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'''''The Dark Crystal''''' is a 1982 British-American [[fantasy film]] directed by [[Jim Henson]] and [[Frank Oz]]. It dramatizes the story of Jen, an elflike 'Gelfling' to restore balance to his alien world by returning a lost shard to a powerful but broken gem. Although marketed as a family film, it was notably [[Dark fantasy|darker]] than previous material created by them. The [[animatronics]] used in the film were considered groundbreaking. The primary [[concept artist]] was the fantasy illustrator [[Brian Froud]], famous for his distinctive [[Fairy|faerie]] and [[Dwarf (Germanic mythology)|dwarf]] designs. Froud also collaborated with Henson and Oz for their next project, the 1986 film ''[[Labyrinth (film)|Labyrinth]]'', which was notably more light-hearted than ''The Dark Crystal''. The film stars the voices of Stephen Garlick, [[Lisa Maxwell (actress)|Lisa Maxwell]] and [[Billie Whitelaw]].
'''''The Dark Crystal''''' is a 1982 British-American [[fantasy film]] directed by [[Jim Henson]] and [[Frank Oz]]. It tells the story of Jen, an elflike 'Gelfling' on a quest to restore balance to his alien world by returning a lost shard to a powerful but broken gem. Although marketed as a family film, it was notably [[Dark fantasy|darker]] than the creators' previous material. The [[animatronics]] used in the film were considered groundbreaking. The primary [[concept artist]] was the fantasy illustrator [[Brian Froud]], famous for his distinctive [[Fairy|faerie]] and [[Dwarf (Germanic mythology)|dwarf]] designs. Froud also collaborated with Henson and Oz for their next project, the 1986 film ''[[Labyrinth (film)|Labyrinth]]'', which was notably more light-hearted than ''The Dark Crystal''. The film stars the voices of Stephen Garlick, [[Lisa Maxwell (actress)|Lisa Maxwell]] and [[Billie Whitelaw]].


''The Dark Crystal'' was produced by [[Gary Kurtz]], whose list of credits includes ''[[American Graffiti]]'', ''[[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope|Star Wars]]'', ''[[Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back|The Empire Strikes Back]]'', ''[[Return to Oz]]'', and ''[[Slipstream (1989 film)|Slipstream]].'' The screenplay was written by [[David Odell]], who had previously worked with Henson as a staff writer on ''The Muppet Show''. [[Trevor Jones (composer)|Trevor Jones]] provided the film's atmospheric music. The film was produced by [[ITC Entertainment]], the British production company responsible for producing ''[[The Muppet Show]]''.
''The Dark Crystal'' was produced by [[Gary Kurtz]], whose list of credits includes ''[[American Graffiti]]'', ''[[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope|Star Wars]]'', ''[[Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back|The Empire Strikes Back]]'', ''[[Return to Oz]]'', and ''[[Slipstream (1989 film)|Slipstream]].'' The screenplay was written by [[David Odell]], who had previously worked with Henson as a staff writer on ''The Muppet Show''. [[Trevor Jones (composer)|Trevor Jones]] provided the film's atmospheric music. The film was produced by [[ITC Entertainment]], the British production company responsible for producing ''[[The Muppet Show]]''.

Revision as of 08:22, 11 December 2012

The Dark Crystal
Theatrical release poster by Richard Amsel
Directed byJim Henson
Frank Oz
Written byJim Henson
David Odell
Produced byJim Henson
Gary Kurtz
David Lazer
StarringStephen Garlick
Lisa Maxwell
Billie Whitelaw
Narrated byJoseph O'Conor
CinematographyOswald Morris
Edited byRalph Kemplen
Music byTrevor Jones
Production
companies
Distributed byUniversal Pictures (Theatrical)
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (Home Media)
Release date
  • December 17, 1982 (1982-12-17)
Running time
93 minutes
CountriesUnited Kingdom
United States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$15 million
Box office$40,577,001

The Dark Crystal is a 1982 British-American fantasy film directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz. It tells the story of Jen, an elflike 'Gelfling' on a quest to restore balance to his alien world by returning a lost shard to a powerful but broken gem. Although marketed as a family film, it was notably darker than the creators' previous material. The animatronics used in the film were considered groundbreaking. The primary concept artist was the fantasy illustrator Brian Froud, famous for his distinctive faerie and dwarf designs. Froud also collaborated with Henson and Oz for their next project, the 1986 film Labyrinth, which was notably more light-hearted than The Dark Crystal. The film stars the voices of Stephen Garlick, Lisa Maxwell and Billie Whitelaw.

The Dark Crystal was produced by Gary Kurtz, whose list of credits includes American Graffiti, Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return to Oz, and Slipstream. The screenplay was written by David Odell, who had previously worked with Henson as a staff writer on The Muppet Show. Trevor Jones provided the film's atmospheric music. The film was produced by ITC Entertainment, the British production company responsible for producing The Muppet Show.

Plot

One thousand years ago on "another world", a magical crystal sustaining it cracked. At this time, two new races appeared: the Skeksis, vulture-like tyrants using the power of the "Dark Crystal" to continually replenish themselves, and hunchbacked natural wizards called Mystics.

Jen, an elf-like Gelfling taken in by the Mystics after his clan was killed, is told by his Mystic master that he must find the crystal shard, and that it can be found in the home of Aughra. If he fails to do so before the three suns meet, the Skeksis will rule forever. The Skeksis' emperor and Jen's master die simultaneously. A confrontation ensues between a Skeksis called the Chamberlain and another called the General, who both desire to succeed him. The General becomes emperor and the Chamberlain is exiled. Learning of Jen's existence, the Skeksis send large crab-like creatures called Garthim to track him.

Jen reaches Aughra and is taken to her home, which contains an enormous orrery she uses to predict the motions of the heavens. Jen discovers the crystal shard by playing music on his flute to which it resonates. Jen is told of the upcoming Great Conjunction when the three suns will align, but he learns little of its connection to the shard. The Garthim destroys Aughra's home and Jen flees, but Aughra is taken prisoner. Hearing the calls of the crystal, the Mystics leave their valley to travel to the Castle. Jen meets Kira, another surviving Gelfling who can communicate with animals, and her pet Fizzgig. They discover that they have a telepathic connection which Kira calls "dreamfasting". They stay for a night with the Podlings who raised Kira after the death of her parents. However, the Garthim attacks the village and Kira, Jen, and Fizzgig flee when the Chamberlain prevents one of the Garthim from attacking them. Most of the Podlings are enslaved.

Jen and Kira discover a ruined Gelfling city. Finding a relief, Jen reads the Crystal's prophecy: the shard, a part of the Dark Crystal, must be reinserted to restore the Crystal's integrity. The Chamberlain tells Jen and Kira that he wishes to bring them to the Skeksis to make peace, but they refuse. Riding on Landstriders, the Gelflings arrive at the Castle of the Crystal, where they see the Garthim that attacked Kira's village. Kira and Jen unsuccessfully attempt to free the captured Podlings. Kira, Jen and Fizzgig jump off the cliff and infiltrate the lower parts of the Castle. The Chamberlain confronts them again and tries to convince them to make peace; however, Kira is captured and Jen strikes the Chamberlain on his hand using the crystal shard. The Chamberlain wounds Jen and takes Kira to the Castle. The General restores the Chamberlain to his former position. On the suggestion of the Skeksis' resident scientist, the General decides to regain his youth by draining Kira's life essence, recalling that its potency allows a Skeksis emperor to maintain his youth for longer periods than that of the Podlings on whom they have been forced to rely since the Gelfling genocide. Kira maintains a telepathic connection with Jen, who tells her to call out to the animals imprisoned in the laboratory. They break free from their cages and the Skeksis scientist falls to his death, upon which one of the Mystics simultaneously vanishes. Kira, Jen, and Aughra flee, but they are separated from Fizzgig during a confrontation with the Garthim.

The three suns begin to align as the two Gelflings reconvene in the Crystal chamber. The Skeksis arrive to prepare for the immortality that they will gain from the Conjunction if the Crystal is not restored. Jen is discovered and drops the shard, but Kira throws it back to him and is stabbed to death by the Skeksis' high priest. Jen inserts the shard into the Crystal, unifying it as the Mystics enter the chamber. As Aughra, Jen and Fizzgig watch, the Mystics and Skeksis merge into tall glowing beings, one of whom says "we are again one", speaks to Jen of their history, and revives Kira. After leaving the Crystal for the two Gelflings to "make [their] world in its light," the beings depart, and the land is shown rejuvenated and the Castle transformed into a palace of crystal.

Cast

See also: Characters and races of the Dark Crystal
Kiran Shah as the body of Jen
Stephen Garlick as the voice of Jen
Kiran Shah as the body of Kira
Lisa Maxwell as the voice of Kira
Kiran Shah as the body of Aughra
Billie Whitelaw as the voice of Aughra
Percy Edwards as the voice of Fizzgig
  • Frank Oz as SkekSil/The Chamberlain
Barry Dennen as the voice of SkekSil/The Chamberlain
  • Dave Goelz and Rollie Krewson as SkekUng/The Garthim Master
Michael Kilgarriff as the voice of SkekUng/The Garthim Master
  • Jim Henson as SkekZok/The Ritual Master and SkekSo/The Emperor
Jerry Nelson as SkekZok/The Ritual Master and SkekSo/The Emperor
Thick Wilson as the voice of SkekAyuk/The Gourmand
John Baddeley as the voice of SkekOk/The Scroll Keeper
David Buck as the voice of SkekNa/The Slave Master
Charles Collingwood as the voice of SkekShod/The Treasurer
  • Brian Muehl as UrSu/The Master and UrZah/The Ritual Guardian
Sean Barrett as the voice of UrZah/The Ritual Guardian
  • Toby Philpott as UrTih/The Alchemist
  • Dave Goelz, Jim Henson, and Frank Oz as the Podlings
Barry Dennen, Patrick Monckton, and Sue Weatherby as the voices of the Podlings
  • Robbie Barnett and Hugh Spight as the Landstriders

Production

The film was shot at Elstree Studios, and exterior scenes were shot in the Scottish Highlands; Gordale Scar, North Yorkshire, England; and Twycross, Leicestershire, England.

The characters in the film are elaborate puppets, and none are based on humans or any other specific Earth creature. Before its release, The Dark Crystal was billed as the first live-action film without any human beings on screen, and "a showcase for cutting-edge animatronics".[1]

Originally, Jim Henson wanted the Skeksis to speak their own constructed language with the dialogue subtitled in English. This idea was dropped after test screening audiences found the captions too distracting, but the original effect can be observed in selected scenes on the various DVD releases.

The hands and facial features of the groundbreaking animatronic puppets in the film were controlled with relatively primitive rods and cables, although radio control later took over many of the subtler movements.[2] Human performers inside the puppets supplied basic movement for the larger creatures, which in some cases was dangerous or exhausting; for example, the Garthim costumes were so heavy that the performers had to be hung up on a rack every few minutes to rest while still inside the costumes.[3]

Release

Box office

The Dark Crystal was released in 858 theaters in North America on December 17, 1982. In its initial weekends, it had a limited appeal with audiences for various reasons including parental concerns about its dark nature, creative connections with Henson's family-friendly Muppet franchise and because it was overshadowed by the film's competition over the Christmas of that year, including Tootsie and the already massively successful E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.[4] Although it never topped number one, the film managed to present lasting power in its following weeks, even past the new year of 1983. By the end of its box office run, it made $40,577,001 dollars, profiting over its $15 million dollar budget.[5]

During its international release in 1983, The Dark Crystal was the highest-grossing box office release for the year in both France and Japan. [citation needed] and out-grossed E.T. as the most successful foreign film in Japan until Titanic took over the spot 14 years later. The film has gained a cult following over the years since its release.

Critical response

The film received mixed reviews.[6] Vincent Canby of The New York Times negatively reviewed the film in the New York Times, describing it as a "watered down J. R. R. Tolkien ... without charm as well as interest."[7] Kevin Thomas gave it a more positive assessment in the Los Angeles Times: "Unlike many screen fantasies, The Dark Crystal casts its spell from its very first frames and proceeds so briskly that it's over before you realize it. You're left with the feeling that you have just awakened from a dream."[8] The film won a Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film and earned the grand prize at the Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival, and was also nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation and a BAFTA Award for Best Special Visual Effects.

Home media release

The Dark Crystal was first released on DVD on October 5, 1999, and has had multiple re-releases since including a Collector's Edition on November 25, 2003, and a 25th Anniversary Edition on August 14, 2007. It was released on Blu-ray on September 29, 2009. Reviews following these releases have been mostly positive, with the film holding a 71% rating at Rotten Tomatoes.[9]

In other media

  • A popular illustrated book titled The World of The Dark Crystal, from the concept artist and chief creature designer for the film, Brian Froud, was released at the same time as the film. This book expands greatly on the world of Thra, detailing its conditions and history, and provides some additional story background.
  • A tie-in novelization of the film was written by A. C. H. Smith.
  • An illustrated children's storybook version, The Tale of the Dark Crystal, written by Donna Bass and illustrated by Bruce McNally.
  • A board game called "The Dark Crystal Game" was also released in 1982 (see List of Milton Bradley Company products).
  • A book-and-cassette adaptation was released in 1983 by Disneyland Records as part of its Read-Along Adventures series.
  • In 1983, a video game based on the movie was released for the Apple II and Atari 8-bit in the format of a text adventure.
  • A couple of months after the film's release, in 1983, Marvel Comics printed a comic book adaptation.
  • Music duo The Crystal Method used samples from the film in the song "Trip Like I Do", released on their 1997 album Vegas.
  • Legends of the Dark Crystal, an original English-language manga written by Barbara Kesel with art by Heidi Arnhold, Jessica Feinberg, and Max Kim, was published by TokyoPop. Its story is set hundreds of years before the events of The Dark Crystal, after the Great Conjunction which saw the splitting of the UrSkeks into the Mystics and the Skeksis, but before the Great Extermination of the Gelflings. The first volume of the series came out November 2007, followed some time later by the second in August 2010. A third installment had been originally planned but was cancelled and subsequently merged into the second volume.[10]
  • Another comic book prequel, The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths, is currently being published by Archaia Entertainment as a series of three graphic novels.[11] The Henson Company and Archaia began collaborating on this project in late 2009.[12] A brief preview was made available on Free Comic Book Day in May 2011,[13] and the first installment was released January 2012, shortly thereafter spending two weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list of hardcover graphic books.
  • In February 2011, Sandstorm Productions – a firm that partnered with various design studios to facilitate the development and distribution of board games and collectible card games – revealed that it had acquired the license to produce games based on various Henson properties, including The Dark Crystal.[14] Before any definitive plans were made, however, Sandstorm went out of business in June 2012.
  • Archaia announced plans for a role-playing game based on The Dark Crystal at the August 2011 Gen Con gaming convention, intending to publish it later the following year. Like its Origins Award-winning Mouse Guard game, The Dark Crystal will be designed by Luke Crane and utilize mechanics similar to that of The Burning Wheel.[15][16] As of September 2012, it remains in active development, with more details forthcoming in 2013.

Sequel

During the development phase of The Dark Crystal, director Jim Henson and writer David Odell discussed ideas for a possible sequel. Almost 25 years later, Odell and his wife Annette Duffy pieced together what Odell could recall from these discussions to draft a script for The Power of the Dark Crystal.[17] Genndy Tartakovsky was initially hired in January 2006 to direct and produce the film through The Orphanage animation studios in California.[18] However, faced with considerable delays, the Jim Henson Company announced a number of significant changes in a May 2010 press release: It was going to partner with Australia-based Omnilab Media to produce the sequel, screenwriter Craig Pearce had reworked Odell and Duffy's script, and directing team Michael and Peter Spierig were replacing Tartakovsky. In addition, the film would be released in stereoscopic 3D.[19] During a panel held at the Museum of the Moving Image on September 18, 2011 to commemorate the legacy of Jim Henson, his daughter Cheryl revealed that the project was yet again on hiatus.[20] More recently, it was reported in February 2012 that Omnilab Media and the Spierig brothers had parted ways with the Henson Company due to budgetary concerns; production on the film has been suspended indefinitely.[21]

Notes

  1. ^ Wright 2005.
  2. ^ Rickitt 2000, p. 225.
  3. ^ Bacon 1997, p. 24.
  4. ^ Scheib 2010.
  5. ^ The Dark Crystal Summary at Box Office Mojo.
  6. ^ Von Gunden 1989, p. 30–31.
  7. ^ Canby 1982.
  8. ^ Thomas 1982.
  9. ^ The Dark Crystal Reviews at Rotten Tomatoes.
  10. ^ Arnhold 2010.
  11. ^ Archaia Entertainment 2011.
  12. ^ Warmoth 2010.
  13. ^ Diamond Comic Distributors 2010.
  14. ^ ICv2 February 1, 2011.
  15. ^ ICv2 August 24, 2011.
  16. ^ Richardson 2011.
  17. ^ Carroll 2006.
  18. ^ The Jim Henson Company 2006.
  19. ^ The Jim Henson Company 2010.
  20. ^ Hill 2011.
  21. ^ Swift 2012.

References

External links

The Dark Crystal on Muppet Wiki

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