Customer Reviews

The Dark Crystal

5 star:		(135)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

As my first "Superbit" title, this is a disappointment. As the description states, the film is scratched (not an issue with the transfer, but still diminishes the film). The high-rate of encoding did not improve the video - in fact I found it dark and murky.

The biggest disappointment is with the audio, which has inconsistant volume in standard stereo - bass and score drown out voices in loud scenes, which are also muted compared to quiet scenes. This requires periodic master volume adjustments.

In all, not worth the cost. I admit I've not seen the "Special Edition" DVD. If it's worse than this, buy it on VHS.

I admit to being scared out of my wits by the Skeksis and the Garthim when I was little (reptiles combined with vultures and spiders combined with crabs are still terrifying to me), but I've come to really cherish this Tolkien-esque/ Froudian film. The gentle, nurturing Mystics, and cute little dog/ dust ball Fizzgig are among my favorite characters. The Podlings are simply adorable... the Gelflings are finely- featured and beautiful(Jen is very ponderous, if somewhat passive... Kira shows just how women can be, and are, just as strong as men!)... the Landstriders (which gracefully manage to combine the aspects of cats, moths, giraffes, camels, bats, rabbits, and who knows what else, into such beautiful creatures) are swift, courageous animals, and are very dear to me (for some odd reason). Possibly because I love animals(and I just have a thing for the underdog/unsung hero.) And there's the gentle Nebrie and many other creatures.

It's incredible to me that they were able to do this whole film without human actors! I seriously thought when I first saw it that they were real, flesh-and-blood creatures! Jim, Frank, Brian, and the rest of the crew really put their time and effort into making this film! Their hard work really paid off; the facial expressions and movements are impeccable! And the scenery is unbelievably lush, beautiful, and realistic. All of it looks so natural and earthy. It is as if they actually had real-live creatures acting, in my eyes... and they fact that they took the time to make up all of the history beind this story! That's just amazing!... and I could not get enough of "The Making of The Dark Crystal". How they all managed to sculpt, design, and perform these characters is mind-blowing for me, since I'm far from an artist like this crew. No matter...

This film, while impressive, is not for all people; there is a sizable mortality rate in this film that (the little ones) are likely to find very disturbing, including several struggles (Screaming Podlings being snatched up to be converted into slaves, Nebries being served to the Skeksis for dinner, and two Landstriders squealing as they fall to their deaths in a cliffside battle with the Garthim... I can't bear to watch (or hear) animals being harmed, and especially animals as gentle and benevolent as they are. Was showing these things really necessary?)

Apart from little things here and there, it is truely quite an accomplishment, if not earth-shattering, to watch!

Directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz. This was a masterpiece delivered by Henson's Creature Shop. Visually brilliant. Musically brilliant. The story is also genius. Big feelings in a surreal fantasy world. For adults or the kids (some dark profanity IS NOT suitable for younger children.) Made of puppets and artifical landscapes. If you liked the Lord of the Rings films, you'll love this rare gem. It's like getting lost in a dream, and you won't want to leave.

No words can describe this flawless and brilliant fantasy classic from Jim Henson. The Story deals with a Elf-like being called a Gelfling who's called " Jen" and must return a Crystal Shard back to the castle of the Dark Crystal before the Vulture-like Monsters called " Skeckis" take over the world and the universe. Entertaining, breathtaking and stunning movie that is one of those that changed my life forever. The Disk here is sharp, clear and meant to be in Widescreen with extras that you fans of Dark Crystal can own.

Recommendations: Labyrinth, The Last Unicorn, The Hobbit, The Fifth Element, The Matrix, Return to Oz, Willow, Total Recall, Stargate, Dune, Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2, Army of Darkness, Heavy Metal and Highlander.

Jim Henson's wizardry of the puppetry craft has certainly become the stuff of legend, mostly due to the rip roaring success of the Muppets. However, at the latter half of the 1970s, Henson and his team set out to bridge the gap between simplistic puppets and seemingly living, breathing creatures. The result was "The Dark Crystal," an absolute landmark of puppetry. Together with Frank Oz, Henson set about constructing lifelike beings which would be controlled by a single person, or multiple crew members for larger creatures. A strong emphasis was placed on facial articulation and eye movements to craft a sense of life and comprehension in each character. Together with Brian Froud's astounding art direction, Henson had certainly created a stir within the fantasy world.

The film takes place in "another world, another time, in the age of wonder," which later became known as the planet Thra in a galaxy containing three suns. A thousand years prior, the near-omnipotent UrSkeks fought amongst themselves and shattered the Crystal of Truth, a powerful device which holds the key to their power. In that moment of fracture, the UrSkeks split apart and their life energy formed two distinct races, each based on the good and evil sides of their personalities. The gentle UrRu, or "Mystics" as they are commonly known, have remained passive and docile for a thousand years, while the vicious Skeksis have seized power and used their evil magics to craft a reign of terror over the world of Thra. A great prophecy once foretold the downfall of the Skeksis and a return of balance and peace in the land by the hand of a Gelfling, prompting the Skeksis to launch a genocidal campaign against the entire race. Now, only the young Jen remains to fulfill the prophecy. Orphaned and raised by the Mystics themselves, Jen soon learns that he must undertake a quest to find the missing Shard of the Crystal which is the only thing that can restore it to former glory. Elsewhere, the Emperor of the Skeksis also lies dying due to being interconnected with his Mystic counterpart. A power vacuum quickly ensues among the Skeksis, forcing SkekSil the Chamberlain and SkekUng the General to contest the right to become Emperor. SkekSil loses and is banished from the castle after being stripped of his rich garments and jewels, but soon he learns that the Dark Crystal has become aware of Jen's presence. The Skeksis quickly panic and send forth their fearsome Garthim warriors to scour the land and destroy Jen before he can fulfill the prophecy. Meanwhile, the Chamberlain secretly follows the Garthim to effect a plan to get himself back into the new Emperor's good graces. After locating the wise old crone Aughra, Jen finds the missing Shard of the Crystal, but is quickly separated from her during a Garthim attack. As the Chamberlain menacingly stalks Jen from the shadows, Jen soon comes along another Gelfling, a female, in a nearby swamp. The two share memories via "dreamfast" which is caused by physical contact, and they set out together to heal the Dark Crystal and restore it to its rightful form: the Crystal of Truth.

In many ways, "The Dark Crystal" is immensely groundbreaking, and not simply for its fantastic use of special effects and puppetry. The world of Thra is incredibly articulated, and includes no less than four separate cultures with their own distinct architecture and visual history. It's a testament to the sheer might of the human imagination, while also reinforcing a trademark visual style that seemed to define the fantasy genre of the early 1980s. Most of this can be credited to Brian Froud's wonderfully organic character designs which put him in a league entirely of his own, but Henson's team was responsible for making it all happen. Obviously, the main focus is on the incredible puppets used in the film. There are only a few times when obvious puppetry techniques are used. The effects crew relied largely on simple cables and rods to facilitate the necessary movements, while joysticks were used by hidden crew members to articulate eye and facial movements. The Skeksis were each controlled by several people at one time, which, given the incredible nature of their delivery makes it seem like a miracle. The behind-the-scenes documentary included on the disc is a fascinating watch for anyone who truly wants to see the painstaking labor involved in making these characters seem real. Set designs are absolutely glorious. Credit must be given to whoever was in charge of the lighting, for it is used to maximum effect. I dare say the film wouldn't have had the same impact without it. Dark corridors are lit ominously to create a sense of fear, while outside venues are bright and natural. Even the riverboat scene showing Jen playing his flute while Kira sings is lit so dramatically by 1980s standards that it deserves praise. If Henson initially set out to create a sense of realism, then he succeeded by crafting a totally believable world at the same time.

It is very difficult to classify the film as a children's movie. I would not let any child under 6 watch it unless I was sure they could handle the powerful imagery. The world which is presented to the viewer is a cold, dark and foreboding one. There is a constant sense of darkness and dread from the very first scene, which is reinforced by use of very creepy music in some parts. The Skeksis themselves are bone-chilling to young eyes, resembling twisted, gnarled and disfigured birds of prey mixed with reptile. Brian Froud always begins every character design with the eye, which he believes is the focal point, and he is right. The Skeksis are menacing to look at, resembling something straight out of a child's nightmare. Scenes where the Chamberlain stalks Jen through the outside world can be extremely intense and frightening for unprepared children, especially those fed a diet of non-threatening, cute and cuddly characters. These creatures are the direct opposite. The Garthim warriors are equally fierce, and especially creepy, resembling gigantic bipedal crabs with glistening purple eyes that move in the darkness until their mammoth forms are revealed. One particular scene involving a Garthim attack on a village of small Podlings is very unsettling, as are the experiments inflicted on them within the Skeksis castle. One scene shows a small Podling strapped helpless into a chair and forced to stare into the beam of the Dark Crystal, which immediately begins sucking the very life out of the creature and draining its life essence into a liquid form that drips into a bottle, leaving the Podling a burnt-out, traumatized husk. I don't exactly know what Jim Henson was thinking when he created this film, but it's certain he was making it for a slightly older audience that didn't necessarily comprise the lower age bracket.

Be that as it may, "The Dark Crystal" is an exercise in imagination, determination, craft and integrity. It's visceral, dark and nihilistic, but it is also beautiful in many ways, from the simplest of decorations to the most outlandish of creatures. Unfortunately, the movie has been relegated to cult status, but if you were a child growing up in the 1980s, you know doubt witnessed the sheer awe and wonder of this wholly unique world. Nothing has since come close in silver screen form. Nothing.

I can remember watching the original movie...wwaayy back when..(yes I'm dating myself) and loving it then, the kids enjoyed it as well but were also terrified of some of the weird creatures that were in the movie. When i saw it was available on DVD i had to purchase it and watched it immediately when it came. Even made the youngest watch it with me (now a grown young man),, he sort of remembered the story but he sure remembered the creatures again but his favourite was the gelfins....Amazing viewing and was way ahead of his time!

Only saw the Blu-ray version

The story is of a myth being fulfilled in a strange but seemingly familiar land. A land that was split asunder with the shattering of a great crystal. The reason for this is revealed in time. However we are concerned with a Gelffling that was charged with either healing the world or letting it live in evil for all time.

This is a classic movie that can almost be placed in the cult class. I have watched several media versions and can say this is one film that is actually enhanced by the Blu-ray treatment. True the acting is the same and the story is the same. But the visuals and music, which are equal partners with the rest of the characters, are more intense.

Watching the Blu-ray extras, the voice over by conceptual designer Brian Froud, who also did the voice over for "Labyrinth", we find that the title of this film might have been "Dark Chrysalis" as it is a movie about change.

Take hart that they did not place a lot of coming attractions at the front of the DVD and that the Blu-ray extras sill do not get in the way of the film as some do.

Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth
Labyrinth (Anniversary Edition)
Jim Henson's the Storyteller - The Definitive Collection
Jim Henson's Fantasy Film Collection - (Labyrinth / MirrorMask / The Dark Crystal)

It was a favorite when I was a child and today it is no different. The quality is amazing and I will defiantly keep it forever.

This is another retro-review featuring movies/DVDs that have been out for quite some time but I have never critiqued.This one I recently revisited for the first time since its' first release in theatres back in /82;and gladly it has not lost any of its'power to fascinate.
Inspired by fantasy characters from the works of Brian Stroud,Henson came up with a plot which involves the Crystal of Truth.The Urskeks were once the guardians of this huge crystal but cracked it,thus splitting their race into the gentle Mystics and the evil Skeksis(symbolic of the evil/good in all creatures).
The Skeksis are large,ugly bird like creatures who rely on the power of the now Dark Crystal to dominate their world.However prophecies fortell of a Gelfling who is to recover the broken shard from the broken Crystal of Truth and restore the Urskeks race.The Skeksis try to make sure this never happens,but fate is in motion and a Gelfling by the name of Jen is the chosen one.Along his journey he meets another Gelfling(elf-eared creatures),called Kira.The knowledge of one compliments the other and together they journey back to the Dark Crystal and restore the shard and the Urskek race.
A totally engaging and imaginative tale,The Dark Crystal was a perfect vehicle in which Henson would display his numerous talents as a puppeteer.As the founding father of the Muppets,he and his close collaborator Frank Oz created a unique world here and the myriad of creatures brought to life on screen,big and small,is astounding.For instance,watch the scene where Jen is sitting in the swamp.As the camera pans left to right watch for all the critters that emphasize just how alive the swamp really is.And little touches like Kira's dog when it barks/whines when it fears it's getting left behind;very visible are its' tonsils.The details make the film that much more enjoyable,and Henson was a stickler for details.
The picture was produced with the minimum of computer help.While his Labyrinth was mostly humans,humans in costume and muppets,The Dark Crystal features mostly men in costumes and muppets,no humans.It was quite an undertaking but Henson pulled it off brilliantly.Henson left us too soon and it makes you wonder just how much he would have been able to accomplish with today's technology had he survived.
As an aside I do not know if this is the original print of the movie.I seem to recall that some creatures spoke their own language and it was subtitled.I recall that that slowed the pace of the movie somewhat but this print actually enhances it without it so,unusually,I'm not complaining.Although it would be nice to have the original print and this one to compare them.
Technically the back jacket on this particluar release(2005) says it has been mastered in Hi-Def but the print,while clear,still shows a little too much dirt specs.A recent remastered release is much better picture wise but it lacks all the special features existing on this release.Those include a documentary on the films making,deleted funeral scenes,original language work print scenes,drawings and profiles and the original trailer.Maybe one day they will release all of these features on one disc.
For now however this film/DVD is certainly a keeper.This wonderful film will amuse and facinate both the young and young at heart.While we have relatively little of puppet master Henson's works on celluloid,there is much to savour in every one of his works and The Dark Crystal is no exception.

Whenever you think of Jim Henson's Muppets, the fuzzy kooky variety shows and entertaining adventures of Miss Piggy, Gonzo and Kermit the Frog come to mind.

But these versatile puppets have been used for far more dramatic effects in "The Dark Crystal," an exquisite little fantasy story that happens to be entirely populated by puppets. Not a live person in sight, from start to finish. Henson and Brian Froud conjured up a gloriously detailed world -- full of fantastical flora and fauna, crystalline castles and strange creatures -- and wrapped it around a solid coming-of-age story.

On another world, there are two strange races that appeared one thouysand years ago -- the enormous, gentle, peaceful Mystics, and the nasty, vulture-like, vicious Skekses who ruin the surrounding lands. Both races are somehow connected to a massive crystal that was broken a thousand years ago, and now a shard is missing from it. What's more, three suns are about to come into conjunction, and the shard has to be back in place when that happens.

The Mystics have cared for one of the last Gelflings, an orphan named Jen whom they rescued from the insectile Garthim. As the conjunction approaches, they send him out to find the lost shard. Along the way, Jen gains the crystal shard for himself, and meets the only other living Gelfling, Kira. Now they must both evade the Skekses' Garthim henchmen and bat-winged spies, and somehow infiltrate their castle. But what will happen when the suns line up, and the crystal is completed?

Many fantasy movies slap together a story that has been told many times before, but increasingly without interest -- throw in swords, some monsters, a brave prince or farm boy, and some evil witch/queen/wizard/Dark Lord. But fortunately nothing is so simple in "The Dark Crystal" -- although the origins of the Skekses and Mystics are pretty obvious from the very start of the movie, the journey along with Jen is what really makes this interesting.

Instead of some pan-medieval land, "The Dark Crystal" aims at portraying a truly alien world, and Brian Froud's slightly weird designs make it seem so -- strange swamp reptiles, colorful anemones, vast crystalline castles, desiccated vulture-like creature, shrieking fuzzballs, and gorgeous forests full of strange plants and animals that tend to move and act in unique ways. "The Dark Crystal" leaves you feeling like you've been transported to some other planet.

Additionally, this film also has the honor of being the first major movie to entirely star puppets, with nary a human being in sight -- some of those puppets still walk in a herky-jerky Muppet manner, but their design is utterly detailed and believable, from Jen's sort-of-human, fawnlike features to the vast four-armed Mystics, and the rattling armored Garthim soldiers. And the special effects end up being pretty spectacular, especially during the chaotic literally earthshattering climax -- while the finale is rather predictable, it is no less awe-inspiring for that.

At times it feels like the characterization gets a backseat to the movie's visuals, but Jen and fellow Gelfling orphan Kira are fairly likable, naive young heroes who develop a cute little romance throughout the story. The various Skekses are given individual quirks and personalities (such as the annoying Chamberlain who won't stop humming). Not to mention the abrasive, lumpy witch Aughra, who's an absolute riot ("Whole world might burn up... hmph... end of Augra!") and Kira's toothy fuzzball Fizzgig.

"The Dark Crystal" has some predictable plot twists, but it is also a glorious visual feast and a coming-of-age journey with the Gelflings, leading to a finale both awe-inspiring and bittersweet. Definitely a must-see.