BLU-RAY D DARK CRYSTAL, THE

DARK CRYSTAL, THE

Written by TroyAnderson Sep 27th 2009 Hits: 385 Favorites

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THE PLOT THUS FAR

Jim Henson's fantasy epic The Dark Crystal doesn't take place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, but like Star Wars it takes the audience to a place that exists only in the imagination and, for an hour and a half, on the screen. Recalling the worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien, Henson tells the story of a race of grotesque birdlike lizards called the Skeksis, gnomish dragons who rule their fantastic planet with an iron claw. A prophecy tells of a Gelfling (a small elfin being) who will topple their empire, so in their reign of terror they have exterminated the race, or so they think. The orphan Jen, raised in solitude by a race of peace-loving wizards called the Mystics, embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of the Dark Crystal (which gives the Skeksis their power) and restore the balance of the universe. Henson and codirector Frank Oz have pushed puppetry into a new direction: traditional puppets, marionettes, giant bodysuits, and mechanical constructions are mixed seamlessly in a fantasy world of towering castles, simple huts, dank caves, a giant clockwork observatory, and a magnificent landscape that seem to have leaped off the pages of a storybook. Muppet fans will recognize many of the voice actors--a few characters sound awfully close to familiar comic creations--but otherwise it's a completely alien world made familiar by a mythic quest that resonates through stories over the ages.

WHAT WE THOUGHT

The Dark Crystal opens with an omnipresent narrator, a rich baritone voice intoning that we have entered “another world… the age of wonder.” The ancient world which is the setting of The Dark Crystal has been divided in half, a binary split between good and evil as represented by the Mystics and the Skeksis, creatures nowhere close in either physical resemblance or spiritual belief, and yet connected by the power of the Crystal that has kept them in dire opposition. Based on a book created by conceptual artist Brian Froud, The Dark Crystal is a skillfully conceived fantasy tale distinguished by its incredibly talented directors; while Frank Oz is undoubtedly a recognizable name, Jim Henson’s is the one responsible for its cult reputation and nostalgia.

It is uncertain how time will affect the memory of Henson and his contributions to both cinema and television. Children raised during the 1970s and 80s knew the Muppets from both film and The Muppet Show as well as their counterparts on Sesame Street (still going strong with 36 seasons and more than 20 international versions of the show airing around the world). However, a film such as The Dark Crystal is highly improbable as a current film production; Pixar has taken hold of younger viewers, and fantasy is presented though CG effects, most recently noted in the Lord of the Rings series. Compared to the blockbuster Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Dark Crystal is expectedly less complicated and far less violent, but it is not disparaged by the comparison; Henson, continually adamant in his efforts to entertain both children and adults, is far more adept than Peter Jackson at maintaining a tone that is not only easily grasped by kiddies, but also engrosses older viewers. The Dark Crystal manages to combine a classic fairy tale plot with genuine imagination and seemingly effortless performances by the Muppets and their handlers.

Henson took great care in creating Muppets with very little likeness to the creatures his audience was already familiar with. Without a doubt, the villains in the tale have the largest appeal and remain strongest in the memory of young viewers; the Skeksis first appear in a Druid-like ceremony, worshipping the Dark Crystal under hoods and cloaks. A dying race, the Skeksis use the energy of the Crystal to maintain their power, ruling this world from a malformed, hulking stone castle constructed in a vast and bare desert. A closer look reveals gnarled, twisted features in a creature that resembles something between a hulking vulture with a parrot’s beak. With their Emperor dying (a visage and manner oddly similar to Quentin Crisp), the Skeksis appoint a new leader, with the urgent knowledge that something is changing in their world; A prophecy long forgotten is beginning to hold true, as it is revealed that a Gelfling, a creature rumored to destroy the Skeksis race, has been discovered.

Gelflings live into the green valley inhabited by the Mystics, peaceful and lumbering sloth-like creatures driven away from the castle by the Skeksis at the origin of the Dark Crystal. Both the Mystics and Skeksis are endangered, with identical numbers left on each side. However, the Mystics are able to send Jen, who believes he is the last Gelfling, on a quest to not destroy but heal the Dark Crystal with a single shard. Jen’s mission will not be unfamiliar to anyone familiar with basic legend or folklore; he is resistant to his destiny, and seeks understanding of not only his world but also himself.

The Blu-Ray comes with most of the same special features as the last major Special Edition DVD release. There are some new Blu-Ray exclusives supplementals that deal with the creation of the Skeksis language and more about the Dark Crystal mythology. You also get a Picture in Picture commentary track that allows all surviving production members to discuss the creation of the film. There's also a tacked-on trivia game that's a lot more fun than I thought it would be. Throw on the most pristine transfer I've seen for this film and you've got a winner. This is a recommended buy.

RELEASE DATE: 09/29/09