![]() ![]() There's not a single human in sight (a perfect world or what) and, with exception to the awful Skeksis, almost every creature is cute and fluffy (such as Kira's Fizzgig). Filmed in gorgeous locations across England and Scotland (with the use of a lot of matte paintings of course) the film really, really does take you to another world. Though there is no specific love scene between them, there is a very nice romance developing through-out the story. On his way he meets Aughra, a sort of witch creature and Kira, another Gelfling and her race of Podling people (sort of like Fraggles). Raised by the Uru, Jen begins a journey to repair the crystal when the Skeksis Emperor dies (in a truly disturbing scene). A prophecy tells of a single Gelfling defeating the Skeksis and restoring peace to the land. Jen is a Gelfling (a sort of fairy creature), believed to be the last of his race. If the crystal is not repaired before then the cruel Skeksis will rule the land forever. The three suns that shine upon the land are about to line up in a great conjunction that only happens once every 1000 years. Since then the land has become barren and the Urskeks (a race of God-like beings) have split into two separate races, the peaceful Uru 'Mystics' and the evil Skeksis-a horrific cross between bird and reptile. It has been 999 years and 1 year since the powerful, life-giving crystal cracked and stopping shining. ![]() The film is set in another world, in another time in an age of wonder. This is yet another thing that makes The Dark Crystal so damn precious. Kid's movies (if you want to call it that) these days simply are not what they used to be and probably never will be again. Everyone involved, from the director to the best boy gave the film such loving affection and made it the best it could possibly be. It took an infinity of imagination to make The Dark Crystal, a film so overflowing with invention that you literally have to watch it about 100 times just to take it all in. ![]() As it is, the Dark Crystal is one of those few examples in post-modern cinema that it does seem something like a sci-fi novel come to life. It's almost a shame looking back on how a film like this that employs so many people and such time is now spent clicking away on a computer to get it all done. Without the massive usage of CGI or the more controlled visuals from the past fifteen or so years, the mix of the production design (maybe some of the best ever in any fantasy film) and the inventiveness put into the set-pieces and character-creations, is a knockout even by today's standards. And for adults there's a lot of great craftsmanship that goes into the story, which is with all of the effects and over-the-top creations very well told by directors Henson and Oz. Kids may be both scared and enthralled by the scope and details, not to mention the graphic nature of the darker elements portrayed (as a kid I cringed a bit when the 'vital essence' scenes came up). This is quite an enthralling film, and like with the other full-on Muppet films this works on different levels for kids and for adults. This sprawling, part-homage-part-totally original fantasy brings us Jen, the last of a group of near extinct creatures who is the only one who can save all existence by bringing a crystal shard back into the balance of the dark crystal, in order to save the world from the evil Skekses.
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