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Storyboards for doomed 'Dune' film up for auction

It has entered film folklore as one of the great missed opportunities: the doomed 1970s adaptation of "Dune" that was supposed to bring together Salvador Dali, Mick Jagger and Pink Floyd.

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Storyboards for doomed Dune film up for auction

The tumultuous project was due to include surrealist Dali, Rolling Stones frontman Jagger, actor-director Orson Welles, and silver screen legend Gloria Swanson in the cast, with Pink Floyd among the bands, approached for the soundtrack.

It collapsed for lack of funding -- a story retold in the 2013 documentary "Jodorowsky's Dune".

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Storyboards for doomed Dune film up for auction

The brainchild of author Frank Herbert, "Dune" was first published in 1965 and became a six-volume space opera of massive influence, not least on "Star Wars".

Following the latter's blockbuster success, Hollywood took a renewed interest in "Dune" in the early 1980s.

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Storyboards for doomed Dune film up for auction

That led to David Lynch's version, released in 1984 with a cast including British musician Sting and Patrick Stewart of "Star Trek: Next Generation", which had its own troubles and became one of the decade's biggest flops.

Jodorowsky's storyboards have taken on mythical overtones among sci-fi fans -- said to have influenced later genre hits including "Blade Runner".

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Storyboards for doomed Dune film up for auction

"We know of several other copies: one was offered for auction several years ago, another is in Jodorowsky's possession... A third has been partially reproduced online," said Christie's.

It said around 10 to 20 copies were produced, though it was hard to be certain.