The Dark Crystal
by Henson, Jim, Oz, Frank
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DVD details
Actor: Jean-Pierre Amiel, Malcolm Dixon, Mike Edmonds, Peter Burroughs, Robbie BarnettDirector: Henson, Jim, Oz, Frank
Brand: Sony
Primary Contributor: Henson, Jim
Primary Contributor: Mullen, Kathryn
DVD: 2 Layers, Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; Spanish (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled)
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen, 2.35:1
Running Time: 93 minutes
DVD Release Date: 1999-10-05
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures
DVD Reviews of The Dark Crystal
DVD Review: Holds up surprisingly well; fun for the whole family
Summary: 4 Stars
Dark Crystal / B000R8YC1I
Having missed out on the majority of the 1980's fantasy flicks, for various reasons, I've been backfilling my knowledge in this area, with mixed results. I definitely enjoyed Conan - The Complete Quest and Red Sonja was fun, but Willow (Special Edition) was, in my opinion, a bit campy. I wasn't sure what to expect from a "kid's movie" like Dark Crystal, but I love the Muppets, so I was willing to give it a go.
Dark Crystal is, in my opinion, a surprisingly good film, even watched 'for the first time' nearly thirty years after its debut. The plot is easy enough for a child to follow, but engaging enough to maintain an adult's interest. The idea that extreme good and extreme evil are two sides of the same coin is not a new one, but it is fascinating to explore the implications here.
The characters are vibrant and imaginative; I was thoroughly sucked in by the quiet and kind Mystics, the bickering and vicious Skeksis, and the plucky and hopeful Gelflings. The puppet-work here is truly superb and really makes the viewer reminiscent for the old days - they just don't do puppet work like this anymore. (And though I love CGI-Yoda battles as much as the next person, there's just something more `real' about the puppets, somehow. But I'm showing my age now, I suppose.) Most appreciated of all, I was pleased and delighted to see that the heroine is - in many ways - even more capable and just as crucial to the fulfillment of the prophecy as our sweet Gelfling hero is. It is very nice to see a role for women in a fantasy movie that extends beyond "needs rescuing" or "looks great in a chainmail bikini".
I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone looking for a good fantasy film, particularly one that is child-friendly and fairly non-violent. There is some scary material here - such as the crystal that removes the "life essence" of the captives - but everything is put right in the end. I actually enjoyed Dark Crystal more than the more recent City of Ember, and for a movie that is past its twenty-fifth anniversary mark, that's saying something.
This movie provides captions for the hearing impaired.
DVD Review: Fantasy Classic
Summary: 5 Stars
This film is one of my early memories, perhaps the first (coherent) memory I have of anything. I remember suddenly being aware of fantastic, amazing creatures and scenes. I'm sure this had an influence over my development.
This is not a stupid, immature kid movie. It is filled with wonder, complexity and imagination. At times, it has an almost Miyazaki atmosphere. If there is any complaint, it is that the movie is too short. It is interesting, amazing and startling.
The story centers on a Gelfling - which is an amazing looking elf like creature. It is the task of the Gelfling to mend an object with mythic power known as the Dark Crystal. Adults watching the film will soon catch on to what is happening. The crystal was intentionally broken with supposedly good intentions. It was an attempt to split apart the essence of a semi-divine entity so that it could be rid of its evil side. However, it goes horribly wrong...
It is a film of contrasts and startling moments. Beautiful elf creatures in fantasy settings clash with scenes of torture and vile totalitarian behavior. Suddenly, the landscape itself could spring to life. Amazing patterns reveal themselves on the walls and pillars.
This might be a stunning film - even a scary film - for a child used to the shallow, derivative, watered down (overprotective) garbage that is the usual kids fare these days (like a certain kind of derivative, lame and played out computer animated movie or its equivalent). One thing is for sure though - after watching this for the first time in many, many years - The Dark Crystal is an absolute must see.
If you like this movie check out:
Nausicaa (or any Miyazaki film)
Lord of the Rings
Final Fantasy series
Zelda
Legend (the Ridley Scott film)
DVD Review: The Dark Crystal Collector's Edition
Summary: 5 Stars
Nice packaging job and a few extras on the discs that are not available on the regular DVD. DVD Review: Great movie. Scrap all the old DVDs and get the 25th Anniversary Edition!
Summary: 5 Stars
The Dark Crystal is probably one of the most beloved fantasy tales of all time. There is a bit of reference to some of the Final Fantasy games in here and the story is timeless. Too bad the movie did not exert well on DVD. There was a decent special edition that Columbia put out in 1999, but the picture and audio sucked miserably. Then there was a supposed collector's edition released in 2002 I think and that version was literally a sour double dip. Also to add, WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!. Finally in 2007, Columbia released what may be the best presentation of this film yet. The 2-disc 25th Anniversary Edition brings this film to life finally. Very little grain and the special effects look better than ever. The Blu-Ray should be out by now so I can't imagine what that will look like. Save your money and snag this version or the Blu-ray but I got this version. It's not that expensive on Amazon and some stores sell it at a decent price. The set also comes with some decent material as well so go for this version. You won't be disappointed.DVD Review: A dark and complete fantasy realm
Summary: 5 Stars
Dark Crystal is completely puppets with no human actors making an appearance. Gorgeously inventive scenes and music that fully create a whole other worldly experience. Not just some children's tale- It has corruption, death, greed... It is similar to Lord of the Rings in it's epic journey/prophecy storytelling where the small must perform a big task with help of friends for the larger good; only he's healing a crystal in order to banish evil, not banishing a ring of evil.
I'm not familiar with each releases extras, for as long as I have the movie itself I'm happy. But you may want to compare the various releases before purchase to find the edition with the extras you prefer.
Description of The Dark Crystal
The Dark Crystal is a masterful live - action fantasy starring some of Jim Henson s most imaginative creatures ever! Directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz and produced by Gary Kurtz the Dark Crystal brilliantly weaves a timeless myth of Good and Evil!In another time The Dark Crystal - a source of Balance and Truth in the Universe - was shattered dividing the world into two factions: the wicked Skeksis and the peaceful Mystics. Now as the convergence of the three suns approaches the Crystal must be healed or darkness will reign forevermore!It s up to Jen - the last of his race - to fulfill the prophecy that a Gelfling will return the missing shard to the Crystal and destroy the Skeksis evil Empire. But will young Jen s courage be any match for the unknown dangers that await him?System Requirements:Directed By: Frank Oz and Jim Hensen. Running Time: 94 Min. Color. This film is presented in "Widescreen" format. Copyright 1999 Columbia TriStar Home Video.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre:?SCI-FI/FANTASY Rating:?PG UPC:?043396028494 Manufacturer No:?02849Jim Henson's fantasy epic The Dark Crystal doesn't take place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, but like Star Wars it takes the audience to a place that exists only in the imagination and, for an hour and a half, on the screen. Recalling the worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien, Henson tells the story of a race of grotesque birdlike lizards called the Skeksis, gnomish dragons who rule their fantastic planet with an iron claw. A prophecy tells of a Gelfling (a small elfin being) who will topple their empire, so in their reign of terror they have exterminated the race, or so they think. The orphan Jen, raised in solitude by a race of peace-loving wizards called the Mystics, embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of the Dark Crystal (which gives the Skeksis their power) and restore the balance of the universe. Henson and codirector Frank Oz have pushed puppetry into a new direction: traditional puppets, marionettes, giant bodysuits, and mechanical constructions are mixed seamlessly in a fantasy world of towering castles, simple huts, dank caves, a giant clockwork observatory, and a magnificent landscape that seem to have leaped off the pages of a storybook. Muppet fans will recognize many of the voice actors--a few characters sound awfully close to familiar comic creations--but otherwise it's a completely alien world made familiar by a mythic quest that resonates through stories over the ages. --Sean Axmaker
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