The Dark Crystal

Plot synopsis:
The film takes place on Thra, a planet with three suns; the Great Sun, the Rose Sun and the Dying Sun. Many creatures and races inhabit the planet but the dominant race is the urSkeks who are the guardians of the Crystal of Truth. The Crystal harnesses the forces of nature, especially the light of the three suns, for the benefit of all on Thra.One thousand years before the beginning of the movie, the urSkeks cracked the Crystal of Truth, and split into two races during the Great Conjunction of the three suns - the hunchbacked, gentle beings known as Mystics (or urRu in the original drafts and novelization), and the vulture-like, cruel bipedal beings known as Skeksis. In that moment the Crystal became the Dark Crystal. The Skeksis drove the Mystics from the castle, where the shattered crystal resides, and instituted a reign of terror over their world. Their wrath was particularly directed toward the elf-like Gelflings due to a prophecy that promised the restoration of the crystal and the end of the Skeksis' power by a Gelfling. The prophecy, rediscovered in an ancient Gelfling city, read:When single shines the triple sun,
What was sundered and undone
Shall be whole, the two made one,
By Gelfling hand, or else by none.Jen believes he is the last of the Gelflings. After his parents were killed by the crustacean-like Garthim commanded by the Skeksis, he is raised in a lush valley in which the Mystics reside. The Mystic Master who taught and raised him him is dying, and he calls Jen to his side to reveal that his destiny is to "heal" the crystal by replacing the crystal shard. He tells Jen that the crystal shard can be found at Aughra's observatory. The emperor of the Skeksis dies at the same time that the Master does. In a duel over the succession called Haakskeekah (trial by stone), the Chamberlain SkekSil is defeated by SkekUng, the Garthim Master, and is banished and driven from the palace in rags.Jen reaches Aughra, a wise woman character of unknown species, and discovers the actual crystal shard by playing music on his flute, to which it resonates and stands out from the other crystals with which it lies. He must unify the shard with the crystal from which it sprang in time for the Great Conjunction, when his world's three suns will be aligned with one another. If the conjunction occurs before the Crystal is healed, the state of their world will become permanent, with the Skeksis ruling forever as immortals. Garthim arrive to capture or kill Jen, who flees as Aughra is taken prisoner and her observatory is destroyed.Meanwhile, the Mystics hear the call of the Crystal, and begin their trek back to the castle.By a river, Jen is frightened by a ball-shaped, dog-like pet known as Fizzgig and meets another Gelfling, Kira, whose existence he never suspected. They stay for a night amongst the bulbous Podlings who raised Kira and are then attacked by Garthim there. Kira, Jen, and Fizzgig escape the attack, but many Podlings are captured by the Garthim. In frustration and despair, feeling responsible for the Garthim raid, Jen discards the crystal shard. Kira reassures him that he had nothing to do with the attack, "It wasn't your fault... the Garthim have always come."In the morning, as they awaken, they discover one of the houses of the old Gelfling City, where Jen cites the prophecy of the Crystal and recovers the shard, although Kira faces apprehension about entering the ruins ("Bad things happened in here once" is her sentiment). Jen and Kira are confronted by the disgraced SkekSil, who offers to help them, but they refuse. Riding on furry, long-legged Landstriders, the Gelflings quickly arrive at the castle of the crystal, just in time to see the Garthim that attacked Kira's village. Kira, followed by Jen, ride to attack the Garthim and try to free the captured Podlings while the Landstriders fight the Garthim to distract them from the rescue effort.The Gelflings fail to rescue the Podlings and find the Garthim, after subduing the Landstriders, closing in on them at the edge of the deep, rocky moat that encircles the castle. Sweeping Jen and Fizzgig into her arms, Kira jumps off the cliff... revealing that female Gelflings have wings. At the bottom of the gully, Jen and Kira end up at the Teeth of the Skreesh, an undefended sewer entrance to the lower parts of the castle. SkekSil meets them again and attempts to convince them to offer peace to the Skeksis. As Jen and Kira attempt to escape, SkekSil grabs Kira's arm in protest. Worried for Kira's safety, Jen strikes SkekSil, using the crystal shard as a dagger, wounding SkekSil's arm. Concurrently, a Mystic suffers a spontaneous wound on his arm in the same location. During this time Fizzgig also attacked SkekSil by biting him and renting chunks of cloth from his ragged robes. Enraged, SkekSil forces Jen into a wall, inciting a cave-in. SkekSil then takes Kira prisoner, believing Jen to be dead.For capturing Kira, SkekSil is restored to his position as Chamberlain. The Skeksis require Gelflings to make their "everlasting essence", a potion that restores youth and strength. The emperor decides to regain his youth by draining Kira's life essence. It is revealed that the potency of the "everlasting essence" and the Crystal prophecy feared by the Skeksis fueled their genocide of the Gelflings. Only a few drops of the "everlasting essence" are drawn from Kira before she calls out to the animals imprisoned in the laboratory, who break free and attack the Skeksis overseer, SkekTek. SkekTek falls back into a volcanic pit, killing him. Concurrently, one of the mystics travelling to the castle disintegrates into flames at the same time. Kira escapes, and the link between her and Jen gives him the strength to escape the cave-in.In the central interior chamber where the crystal is housed, Jen alights upon the Crystal but the shard falls from his hands. Kira throws the shard back to him, returning it to Jen. In so doing she leaves herself open to attack, and she is killed by the Skexi Ritual Master. At the conjunction of the three suns, Jen seals the shard, unifying the crystal. The Garthim shatter (who were originally created by the Skeksis, and so are not truly living beings) and the Mystics and Skeksis reunite into their original urSkek incarnations. The urSkek communicate directly to the consciousness via mystical sign language. One of them, UngIm, restores Kira to life, and they leave this plane of existence as the crystal has been healed and made whole. The crystal is dark no longer and has been returned to the Crystal of Truth and the world too has been similarly healed.

Tags: good versus evil, cult, fantasy, psychedelic, dark

Review:
Still, the Dark Crystal stands as an excellent tale of good versus evil.Jim Henson and crew spent much to much time creating this movie, and the depth of their effort shows.
This sprawling, part-homage-part-totally original fantasy brings us Jen, the last of a group of near extinct creatures who is the only one who can save all existence by bringing a crystal shard back into the balance of the dark crystal, in order to save the world from the evil Skekses.
And for adults there's a lot of great craftsmanship that goes into the story, which is with all of the effects and over-the-top creations very well told by directors Henson and Oz. Without the massive usage of CGI or the more controlled visuals from the past fifteen or so years, the mix of the production design (maybe some of the best ever in any fantasy film) and the inventiveness put into the set-pieces and character-creations, is a knockout even by today's standards.
Though I love the Muppets and other works of Jim Henson, I still say for years since my birth in 1982, The Dark Crystal has always grown on me.
The Dark Crystal like many classic children's shows and movies of its time did not talk down to kids nor underestimate their intelligence for that matter.
In the Age of Wonder." So begins the classic fantasy story that is The Dark Crystal, Henson's best and, to date, only all-creature film.
The thing that I think makes this movie so memorable is the fact that it is so unlike other fantasy films.
This is yet another thing that makes The Dark Crystal so damn precious.The film is set in another world, in another time in an age of wonder.
The production design, in particular the genius contributions by Brian Froud, is so immense and impressive that you wish you could jump through the screen and actually be there in order to appreciate it more.Trevor Jones' breathtaking, beautiful score is among his best work (tying with Merlin in 1998) and is surely some of the best film music you are ever likely to hear.
Henson, Oz and Froud teamed up again a few years later to make Labyrinth which seems to be more fondly remembered as it's not as sinister as The Dark Crystal and has human actors in it to make it more accessible to those with narrower minds.
My favorite Dark Crystal creature is the Gelfling like Jen & Kira, who are also my favorite characters from the film - they are so adorable.I must comment on Brian Froud for his conceptual art for each race in the film.
Remember it was 1982, and in those days, children´s programs on tv didn´t included the amount of fantasy stuff that it is showned today, so watching that was somehow a revelation for me.Anyway 6 year later i got to finaly see it, on a forgotten childrens matinee, and i loved every minute of it, altough i felt even then that it had some dull parts in it.
He would make a fantastic job for sure.With DARK CRYSTAL ,Jim Henson achieved a perfect balance between a kids movie and a fantasy movie for adult viewers.
He showed the way, a fantasy movie should be made, but nobody in Hollywood seem to have learned anything from it.I have read that DARK CRYSTAL, was a comercial flop, because it was released during the ET days, and not many people went to see it.
The Dark Crystal is a fantastic film made by Jim Henson.
Together, Kira and Jen must find a way to restore the shard to the dark crystal, therefore creating balance in their world once more.This movie is a visual feast.
I saw "The Dark Crystal" on TV when I was 5 years old on TV, that cool flick by the late Jim Henson came out in 1982 when I was a baby.
I saw this movie again two years ago when at the age of 15 on video,  I like about "The Dark Crystal" because it is dark, weird, and very scary (including the evil characters) this movie shouldn't be recommended for little kiddies who like the Muppets.
"Dark Crystal" is like a cult favorite to me since the first time I watched it when I was a kid and should be recommended to watch if people who want to see a wierd fantastic Muppet movie and this movie is made from England like the other Muppet movies that the Jim Henson Workshop did.
It remains one of the best fantasy films of all time, but only because of the sheer effort given to it by the Henson company; only he could have made this all work.
If only he were still alive now to make more films like this (and better!)Our world is a dimmer place without Jim Henson..
Labyrinth wasn't as visually stunning as Dark Crystal had been.The first I gazed on this movie I was awed the next time I saw it I said "Dang".
Ueberfantastic movie by Jim Henson and Frank Oz. I watched The Dark Crystal in my youth and I still watch it from time to time, and after all those years the magic is still there.
If you like fairy-tales, fantasy, magic, puppets, this one is made for you.The Dark Crystal: easy one of the best fantasy movies of all time and if, for whatever reason, you still don't know this pearl yet, watch and follow Jen & Kira on their quest..
A script suitable for minors (I'm thinking primary school) turned into a film for age 12+, for there are some scary characters in it i wouldn't want my (little) kid to watch.
This wonderful movie filled with fantasy and color was compellingly directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz .
As he embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of a magical crystal that must be found or evil will take over the world.This lavish fantasy picture in the style of JRR Tolkien packs thrills , imagination , impressive frames , a love story , fantastic creatures and special effects galore .
The late great Jim Henson whom is one of my favorite effects masters, this was his first movie and I feel still one of his best, it's a real shame he didn't direct more movies because I would of loved to of seen what more he could of done with his puppet specialty.The production value is great like the use of the locales.
Some questions are answered but others still to this day (unless a sequel is made) are still a mystery, I still at times can't help but wonder, "What are all of those other planets on Augra's mobile star chart model is our planet there also?" or even "What more was there to this Gelfling civilization?" Usually unanswered questions can hurt a story but I feel if executed right it can believe it or not give the fantasy world a greater sense of depth because you feel that there can be anything in this world and anything can be possible.And I really love the score from one of my favorite composers Trevor Jones.
Unlike the Muppets, the Dark Crystal is populated by a host of fantasy creatures, designed by the brilliantly talented Brian Froud, ranging from the gruesome Skeksis to the downright bizarre Land Striders.
The story is the stuff of fairy tales, but will probably frighten children due to the many scary sequences which place the heroes in peril.As a fan of videogames, its hard not to notice the obvious impact this film has had on some of the most popular ones, such as Zelda and Final Fantasy.
All this arty symbolism wouldn't amount to much, of course, if "The Dark Crystal" didn't also work aesthetically, and while the cinematic technique is actually surprisingly conservative, happily the film is well plotted and paced (for a film that lingers so much on the details of a fantasy world, there are few scenes that don't move the story along), often quite scary (the Garthim, organic tanks that can come into your house, are a terrifying concept), at times hilariously odd (the eye!
Sometimes one would wish that Hollywood would look to the past instead of future, because the special effects and puppeteering in the Dark Crystal wowed me more than all of the recent CGI special effects films put together,and this was a movie made in 1982!
I saw this movie after I caught an interest in "Labyrinth" (Jim Henson's other fantasy masterpiece).
Although I loved "Labyrinth" better, I loved "The Dark Crystal", and I'm sure that all fantasy/movie fans will too!!!
For some odd reason then I never have gotten around to watching "The Dark Crystal", despite the fact that the movie is from 1982 and also despite the fact that I have been playing fantasy RPG since around 1985.
But 2017 was the year that I finally got to watch it.The story told in this movie was actually rather good story, and it being a very classic fantasy tale, but I will also say that it was a generic one of such stories.
If you enjoy the fantasy genre, then you will definitely enjoy the story told in "The Dark Crystal".The creature design in the movie was quite good, but of course that was to be expected given this being at the hands of Jim Henson and Frank Oz. The level of details on the characters and creatures was just spectacular, and the ideas for the creatures was quite good and very much in the fantasy genre.In fact, the entire world was vibrant and felt very much alive.
I was more than impressed by the level of details there was to be seen in every single shot.I watched "The Dark Crystal" with my seven year old son, and he was also quite entertained by the movie, and found many of the creatures to be rather interesting and fun to look at.It should be said that the storyline is rather generic and predictable, which might not be the best of selling points.
Just listening to it sends you on a trip to another world; either the film's world or another one.Jim Henson conceived a world that's about to be expanded upon further, thanks to Netflix's upcoming 'The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance'.
The film is set on the ancient and mystical planet of Thra, where thousands of years ago, the powerful Dark Crystal was cracked and a piece fractured from its surface, causing the world to enter turmoil and two new races to emerge- the vile and cruel Skeksis and the wise and kind-hearted Mystics.
Now, so many years later, a young elf- like Gelfling orphan named Jen is sent by his adoptive master- the wisest of the Mystics, on a quest to heal the Dark Crystal and to restore order to the world.
Froud excels and proves to be one of the finest conceptual designers of the genre.In the end, "The Dark Crystal" is a perfect conjunction of numerous factors, all working together to create one of the finest fantasy- epics of its time.
I remember being scared out of my wits by the stuff on show here - the crumbling corpse, the enforced stripping sequence, the striders dying, and of course the essence-stealing scene, which is still disturbing even when I watch this back as an adult.The level of cruelty and violence on display makes THE DARK CRYSTAL stand out from other, more twee stuff like LEGEND and LABYRINTH, and indeed I think this gives it an edge to the competition.
THE DARK CRYSTAL is an underrated children's movie and one which beats every other animation or puppet film I can think of from the 1980s..
Then, I looked up the information at what time this movie was released after that, I personally agree to those who still love it that this is indeed a classic.The story is original with a nice concept which is certainly much darker with several moments that would frighten young kids and some nice moments especially the chemistry between Jen and Kira.
The sets are amazing and very imaginative and are some of the best I've ever seen in a movie like this and Trevor Jones' score is memorable with a well-done orchestra which makes it one of his best.No wonder this got a cult following over the years because this should always be watched more than once to fans of Jim Henson of the Muppets.
More than just a movie this film has become a Classic for all audiences around the world and a great legacy bequeathed to us by Jim Henson the creator of the Muppets.
It's definitely worth watching for fantasy fans of all ages.On the one hand, I'd love to see a remake of this film, however on the other hand i don't think it could live up to the beauty of the original.Best thing to come out of the 80's..
Jim Henson had brought us the immortal Muppets and films like Labryrinth, but The Dark Crystal is a wonderful film, that was part of my childhood, as well as my brother's.
In the world of CGI special effects, along comes this movie from the early 1980's, which completely makes me fall in love with old-school visual effects and that certain magic of fantastical puppet creatures.
What I will focus on, however, is why this movie still has a place among today's finest visual movies and why this movie belongs in everyone's movie collection.The world that Jim Henson and Frank Oz creates in this movie is completely original, from the landscapes down to the mystical creatures that inhabit it.
I will cherish the movie and watch it time and again when I want to feel like a kid again, when the world was worth exploring and when it contained beauty and mystery, love and heroism.
But when I received a copy on DVD this Christmas and viewed it, I was absolutely blown away.The film follows the story of Jen, the last of the Gelflings, who must return a shard to the Dark Crystal and heal it, restoring peace to the land.
In the age of wonder." So starts Jim Henson's puppet masterpiece "The Dark Crystal," co-directed by Frank Oz, and it never fails to deliver.It is the story of Jen, a Gelfling, who is told by his dying master, the Wisest of the Mystics, that he must save the world.
Jim Henson did all sorts of movies with the fun-loving Muppets, but this one was out of this world.
It's very creative & unique.If you like epic creative almost mystical movie or Jim Henson films, I recommend you rent this one- be warned, it's a little scary ( :.
The Dark Crystal is one of the Top Ten fantasy stories of all times.
Jim Henson created the best evil creatures ever made in movie history "the Skeksis" WITHOUT computer technologies and only with the hands of the best puppeters of that times.
The story is magical and full of adventure about one gelfling's journey to venture outside of his world made safe by the Mystics and to heal the Dark Crystal and the separation of good and evil caused by it.I know that there are probably things still unexplained in this movie that don't neatly tie together, but that is what I love about this movie.
Set in another world in an ancient time in the age of the Three Suns it tells the tale of a little Gelfling, a humanoid creature with big pointy ears, and his struggle to find the Dark Crystal.
The Dark Crystal is one of the best epic fantasy movies I have seen since "The Fellowship of the Ring"...
Long before CGI, the late Jim Henson, along with Frank Oz, spent five years creating a remarkably detailed alien planet, endearing and bizarre creatures, and an adventurous story for the film "The Dark Crystal" using the power of puppetry.The film begins with a brief narration providing an introduction to the alien world where the lives of its inhabitants are linked to the power of a massive crystal.
Like I just said, plain and simple, The Dark Crystal is Jim Henson's masterpiece.
Finally,I was looking to write a review on one of my favourite Non-Asian Fantasy movies of all time and here I found it!The Dark Crystal is definitely that!Hmmmmmmm,where to start?Well,we have heard a similar story of good vs.
A dark and visual film by puppeteering great Jim Henson..
(Just watch the little mouse-like creatures running around everywhere.)The story is among the best, and most grown up, of all children's movies, and is well acted by both puppeteers and voice actors.
"The Dark Crystal" is probably my favorite movie from my childhood, if not of all time.
I've always been a big Jim Henson fan, and of all the creatures he's created for films, I'd have to say that the creatures in this movie are his best.
"The Dark Crystal" is a technical achievement, to be sure, no arguments there...but it's also as ponderous in its pace as the eternally plodding Mystics themselves.There are two major possible responses to a film like this: the first (and obviously the most popular one, especially for those who saw it for the first time when they were kids) is to fall in love with the film and admire its uniqueness; the other is to find it simply interesting to look at, but to feel completely shut out emotionally.
The Dark Crystal was the first film directed by Jim Henson that truly showed us the marvels he (and his legacy) would make in years to come.
However, he is also fondly remembered for his cult classic fantasy films from the 1980s, one of which being The Dark Crystal.
The first Jim Henson movie to feature a cast of mostly puppets, The Dark Crystal has great cinematography, a killer soundtrack, great drama, and amazing special effects for its time.