Dune’s Baron Vladimir Harkonnen moves by floating throughout the movie – but why does he do this, and is this the same as in the books?
While watching Dune, it is hard not to notice that Baron Vladimir Harkonnen mainly gets around by floating – but why does Baron Harkonnen float? Portrayed by Stellan Skarsgård, Baron Harkonnen is the corrupt and brutal villain of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, who was at one time tasked by Dune‘s Padishah Emperor to rule over Arrakis. Like his book counterpart, this version of the Baron is the rotund ruler of House Harkonnen.
When Baron Harkonnen was younger, he had a much different frame. While the Expanded Dune Universe explains the Baron’s weight as the result of a disease, the main canon – and the Baron himself in dialogue – suggest that years of gluttony and greed have morphed the villain into the man he is portrayed in the film. His ever-increasing size creates major mobility problems and eventually leaves him unable to walk, forcing him to rely on technology just to move.
How and why does Baron Harkonnen float in Dune? Unable to support his own weight, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen has employed the use of suspensor belts that nullify gravity. The movie never reveals the Baron’s exact weight. However, one clue exists in the first book in Frank Herbert’s Dune series. As Herbert writes, “He might weigh two hundred Standard kilos in actuality, but his feet would carry no more than fifty of them.” suggesting the Baron weighs a minimum of this amount – which converts to about four hundred and forty pounds of weight.
Does Baron Harkonnen Float In The Book?
In the books, Baron Harkonnen does not float. It’s mentioned that he uses suspensors, but it’s confirmed at least twice that he walks. There is one mention of the Baron’s legs only having to carry fifty kilos of weight, and in an early scene, there is a description of his bouncing gait, which of course would not be possible if he floated. If this is the case, then why does Baron Harkonnen float in Villeneuve’s Dune? Notably, the Baron does float in both Alejandro Jodorowsky and David Lynch’s adaptation of Dune, which means that Villeneuve’s Baron is more of a nod to these earlier cinematic works rather than the original Dune text.
Brought to life by Stellan Skarsgård, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen is a fascinating character. While Baron Vladimir’s ability to float in movies might differ from the source material, it is clear that the origin of the ability is the Baron’s suspensors. These gravity-defying devices allow him to move about as he wishes, committing extreme and terrifying acts of brutality as he goes. The Baron might weigh upwards of 200 kilos, but with the use of suspensors, he is able to wreak havoc on the planet of Arrakis both before and after Dune by scheming with the Emperor. Why does Baron Harkonnen float? Ultimately, it’s intended as a show of the infinite wealth yielded by the planet Arrakis and how it corrupted the Baron to the point that he’s only truly concerned with fulfilling his all-consuming desires.
Why Does Baron Harkonnen Bathe In Oil?
The imagery of the Baron bathing in oil was also perplexing, given that it’s not in the book, but there’s an explanation of sorts. This substance is actually a healing mud bath, which according to Villeneuve was inspired by a dream in which Baron Harkonnen emerges from underneath oily liquid like a hippopotamus. According to Skarsgård, the actor was too afraid to ask what the liquid actually was, though he knows that the sticky emulsion is composed of water, oil, slime, and black coloring. Ultimately, the real reason why the Baron bathes in oil is similar to the grounds for his floating – these visual cues make it crystal clear that the Baron is a dangerous and all-consuming predator. The Dune Baron’s spider pet performs much the same function. Without the narrative space to adapt every single word from the first book, Villeneuve instead relies on these symbols to hint at the complex characters and world that have allowed Herbert to create one of the most important science fiction sagas in history. Moreover, after the Baron was poisoned by gas from the Duke’s tooth, the healing mud bath might reappear in the upcoming Dune: Part Two.
- Dune 2 (2023)Release date: Oct 20, 2023
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