The Dark Crystal

Rating:
Summary: Good movie, surprisingly "un-dated" for a 80's film.
Review: The muppets and costumes are stunning, characters are well-rounded and creative, and Fizgig(the little furball who looks like a deranged Shih-Tzu dog!) is alternately adorable and hysterical. It also managed to look very "un-Muppet"-like for the most part(with the notable and probably deliberate exception of Fizgig), a plus in my book, as Muppets are fine for funny stuff, but not fantasy-drama!

My only major gripe is the somewhat lame ending, which pretty much left me thinking "Oh, please!". It also may be a tad slow and too scary for the kiddies in some parts(I know that one-eyed wizardess and the mind-draining scene near the end of the movie sure scared me as a kid!), but is otherwise a wonderfully told (and well-acted) fantasy tale. Definitely worth watching despite its few drawbacks.

Rating:
Summary: An imaginative and epic adventure
Review: Easily the best Jim Henson film ever , puppeteers , engineers , construction workers , and disigners along with directing genious of Jim Henson and Frank Oz come together to bring one of the best and cherished fantasy films ever made it is as imaginative , dark , beautiful , and scale is epic a 5 year production on this beloved film from Jim Henson's archive it will be the one film that will herald his name for generations to come.In a world once beautiful but now dying because 1000 years ago the crystal craked and forever shatterd the world into darkness the worlds power lies in the Dark Crystal wich belongs in the hands of the Seskis who harness it's power and energy to extend life a dying race living in a dying world ruled by a dying crystal.

All that is but left of a peace loving race called Gelfling is young Jen the last hope for the world he is taken in by a peacful race called Mystics who are somehow joined in some way by the Seskis one of the Mystics tells him about the quest that lies ahead of him , about how he must find a crystal shard and in time find out what he must do with the shard and to seek out a creature named Ogra.Throug his quest he will find another young female Gelfling named Kira together they continue there quest to join the shard with the crystal , but to do so they must face great dangers that lie ahead and the Seskis soldiers , garthem the ending of the film is so fantastic and hartwarming that it bring a jaw dropping sense of just how much they did put in this film.

With a worth while hour long documentary on this fantastic film and the making of it you can see the painstaking task of bringing this epic film to life it has trailers and production notes and an isolated music score of Trevor Jones sweeping and incredibly awsome score hearlded by critics around the world the Dark Crystal has stood the test of time now , capture this truly epic and awsome movie on DVD forever for your entire family to enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: Great puppetry, scary faces
Review: This is an excellent movie for kids over the age of 8-10; it's so scary to little people, (My own grandchildren freaked out @ 6 and 7! I thought it would be OK because I was explaining how they were just puppets, blah, blah. Perhaps your own children/grandkids are not as naive, but, none-the-less a word of warning, now they love it, but it's years later and they appreciate the work that went into the making of it.) I was dissappointed in the grainy, less than great color of the VHS version. I was told not to buy the DVD before Christmas, so I may get it as a gift. The DVD customer reviews sound like the color and sound are much more detailed and clear. I'll wait.

Enjoy the faces and places that came from Jim Henson and Frank Oz' imagination, we won't get to enjoy Jim's anymore. The movie itself can be a tad bit slow in parts, but the overall effects with the great puppetry-awsome. The story is a little predictable, but I don't watch everything expecting to have a brainstorm from it. This is a kick-back, check it out movie for a dark, rainy day.

Rating:
Summary: Visionary fantasy, stunning on DVD.
Review: Long have I loved The Dark Crystal, and when I got the DVD as a gift (my first DVD!), frankly, I was apprehensive. I hadn't seen the movie in years, until this past summer, when I rented the videotape and was appalled by the quality: the murky picture, the incomprehensible composition of many scenes, and the slow pacing. Would the DVD simply present digitally-clear proof of all these complaints?

Nope! This is a feast for the eyes, a creative masterpiece.

Okay, first off, I'll say that the pacing *is* slow, and that's the biggest flaw in this film. My only other issue, brought to light by the sharp DVD picture, is that the hero puppets, the Gelflings, are relatively unexpressive -- their facial features change very little. Perhaps that was the limited state of the art for a humanlike puppet in the early 1980s. It's ironic, because every other creature in this fantasy world (excepting the beasts of burden: Landstriders, Garthim) is delightfully expressive, from the simple Pod People to the wonderful conniving Skeksis Chamberlain. But then, I've read the same about Star Wars, even: Heroes tend to be plain and undetailed because we are meant to project our own traits upon them. Still, I'd have appreciated even a basic facial expression, a simple smile or frown, but the Gelflings don't have it.

But don't get me wrong: Those are minor complaints. I love this movie. I almost gave up on it after the atrocious VHS rental experience, but the DVD restored my faith and then some. If the pacing is slow, it is a boon in disguise, because it allows you more time to absorb the visual detail. And The Dark Crystal is loaded with detail; this is a complete fantasy world, inspired by Brian Froud (of the book "Fairies") and constructed by Jim Henson's shop. The widescreen frame is necessary (it's the only aspect ratio included) -- after seeing this DVD, I can't imagine watching the movie in TV pan 'n' scan format. Every shot is a dreamlike panorama. And the color is truly vibrant.

The sound, as well, is excellent, and the isolated music soundtrack option provides for an even more mysterious and compelling experience. The bonus material is sometimes weak (e.g., overdesigned character-photo screens with terse descriptions), but the saving grace is the documentary piece. It's an extensive look at the conception and making of the movie, and it features the most footage of Jim Henson I've ever seen in one place. The Dark Crystal was in many ways the crown jewel of Henson's achievements, and it's fitting that he gets the chance to talk so much about it. Plenty of interviews with other production people, too, including Frank Oz. (At one point, Henson and Oz are seen discussing a storyboard, and if you close your eyes, it's eerie -- you could swear it's Ernie and Bert.) Truly a treat for Henson fans. For the many who waited decades for a definitive collector's release of The Dark Crystal, it's a dream come true.

Note: I wouldn't recommend this film for young children. I'd say it's best for later grade-schoolers, especially fantasy-oriented ones (I can imagine a revival among the Harry Potter crowd). But don't assume that because it's from Henson it's another Sesame Street preschooler romp: The Dark Crystal has some frightening scenes, elements of macabre horror, and even murder. I'm saving this one until my kids are older -- and then, boy, am I going to love watching it with them.

Rating:
Summary: Great Memories!
Review: I was a very young girl when I went to see this movie with my mother. I am 31 years old now and havent seen it since. I didnt know that it was on VHS. I plan on buying it. I absolutely LOVED this movie. It brings me such wonderful memories. I plan on sharing this movie with my children.

Rating:
Summary: You don't need to be a Hanson fan...
Review: I am sorry for the people who feel that the only reason a movie gets good reviews is because people are fans of the creators work. I watch this movie when I was 6 years old and it has always been a favorite. I think we are expecting too much of the older films due to the high tech quality we have now. And frankly it's not fair to judge it that way. I feel the story had depth, and good character developement. Anyone who gets the DVD should watch the Making of...it gives you a better appreciation of the movie.

Rating:
Summary: Derivative, predictable, preachy
Review: I assume most other reviewers are hard core Jim Henson fans. I can think of no other explanation for the glowing reviews for this predictable, poorly paced fable. I had high hopes for this movie, but it lacks a compelling story, interesting charachters,and wit.

Rating:
Summary: This is why you buy the DVD.
Review: The film itself is an undisputed touchstone in the development of cinema fantasy. Its art direction, technical wizardry, and mesmerizing spell make it a classic of entertainment as well as a piece worthy of study. Why buy this on DVD? Firstly, the transfer from film is excellent. I'd become used to the muddied prints used for television and my own VHS copy. The DVD offers vibrancy and sumptuous sound. Let me put it this way: The DVD restores to reality the memory I have of this film as a child sitting in a dark theater. As for the extras, the documentary is one that has gotten periodic play on PBS. Still, it's worth seeing again just to watch the complexity of the project. The effort needed to create this production was immense. Of course, the end result is breathtaking -- all the more reason to see the documentary and let you mind be boggled. The deleted scenes are a hoot (especially the "original" language workprint), though the transfer is poor due to the state of the original film. If you are a friend of the fantasy genre, you need to own this on DVD.

Rating:
Summary: The Dark Crystal is a work of art
Review: Filmed entirely using puppets from the late Jim Henson's own workshop, the movie is steeped in fantastical lore in which no human appears. It centers around a young Gelfling named Jen, who believes he is the last of his kind. He soon discovers he is not alone when he meets another Gelfling named Kira who has been hidden away. In the process he learns that he is the one prophesized to save his planet by restoring a mystical crystal to its original state before the aligning of planets brings about the rule of the Skeksis (vulture-like feral creatures who have no qualms about destroying one another to stay in power.) So begins his quest to search for the legendary Dark Crystal.

The late Jim Henson (along with his now famous Creature Shop) created a mythical visual masterpiece, helped along by Brian Froud's breathtaking conceptual designs.

This DVD re-release is presented in Widescreen anamorphic format and features such treats as character drawings, two deleted scenes, and a wonderful Documentary: The World Of The Dark Crystal filled with interviews and trivia (did you know that Jim Henson orginally created an entire language for the series but abandoned the concept believing that children would not want to read subtitles.)

A neccessary edition to your DVD collection, especialy for Henson fans.

Rating:
Summary: excellent fantasy also one of the best.
Review: before CGI came, there was a film with Puppets that enchanted the children of the 80's such as myself. it's very entertaining and adventure packed that will enchant you every second.