The Dark Crystal
Encyclopedia
The Dark Crystal is a 1982 British-American fantasy film
directed by Jim Henson
and Frank Oz
. Although marketed as a family film, it was notably 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 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 makes an attempt to study the nature of good and evil in terms of conscience
, destiny
, and the triune
nature of harmony. The film was produced by ITC Entertainment
, the British production company responsible for producing The Muppet Show
.
and skekUng the General, master of the Garthim, who both desire to succeed him. skekUng becomes emperor and skekSil is exiled. The Skeksis eventually learns of Jen's existence.
Jen reaches Aughra, a scholar of an unknown race, and is taken to her observatory. There he discovers the crystal shard, which is hidden among others resembling it, by playing music on his flute to which it resonates
. Jen also learns of the upcoming Great Conjunction, but learns little of its connection to the shard before the Garthim destroys the observatory. Jen flees, but Aughra is captured and taken to the Castle of the Crystal. Meanwhile, the Mystics hear the calls of the Crystal and leave their valley to travel to the Castle.
Jen eventually meets Kira, a Gelfling; and Fizzgig, a dog-like pet. They stay for a night with the Podlings who raised Kira after the death of her parents. Their respite is short-lived, as a Garthim raiding party attacks the village. Kira, Jen, and Fizzgig flee when skekSil prevents one of the Garthim from attacking them. Many Podlings are captured and enslaved. Blaming himself for the Garthim raid, Jen tries to throw away the crystal shard, but Kira reassures him that it was not his fault and recovers the crystal shard.
The trio eventually discover a ruined Gelfling city, and Kira retrieves the shard. Jen and Kira eventually find a relief
where Jen reads the prophecy of the Crystal. They learn that the shard is part of the Dark Crystal and must be reinserted to restore its integrity. SkekSil unsuccessfully attempts to convinces Jen and Kira that he wishes to help. 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, and discover that Garthim have slain the Landstriders. Kira, Jen and Fizzgig jump off the cliff and infiltrate the lower parts of the Castle. skekSil confronts them again and tries to convince them to make peace; however, Kira is captured and Jen strikes skekSil on his hand using the crystal shard. urZah, one of the Mystics, suffers a spontaneous wound in the corresponding location. Enraged, skekSil seemingly kills Jen and takes Kira to the Castle. For his capture, skekUng restores skekSil to his former position. On the suggestion of the Skeksis scientist, skekTek, 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, and calls out to the animals imprisoned in the laboratory. They break free from their cages and sends skekTek to his death. Kira, Jen, and Aughra flee, but they are separated from Fizzgig during a confrontation with the Garthim.
Thra's 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. In the chaos, the High Priest
skekZok kills Kira. Jen eventually inserts the shard in its appropriate place, unifying the Crystal just as the Mystics enter the chamber. The Mystics and Skeksis eventually merge back into the UrSkeks, the mystical amalgam of both races. The leader speaks to Jen of their history – and revives Kira – before departing, while Thra rejuvenates itself.
, and exterior scenes were shot in the Scottish Highlands
; Gordale Scar
, North Yorkshire
, England
; and Twycross
, Leicestershire
, England.
All characters in the movie are elaborate puppets, and none are based on humans or any other specific Earth
creature. At the time of the movie's release, it was billed as the first live-action film without any human beings on screen, and "a showcase for cutting-edge animatronics".Wright 2005.
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. 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.
, which was released the same year.
and earning the grand prize at the Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival. The film was also nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation
and a BAFTA
Award for Best Special Visual Effects. Some critics, however, panned the film as "watered down J.R.R. Tolkien... without charm as well as interest." In both France and Japan, The Dark Crystal was the highest-grossing box office release for the year (1983) and outgrossed E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 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.
In general, reviews were positive, with the film holding a 71% rating at Rotten Tomatoes
.
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.
was then hired to direct and produce the film through The Orphanage
's animation studios. However, Tartakovsky was replaced by the Spierig brothers
, and Craig Pearce
rewrote Odell and Duffy's script. On May 4, 2010, it was announced that the Australian-based Omnilab Media would be partnering with The Jim Henson Company to produce the sequel. Brian Froud
will return as conceptual designer. The film will be released in stereoscopic 3D. On November 2011, Cheryl Henson publicly states this sequel film is on 'hold' yet again. The Spierig Brothers have left the production. A permanent cancellation announcement is forthcoming.
Fantasy film
Fantasy films are films with fantastic themes, usually involving magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered to be distinct from science fiction film and horror film, although the genres do overlap...
directed by Jim Henson
Jim Henson
James Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
and Frank Oz
Frank Oz
Frank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
. Although marketed as a family film, it was notably darker
Dark fantasy
Dark fantasy is a term used to describe a fantasy story with a pronounced horror element.-Overview:A strict definition for dark fantasy is difficult to pin down. Gertrude Barrows Bennett has been called "the woman who invented dark fantasy". Both Charles L...
than previous material created by them. The animatronics
Animatronics
Animatronics is the use of mechatronics to create machines which seem animate rather than robotic. Animatronic creations include animals , plants and even mythical creatures...
used in the film were considered groundbreaking. The primary concept artist was the fantasy illustrator Brian Froud
Brian Froud
Brian Froud is an English fantasy illustrator. He lives and works in Devon with his wife, Wendy Froud, who is also a fantasy artist...
, famous for his distinctive faerie
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
and dwarf
Dwarf (Germanic mythology)
In Germanic mythology, a dwarf is a being that dwells in mountains and in the earth, and is associated with wisdom, smithing, mining, and crafting...
designs. Froud also collaborated with Henson and Oz for their next project, the 1986 film Labyrinth
Labyrinth (film)
Labyrinth is a 1986 British/American fantasy film directed by Jim Henson, produced by George Lucas, and designed by Brian Froud. Henson collaborated on the screenwriting with children's author Dennis Lee, Terry Jones from Monty Python, and Elaine May .The film stars David Bowie as Jareth the Goblin...
, which was notably more light-hearted than The Dark Crystal. The film stars the voices of Stephen Garlick, Lisa Maxwell
Lisa Maxwell (actress)
Lisa Maxwell is an English actress and television presenter.-Early life:Born in the Elephant & Castle district of Southwark, South London in November 1963, she was trained at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, and first acted on TV aged 11 in a schools programme A Place Like Home...
and Billie Whitelaw
Billie Whitelaw
Billie Honor Whitelaw, CBE is an English actress. She worked in close collaboration with Irish playwright Samuel Beckett for 25 years and is regarded as one of the foremost interpreters of his works...
.
The Dark Crystal was produced by Gary Kurtz
Gary Kurtz
Gary Kurtz is an American film producer whose list of credits include American Graffiti, Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back. He later produced The Dark Crystal and Return to Oz after departing from the Star Wars series...
, whose list of credits includes American Graffiti
American Graffiti
American Graffiti is a 1973 coming of age film co-written/directed by George Lucas starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Cindy Williams, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips and Harrison Ford...
, Star Wars
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, originally released as Star Wars, is a 1977 American epic space opera film, written and directed by George Lucas. It is the first of six films released in the Star Wars saga: two subsequent films complete the original trilogy, while a prequel trilogy completes the...
, The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner. The screenplay, based on a story by George Lucas, was written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan...
, Return to Oz
Return to Oz
Return to Oz is a 1985 film which is an unofficial sequel to Victor Fleming's The Wizard of Oz. The film is based on the second and third Oz books, The Marvelous Land of Oz and Ozma of Oz...
, and Slipstream
Slipstream (1989 film)
Slipstream is a 1989 post-apocalyptic science fiction adventure film. The plot has an emphasis on aviation and contains many common science-fiction themes, such as taking place in a dystopian future in which the landscape of the Earth itself has been changed and is windswept by storms of great power...
. The screenplay was written by David Odell
David Odell
David Odell is a screenwriter and film director. He was nominated in 1980 for an Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program for The Muppet Show alongside Jim Henson, Don Hinkley, and Jerry Juhl...
, who had previously worked with Henson as a staff writer on The Muppet Show. Trevor Jones
Trevor Jones (composer)
Trevor Alfred Charles Jones is a South African orchestral film score composer. Although not especially well known outside the film world, he has composed for numerous films and his music has been critically acclaimed for both its depth and emotion.-Career:At the age of five, Jones already had...
provided the film's atmospheric music. The film makes an attempt to study the nature of good and evil in terms of conscience
Conscience
Conscience is an aptitude, faculty, intuition or judgment of the intellect that distinguishes right from wrong. Moral judgement may derive from values or norms...
, destiny
Destiny
Destiny or fate refers to a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual...
, and the triune
Triune
Triune may refer to:*Trinity, the Godhead in Christianity, or another of the triple deities*Triune brain theory, proposed by Dr. Paul D. MacLean that evolution has given humans three distinct brains...
nature of harmony. The film was produced by ITC Entertainment
ITC Entertainment
The Incorporated Television Company was a British television company largely involved in production and distribution. It was founded by Lew Grade.-History:...
, the British production company responsible for producing The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show is a British television programme produced by American puppeteer Jim Henson and featuring Muppets. After two pilot episodes were produced in 1974 and 1975, the show premiered on 5 September 1976 and five series were produced until 15 March 1981, lasting 120 episodes...
.
Plot
Jen, the last of the elf-like race called the Gelflings, lives in the biodiverse planet of Thra. Jen is summoned by his dying master, who reveals that Jen's destiny is to "heal" a Dark Crystal – formerly called the Crystal of Truth before it was shattered 1,000 years ago by the UrSkeks; this caused the race to be split into urRu, hunchback beings also known as Mystics, and Skeksis, vulture-like tyrants – by finding the shard. skekSo, the Skeksis' emperor, dies along with Jen's master, leading to a confrontation between skekSil the ChamberlainChamberlain (office)
A chamberlain is an officer in charge of managing a household. In many countries there are ceremonial posts associated with the household of the sovereign....
and skekUng the General, master of the Garthim, who both desire to succeed him. skekUng becomes emperor and skekSil is exiled. The Skeksis eventually learns of Jen's existence.
Jen reaches Aughra, a scholar of an unknown race, and is taken to her observatory. There he discovers the crystal shard, which is hidden among others resembling it, by playing music on his flute to which it resonates
Crystal oscillator
A crystal oscillator is an electronic oscillator circuit that uses the mechanical resonance of a vibrating crystal of piezoelectric material to create an electrical signal with a very precise frequency...
. Jen also learns of the upcoming Great Conjunction, but learns little of its connection to the shard before the Garthim destroys the observatory. Jen flees, but Aughra is captured and taken to the Castle of the Crystal. Meanwhile, the Mystics hear the calls of the Crystal and leave their valley to travel to the Castle.
Jen eventually meets Kira, a Gelfling; and Fizzgig, a dog-like pet. They stay for a night with the Podlings who raised Kira after the death of her parents. Their respite is short-lived, as a Garthim raiding party attacks the village. Kira, Jen, and Fizzgig flee when skekSil prevents one of the Garthim from attacking them. Many Podlings are captured and enslaved. Blaming himself for the Garthim raid, Jen tries to throw away the crystal shard, but Kira reassures him that it was not his fault and recovers the crystal shard.
The trio eventually discover a ruined Gelfling city, and Kira retrieves the shard. Jen and Kira eventually find a relief
Relief
Relief is a sculptural technique. The term relief is from the Latin verb levo, to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is thus to give the impression that the sculpted material has been raised above the background plane...
where Jen reads the prophecy of the Crystal. They learn that the shard is part of the Dark Crystal and must be reinserted to restore its integrity. SkekSil unsuccessfully attempts to convinces Jen and Kira that he wishes to help. 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, and discover that Garthim have slain the Landstriders. Kira, Jen and Fizzgig jump off the cliff and infiltrate the lower parts of the Castle. skekSil confronts them again and tries to convince them to make peace; however, Kira is captured and Jen strikes skekSil on his hand using the crystal shard. urZah, one of the Mystics, suffers a spontaneous wound in the corresponding location. Enraged, skekSil seemingly kills Jen and takes Kira to the Castle. For his capture, skekUng restores skekSil to his former position. On the suggestion of the Skeksis scientist, skekTek, 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
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
. Kira maintains a telepathic
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
connection with Jen, and calls out to the animals imprisoned in the laboratory. They break free from their cages and sends skekTek to his death. Kira, Jen, and Aughra flee, but they are separated from Fizzgig during a confrontation with the Garthim.
Thra's three suns begin to align as the two Gelflings reconvene in the Crystal chamber. The Skeksis arrive to prepare for the immortality
Immortality
Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...
that they will gain from the Conjunction if the Crystal is not restored. In the chaos, the High Priest
High priest
The term "high priest" usually refers either to an individual who holds the office of ruler-priest, or to one who is the head of a religious caste.-Ancient Egypt:...
skekZok kills Kira. Jen eventually inserts the shard in its appropriate place, unifying the Crystal just as the Mystics enter the chamber. The Mystics and Skeksis eventually merge back into the UrSkeks, the mystical amalgam of both races. The leader speaks to Jen of their history – and revives Kira – before departing, while Thra rejuvenates itself.
Cast
- Stephen Garlick as Jen (performed by Jim HensonJim HensonJames Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
and Kiran ShahKiran ShahKiran Shah is an actor and a stuntman.Shah was born in Nairobi, Kenya. He lived in Kenya until he was twelve years old, when he moved to India with his family. While living in India, he became interested in films, and when his family moved to London, he became involved in the show business...
) - Lisa MaxwellLisa Maxwell (actress)Lisa Maxwell is an English actress and television presenter.-Early life:Born in the Elephant & Castle district of Southwark, South London in November 1963, she was trained at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, and first acted on TV aged 11 in a schools programme A Place Like Home...
as Kira (performed by Kathryn MullenKathryn MullenKathryn "Kathy" Mullen is an actress, voice actress, and puppeteer most closely associated with Jim Henson projects. She began performing on The Muppet Show in its third season, primarily as Gaffer the Backstage Cat...
) - Billie WhitelawBillie WhitelawBillie Honor Whitelaw, CBE is an English actress. She worked in close collaboration with Irish playwright Samuel Beckett for 25 years and is regarded as one of the foremost interpreters of his works...
as Aughra (performed by Frank OzFrank OzFrank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor, voice actor and puppeteer who is known for creating and performing the characters Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover in Sesame Street, and for directing films, including the 1986 Little Shop of...
) - Percy EdwardsPercy EdwardsPercy Edwards MBE , was an English animal impersonator, ornithologist, and entertainer.-Biography:...
as Fizzgig (performed by Dave GoelzDave GoelzDave Goelz is a puppeteer best-known for his association with The Muppets, and in particular with the Muppet character Gonzo. His other Muppet characters include Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot , Beauregard the janitor and Tiny...
) - Barry DennenBarry DennenBarry Dennen is an American actor, singer, and writer.Dennen was born in Chicago, Illinois. In New York City from 1960 to 1963, he had a relationship with Barbra Streisand, including living together for a year, during which time he helped her develop the nightclub act that began her successful...
as SkekSil/The Chamberlain (performed by Frank Oz) and a podling - Michael KilgarriffMichael KilgarriffMichael Kilgarriff is a British actor, born 16 June 1937 in Brighton. As an actor he is well known for two things: his rich voice, leading to much radio and voice over work; and his height. At six feet seven inches tall, he is sought for certain roles, the most notable of which has been The Cyber...
as SkekUng/The Garthim Master (performed by Dave Goelz) - Jerry NelsonJerry NelsonJerry Nelson is an American Muppet puppeteer, known for his wide range of characters, singing abilities, and his frequent partnership with Richard Hunt.-Early years:...
as SkekZok/The Ritual Master and SkekSo/The Emperor (both performed by Jim Henson) - Thick Wilson as SkekAyuk/The Gourmand (performed by Louise GoldLouise GoldLouise Gold is an English singer, actress and puppeteer whose career has spanned almost four decades.From 1977, Gold was a puppeteer and voice actress for The Muppet Show and Sesame Street, and she has performed voice and puppet work on various other Muppet films and specials...
) - Brian MuehlBrian MuehlBrian Muehl born in the 1950s, is an American book writer, and a former Sesame Street puppeteer living in Connecticut.Brian's muppet characters included Oscar the Grouch's girlfriend, Grundgetta, Telly Monster, Barkley the dog and Forgetful Jones's girlfriend Clementine. He continued to voice...
as SkekEkt/The Ornamentalist - John BaddeleyJohn Baddeley (actor)Edward John Baddeley is a British actor. Apart from his work in the theatre in the provinces and the West End, he is also notable for his work with the BBC and as voice-over artist...
as SkekOk/The Scroll Keeper - David BuckDavid BuckDavid Buck was an English actor. His most famous role was in the animated film The Lord of the Rings , for which he provided the voice of Gimli...
as SkekNa/The Slave Master (performed by Mike QuinnMike QuinnMichael Patrick Quinn is a former professional gridiron football quarterback. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 1997 and was also a member of the Rhein Fire, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, Montreal Alouettes...
) - Charles CollingwoodCharles Collingwood (actor)Charles Henry Collingwood is a British actor.Born in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, and educated at Sherborne School in Dorset, England, he trained at RADA. He is best known for playing the role of Brian Aldridge in the long-running BBC Radio 4 soap opera The Archers since March 1975...
as SkekShod/The Treasurer (performed by Tim RoseTim RoseTimothy Alan Patrick Rose , best known professionally as Tim Rose, was an American singer-songwriter, who spent much of his life in London, England and had more success in Europe than in his native country...
) - Steve WhitmireSteve WhitmireSteven Whitmire is an American puppeteer who works for The Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop and Disney's The Muppets Studio. He has been the performer of two signature Muppets - Kermit the Frog and Sesame Street's Ernie - since the death of their creator and original performer, Jim Henson, in...
as SkekTek/The Scientist - Sean BarrettSean Barrett (actor)Seán Barrett is a British actor and voice actor.He began acting as a child appearing on BBC children's television and in films such as Bang! You're Dead, War and Peace, The Genie and Four Sided Triangle.Years later he made many appearances in television and films including ITV Television...
as UrSu/The Master and UrZah/The Ritual Guardian (both performed by Brian Muehl) - Mike Iveria as a podling
- Patrick Monckton as a podling
- Sue Wetherby as a podling
- Joseph O'ConorJoseph O'ConorJoseph O'Conor was an Anglo-Irish actor and playwright.- Early years :O'Conor was born in Dublin on 14 February 1916, the son of Frances and Daniel O'Conor. His family moved to London, where he attended the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School, the University of London and RADA...
as the narrator and UngIm
Production
The film was shot at Elstree StudiosElstree Studios
"Elstree Studios" refers to any of several film studios that were based in the towns of Borehamwood and Elstree in Hertfordshire, England, since film production begun in 1927.-Name:...
, and exterior scenes were shot in the Scottish Highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
; Gordale Scar
Gordale Scar
Gordale Scar is a dramatic limestone ravine 1 mile or 1.5 km NE of Malham, North Yorkshire, England. It contains two waterfalls and has overhanging limestone cliffs over 100 metres high. The gorge was formed by water from melting glaciers...
, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
; and Twycross
Twycross
Twycross is a small village and civil parish in Leicestershire, England on the A444 road. Parts of it are called Norton juxta — Latin for 'next to' — Twycross or Little Twycross...
, Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, England.
All characters in the movie are elaborate puppets, and none are based on humans or any other specific Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
creature. At the time of the movie's release, it was billed as the first live-action film without any human beings on screen, and "a showcase for cutting-edge animatronics".Wright 2005.
Originally, Jim Henson wanted the Skeksis to speak their own constructed language
Constructed language
A planned or constructed language—known colloquially as a conlang—is a language whose phonology, grammar, and/or vocabulary has been consciously devised by an individual or group, instead of having evolved naturally...
with the dialogue subtitled
Subtitle (captioning)
Subtitles are textual versions of the dialog in films and television programs, usually displayed at the bottom of the screen. They can either be a form of written translation of a dialog in a foreign language, or a written rendering of the dialog in the same language, with or without added...
in English. This idea was dropped after test screening
Test screening
A test screening is a preview screening of a movie or television show before its general release in order to gauge audience reaction. Preview audiences are selected from a cross-section of the population, and are usually asked to complete a questionnaire or provide feedback in some form. Harold...
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. 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.
Box office
The Dark Crystal made $40,577,001 in theaters, with an estimated budget of $15 million. Its limited appeal at the time was partly due to parental concerns about its dark nature, and partly because it was overshadowed by E.T. the Extra-TerrestrialE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 American science fiction film co-produced and directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Melissa Mathison and starring Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore, and Peter Coyote...
, which was released the same year.
Critical reception
The film was more of a success among critics, winning a Saturn Award for Best Fantasy FilmSaturn Award for Best Fantasy Film
The following are a list of Saturn Award winners for Best Fantasy Film:...
and earning the grand prize at the Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival. The film was also nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation
Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation
The Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
and a BAFTA
British Academy of Film and Television Arts
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:...
Award for Best Special Visual Effects. Some critics, however, panned the film as "watered down J.R.R. Tolkien... without charm as well as interest." In both France and Japan, The Dark Crystal was the highest-grossing box office release for the year (1983) and outgrossed E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial as the most successful foreign film in Japan until Titanic
Titanic (1997 film)
Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater and Billy Zane as Rose's fiancé, Cal...
took over the spot 14 years later. The film has gained a cult
Cult film
A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but specific group of fans. Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame among mainstream audiences...
following over the years since its release.
In general, reviews were positive, with the film holding a 71% rating at Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.
Home media release
The Dark Crystal was first released on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
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
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
on September 29, 2009.
In other media
- A tie-inTie-inA tie-in is an authorized product based on a media property a company is releasing, such as a movie or video/DVD, computer game, video game, television program/television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property...
novelizationNovelizationA novelization is a novel that is written based on some other media story form rather than as an original work.Novelizations of films usually add background material not found in the original work to flesh out the story, because novels are generally longer than screenplays...
of the film was written by A.C.H. Smith. - A popular book titled The World of The Dark CrystalThe World of The Dark CrystalThe World of The Dark Crystal is a companion book written in conjunction with the film The Dark Crystal. The book was designed and edited by Rupert Brown, with Illustrations by Brian Froud—who was the conceptual designer for the film—and text by J. J. Llewellyn. It was originally published in 1982...
, written by concept artist, fantasyFantasyFantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
illustratorIllustratorAn Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
and chief creature designer for the film, Brian Froud, also released at the same time as the film. This book expanded greatly on the world of Thra, its conditions and history, and gives some of the story background. - An illustrated children's storybook version The Tale of the Dark Crystal, written by Donna Bass and illustrated by Bruce McNally.
- In 1983, a video game based on the movieThe Dark Crystal (computer game)The Dark Crystal is a graphic adventure computer game based on Jim Henson's fantasy film, The Dark Crystal. The game was designed by Roberta Williams and published under the SierraVenture line in 1983 as Hi-Res Adventure #6: The Dark Crystal...
was released for the Apple IIApple IIThe Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977...
and Atari 8-bit in the format of a text adventure. - A board game called "The Dark Crystal Game" was also released in 1982 (see "List of Milton Bradley Company products").
- A couple months after the film's release, in 1983, Marvel ComicsMarvel ComicsMarvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
printed a comic bookComic bookA comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
adaptation. - An OEL manga comic bookComic bookA comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
prequelPrequelA prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
, Legends of the Dark CrystalLegends of the Dark CrystalLegends of the Dark Crystal is an OEL manga published by Tokyopop, based on the 1982 Jim Henson fantasy film The Dark Crystal. It's written by Barbara Randall Kesel and illustrated by Heidi Arnhold and Max Kim....
, was published by TokyoPopTokyopopTokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
on November 13, 2007. The comic is written by Barbara KeselBarbara KeselBarbara Randall Kesel is an American writer and editor of comic books; her bibliography includes work for DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Crossgen, Image Comics and Dark Horse Comics.-Biography:...
with art by Heidi Arnhold and Max Kim. The story is set hundreds of years before the story in The Dark Crystal, after the first Great Conjunction which saw the splitting of the UrSkeks into the Mystics and the Skeksis, yet before the Great Extermination of the Gelflings. - Another prequel, The Origin of the Dark Crystal, is due in the form of two graphic novels in winter 2011 and fall 2012 from Archaia ComicsArchaia Studios PressArchaia Entertainment, LLC is an American comic book publishing company established by Mark Smylie in 2002.-History:Mark Smylie formed the company as a home for his comic Artesia because the publisher, Sirius Entertainment, wanted to print the third series in black and white...
. A brief preview was released on Free Comic Book DayFree Comic Book DayFree Comic Book Day is an annual promotional effort by the North American comic book industry to help bring new readers into independent comic book stores. Retailer Joe Field of in Concord, CA brainstormed the event in his "Big Picture" column in the August 2001 issue of Comics & Games Retailer...
2011.
Sequel
During the development phase of The Dark Crystal, director Jim Henson and writer David Odell discussed ideas for a possible sequel. In the mid 2000s, Odell and his wife Annette Duffy used what Odell could remember from these discussions to write the script for The Power of the Dark Crystal. Genndy TartakovskyGenndy Tartakovsky
Genndy Borisovich Tartakovsky is a Russian-American television animator, director and producer. His best-known creations are Dexter's Laboratory, Samurai Jack, Star Wars: Clone Wars, and Sym-Bionic Titan...
was then hired to direct and produce the film through The Orphanage
The Orphanage (company)
The Orphanage was a visual effects studio located in California. It had offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco. It was co-founded in 1999 by Stu Maschwitz, Jonathan Rothbart and Scott Stewart, who all previously worked at Industrial Light and Magic. Scott Kirsner at Hollywood Reporter...
's animation studios. However, Tartakovsky was replaced by the Spierig brothers
Spierig brothers
The Spierig Brothers is the collective name for Australian twin brothers and film directors, producers and writers Michael and Peter Spierig.-Biography:...
, and Craig Pearce
Craig Pearce
Craig Pearce is an Australian actor and writer.Pearce co-wrote the play Strictly Ballroom and the screenplay of the movie adaptation with Baz Luhrmann. He wrote the screenplay for the 1996 film Romeo + Juliet and co-wrote the 2001 film Moulin Rouge!, both with Baz Luhrmann.-External links:Brother...
rewrote Odell and Duffy's script. On May 4, 2010, it was announced that the Australian-based Omnilab Media would be partnering with The Jim Henson Company to produce the sequel. Brian Froud
Brian Froud
Brian Froud is an English fantasy illustrator. He lives and works in Devon with his wife, Wendy Froud, who is also a fantasy artist...
will return as conceptual designer. The film will be released in stereoscopic 3D. On November 2011, Cheryl Henson publicly states this sequel film is on 'hold' yet again. The Spierig Brothers have left the production. A permanent cancellation announcement is forthcoming.