I did see the film first, so that probably helps. However I really don't see the movie as being so utterly massively wrong. Probably because the first time I saw Dune I saw the 3.5 hour long Alan Smithee version, which included all the fricking cool stuff. From reducing bodies for their water to drowning little sandworms to make the water of life it was a sci-fi delight. I've seen that version available on DVD, though only in TV standard aspect since that's what it was cut for. I might get it anyway and then hack my disc player so I can watch it even though it is region 2.

Lynch totally changed things with the whole army based on a new technique thing, but on the other hand it looks very strange to have massive battles of nothing but knife fighting because of shields. But aside from that and the rain at the end everything else had the right feel, the right look, and the right attitude for the Imperium at the time of Shaddam IV.

That's why I didn't like the Sci-Fi version at all. It had the feel of a high school play. It felt like no one there really believed in what they were doing. They got lines literally right but none of the force of personality or spirit behind the lines.

So I feel like while Lynch's Dune works as a movie and not very well as an adaptation, the Sci-Fi Channel's doesn't work as either.