or so before giving up - I should have known though. The best aspect, the Skeksis, Augra, the puppetry, their designs and the world they inhabit are so incredible they make the film worth investing 90 minutes into.I've seen THE DARK CRYSTAL several times over the last thirty years or so (wow, am I really that old?) but it has been several years since my last viewing I pulled out my trusty old VHS copy that had been recorded from HBO in about 1984, hoping to interest my son in something from my childhood, and was amazed at the terrible sound and picture quality - we could only watch about 30 min. The worst aspects of the Dark Crystal are average and acceptable. Jen isn’t a terrible hero, but he’s not particularly exciting. The story told in the Dark Crystal isn’t bad, it’s unoriginal. Like many secondary characters she lingers in your mind long after the film is over…but this one won’t haunt your dreams. You want to see more of her, but perhaps wisely don’t get it. When talking about the catalyst for change that Jen must time his actions with she says “the great conjunction is the end of the world! Or the beginning. You want shard? Here!” Aughra throws the quest item Jen seeks at him, rather than engaging in a lengthy and convoluted dialogue that typifies fantasy storytelling. “Question, questions, too many questions. Her response is “Could be anywhere then.” Aughra is the Yoda of Dark Crystal She asks Jen where the leader of the Mystics is, and he replies dead. She has perhaps the best line in the whole film. She’s hardly in the film, but her design and sarcastic but caring attitude are memorable. A wise old woman of the land, she provides Jen with the item he needs to complete his quest and helps him better understand his task. It’s an incredible technical and artistic achievement.Īfter the Skeksis, Aughra is the second best character in the film. Eight massive puppets tearing into a ninth, while the camera gets in close to provide a sense of fear and dread in the audience. Watching the assault on the Chamberlain, it’s hard to imagine the coordination it must have taken. Defeated, Chamberlain is striped of all its clothes and exiled. The Chamberlain and the Garthim Master compete in a test of strength. One scene that best demonstrates the power of the Dark Crystal as a film is when the Skeksis battle to determine the new emperor. Perhaps an unfair comparison considering the popularity of one medium over the other, but my point remains valid. The new Netflix prequel series, Age of Resistance, certainly looks better, but considering the time that’s past it’s not nearly as large a leap as seen in CGI development. Thirty years after its release their work remains a high point of the medium. Skeksis nightmares may occur after watching this filmįroud’s designs are brought to full three dimensional life by the amazing puppetry of the Jim Henson Company. Even today, in a post- Jackson’s LOTR world, Dark Crystal remains strange and wondrous to behold. Utilizing Froud’s unique designs gives Thra cohesion that many fantasy film’s lack, while also being different from the standard tropes. Every creature was unique, but felt a part of the same world. In the 80s, when dark fantasy films exploded, Dark Crystal stood out from the pack. Brian Froud’s designs are unlike anything else in film. The world of Thra and the creatures that inhabit it are a wonderful creation. ![]() It’s strange to recommend a film where the plot is a rote and the main character is cardboard, but the film’s strengths make up for its short comings. Jen isn’t a particularly exciting character to follow. It’s a basic hero’s journey, following the Joseph Campbell narrative quite closely. Along his journey he’ll meet strange new allies, discover the secret to stopping the Skeksis, doubt his journey and himself, and finally overcome the odds and succeed in his quest.ĭark Crystal’s plot is far from original. Raised in secret by the Mystics, Jen is sent out on a mission to defeat the Skeksis and restore balance to Thra. The Skeksis wiped the Gelflings from the face of Thra, leaving only Jen as the sole survivor. Jen’s personality is less animated than his puppet face Dark Crystal was made by the same man who created Sesame Street and the Muppets, but it is no children’s film. The Skeksis, the film’s vulture-esque villains are disgusting, repulsive, and vile on a level most horror movie creatures can only dream of reaching. That’s how most people remember this interesting fantasy film from Jim Henson and Frank Oz. The Dark Crystal (1982) is nightmare fuel for children.
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