 Enjoy incredible footage from the Henson archives in The Dark Crystal. Travel back in time to the faraway planet of Thra. Cheer on the Mystics as they fight to overthrow the evil Skeksis and take back control of their planet! When Jen, a member of the Gelfling tribe, sets out to find the crystal's missing shard, his dangerous journey brings him face to face with monsters at every turn. Determined to restore peace to their planet, Jen will not back down! From the brilliant imagination of Jim Henson, this masterpiece of animation recounts the timeless tale of good vs. evil and has become a cult favorite of children and grown-ups alike! Storyline: Another planet, another time. 1000 years ago the mysterious Dark Crystal was damaged by one of the Urskeks and an age of chaos has began! The evil race of grotesque birdlike lizards the Skeksis, gnomish dragons who rule their fantastic planet with an iron claw. Meanwhile the orphan Jen, raised in solitude by a race of the peace-loving wizards called the Mystics, embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of the Dark Crystal which gives the Skesis their power and restore the balance of the universe. Written by Anthony Pereyra {hypersonic91@yahoo.com} Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Martin Liebman, September 16, 2009 -- Before there was CGI, there was Jim Henson. The master puppeteer, best known as the creator of "The Muppets" and for his work on "Sesame Street," would in 1982 turn to a darker, more fantastical project, The Dark Crystal. Henson co-directed alongside fellow puppeteer Frank Oz and created a splendid world quite unlike anything audiences had ever seen before. Dark and foreboding on one side, bright and hopeful on another, the world nevertheless shared a common bond of death and decay, of slaughter and greed, of danger and distress, of heroes and villainy, a far cry from the happy-go-lucky Muppets or the educational Sesame Street characters. Telling a classic tale of good versus evil with the appropriately stereotyped characters and locations on either side, The Dark Crystal nevertheless earned acclaim for its mystical storytelling ability, richly developed characters, wonderful puppet work, and fantastic set and character design. One thousand years ago, a world divided at the crack of a crystal. Reshaping the landscape, two species emerged: the cruel Skeksis and the gentle Mystics. The Skeksis seized control of the crystal's castle, but now their emperor lays dying. Their one fear is the reunification of the crystal with its single missing shard, a prophesy that spells the end of their kind and to be fulfilled by a Gelfling, a peace-loving, elf-like creature. Fearful of the prophesy, the Skeksis and their warlike companions, the Garthim, wiped out the Gelflings. Nevertheless, one survived. Raised by the Mystics, the Gelfling Jen is tasked by the Mystics' own dying emperor with reuniting the shard with the crystal and restoring peace and harmony to the world. His only clue that the shard is held by a hermitic creature named Aughra, Jen sets out to find the crystal, save the world, and fulfill his destiny. The Dark Crystal, as with any great movie, works first and foremost thanks to the quality of its story. It's a basic tale, one seemingly as old as time, but one that nevertheless feels fresh even today thanks to its ability to so clearly define the classic clash between good and evil. Despite a plot that asks of its audience to accept a brand new world with a complex past, a decaying present, characters of both good and ill repute, and an overreaching mystical quality that all together distinguishes its world from anything ever before committed to film, The Dark Crystal almost effortlessly draws its audience in despite what seems like a complex and far-fetched set-up. It works within the realm of Fantasy, and The Dark Crystal's serene storytelling style -- one that gently takes the audience by the hand and guides them through the past and into the present -- is easily its greatest asset. Within the story lies several characters, each in their own way equally fantastical and memorable. Of the film's primary grouping of heroes and villains -- Jen and Kira on one side, Chamberlain and SkekUng on the other -- each enjoys wonderful development thanks to the quality of the script that affords them believable personalities and classic yet plausible motivations as they maneuver for either power or peace. Still, it's the first-class puppeteering and voice acting that completes each character and makes it easy to cheer on the heroes and loathe the villains as the story unfolds. Character designs are first-class all the way, too. Staying within the confines of the simplistic approach of the story, the characters appear intricately detailed but nevertheless easy to distinguish insofar as their proclivity towards good or evil. The Skeksis appear ragged, dark, and even frightening; the Garthim, too -- the Skekis' evildoing servants of terror -- appear as hulking, hardened, and hateful, black as night and clearly ready to reign chaos on the world. On the other hand, the Mystics take on a lighter, cleaner, more uniform appearance that signifies peace and harmony. Their champion, the Gelfling Jen, and his eventual companion Kira, appear as gentle souls with an elfish appearance, rugged perhaps but also clearly not prone to violence but prepared to defend themselves and restore their world to its proper, peace-loving condition at all costs. The Dark Crystal, for all it has going for it, nevertheless seems like a movie that still has yet to take its rightful place as one of the best movies of the 1980s. Perhaps it's the film's seemingly oddball concoction of standard storytelling motifs of good and evil and dressed as a children's production yet containing decidedly adult themes, situations, and characters that may be enough to frighten off younger viewers or play with just enough of a scary edge so as to leave parents unwilling to permit their children to view it. There's no denying that the film succeeds at painting its world as a terrifying place and populated with grotesque characters. Despite the clear-cut dichotomy between good and evil that's to be found -- in the look of the characters and their habitats in particular -- there's just no denying that The Dark Crystal can be a downright creepy movie. It's not that the material is too scary -- bedtime stories and fairy tales can be equally, if not more, frightening -- it's that the characters are the "there's something under the bed and in the closet" sort that might just be a bit too frightening for their own good. Even analyzing the film through the experiences of an adult but recalling the characters through the eyes of a child, the Skeksis and Garthim remain the stuff of nightmares, and that's what makes them -- and the film as a whole -- so memorable. A classic film from the 1980s that features what is arguably Jim Henson and Frank Oz's best work, The Dark Crystal represents a timeless depiction of good versus evil in every imaginable way. From the hero of simple origins to the film's obvious light and dark motifs, there's never any doubt as to what the film represents and what it sets out to accomplish. With a strong story, great puppet work, wonderful voice acting, and a richly-developed world, The Dark Crystal makes for essential viewing, though it's characters may be a bit too scary for younger audiences. Sony's Blu-ray release of this fan favorite doesn't disappoint. Although the video and audio offerings aren't the most beautiful ever to grace the format, they do well to represent the film's intended presentation, which is all one can ask of any Blu-ray disc. Combined with a strong selection of bonus materials, it's easy to give The Dark Crystal a hearty recommendation. Final Thoughts: The Dark Crystal still retains its charm after all these years. Sure the puppets look a little dated and their mouths don’t move fully to the dialogue being spoken, but they still have that creative essence of Jim Henson. This is one of those films that can be watched over and over. It has garnered cult status for a reason. It’s fun, inventive, and full of heart. Considering its age, the movie looks and sounds fantastic in HD. It has a plethora of special features, and some well thought out Blu-ray exclusives. Highly recommended for any collection. Cast Notes: John Baddeley (Historian), Stephen Garlick (Jen), David Buck (Slave Master), Barry Dennen (Chamberlain), Percy Edwards (Fizzgig), Michael Kilgarrif (General), Brian Muehl (Dying Mystic Master/Skeksis Ornamentalist vement and voice]/Urzah vement only]), Lisa Maxwell (Kira), Jerry Nelson (High Priest/Dying Emperor [voice]), Joseph O'Conor (Narrator), Billie Whitelaw (Aughra), Steve Whitmire (Scientist vement and voice]), Thick Wilson (Gourmand), Jim Henson (Jen/High Priest), Frank Oz (Aughra/Chamberlain). IMDb Rating (09/25/09): 7.0/10 from 14,232 users
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