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126-412: The Dark Crystal is a 1982 dark fantasy film directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz . It stars the voices of Stephen Garlick , Lisa Maxwell , Billie Whitelaw , Percy Edwards , and Barry Dennen . The film was produced by ITC Entertainment and The Jim Henson Company and distributed by Universal Pictures . The plot revolves around Jen and Kira , two Gelflings on a quest to restore balance to

252-455: A firca . His creature and costume design were provided by Brian Froud and his designer and fabrication supervisor was Wendy Midener. Having escaped the slaughter of her people when hidden by her mother in a hollow tree trunk, Kira ended up wandering into a Podling village and was adopted by them. Taught by the Podlings, Kira learned to converse with wild animals and is given to wandering

378-540: A "dark fairy tale" fantasy film. Guillermo del Toro 's fantasy film Pan's Labyrinth (2006) has been described as a "sort of a dark spin on Alice in Wonderland ". The 2013 fantasy action role-playing game Dragon's Crown contains many elements of dark fantasy, such as werewolves, vampires, zombies, homonculi, and human-monster hybrids. Modern games from Japanese game development and publishing company FromSoftware are lauded as exceptional representations of

504-419: A "penetrating stare." Each Skeksis was conceived as having a different "job" or function, thus each puppet was draped in multicolored robes meant to reflect their personalities and thought processes. Each Skeksis suit required a main performer (from Jim Henson's main team of puppeteers, most of whom had previously worked on The Muppet Show ), whose arm would be extended over his or her head in order to operate

630-471: A 1975 edition of Lewis Carroll 's poetry showing crocodiles living in a palace and wearing elaborate robes and jewelry. The film's conceptual roots lay in Henson's short-lived The Land of Gorch , which also took place in an alien world with no human characters. According to co-director Frank Oz , Henson's intention was to "get back to the darkness of the original Grimms' Fairy Tales ", as he believed that it

756-476: A 25th Anniversary Edition on August 14, 2007. It was also released on UMD Universal Media Disc for PlayStation Portable (PSP) on July 26, 2005. It was released on Blu-ray on September 29, 2009. Another anniversary edition of The Dark Crystal was announced in December 2017, with a brand-new restoration from the original camera negative , and was released on Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray on March 6, 2018. Prior to

882-682: A coup against the peaceful Eunaze, led by Malcolm the Wise. The last survivor of the Eunaze was Malcolm's son Brian, who was adopted by the Bada, Mithra's mystical wizards. This draft contained elements in the final product, including the three races, the two funerals, the quest, a female secondary character, the Crystal, and the reunification of the two races during the Great Conjunction. "Mithra"

1008-426: A dark, often brooding, tone. As a result, dark fantasy cannot be solidly connected to a defining set of tropes . The term itself may refer collectively to tales that are either horror-based or fantasy-based. Some writers also use "dark fantasy" (or " Gothic fantasy ") as an alternative description to "horror", because they feel the latter term is too lurid or vivid. Charles L. Grant is often cited as having coined

1134-601: A different kind of evil, such as cruelty, selfishness, greed, unchecked ambition, treachery, and wrath. The Skeksis were full-bodied puppets operated in a very similar way to Big Bird . The puppeteer's secondary arm was in the arm of the Skeksis and the puppeteer's primary arm was held up over the puppeteer's head and the hand operates the jaw. A monitor inside the suit allowed the puppeteer to see. The series prequel The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance introduced new Skeksis characters who appeared in other media. In Archaia Comics

1260-545: A farming community that live on the southern plains of Thra and are a rival of the Stonewood Clan. The Spriton Clan reside in Sami Thicket, but mostly are in other parts of Thra trading items with its other inhabitants. Agriculture and creature husbandry are also part of their lives. Among the known members are: Described as "a friendly monster " in the initial draft of the screenplay, the character of Fizzgig

1386-457: A female voice, and subsequently selected Billie Whitelaw . The character Fizzgig was invented by Oz, who wanted a character who served the same function as the Muppet poodle Foo-Foo, feeling that, like Miss Piggy , the character Kira needed an outlet for her caring, nurturing side. The character's design was meant to convey the idea of a "boyfriend-repellant", to contrast the popular idea that it

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1512-462: A lesson in morality to youngsters at the same time it is entertaining their parents." Gary Arnold of The Washington Post wrote the main characters were "the softest and potentially weakest figures" in the film, but nevertheless, " The Dark Crystal leaves no doubt that Jim Henson and his colleagues have reached a point where they can create and sustain a powerfully enchanting form of cinematic fantasy." Gene Siskel of The Chicago Tribune awarded

1638-475: A long separation is Jim's response to the teachings of that book. Jim admitted that he didn't understand the book himself, and that everyone would understand it—or not understand it—in their own way. But he thought it opened up a whole different way of looking at reality, which I think was one of his goals in the making of The Dark Crystal . Henson's inspiration for the visual aspects of the film came around 1975–76, after he saw an illustration by Leonard B. Lubin in

1764-553: A manner that concept artist Brian Froud described as being "... between a dog and a dinosaur ". In Archaia Comics The Dark Crystal: Creation Myth Volumes 2 and 3 , four new Mystics were introduced: In the Dark Crystal Author Quest series by J.M. Lee, three new canonical urRu are introduced and one appearing in the Netflix series The Dark Crystal Age of Resistance . The urSkeks are the beings from which

1890-616: A night with the Podlings who raised Kira, only for them and Kira's pet Fizzgig to flee when the Garthim raid the village. They are nearly caught, but the Chamberlain orders the Garthim back. Jen and Kira discover a ruined Gelfling city where a prophecy is inscribed: "When single shines the triple sun, What was sundered and undone Shall be whole, the two made one By Gelfling hand or else by none." Jen realizes that he must take

2016-602: A profit. The film became the 16th highest-grossing film of 1982 within North America. To date, it technically remains as one of the highest-grossing puppet animated films of all time, particularly for its domestic gross. It made £2.4 million in the UK. The film received a mixed response upon its original release, but has earned a more positive reception in later years, becoming a favorite with fans of Henson and fantasy. Vincent Canby of The New York Times negatively reviewed

2142-698: A recurring puppeteer on Sesame Street at the time, and many of the other Mystic performers would go on to work on the Star Wars film Return of the Jedi , as would two of the Skeksis' puppeteers, Mike Quinn (Slave Master) and Tim Rose (Treasurer). When conceptualizing the Skeksis, Henson had in mind the seven deadly sins , though because there were ten Skeksis, some sins had to be invented or used twice. Froud originally designed them to resemble deep sea fish, but later designed them as "part reptile, part predatory bird, part dragon", with an emphasis on giving them

2268-808: A script for The Power of the Dark Crystal . Genndy Tartakovsky was initially hired in January 2006 to direct and produce the film through The Orphanage animation studios in California. However, faced with considerable delays, the Jim Henson Company announced a number of significant changes in a May 2010 press release: It was going to partner with Australia-based Omnilab Media to produce the sequel, screenwriter Craig Pearce had reworked Odell and Duffy's script, and directing team Michael and Peter Spierig were replacing Tartakovsky. In addition,

2394-477: A serial killer would simply be horror. Stableford suggests that the type of horror conveyed by fantasy stories such as William Beckford 's Vathek and Edgar Allan Poe 's The Masque of the Red Death "is more aesthetic than visceral or existential", and that such stories should be considered "dark fantasies" rather than the "supernaturalized thrillers" of conventional horror fiction. Karl Edward Wagner

2520-400: A thousand years ago, sundering themselves and upsetting the world's balance. They revive Kira in gratitude and ascend toward the suns, leaving the crystal to light the rejuvenated world. The spiritual kernel of The Dark Crystal is heavily influenced by Seth . I've always felt that the idea of perfect beings split into a good mystic part and an evil materialistic part which are reunited after

2646-523: A thumb on each hand. Female Gelfling have fairy -like wings that can be folded to fit easily under their clothing, allowing them to safely glide down from high places, even with the added weight of a second Gelfling holding onto them. The Marvel Comics adaptation of the film states that in the past, females could fly, but the wings have become vestigial. Gelfling also possess an ability called " dreamfasting" that allows them to psychically share thoughts, memories, and emotions through touch. The name "Gelfling"

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2772-579: Is a Sanctuary Tree that appears in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance and makes it home in Grot, being one of the many Great Trees that held the Darkening at bay for a millennia before it became too strong for them to subdue thanks to the Skeksis' experiments with the Dark Crystal. When the tree's death occurs, Vliste-Staba gives Deet the ability to absorb the Darkening into herself to purify

2898-464: Is a technical masterpiece with splendid special effects work by a team two dozen strong. It may be that they did well to keep the story simple and then lavish a wealth of detail on it, rather than go for a more complicated fantasy and fail." On Rotten Tomatoes , the film holds an approval rating of 78% based on 50 reviews, with an average rating of 6.6/10. The website's critical consensus reads: " The Dark Crystal ' s narrative never quite lives up to

3024-476: Is a transliteration of Ghel-lflainnk , which means "those who live without knowledge of the future". This is due to their innocence and naïvety. The Gelfling once had a flourishing civilization with a writing system similar to hieroglyphics, having relied on Aughra during the Age of Innocence before the urSkeks' arrival, which hastened their development while they venerated the aliens for their advancement. Initially,

3150-457: Is easier to form a bond with a member of the opposite sex with the assistance of a cute dog. The Podlings were envisioned as people in complete harmony with their natural surroundings, thus Froud based their design on that of potatoes. Their village was modeled on the Henson family home. In designing the Garthim, Froud took inspiration from the discarded carapaces of his and Henson's lobster dinners. The Garthim were first designed three years into

3276-571: Is impressive, but there is little indication of the Henson-Oz trademark: a sense of giddy fun. Audiences nourished on the sophisticated child's play of the Sesame Street Muppets and the music-hall camaraderie of The Muppet Show may not be ready to relinquish pleasure for awe as they enter The Dark Crystal ' s palatial cavern." Variety praised the film as "a dazzling technological and artistic achievement ...that could teach

3402-402: Is in contrast to the traditional horror model, which focuses more on the victims and survivors. In a more general sense, dark fantasy is occasionally used as a synonym for supernatural horror , to distinguish horror stories that contain elements of the supernatural from those that do not. For example, a story about a werewolf or vampire could be described as dark fantasy, while a story about

3528-480: Is often credited for creating the term "dark fantasy" when used in a more fantasy-based context. Wagner used it to describe his fiction about the Gothic warrior Kane . Since then, "dark fantasy" has sometimes been applied to sword and sorcery and high fantasy fiction that features anti-heroic or morally ambiguous protagonists. Another good example under this definition of dark fantasy is Michael Moorcock 's saga of

3654-425: Is sometimes used for "darker" fiction written by authors best known for other styles of fantasy; Raymond Feist 's Faerie Tale and Charles de Lint 's novels written as Samuel M. Key would fit here. Roald Dahl 's novel The Witches (and its film adaptations) is described as dark fantasy. Dahl's poetic reworking of " Cinderella " (which features in his poetry collection Revolting Rhymes ) sees him upend

3780-416: Is the pet of Kira: resembling a dog in voice and manners, but unlike a dog in that his facial features are tiny and his entire body is represented by a brown/red/gray ball of fur. Fizzgig moves by rolling, though he does appear to have at least two legs. His mouth, when open, appears to encompass most of his size and possesses two sets of sharp teeth. He is fiercely loyal to Kira, has an aggressive temper, and

3906-407: Is twice seen using these wings to slow a fall. Kira was designed by Wendy Froud (Nee Midener) and her design and fabrication supervisor was also Wendy Midener. The Vapra Clan are a Gelfling clan that reside in the city of Ha'rar within the snowy high mountains and appear in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance , having ruled the other Gelfling tribes for ages. They are experts on camouflage. Among

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4032-458: Is wary of unfamiliar things. Fizzgig is at first wary of Jen, but becomes his friend. Fizzgig later made a cameo in the Fraggle Rock episode "Gobo's Discovery", as one of the background cave creatures. Fizzgig was designed by Brian Froud and his design and fabrication supervisor was Rollie Krewson . In relating media and prequels, Fizzgig is the name of the species as well. Fizzgig is

4158-528: The albino swordsman Elric . The fantasy work of H. P. Lovecraft , Clark Ashton Smith and their emulators have been specified as "dark fantasy", since the imaginary worlds they depicted contain many horror elements. Dark fantasy is occasionally used to describe fantasy works by authors whom the public primarily associates with the horror genre. Examples of these are Stephen King 's The Dark Tower series, Peter Straub 's Shadowland and Clive Barker 's Weaveworld . Alternatively, dark fantasy

4284-618: The "Mystics", the urRu are benign counterparts of the Skeksis and embody the urSkeks' redeeming qualities yet are mostly indifferent and rarely act. After two of their own are killed by a rogue Skeksis, they learn that they are still linked with their counterparts, and most of the urRu take refuge in the Valley of the Standing Stones, leaving the Skeksis to their devices. While initially lean and fairly agile creatures, nearly identical to

4410-408: The "Son of Aughra", Raunip was born from the organic material of a meteorite that landed on Thra which Aughra brought to life. Unlike the more reserved Aughra, Raunip is more outgoing and with an adventurous curiosity, allowing him befriend Gelfings and other members of Thra's races. But Raunip earned the urSkeks' ire, his distrust of them playing a factor in the events that splintered the urSkeks into

4536-550: The 4K/Blu-Ray release, Fathom Events presented the restored print of The Dark Crystal in US cinemas on February 25 and 28, and March 3 and 6, 2018. On January 1, 2024, a worldwide distribution agreement signed between Shout! Studios and the Jim Henson Company for The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth as well as associated content went into effect. The agreement grants Shout! Studios streaming, video-on-demand, broadcast, digital download, packaged media and limited non-theatrical rights to

4662-617: The Age of Division, resembling Gelflings enveloped in flame, the Firelings adapted to their environment with their physiology altered to the point that they are unable to survive on Thra's surface without assistance and with exposure to water weakening them. While they resemble Gelflings, the female Firelings lack wings and the older members of the race had fin-like ears and sported a pair of antennae on their foreheads. Firelings also possess an ability similar to dreamfasting called "firefasting", that enabled them to learn of events and emotions from

4788-416: The Dark Crystal . In the film, Aughra is portrayed primarily by Frank Oz in costume. Oz also voiced Aughra originally (similar to a combination of Fozzie Bear , Yoda , and Miss Piggy ); but her lines were redubbed by Billie Whitelaw . Aughra appears in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance . She awakens from her journey to find that the Skeksis have corrupted Thra. She gave up her life essence to help

4914-521: The Dark Crystal , Archaia Comics The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths and Dark Crystal Author Quest , various Skeksis and Mystics were introduced which provides the identities of some of the deceased urSkeks (Skeksis/urRu), but thanks to The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance , alongside the J.M. Lee novels, these are the canon 18 UrSkeks: The Podlings , also known as the Pod People , are a species of gentle "earth-people" native to Thra and affiliated with

5040-410: The Dark Crystal , released on August 27, 2019. Together, the novels serve to establish the setting of the Netflix series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance , focusing on adventures of some of the series' side characters. In May 2017, it was announced that The Jim Henson Company in association with Netflix would produce a prequel series titled The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance . Shooting began in

5166-429: The Dark Crystal world during a Gelfling Gathering. The winning author was J.M. (Joseph) Lee of Minneapolis, Minnesota, whose story, "The Ring of Dreams," was selected from almost 500 contest submissions. The novel series consists of four books: Shadows of the Dark Crystal , released on June 28, 2016; Song of the Dark Crystal , released July 18, 2017; Tides of the Dark Crystal , released December 24, 2018; and Flames of

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5292-532: The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths 2, two Skeksis are seen: In the Dark Crystal Author Quest novels, two more Skeksis appeared. Both were referenced in the ninth episode of Age of Resistance : In Tokyopop's OEL manga Legends of the Dark Crystal vol. 1 and 2, two more Skeksis are introduced. Since later novels and the TV series, these characters are no longer canon: More commonly known as

5418-657: The Drenchen Clan's location in their consensus. Among the known members are: The Sifa Clan are a sea -faring Gelfling Clan that appear in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance . They reside in coastal villages along the Silver Sea where they work as fishermen and sailors . Among the known members are: The Dousan Clan are an elusive Gelfling Clan that reside on the Crystal Sea desert . They appear in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance . The Dousan Clan navigate

5544-586: The Emperor. The Emperor reinstates him and orders Kira drained of essence. Aughra, imprisoned in the laboratory, tells Kira to call the captive animals for help. They break free and attack the Scientist, who deflects the draining prism before falling into the fiery crystal shaft; on a rocky plain, the Mystic Alchemist vanishes in flames. Aughra frees herself while Jen, awakened by Kira's call, climbs up

5670-650: The Gelfling Kensho. Her return home after the crisis saw her confront Nita, a rival claimant to her position as Ember Queen, though the two eventually joined forces in order to stop the Fire That Stays from finishing what the Great Dim had started. She subsequently ruled Mithra jointly with Nita and Fiola. The Myth-Speaker (voiced by Sigourney Weaver ) is the narrator of The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance . Vliste-Staba (voiced by Theo Ogundipe)

5796-526: The Gelfling coexisted with the Skeksis before learning of their malevolent actions in using the Dark Crystal to drain the surrounding lands of their life essence to prolong their lives while using the extracted essence of their enslaved kinsmen for rejuvenation purposes. This started the events of The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance , which reveals that the Gelfling were organized as seven matriarchal clans who made their homes in areas of Thra consisting of

5922-410: The Gelfling. In The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance , the Gelfling puppets require only two puppeteers thus permitting greater freedom of movement. Also, while the animatronic components of the original film's Gelfling puppets were controlled via cables, the mechanical parts of the new Gelfling were remotely operated via a modified Wii controller. Jen is a young male Gelfling and the protagonist of

6048-542: The Gelflings' legs were off-camera, the performers walked on their knees in order to make the character's movements more lifelike. According to Odell, the character Jen was Henson's way of projecting himself into the film. Jen was originally meant to be blue, in homage to the Hindu deity Rama , but this idea was scrapped early on. Aughra was originally envisioned as a "busy, curious little creature" called Habeetabat, though

6174-450: The Gelflings, named for the giant seed-pods in which they live. In their own language, they referred to themselves as apopiapoiopidiappididiapipob , which translated as "master gardeners who live in bulging plants." The Podlings are dwarf -like in stature yet with very rounded, circular-shaped, bulbous potato-like heads and small round eyes. They have a love of music and parties. In tune with nature, they can speak to Thra's wildlife and Kira

6300-540: The Mystics' chord on his flute. Before Aughra can explain Jen's mission, the Garthim arrive and destroy the orrery, taking Aughra prisoner as Jen flees. Hearing the call of the crystal, the Mystics leave their valley and journey to the castle. On his journey through a forest swamp, Jen meets Kira , another Gelfling. The two learn more about each other when they accidentally "dreamfast", sharing each other's memories. They stay for

6426-418: The Mystics, Froud portrayed them as being more connected to the natural world than their Skeksis counterparts. Henson intended to convey the idea that they were purged of all materialistic urges, yet were incapable of acting in the real world. Froud also incorporated geometric symbolism throughout the film in order to hint at the implied unity of the two races. The Mystics were the hardest creatures to perform, as

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6552-401: The Podlings into aged and mindless slaves who submit to the Skeksis' commands. At the end of the film, the enslaved Podlings are restored to their original selves. The unnamed Podlings in the film are performed by Dave Goelz, Jim Henson, and Frank Oz and voiced by Barry Dennen , Patrick Monckton, and Sue Weatherby. The creature and costume designs for the Podlings were done by Brian Froud and

6678-534: The Skeksis Scientist uses the crystal's rays to extract vital essence from Podlings. The Emperor drinks the essence and finds that it has only temporary restorative effects. The Chamberlain tries again to seize the Gelflings, and Jen stabs his hand with the shard; elsewhere the Mystic Chanter notices a wound on his hand. Enraged, the Chamberlain buries Jen in a cave-in and takes Kira as a gift to

6804-469: The Skeksis and the urRu/Mystics. Helping Aughra search for the lost shard, fruitlessly gathering similar shards, Raunip learned the Skeksis have enlisted the Gelflings to repel the invading Makrak horde in his absence. Raunip attempted to convince the Gelfling elder Carn of not trusting the Skeksis, only to be rebuffed and accused of abandoning the Gelflings in their time of need. Raunip left Carn's village with her daughter Thall, who shared his suspicion over

6930-407: The Skeksis heal skekMal. When urVa jumps to his death, skekMal dies and Aughra is reconstituted. Her designer was Brian Froud and her design and fabrication supervisor was Lyle Conway. The fabrication team for Aughra included: David Barclay , Jeremy Hunt, Paul Jiggins, Graeme Galvin, and Steve Court. The Skeksis are the central antagonists of The Dark Crystal franchise: the ten dark versions of

7056-432: The Skeksis learned of this, they attempted using fabrications to deter the Gelfling before resorting to genocide with the newly created Garthim. By time of the events of the first film, only Jen and Kira had survived one such massacre as the former seeks to fulfill the prophecy. At the end of the first film, the two are entrusted with the Crystal by the urSkeks. In the original film, it required four puppeteers to operate

7182-460: The Skeksis' motives. Taken to Valley of the urRu by urGoh where he is reunited with Kotha, Raunip tried convincing the urRu to stop the Skeksis from taking the Gelfling to war. When the Makraks reached the Valley the following day, Kotha's translation of their language allows Raunip to understand that Makraks were forced from their underground home with the destruction they caused motivated by fear of

7308-517: The Skeksis, the urRu aged differently from their counterparts as they began using walking sticks to move around while gradually losing their memories. During the course of the film, after urSu allowed himself to die to place the remaining nine Skeksis into disarray, urZah leads the urRu towards the Castle to fulfill the prophecy and merge with their Skeksis counterparts back into the urSkeks. The urRu have four arms, elongated heads, white hair, and tails, in

7434-500: The Skeksis. The Garthim are crustacean -like creatures that skekTek animated with the Dark Crystal to serve the Skeksis as their enforcers following the Gelfings' war declaration, each pieced together from the corpses of the spider -like Arathim and the humanoid Gruenaks in a form resembling sea creatures native to the urSkeks' world. The creation of the Garthim, as depicted in the first-season finale of Age of Resistance , led to

7560-852: The Stonewood Clan, the Spriton Clan, the Vapra Clan, the Grottan Clan, the Drenchen Clan, the Sifa Clan, and the Dousan Clan. Each of the Gelfling Clans is led by a leader called a "Maudra" and the ruler of all the clans is named "All-Maudra". Eventually, the Gelfling learned that one among them was destined to find the Shard and restore the Crystal to its natural state alongside the urSkeks during an upcoming Great Conjunction. When

7686-642: The Suns. Once Lore accomplishes his mission, Lore is deactivated by skekGra and remains in the Circle of the Suns for the duration of the first season. The Arathim are a spider -like race that appear in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance , all connected by a hivemind known as the Ascendency. The Arathim initially lived in the Caves of Grot until the Skeksis drove them into the wilds for refusing to submit and fought

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7812-470: The actors had to walk on their haunches with their right arm extended forward, with the full weight of the head on it. Henson stated that he could hold a position in a Mystic costume for only 5–10 seconds. The Gelflings were designed and sculpted by Wendy Midener . They were difficult to perform, as they were meant to be the most human creatures in the film, and thus their movements, particularly their gait, had to be as realistic as possible. During scenes when

7938-516: The aftermath of the Garthim War, Aughra keeps the Shard safe in her observatory until Jen arrived to obtain it, but the Garthim destroy Aughra's home while attempting to capture Jen, bringing her to the Castle where she rebukes the Skeksis before being locked away in skekTek's Chamber of Life until she is freed and witnesses the urSkeks' restoration. Aughra makes a return appearance in the comic book sequel to The Dark Crystal , titled The Power of

8064-474: The attempt failed and resulted in the Crystal of Truth becoming the Dark Crystal and splintered the urSkeks into the urRu and the Skeksis, each member being spiritually linked to his counterpart. If any member of either species is wounded or killed, an equivalent suffers the same in the other. By the events of the film, the others having died of various causes, only eight of the urSkeks are reformed before they depart Thra soon after. In between TokyoPop's Legends of

8190-408: The camera which gave a faint color tint to each scene in order to give the film a more fairy tale atmosphere similar to Froud's original paintings. The film's soundtrack was composed by Trevor Jones , who became involved before shooting had started. Jones initially wanted to compose a score which reflected the settings' oddness by using acoustical instruments, electronics and building structures. This

8316-407: The creature's facial movements, while the other arm operated its left hand. Another performer would operate the Skeksis' right arm. A team of four technicians operated the Skeksis' hand and face animatronics. The Skeksis performers compensated for their lack of vision by having a monitor tied to their chests. The Chamberlain Skeksis, in particular, was built with 21 electronic components. In designing

8442-534: The cruel Skeksis , who use the crystal's power to extend their lives, and gentle Mystics , the urRu, who dwell in a secluded valley. Among the Mystics is Jen, a young Gelfling adopted after the Skeksis slaughtered his clan. As the Great Conjunction of the world's three suns draws near, the dying Mystic Master instructs Jen to fulfill a prophecy to heal the crystal by first retrieving a missing shard from Aughra . If Jen fails to complete his quest before

8568-479: The dark fantasy genre, notably the Dark Souls series along with Bloodborne and later Elden Ring . Characters and races of The Dark Crystal#Podlings The characters from the 1982 cult fantasy film The Dark Crystal series were created by puppeteer Jim Henson and concept artist Brian Froud . Most of the information about specific characters and species names that were not mentioned in

8694-527: The design and fabrication supervisor was Sherry Amont. The design and fabrication team for the Podlings consisted of Bob Payne , Amy Van Gilder, Mike Quinn , Cheryl Henson , Marianne Harms, Nick Forder, Sarah Monzani, Peter Saunders, and Debbie Coda. Polly Smith, Barbara Davis, and Ellis Duncan were associate costume designers. There have been some named Podlings: The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance also features some unnamed Podling servants (performed by Warrick Brownlow-Pike and Louise Gold ) that work for

8820-482: The early Gelflings before the first Great Conjunction. While intersexed, Aughra is mostly female as her masculine side was burned along with her right eye as the result of directly witnessing the Great Conjunction up close. But she was saved from death by the urSkeks with their member TekTih teaching her of the inner workings of the universe while creating her observatory home on top of a mountain known as High Hill, Aughra providing information on Thra in return. Present at

8946-504: The fall of 2017 with Louis Leterrier as director. The prequel was written by Jeffrey Addiss, Will Matthews, and Javier Grillo-Marxuach . The series premiered on August 30, 2019 and explores in ten episodes the world created for the original film. Dark fantasy 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. Grant and Karl Edward Wagner are credited with having coined

9072-485: The film 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 out of four stars in which he felt "...the resultant absence of dramatic tension cripples 'Crystal,' which doesn't have much going for it save for weird characters, who look like they just walked in from the bar scene in Star Wars . In fact, a lot of this movie looks like it was ripped off from Star Wars ." Colin Greenland , reviewing for Imagine magazine, stated that " The Dark Crystal

9198-446: The film come from supplementary materials such as Froud's book The World of the Dark Crystal . The series expanded into books, comics, artwork, games , and the 2019 prequel series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance . The Gelfling are the central protagonists of The Dark Crystal franchise. They are slender, elvish humanoids with protracted facial structures who originally populated most of Thra, having three long fingers and

9324-454: The film was still in development, but it was not yet in pre-production. Ultimately, plans for a feature film were scrapped, and the unproduced screenplay was adapted into a 12-issue comic book series The Power of the Dark Crystal from Archaia Comics and BOOM! Studios , released in 2017. Legends of the Dark Crystal , an original English-language manga written by Barbara Kesel with art by Heidi Arnhold, Jessica Feinberg, and Max Kim,

9450-692: The film would be released in stereoscopic 3D. During a panel held at the Museum of the Moving Image on September 18, 2011, to commemorate the legacy of Jim Henson, his daughter Cheryl revealed that the project was yet again on hiatus. By February 2012 Omnilab Media and the Spierig brothers had parted ways with the Henson Company due to budgetary concerns; production on the film has been suspended indefinitely. In May 2014, Lisa Henson confirmed that

9576-587: The film, describing it as a "watered down J. R. R. Tolkien ... without charm as well as interest." Kevin Thomas gave it a more positive assessment in the Los Angeles Times : "Unlike many screen fantasies, The Dark Crystal casts its spell from its very first frames and proceeds so briskly that it's over before you realize it. You're left with the feeling that you have just awakened from a dream." Richard Corliss of Time magazine wrote: "The invention

9702-444: The film, having been raised by the urRu Master urSu from infancy when his family was slaughtered by the Garthim. His upbringing by the lax urRu made him both deliberate and impatient. Jen wears a pale, cream-colored tunic. His skin has a brown complexion and his hair is dark with fair (almost silver) streaks, and grows to shoulder-length. He carries a flute around his neck, which he is shown playing at intervals, and an urRu token known as

9828-432: The film. Odell later wrote that Aughra's line "He could be anywhere then," upon being told by Jen that his Master was dead, could not have been written without having first read Roberts' material. The Bada were renamed "Ooo-urrrs", which Henson would pronounce "very slowly and with a deep resonant voice." Odell simplified the spelling to urRu, though they were ultimately named Mystics in the theatrical cut. The word "Skeksis"

9954-479: The films. The company released the films on all major digital entertainment platforms on February 6, 2024. A tie-in novelization of the film was written by A. C. H. Smith . Henson took a keen interest in the novelization, as he considered it a legitimate part of the film's world rather than just an advertisement. He originally asked Alan Garner to write it, but Garner declined on account of prior engagements. Henson and Smith met several times over meals to discuss

10080-452: The first Garthim (performed by Daniel Dewhirst) following the fight at Stone-in-the-Wood. The conceptual designer for the Garthim was Brian Froud, who claimed to have had a fascination with lobsters , and Fred Nihda as the design and fabrication supervisor. As the suits were so heavy and prone to overheating, special harnesses were constructed to lift the performers in the Garthim suits and give them time to recover in between takes. Known as

10206-436: The first time. On July 29, 1994, Jim Henson Video (through Disney's Buena Vista Home Video ) re-released the film again on VHS and on a new widescreen LaserDisc. On October 5, 1999, Columbia TriStar Home Video and Jim Henson Home Entertainment gave the film one final VHS release and also released it on DVD for the first time and it has had multiple re-releases since including a Collector's Edition on November 25, 2003, and

10332-438: The happy tale. Berserk , a manga and anime franchise by Kentaro Miura that debuted in 1989, is frequently noted as an example of the genre due to its depictions of extreme violence, moral ambiguity, apocalyptic storylines and anti-hero protagonists. Attack on Titan is a dark fantasy for its intense violence and the dystopian world it takes place in. Ridley Scott 's film Legend (1985) has been described as

10458-508: The infected. Lore (performed by Damian Farrell) is a sentient rock construct created by skekGra and urGoh. Debuting in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance , skekGra and urGoh placed him in a chamber beneath the Vapra Clan's throne room to await the Gefling that would revive him. Lore is awakened by Brea in "The First Thing I Remember is Fire," playing skekGra's recording to explain himself as her guide and protector in her journey to Circle of

10584-517: The known members are: The Drenchen Clan are an amphibious Gelfling Clan that live in the Swamps of Sog. They appear in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance where their town of Great Smerth is named after the enormous tree that is in the center. The Drenchen Clan have gills that enable them to survive underwater and the females use their wings like fish fins to swim. They are also powerful in combat and take pride in it. The Skeksis could not keep track of

10710-509: The known members are: The Grottan Clan, named after the Caves of Grot, are a secretive Gelfling clan that reside in the Cave of Obscurity, their tribe long thought to be extinct due to their isolation from most of Thra. The Grottan Clan have large ears and big eyes to help them move around in the dark, but are sensitive to sunlight causing them to wear special blindfolds to filter the light. They appear in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance . Among

10836-537: The known members are: The Stonewood clan are a Gelfling clan that reside in the village of Stone-in-the-Wood within the Dark Wood and appear in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance . They are strong and proud and most of them are employed as Crystal Guards at the Castle of the Crystal. The Stonewood Clan are also expert cobblers and farmers. Originally they were called the Woodland Clan or Woodland Folk. Among

10962-413: The making of the film, and were made largely of fiberglass. Each costume weighed around 70 lbs (32 kg), thus Garthim performers still in costume had to frequently be suspended on racks in order to recuperate. The Dark Crystal was the last film in which cinematographer Oswald Morris , BSC, involved himself in before retiring. He shot all the footage with a "light flex", a unit placed in front of

11088-418: The massacre of the Gelflings in the event referred to as the Garthim War. In the film, some are sent to capture Jen and end up bringing Aughra instead. The Garthim are instantly destroyed when Jen restored the Crystal, causing them to crumble along with the Skeksis architecture covering the Castle. In The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance , their origins are shown at the end of the first season as skekTek reveals

11214-713: The movie's visual splendor, but it remains an admirably inventive and uniquely intense entry in the Jim Henson canon." On Metacritic it has a weighted average score of 66 out of 100 based on reviews from 13 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". In 2008, the American Film Institute nominated this film for its Top 10 Fantasy Films list . The Dark Crystal was first released on VHS , Betamax , and CED by Thorn EMI Video in 1983. The company's successor HBO Video re-released it on VHS in 1988 and also released it in widescreen on LaserDisc for

11340-419: The name was rejected by Froud, who found the name too similar to Habitat, a retailer he despised. The character was re-envisioned as a seer or prophetess, and renamed Aughra. In selecting a voice actor for Aughra, Henson was inspired by Zero Mostel 's performance as a "kind of insane bird trying to overcome Tourettes syndrome" on Watership Down . Although the character was originally voiced by Oz, Henson wanted

11466-505: The only major character represented in the film by a puppet with immobile eyes. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance featured a named Fizzgig. Aughra , Keeper of Secrets and revered by the Gelflings as Mother Aughra, is an oracle who is actually an emanation of the planet Thra created long ago with the task of observing for the planet until she is reabsorbed back into it, having the ability to command plants and remove her eyes for an extended view of her surroundings. Aughra served in guiding

11592-469: The past through flame. Thurma was a female Fireling who lived during the Age of Power. She was the heir of one of Mithra's Ember Queens and the first Fireling to leave her homeland since the race's creation, heading to Thra's surface world in a misguided quest to retrieve a shard from the Crystal in order to stop the Great Dim. Her efforts resulted in a brief return of the Skeksis and Mystics while learning her race's true origins through her relationship with

11718-473: The preview and the need to re-voice the film's soundtrack. The film was afforded minimal advertisement and release until Henson bought it from Holmes à Court and funded its release with his own money. Brian Froud was chosen as concept artist after Henson saw one of his paintings in the book Once upon a time . The characters in the film are elaborate puppets, and none are based on humans or any other specific Earth creature. Before its release, The Dark Crystal

11844-427: The progress of the manuscript. According to Smith, their only major disagreement had arisen over his dislike of the Podlings, which he considered "boring". He included a scene in which a Garthim carrying a sackful of Podlings fell down a cliff and crushed them. Henson considered this scene to be an element of "gratuitous cruelty" that did not fit well into the scope of the story. In order to assist Smith in his visualizing

11970-472: The sands of the Crystal Sea by riding Crystal Skimmers, gather at an oasis in the Crystal Sea called the Wellspring, and hold ancient rituals that involve music. Dousan shamans are known to eat hallucinogenic berries in order to glimpse into the future and talk to Thra. Among the known members are: The Spriton Clan are a war-like Gelfling clan that appear in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance . They are

12096-422: The second Great Conjunction that splintered the urSkeks, Aughra attempted to calm down the nascent Skeksis before they cracked the Crystal of Truth and tricked her into entering a deep slumber to see the universe before she reawakens during the events of Age of Resistance . Upon learning what the Skeksis have done, Aughra regrets leaving Thra to them as she allies herself with the Gelflings during their rebellion. In

12222-525: The second installment was officially released. The third and final part was released in October 2015. On July 1, 2013, an announcement was made by The Jim Henson Company, in association with Grosset and Dunlap (a publishing division of Penguin Group USA) that they would be hosting a Dark Crystal Author Quest contest to write a new Dark Crystal novel, as a prequel to the original film. It would be set in

12348-467: The shaft to the laboratory. The Gelflings make their way to a hall overlooking the crystal chamber, where the Skeksis gather for the conjunction ceremony. When the Skeksis spot them and order the Garthim to attack, Jen leaps onto the crystal but drops the shard. Kira glides down to the chamber, grabs the shard and throws it to Jen before the High Priest stabs her fatally. As the suns align Jen plunges

12474-399: The shard into the crystal, producing a force that throws him aside. The Garthim disintegrate and the drained Podlings regain their vitality while the dark stone covering the castle crumbles to reveal a crystalline structure. The Mystics arrive and use the crystal's light to draw the Skeksis to themselves, merging into angelic urSkeks . The urSkek leader tells Jen that they shattered the crystal

12600-412: The shard to the castle. The Chamberlain approaches and begs them to come to the castle with him. The Gelflings flee and reach the castle on Landstriders , intercepting the Garthim that raided Kira's village. They attack to free the Podlings but are cornered. Kira grabs Jen and Fizzgig and reveals wings that she uses to glide into the castle's dry moat. They enter the castle through the catacombs while above

12726-552: The surface world. While the urRu convinced the Skeksis to not exterminate the Makraks, Raunip participated in the peace talks and suggested their relocation to the region known as the Field of Fire. Raunip offered himself to guide the Makraks, knowing that he would never return or survive the journey despite receiving protective clothing and amulets from Thall. After bidding farewell to Aughra, who wept silently after he left, Raunip succeeds in his mission despite half of his face burnt and on

12852-508: The swamps outside the Podling village, accompanied by Fizzgig. She is soft-spoken and gentle as a rule. Kira wears a golden-brown dress and a brown cloak. She has a fair complexion; her hair is long and fair, almost white; and she is always barefoot. As a female Gelfling, Kira has segmented fairy or butterfly -like wings that unfold from her shoulders on command: a physical feature not shared by male Gelflings. Although not shown in flight, she

12978-400: The ten "good" urRu/Mystics (see below). The word "Skeksis" serves as both singular and plural form for this species, with the singular pronounced / ˈ s k ɛ k s ɪ s / and the plural / ˈ s k ɛ k s iː z / . They are described by concept artist Brian Froud as "part reptile , part vulture , part dragon ". Like their urRu counterparts, they have four arms; but in the Skeksis

13104-653: The term "dark fantasy". Grant defined his brand of dark fantasy as "a type of horror story in which humanity is threatened by forces beyond human understanding". He often used dark fantasy as an alternative to horror , as horror was increasingly associated with more visceral works. Dark fantasy is sometimes also used to describe stories told from a monster 's point of view, or that present a more sympathetic view of supernatural beings usually associated with horror. Anne Rice 's The Vampire Chronicles , Chelsea Quinn Yarbro 's Saint-Germain , and Neil Gaiman 's The Sandman are early examples of this style of dark fantasy. This

13230-728: The term "dark fantasy"—although both authors were describing different styles of fiction. Brian Stableford argues "dark fantasy" can be usefully defined as subgenre of stories that attempt to "incorporate elements of horror fiction" into the standard formulae of fantasy stories. Stableford also suggests that supernatural horror set primarily in the real world is a form of " contemporary fantasy ", whereas supernatural horror set partly or wholly in " secondary worlds " should be described as "dark fantasy". Additionally, other authors, critics, and publishers have adopted dark fantasy to describe various other works. However, these stories rarely share universal similarities beyond supernatural occurrences and

13356-580: The three suns meet, the Skeksis will rule forever. The Master then dies, and the Skeksis Emperor dies at the same moment. The Skeksis General successfully challenges the Chamberlain for succession in a "trial by stone" and banishes him from the castle. When the Skeksis learn of Jen's existence, they send their army of giant crab -like Garthim to capture him, with the cunning Chamberlain following. Jen meets Aughra and enters her orrery . Offered several shards, he chooses one that responds when he plays

13482-479: The two lower arms have become weak and atrophied, and are rarely seen. The Skeksis have kept themselves from dying of old age by draining the vitality from other beings. In the film, the Skeksis are represented by full-bodied puppets engineered under the direction of Jim Henson. Henson has said that in the development of the Skeksis, the creators drew inspiration from the Seven deadly sins , in that each Skeksis represents

13608-565: The urRu and the Skeksis are derived, depicted as tall, luminescent beings of vaguely Gelfling -like shape. They sported large craniums and slim bodies. As revealed in The World of the Dark Crystal , their people considering both their moral imperfections and attempt of manipulating their homeworld's Crystal intolerable, the eighteen urSkeks were banished to Thra through the Crystal of Truth until they have learned to master their dark aspects. Once on Thra, presenting themselves as "light bringers",

13734-482: The urSkeks spend the next thousand years hastening the development of the planet's people while exploiting Aughra's interest in the universe to acquire the Crystal of Truth from her. By the time of the second Great Conjunction, the urSkeks created a mirror network around the Great Crystal to trap the light of the next Great Conjunction for their use in returning to their world while purging their imperfections. But

13860-471: The verge of death. He was last seen with a Fizzgig whom he recounting his tale to, resolving to live as long as he can while hoping to be remembered by those he left behind. The Firelings , also known as the U-Mun , are an offshoot of the Gelfling race that reside in the underground region of Mithra where they are ruled by a council of three Ember Queens. Descended from Gelfling exiles that came to Mithra during

13986-492: The weekend with a gross of $ 4,657,335, behind Tootsie and The Toy , performing better than some people expected. In its initial weekends, it had a limited appeal with some audiences for various reasons, including parental concerns about its dark nature when contrasted with Henson's family-friendly Muppet franchise. In its third weekend, it moved up to second place nationally with a gross of $ 5,405,071 from 1,052 screens. It made $ 40,577,001 in its box office run, managing to turn

14112-511: The world of The Dark Crystal , Henson invited him to visit Elstree Studios during filming. In June 2014, Archaia Entertainment reprinted the novelization, with included extras such as some of Brian Froud's illustrations and Jim Henson's notes. During the development phase of The Dark Crystal , director Jim Henson and writer David Odell discussed ideas for a possible sequel. Almost 25 years later, Odell and his wife Annette Duffy pieced together what Odell could recall from these discussions to draft

14238-410: The world of Thra and overthrow the evil, ruling Skeksis by restoring a powerful broken Crystal. It was marketed as a family film, but was notably darker than the creators' previous material. The animatronics used in the film were considered groundbreaking for the time, with most creatures, like the Gelflings, requiring around four puppeteers to achieve full manipulation. The primary concept artist

14364-440: Was billed as the first live-action film without any humans on screen, and "a showcase for cutting-edge animatronics". The hands and facial features of the ground-breaking 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

14490-587: Was canceled and subsequently merged into the second volume. Another comic book prequel, The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths , was published by Archaia Entertainment as a series of three graphic novels. The Henson Company and Archaia began collaborating on this project in late 2009. A brief preview was made available on Free Comic Book Day in May 2011, and the first installment was released January 2012, shortly thereafter spending two weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list of hardcover graphic books. In February 2013,

14616-569: Was dangerous or exhausting; for example, the Garthim costumes were so heavy (approx. 70 pounds) that the performers had to be hung up on a rack every few minutes to rest while still inside the costumes. Swiss mime Jean-Pierre Amiel led a team of dancers, acrobats and others in performing the Mystics, with Amiel himself performing the Weaver Mystic. Both Jen's dying Mystic master and the Ritual Guardian were performed by Brian Muehl ,

14742-567: Was fantasy illustrator Brian Froud , famous for his distinctive fairy and dwarf designs. Froud also collaborated with Henson on the 1986 fantasy film Labyrinth . The Dark Crystal was produced by Gary Kurtz , while the screenplay was written by David Odell , with whom Henson previously worked as a staff writer for The Muppet Show . The film score was composed by Trevor Jones . The film initially received mixed reviews from mainstream critics; while being criticized for its darker, more dramatic tone in contrast to Henson's previous works, it

14868-536: Was he who created it, and that it was formed from Indo-European roots . 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 language of the Podlings was based on Serbo-Croatian , with Kurtz noting that audience members fluent in Polish , Russian and other Slavic languages could understand individual words, but not whole sentences. The film

14994-522: Was initially meant to be the plural, with "Skesis" being singular, though this was dropped early in the filming process. Originally, Henson wanted the Skeksis to speak their own constructed language , with the dialogue subtitled in English. Accounts differ as to who constructed the language, and on what it was based. Gary Kurtz stated that the Skeksis language was conceived by author Alan Garner , who based it on Ancient Egyptian , while Odell stated it

15120-410: Was later abbreviated to "Thra", due to similarities the original name had with an ancient Persian deity . The character Kira was also at that point called Dee. Most of the philosophical undertones of the film were inspired by Jane Roberts 's " Seth Material ". Henson kept multiple copies of the book Seth Speaks , and insisted that Froud and screenwriter David Odell read it prior to collaborating for

15246-408: Was praised for its narrative, aesthetic, and characters. Over the years, it has been re-evaluated by critics and has garnered a cult following . An Emmy Award -winning prequel television series, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance , premiered on Netflix in 2019 and lasted for one season. On a blighted planet a thousand years earlier, a powerful crystal cracked and two new races appeared:

15372-466: Was published by Tokyopop . Its story is set hundreds of years before the events of The Dark Crystal , after the Great Conjunction which saw the splitting of the urSkeks into the Mystics and the Skeksis, but before the extermination of the Gelflings. The first volume of the series came out November 2007, followed sometime later by the second in August 2010. A third installment had been originally planned but

15498-529: Was scrapped in favor of an orchestral score performed by the London Symphony Orchestra once Gary Kurtz became involved, as it was felt that an unusual score would alienate audiences. The main theme of the film is a composite of the Skeksis' and Mystics' themes. Jones wrote the baby Landstrider theme in honor of his newly born daughter. The Dark Crystal was released in 858 theaters in North America on December 17, 1982 and finished third for

15624-471: Was shot at Elstree Studios from April–September 1981, and exterior scenes were shot in the Scottish Highlands ; Gordale Scar , North Yorkshire , England; and Twycross , Leicestershire , England. Once filming was completed, the film's release was delayed after Lew Grade sold ITC Entertainment to Robert Holmes à Court , who was skeptical of the film's potential, due to the bad reactions at

15750-402: Was taught this skill by her adoptive mother Ydra. With The World of the Dark Crystal revealing that many were initially lured to the Castle, the Podlings were abducted from their homes by the Garthim so that skekTek can extract their vital essence for a youth serum reserved for the Emperor. While the serum's effects are temporary compared to the essence extracted from Gelflings, the process turns

15876-461: Was unhealthy for children to never be afraid. Henson formulated his ideas into a 25-page story he entitled The Crystal , which he wrote whilst snowed in at an airport hotel. Henson's original concept was set in a world called Mithra, a wooded land with talking mountains, walking boulders and animal-plant hybrids. The original plot involved a malevolent race called the Reptus group, which took power in

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