MovieChat Forums > Dune (1984) Discussion > Red around the mouth?

Red around the mouth?

posted 10 years ago by jadavix
7 replies | jump to latest

Why did some of the characters, like the one played by Brad Dourif, have red around the mouth?

And why was the bad guy's face covered with sores, and why was he getting injections into his face when we first see him?

Thank you

[–] Fluke_Skywalker 10 years ago

Why did some of the characters, like the one played by Brad Dourif, have red around the mouth?

That's from the Sapho juice we see him drink when he's introduced "It is by the juice of Sapho that thoughts acquire speed, the lips acquire stains, stains become a warning. It is by will alone I set my mind in motion.".

Sahpo juice is used by Mentats ("Human Computers") to boost their abilities. You'll notice those same stains on the lips of Thufir Hawat.

And why was the bad guy's face covered with sores, and why was he getting injections into his face when we first see him?

That's a David Lynch thing, and not from the book. I think it's just meant to be a physical manifestation of the Baron's grotesque nature.

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A journey into the realm of the obscure: http://saturdayshowcase.blogspot.com/

[–] jadavix 10 years ago

Thanks

[–] mrdoctor524 10 years ago

Herpes. They like to sleep around with women who like to sleep around.

[–] Fluke_Skywalker 9 years ago

They like to sleep around with women who like to sleep around.

Well, not the Baron...

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A journey into the realm of the obscure: http://saturdayshowcase.blogspot.com/

[–] fmvd2000 9 years ago

We don't get details but some how the Bene Geserts got to the Baron as Lady Jessica is his daughter. And in Dune the Baron hooks up once with a disguised Bene Geseret (to get an offspring to restart the program) with boy short hair who reminds the Baron of a young boy after he had been ogling a slave who reminded him of Paul

[–] captkirk_4 9 years ago

Why did some of the characters, like the one played by Brad Dourif, have red around the mouth?

The drug he drinks to speed his brain creates strong stains on your skin. Probably inspired by how strongly dark red wine stains your lips and mouth after drinking it.

And why was the bad guy's face covered with sores, and why was he getting injections into his face when we first see him?

Lynch is a gross person and don't forget this was filmed at a time when homosexuals were all suddenly finding themselves covered in purple spots. Surely this is Lynch's disturbing stab at giving the gay Baron "space aids."

[–] MaximusGrandimus 8 years ago

Lynch is a gross person...this is Lynch's disturbing stab at giving the gay Baron "space aids."

Your intimations of David Lynch's inner working are sorely overstated. If you have ever seen The Straight Story or Twin Peaks you will understand that he doesn't do gross things for the sake of it being gross, and neither does the fact that his artistic inspiration sometimes includes gross subject matter necessarily mean that he is a gross man in private life. By all accounts from those who work with him (and given the fact that just about EVERY person who worked on Twin Peaks jumped on the chance to be in the revival) he is a wonderful, caring, warm man who occasionally has weird and yes, even disgusting thoughts. Just because he puts some of those disgusting thoughts on film does not mean he is a "gross" person.

And as for the allusion of the Baron's sores to "space AIDS," wow! Where the heck does that even come from. I would say YOU are the gross person for jumping to that conclusion.

I don't know if you're aware of this but I've already changed things. I killed Ben Linus.
--Sayid