The Muslim-tinged themes turn me off these days.
The 1984 movie I thought of as interesting though, even though lots of people pan it. (Maybe because of Gordon Sumner?)
It was the Muslim/Arabic elements that led to an epiphany I had a few years ago on my third or fourth reading of Dune: "Oh lord, this is basically Lawrence of Arabia in space!"
Who was Gordon Sumner, an actor in the movie? I recall seeing it and the guy riding the giant worm with some sort of harness.