The Dark Crystal (1982)
84%RT Audience Score: 81%
Awards & Nominations: NA
The Dark Crystal’s narrative never quite lives up to the movie’s visual splendor, but it remains an admirably inventive and uniquely intense entry in the Jim Henson canon
The Dark Crystal is a movie that’s so full of puppets, you’ll forget that humans even exist. While some critics may say that the puppets are stiff and inexpressive, I say they’re just misunderstood. The story may be a standard fairy-tale, but the New Agey philosophy about healing and heroism makes it a classic Henson story. Plus, the puppetry is so incredible that you’ll forget you’re even watching puppets. It’s a flawed masterpiece, but it’s still a wonderfully crafted adventure that will enchant both kids and adults alike. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and let the magic of The Dark Crystal take you away to a world far, far away.
Production Company(ies)
Mediopolis Film-und Fernsehproduktion Skyline Productions, Westdeutscher Rundfunk
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
TV-PG
Year of Release
1982
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Stereo
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Aspect ratio:2.20:1
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Runtime:1h 35m
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Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 17, 1982 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 5, 2002
Genre(s)
Fantasy
Keyword(s)
fantasy, Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Gary Kurtz, David Odell, Stephen Garlick, David Buck, Barry Dennen, Percy Edwards, Michael Kilgarriff, PG, box office, budget, reviewed by Richard Corliss, Dave Kehr, Ian Nathan, Tasha Robinson, John Engstrom, Variety Staff, Christopher Lloyd, Diego Galán, Rachel Wagner, Mark Pickavance, Rob Hunter, David Parkinson, puppetry, adventure, Gelflings, Mystics, Skeksis, shard, dark crystal, gem, universe, peace, balance, puppetry, set design, voice acting, audience score, Tomatometer, Treasure Planet, Field of Dreams, Labyrinth, Legend, Ghostbusters, streaming, theaters, rent, buy, subscription, sound mix, Universal Pictures
Worldwide gross: $40,577,001
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: $40,577,001
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Stephen Garlick – Jen (Voice)
David Buck – Slave Master (Voice)
Barry Dennen – Chamberlain, Podling (Voice)
Percy Edwards – Fizzgig (Voice)
Michael Kilgarriff – General (Voice)
Director(s)
Jim Henson, Frank Oz
Writer(s)
David Odell, Jim Henson
Producer(s)
Gary Kurtz, Jim Henson
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (47) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (37) | Rotten (10)
As narrative, the incidents in The Dark Crystal are unremarkable; as the excuse for special effects, fanciful decor and eccentric characters, they do nicely enough.
May 2, 2019
Richard Corliss
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Jim Henson and Frank Oz… designed and directed this 1983 film, in which no human actors appear (except as crude long-shot doubles for the animated figures); it’s a cute gimmick, but the puppets are so stiff and inexpressive that the film drops dead.
May 2, 2019
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
The Dark Crystal has an ethereal alien quality to its startling visions, far removed from the Earth-bound contours of traditional fairy tales.
May 2, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Ian Nathan
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
The story is a standard fairy-tale concoction, but the New Agey philosophy about healing and heroism makes for a classic Henson story, all heart and rapturous wonder at the world’s incredible possibilities.
May 2, 2019 | Rating: B+
Tasha Robinson
AV Club
TOP CRITIC
A children’s fantasy film so enjoyable, imaginative and devoid of cuteness that you want to shake the hand of each individual member of the huge team of collaborators.
April 28, 2018
John Engstrom
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
The Dark Crystal, besides being a dazzling technological and artistic achievement by a band of talented artists and performers… that could teach a lesson in morality to youngsters at the same time it is entertaining their parents.
October 18, 2008
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Though the puppet technology wasn’t adequate in 1982 for Jim Henson’s imagination, Dark Crystal still possesses an innate, undeniable magic.
September 9, 2019 | Rating: 4.5/5
Christopher Lloyd
The Film Yap
The story is unoriginal, but the images are quite inventive. [Full Review in Spanish]
August 28, 2019
Diego Galán
El Pais (Spain)
The puppetry is incredible. Unbelievable how fluid it is with such great attention to detail
May 21, 2019 | Rating: 6.5/10
Rachel Wagner
Rachel’s Reviews (YouTube)
In many ways it’s a flawed masterpiece, which shows much more imagination than it’s ultimately able to deliver on.
May 2, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Mark Pickavance
Den of Geek
The Dark Crystal remains a wonderfully crafted adventure from a simpler time.
May 2, 2019
Rob Hunter
Film School Rejects
Although The Dark Crystal emerged from the darker side of his imagination, it’s still a mesmerising picture that will enchant older children and adults alike.
May 2, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
David Parkinson
Radio Times…
Plot
Jen, the last surviving Gelfling, sets out to find a shard of the Dark Crystal to repair it and restore balance to the universe, which was broken by the evil Skeksis who now rule with sinister means.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for The Dark Crystal.
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