David Lynch's "Dune" was mostly seen as a misstep for the celebrated director back in 1984. As we gear up for the bleak blockbuster that is Denis Villeneuve's "Dune: Part Two," Lynch's "Dune" now occupies an unusual space in the public consciousness — somewhere between cult classic and historic blunder. There are undoubtedly plenty of things wrong with "Dune" 1984, and the film suffered a brutal critical and commercial reception. But forty years after Lynch's $40 million spectacle bombed at the box office, some have come to see the films' positives, arguing that "Dune" 1984 is better than its reputation suggests.

Which, as it happens, is a perfectly reasonable point of view. Aside from the impressive set and costume design, "Dune" actually featured some pretty good visual effects for the time. What's more, the casting was excellent. Lynch may have ruthlessly denied Glenn Close for a part in "Dune," but luckily for him,...