

"Wonderfully detailed...extensive new interviews with principals and players, stuffed to the gills with facts and figures and tasty gossip." - Kurt Loder (MTV, Rolling Stone)

"From the quality and quantity of interviews to organization and montage-style curation, A Masterpiece in Disarray is a model for oral history accounts of filmmaking." - Mise-en-Scène: The Journal of Film and Visual Narration

Gift Guide Mentions: The Wall Street Journal, The Hollywood Reporter, The A.V Club, Gizmodo, /Film, The Film Stage, Screen Crush.

About the Author

Max Evry has been a film journalist since 2005, serving at various times as a writer, interviewer, graphic designer, podcaster, video creator, features editor and managing editor. Past media outlets have included Wired, MTV, /Film, and Fangoria. For home video companies Arrow, Kino Lorber, Indicator, and ViaVision he has provided audio commentaries as well as featurettes for classic and contemporary films including Flatliners, Blackhat, and best picture Oscar winner Marty.

Currently he resides in Brooklyn, New York with his wife, two daughters, and a pile of truly marvelous unsold screenplays. This is his first book.