# The Dark Crystal (1982)



## Foxbat (Feb 5, 2005)

Please stick any thoughts, musings, arguments or anecdotes concerning Dark Crystal in here  

Now I've got to go and find myself a copy to watch


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## polymorphikos (Feb 5, 2005)

It's very pretty. It resembles Graeme Base come to life. And the imagination, detail and sets are brilliant. Whilst the story and everything worked fine, I think I liked the sheer immersion factor most of all.


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## Lidora (Feb 5, 2005)

the detail that went into the design of the sets, costumes, and character is what truly brings this film to life.  brian froud's work in this picture is very apparent in every scene and i love it!  i met him 2 years ago at a comic convention and was lucky enough to have him sign my dark crystal playing cards!

i also love the story of this film.  it's simple, yet strangly facinating.  i love the gelflings and the intimacy they share.  background stories were developed for each of the characters, including the skeksies and mystics, that you can't find in the film, but if you read some of the books that came out later, they describe them.  

jim henson put his entire being of creativity into the five years it took to make this movie, this is obvious through the detail and attention taken to the film.  it's unfortunate that it did so poorly at the box office.  some blame it's failure as the beginning to the depression henson fell into, eventually turning his company over to disney.

regardless, dark crystal remains one of my fantasy/sci-fi favorites.  an underappreciated gem.


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## Foxbat (Feb 6, 2005)

I've just watched this film and I have to say that I agree wholeheartedly with Lidora's comments. This is a wonderful piece of work. I'm surprised it did so badly when it was first released. Perhaps the nature of the work itself confused the potential audiences. Whatever the reason, I found myself enjoying this one almost from the word go.

One question begs an answer: why in God's name did it take me so long to get around to watching this fabulous little movie?


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## Winters_Sorrow (Feb 9, 2005)

Gelfling? 

I love this movie - best Jim Henson creation for me. 
A rather sweet little story with very scary overtones (does anybody else just get totally creeped out by the life draining machine?  )
I also loved the mad witch - very much a henson concept that one! 

Interested to hear about the books which came out afterwards, Lidora.
What were they about?


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## Lidora (Feb 12, 2005)

the books were about the movie.  they have detailed descriptions of the characters and go in depth about their histories.  a particularly wonderful book is _the art of the dark crystal_.  it shows many concept sketches and designs for the movie.  the book itself is beautifully designed.


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## McMurphy (Feb 21, 2005)

Dark Crystal really is brilliant, isn't it? Jim Henson's imagination has been greatly missed already because I can't imagine a film as rich as this one being released today without playing down to children. 

Here are some discussion questions I have thought of:

*1.)* Speaking of children as an audience, _do you feel that this one would be too scary at parts for them?_ Where any of you terrified at any parts when watching it as a child? I know that the part were the eldest Skeksis dies and rapidly decays still creeps me out a bit.

*2.)* How does the final product of Dark Crystal compare to Henson's work on The Labyrith? What are the similar motifs, characters, and themes found between the two fantasy films?

*3.)* Are there lessons being taught in Dark Crystal? If so, what are they?


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## Teresa Edgerton (Feb 27, 2005)

I have mixed feelings about this film.  Visually, it's stunning, and all the work that went into developing the back story and the different cultures was (and still is) amazing.  The basic story is good, too.  I think it's the somewhat uninspired (and sometimes unintelligible) dialogue that makes it feel a little plodding in parts.  If the script had been anywhere nearly as good as the art direction it would have been incredible.  I still love it, but not as much as I COULD have loved it.

As to whether it's a good movie for small children to see, mine all saw it when they were fairly little, and at least one of them (they're all adults by now) still considers it one of the nightmare experiences of their young life. It probably depends on the child.


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## garreth Jacks (Jul 5, 2005)

*The Dark Crystal*

I first watched this film years ago and have recently Sean it on DVD with my little sister (who how loves it) and realised what a great story line it has and the characters are very well put to getter the DVD has lots of extras on it like how the characters are made and interesting stuff about the film. My favourite creatures are the crab thing called Garthim.  What do you think of this film and also what are you favoutire characters?   


for more information go to http://welcome.to/darkcrystal


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## Winters_Sorrow (Jul 5, 2005)

*Re: The dark cristal*

loved the movie - btw a sequel called the Power of the Dark Crystal is due to be made shortly.

My favourite character (even those she was incredibly annoying) was the Witch/Hag thing 

Although, I had to laugh at the sole female skegski (either that or he's a crossdresser  ) 

I would loved to have seen the war between the Gelflings & the Skegsi in their prime, though


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## kaneda (Jul 5, 2005)

*Re: The dark cristal*

Used to scare the hell out of me when i was a kid  

But it is great though, have it on video somewhere, will have to get it on the dvd at some point


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## The Master™ (Jul 5, 2005)

*Re: The dark cristal*

Been a helluva long time since I last saw this film... Can't fully remember much about it... Though I remember seeing the "making of" programme that was on around the time... 

Suppose the evil "birds" were my favourite characters...


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## Foxbat (Jul 6, 2005)

*Re: The dark cristal*

You will find a discussion threadon the Dark Crystal here:  
http://www.chronicles-network.net/forum/showthread.php?t=4517

It was a Film Club choice for february and got a fairly positive responbse


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## Azash (Jul 7, 2005)

*Re: The dark cristal*

brilliant stroyline, the best characters in that film have to be either the mystics or the podlings (the stoners of that world)!


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## longplay (Jul 7, 2005)

*Re: The dark cristal*

Both the Dark Crystal and Labyrinth seem to hold a special place for my generation (spookily I've just finished watching Labyrinth).


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## GOLLUM (Jul 8, 2005)

*Re: The dark cristal*

Saw the Dark Crystal many years ago when it first came iut and then gaain more recently (lst year or so) and still managed to enjoy it. Probably still in my top 10 fantasy films....


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## Aliena (Jul 12, 2005)

*Re: The Dark Crystal*

This has to be one of my favorite movies of all time!  I grew up on it, can quote it, and my sister and I used to "play" Dark Crystal all the time.  My favorite character is Kira, of course!  I even have a Kira doll my friend got me for my birthday a year or so ago.  It came with a Fizzgig and everything.  ^_^  I have the DVD and soundtrack.  LOVE this one.  It's a classic!


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## dwndrgn (Jul 12, 2005)

*Re: The Dark Crystal*

Definitely one of the older movies I'd like to own on dvd.


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## alexhurry (Aug 1, 2005)

*Re: The Dark Crystal*

When I was younger I taped Pinnochio of the television and after that was Dark Crystal which is also on the tape but I have never watched.  I had never heard of it until recently so I must give it a try sometime.


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## ThulsaDoom (Aug 1, 2005)

*Re: The Dark Crystal*

I loved the strider's. I thought they were a really unique looking creature design, done in a practical and fantastically original way. They could've easilly ended up looking like blokes in suits, but didn't at all.

It's one of those rare films, that is totally unique in format, and can never be duplicated. (Short maybe of the sequal mentioned above!)


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## Genus (Aug 2, 2005)

*Re: The Dark Crystal*

One of my cats is called Fizzgig.


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## ADangerousIdea (Aug 2, 2005)

*Re: The Dark Crystal*

Haha, I remember seeing that movie in a Sci-fi/Fantasy class at school (Our teacher convinced the school to add it to the curriculum by saying it was an English class. Really it was just an excuse to sit around and watch movies and play RPGs)

I loved the part where one of the mystics vanishes and the rest just kind of shrug and keep walking.


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## dwndrgn (Aug 2, 2005)

*Re: The dark cristal*



			
				Winters_Sorrow said:
			
		

> loved the movie - btw a sequel called the Power of the Dark Crystal is due to be made shortly.


Where'd you hear that?  I'd love to see a sequel.  Actually, I'd love to see the original again, it's been forever.


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## Winters_Sorrow (Aug 2, 2005)

*Re: The dark cristal*

I'm fortunate enough to own the original on DVD now  (v. interesting making of included btw)

As for the sequel - still in an early planning stage really but planned for a 2007 release.
Link below
http://comingsoon.net/news/topnews.php?id=9615


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## dwndrgn (Aug 2, 2005)

*Re: The dark cristal*



			
				Winters_Sorrow said:
			
		

> I'm fortunate enough to own the original on DVD now  (v. interesting making of included btw)
> 
> As for the sequel - still in an early planning stage really but planned for a 2007 release.
> Link below
> http://comingsoon.net/news/topnews.php?id=9615


Thanks for the info!  Did you get the dvd at a regular commercial seller?  I was thinking of checkin ebay for it but was afraid they'd only have vhs available.


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## Winters_Sorrow (Aug 2, 2005)

*Re: The dark crystal*

You should be able to buy it on DVD relatively cheaply these days - fingers crossed! 

http://cgi.ebay.com/The-Dark-Crystal-S-E-Henson-DVD_W0QQitemZ6420018462QQcategoryZ617QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


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## Niolani (Feb 10, 2006)

*Re: The Dark Crystal*

I loved this movie as a little kid, it was one of my faves that I watched about once a month along with The Neverending Story and The Labyrinth. When Fizzgig scares Jen into the pond I always used to crack up for some reason. I hate when the Garthim kill the striders, it used to be rather upsetting. I always liked the Lord Chamberlin of the skesies and that witch lady too. I bought it on DVD last year at Big W in Australia.


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## kyektulu (Feb 10, 2006)

*Re: The Dark Crystal*

*Wow it has been many years since I have seen this movie!

 I really enjoyed it though, looking forward to the sequal.*


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## weaveworld (Feb 10, 2006)

*Re: The Dark Crystal*

*The Dark Crystal was such a great movie and I am so looking forward to seeing the sequel - thanks for the info! *


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## Rosemary (Feb 12, 2006)

*Re: The Dark Crystal*

Sounds as if I need to get a copy of Dark Crystal.  I have never seen it


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