Tweetienator Ueberfantastic movie by Jim Henson and Frank Oz. I watched The Dark Crystal in my youth and I still watch it from time to time, and after all those years the magic is still there. If you like fairy-tales, fantasy, magic, puppets, this one is made for you.The Dark Crystal: easy one of the best fantasy movies of all time and if, for whatever reason, you still don't know this pearl yet, watch and follow Jen & Kira on their quest.

MaximumMadness Looking back on my near twelve-year history with the Internet Movie Database and the hundreds of reviews I have written has given me something of a nostalgic fit. A yearning to revisit the past and re- acquaint myself with all those films I grew up watching but may have slipped away from in recent years. And so, in preparation for this, my 400th review on IMDb, I decided to revisit a childhood favorite- Jim Henson's deliciously and meticulously crafted masterpiece of the 1980's... "The Dark Crystal." In every way an outstanding achievement in puppetry while also a capable and enthralling tale of fantasy, this film is a priceless relic of its era, and to this day is still very much capable of leaving its audience in awe. The film is set on the ancient and mystical planet of Thra, where thousands of years ago, the powerful Dark Crystal was cracked and a piece fractured from its surface, causing the world to enter turmoil and two new races to emerge- the vile and cruel Skeksis and the wise and kind-hearted Mystics. Now, so many years later, a young elf- like Gelfling orphan named Jen is sent by his adoptive master- the wisest of the Mystics, on a quest to heal the Dark Crystal and to restore order to the world. Along the way, he meets a host of allies, including the feisty astronomer Aughra, the fun-loving race known as "Podlings" and Kira- another surviving Gelfling like himself. And they will be forced to face treacherous threats and heart-stopping creatures in their bid to save Thra.This film is very much a beloved and invaluable work of art, and it's clear producer and co-director Henson (along with co-helmer Frank Oz) are very much devoted to their work. In many ways, this is a very spiritual and philosophical experience, delving into the importance of nature, balance and the driving forces of the heart and mind. There's just such a palpable and complex feeling of raw emotion behind each and every frame presented, and the stunning design work on display. Even though the cast is populated entirely by complex and gorgeously crafted puppets, you'll find yourself instantly pulled into the world, rooting for these wonderful creations.The characters are all instantly identifiable and very much seem inspired by the classic tales of the heroes journey. Jen and Kira both make for wonderful protagonists with just enough development to help define them while still having enough of that necessary "blank slate" quality that you can place yourself into their perspective. The villainous Skeksis are perhaps the most devious and frightening opponents to emerge in cinema of the 80's, with their eerie, oily skin and rotting bird-like faces. Stunningly terrifying work is done with them, and it's interesting how much time the film devotes to just experiencing their corrupt sort-of culture. You instantly know what sort of creatures they are when the ceremony to appoint a new king involves arguably pointless displays of physicality such as hitting a rock with a sword.Brian Froud, a celebrated illustrator, serves as the lead concept artist for the film and his work is absolutely marvelous. He collaborates with Henson and Oz to create one of the most lush and realistic fantasy worlds every crafted, with every set and every location feeling like a true living, breathing locale. Everything is so lived in. So true to life. And his work with the various races that populate Thral is just exquisite. I've already mentioned the terrifying work on the Skeksis, but his wonderfully innocent design work on the Gelflings and the ancient and wise visual aesthetic of the Mystics are just as startlingly realized. Froud excels and proves to be one of the finest conceptual designers of the genre.In the end, "The Dark Crystal" is a perfect conjunction of numerous factors, all working together to create one of the finest fantasy- epics of its time. It's wonderfully developed story, sense of mythos and adventure, wonderful characters and top-notch design work all contribute towards the greater picture. And it results in a film that still holds up to this day. And for this, it easily and deservedly earns a perfect 10 out of 10 from me. One of the best films of the 80's and a new classic in the world of cinema.

Python Hyena The Dark Crystal (1982): Dir: Jim Henson, Frank Oz / Voices: Stephen Garlick, Lisa Maxwell, Billie Whitelaw, Percy Edwards, Barry Dennen: Inventive Muppet style adventure that explodes onto the screen with such flair for detail yet it ultimately fails as a story. The plot introduces the peaceful Mystics that resemble a cross-breed of sloth and camel. They send a Gelfling on a quest to obtain a shard missing from the Dark Crystal. Failure will result in darkness at the aligning of the three suns. The Gelfling's name is Jen, which is actually a girl's name. His enemies are the evil Skeksis empire that drain fluid out of their victims because their leader wishes to retain his youth. Why doesn't he just take part in a skin care commercial? This is way too dark for young children and there is little to hold interest for adults either. Detailed production with direction by Jim Henson and Frank Oz. Jen is the underdog hero sent on the quest, and Kira is his female counter-part worth her weight. There is an ogre with a flair for wisdom, which the screenwriter never displays. Other characters are not quite so broad but the effects and costumes seem to be the payoff over presenting personalities. The climax lacks the payoff needed but not much of this made any sense to begin with. The production is crystal clear Henson at his best but it is not up to par with the Muppets. Score: 3 ½ / 10

Matt Therault I was hoping that this movie was going to be a lot better than it was. To myself, I thought it would be great as this was one of Jim Henson's more notable films. However, the story didn't really grip me all that much. That could be because today we have a ton of these movies. The one where the is the hero who must overcome an orphan story to become the hero that they are today. However today, that has been all, but played. There could be the argument that it wasn't done at the time all that well, and that is why this movie is good. However, I'm not a fan of that argument. As older movies can still hold up even though they have the same overarching story as the movies in the genre that succeed them. This one, I didn't feel like had any real differences except it was done with puppets. The fact that you have puppets in a movie should not be the selling point. The selling point should be that you can use those puppets to tell a better story.In summation. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't all that good. It was right in the middle of the road for a movie.