Messages from the deep: A reception study of Denis Villeneuve's Dune

Abstract

This essay uses Pierre Bourdieus habitus, symbolic capital, Social fields, Stuart Halls representation theory and Encoding/Decoding system, as well as Henry Jenkins concept of convergence culture and media convergence, to conduct a reception study of Denis Villeneuves 2021 adaption of the science fiction movie Dune. The material collected for the reception study is collected in the form of reviews and features from experts in cinema, juxtaposed against material collected from YouTube in the form of reviews, reaction videos and video essays from social groups sectioned around cinephiles and science fiction fandom. In the reaction-video format, amateur viewers with a personal interest in cinema, but without strong affiliation to large collectives in cinema, is also included. As the material is presented, this essay seeks to map out the distinguishing attributes of a multi-platform discourse where critics and audience meet, as well as tracing what strategies that are put to use in its interpretive practices. The conclusion confirms previous knowledge about the dissimilar and shattered character of the discourse, where social fields never meet, and the struggle for meaning and power with other fields rarely occurs. The speed at which professional criticism is produce have consequences that trickle down through the converging media. There is a lack of negotiated modes in longer format from film experts. Comparative approaches in film criticism has consequences for an already disparate discourse. The consequence of this is that viewers interested in talking about the movie must seek out fandom to conduct a holistic discourse about the movie. But, fandoms are governed by struggles of power and meaning of their own, which hurts some groups more than others – such as women that tend to be silenced in a lot of science fiction discourse. There is a didactic mode to the discourse on YouTube, reaction videos, especially if held between several people cooperating and talking through their interpretation, is an example of that.