The Dark Crystal [Blu-ray]
Enjoy incredible footage from the Henson archives in The Dark Crystal. Travel back in time to the faraway planet of Thra. Cheer on the Mystics as they fight to overthrow the evil Skeksis and take back control of their planet! When Jen, a member of the Gelfling tribe, sets out to find the crystal’s missing shard, his dangerous journey brings him face to face with monsters at every turn. Determined to restore peace to their planet, Jen will not back down! From the brilliant imagination of Jim Henson, this masterpiece of animation recounts the timeless tale of good vs. evil and has become a cult favorite of children and grown-ups alike!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.–Sean Axmaker
User Ratings and Reviews
2 Stars Dark Crystal
It’s kind of scary. Don’t get this film for your little ones. I definitely would not recommend it for children below 10.
5 Stars AMAZING
Henson’s fabulous mythical world, replete with strange creatures, magnificent sets, and a wonderful story, is as close to perfection as fantasy gets. This is an epic based on sheer imagination, and set a very high bar indeed for all future film maker’s in the genre, let alone what it did for puppetry, and animatronics. See it once ( if you haven’t already ), and I’m betting, you too will be ensnared by it’s magic.
5 Stars Best rendition of this movie I’ve seen
I’ve loved this movie since I was a child. I own the DVD version, and recently got a Blu-Ray player. This is one movie I definitely wanted to own in HD. This is definitely a higher quality transfer than the regular DVD version. Not only is it more detailed and crisper than the DVD version because of the increased resolution, but they also seem to have taken time to clean up the image some. There is less artifacting, and colors seem more natural and vibrant than in the DVD version.
5 Stars The Dark Crystal
Wow! Cannot say enough good things about this BD transfer. Great movie, outstanding voicing and the PQ and AQ are as good as it’s going to get. Movie appears to start out a bit soft and subdued, but after the first 15-20 minutes or so, the picture seems to get sharper and brighter. A pleasure to watch for adults and children alike.
4 Stars Good Product Excellent service
I saw the Dark Crystal when it came out. I always wanted to have it for my collection, and now it is. It arrived in a padded envelope with the security seals intact. I can always count on good service with these people. They have my endorsement
Filed under: Blu Ray Movie Reviews