Timothée Chalamet! Oscar Isaac! Rebecca Ferguson! Zendaya! Jason Mamoa! Now that we have your attention, do you have a minute to talk about our prophet and messiah, Paul Muad'Dib the Kwisatz Haderach?
For August marks the 55th birthday of one of the greatest epic tales and science fiction novels of all time – DUNE! By Frank Herbert. So here’s a thread about the classic often cited as the most best-selling #scifi novel (those things on the cover are sandworms btw.. So cool)
Herbert was a reporter who’d had moderate success as a writer & wrote ‘Dune World’ inspired by a visit to Oregon's sand dunes. Serialised in Analog by editor John Campbell, it was a hit with readers who nominated it for #HugoAwards Best Novel despite not being in book form!
Despite Dune World’s success, almost 20 publishers rejected it because, size (125,000 words) or because, 'confusing &/or slow'. Until Sterling Lanier, an editor at Chilton Book Company stepped in. The only issue was, Chilton was a publisher of automotive repair manuals!
Herbert quipped that Chilton might rename his book, ‘How to Repair Your Ornithopter’ (after the transport vessels in Dune). Anyways, Dune was finally published in August 1965 as a 412-page doorstopper & Chilton promptly fired Sterling Lanier because of its publication costs.
After a slow start, Dune, with its heady melange of interstellar intrigue, warring noble houses, ecology, religion, mysticism & a sandy, spicy desert planet would go on to become a massive hit leading to Herbert writing 5 more books in the Dune saga.
Now for the really fun bits
Amongst Dune adaptations, avant-garde filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Dune is legendary for being one of the best films NEVER made! To star in it were Orson Welles, Geraldine Chaplin & even Mick Jagger & Salvador Dali. Providing the music? Pink Floyd!
The production team was just as great, with legendary French artist Jean Giraud aka Moebius doing character designs & sets.
Also part of the team was an unknown artist called H.R. Giger
Jodorowsky’s Dune never got made. For one it was to be 14 hours long!
But if it wasn’t for this spectacular failed project, our favourite sci-fi horror monster, the Alien Xenomorph creature may never have happened or looked like it does!
It was during Dune pre-production that a young scriptwriter, Dan O’Bannon met the artist H.R.Giger which would lead to O’Bannon writing ‘Jaws in space’ i.e Alien & Giger creating the greatest scary-space-horror-monster-creature.
Long story, read it here: factordaily.com/hr-giger-alien…
Giger at work along with a cool photo of him with Dan O'Bannon.
No talk of Dune would be complete without talking about Sting! Take a look at this picture of him in the role of Feyd Rautha Harkonnen (you’re welcome!) in the adaptation by Twin Peaks creator & Blue Velvet/Mulholland Drive director David Lynch
In this picture David Lynch & Frank Herbert are all happy. But the director of Dune (1984) is one Alan Smithee. Why?
Alan Smithee (also Allen Smithee) is an official pseudonym used by film directors who wish to disown a project.
Lynch so disliked the final product that he refused to get a credit for the film.
Which brings us to the latest attempt to adapt Dune for the big screen, by the Oscar-winning director of Arrival, and Blade Runner 2049, Denis Villeneuve, a two-part movie of what he describes as “Star Wars for Adults”. Expectations are high. The fan posters look awesome!
Will Denis Villeneuve’s Dune break the jinx? Will we finally have a worthy on-screen adaptation of this classic? Time will tell.
#JaiBhim
Babasaheb Ambedkar is one of the greatest thinkers ever!
The architect of the Indian Constitution was undeniably a GENIUS!
A thread 🧵celebrating this icon who said "Cultivation of the mind should be the ultimate aim of human existence"
As a member in the viceroy’s council from 1942 to 1946, Dr Ambedkar was instrumental in bringing about several labour reforms.
He changed working hours from 12 to 8 in 1942.
He also introduced DA, medical leaves & periodic revision of pay.
📸@roundtableind
Babasaheb studied for two PhDs in his career in addition to his qualification as a lawyer 🤯
His PhD dissertation in Economics at @LSEnews was titled ‘The Indian Rupee’. A few years ago, @stefeich unearthed a first edition of this work with Ambedkar’s original dedication!
Anil Kumble is one of India's greatest match winners. Today we talk about a a little known story of how a very much vegetarian Kumble ate 2 bears 🐻🐻
Setting the stage - 1995, hot and dry summer in the county championships in England. Kumble is playing for Northamptonshire. A Thread🧵
They were second in the table going to take on the first placed team Warwickshire. Warwickshire, though without Brian Lara, were defending champions and were leading the table at that time.
Few years later, Kumble would dismiss Lara looking like this.
Allan Lamb won the toss for Northamptonshire and decided to bat first. They were skittled out for 152 with only David Capel managing to get to a half century.
David Capel then proceeded to take a 7fer to restrict Warwickshire to 224. Remarkably 140 of them came from Roger Twose.
Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) was incorporated in 1953 by the Government of India as a machine tool manufacturing company.
A watch division came up in Bengaluru in 1961. A guest thread 🧵about HMT by @nandyellidli
If you suffer from #CollectibleLust, the first HMT hand-wound mechanical watch is likely the most coveted treasure among mechanical watch collectors.
Believe me, India boasts a thriving community of enthusiasts!
It is said that Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, now blamed for all the problems that ail our country, dedicated the first batch of hand-wound watches to the people of India - & this the “Janata” line of watches was born!
Maybe true, maybe false…but makes for one heck of a story!
Krishna Kumar was a huge fan of Sunil Gavaskar. When his son was born in 1985, this Dinesh Suitings ad was doing the rounds.
He decided to name his son Dinesh as a way to honour Sunil Gavaskar. Dinesh Karthik represented India over 170 times.
A thread about cricketers named after other cricketers. 👇
Sunil Gavaskar is adored all over Trinidad. When Shadeed had his first daughter, he wanted to name her Sunili. But his wife Christina put her foot down against it - they eventually named her Arima.
But when they had a son - there was no option. He was named Sunil. Sunil Narine has won 2 IPL's for KKR and a T20 world cup for West Indies.
Another West Indian from Windward Islands, Sunil Ambris was also named after Sunil Gavaskar.
Ambris has so far played 20+ times for the West Indies and was part of the 2019 world cup.
Here is the story of how the 1982 Asian Games started a temple ritual that continues to this day.
A thread 🧵
Here's some context: Thrissur, the cultural capital of Kerala, hosts the vibrant Thrissur Pooram festival annually at the Vadakkunathan Temple.
It takes place when the moon aligns with the Pooram star in the Malayalam month of Medam, typically around May.
The Pooram event in Thrissur (kerala) features a stunning spectacle of over 50 decorated elephants adorned with nettipattam (golden headdress), intricately crafted Kolam, ornate bells, and other ornaments.