Review of The Dark Crystal (1982) by Matthew D — 09 Mar 2018

Jim Henson's Terrifying Cult Classic Children's movie!

Jim Henson demonstrates him and his team could create complex puppets the likes of The Muppets could only dream. Henson builds wildly creative and superbly detailed puppets for his main characters and side characters in this all puppet made movie. Henson was clearly a fantasy visionary, crafting wondrous tales of magic and otherworldly locations. The Dark Crystal holds up on the merits of its dark atmosphere, imaginative puppetry, unique world and lore building, thoughtful storytelling, and loving natural romance.

The Dark Crystal does not exactly compare to Henson's later masterpiece Labyrinth, but The Dark Crystal will keep you guessing. Twists and turns with deadly situations will thrill children of all ages, while thoroughly delighting their parents. I highly recommend The Dark Crystal for an afternoon or nighttime watch with the family. It's a blast with fantastic sets, props, and puppets.

Trevor Jones' music sets the tone for terror and magical enchantments for The Dark Crystal. I think he improved a lot as a composer by the time Labyrinth comes around, but for 1982, this score is amazing and quite lovingly composed for this charming little fantasy film.

This exact version is the one you'll want to buy. It's the newest remastered Blu-ray edition. They really restored the images to bright and clear quality. The Dark Crystal has never looked so good. Included in this very set is a booklet attached to the inner sleeve with details and pictures of the making of The Dark Crystal. There are notes, sketches, and illustrations of the characters, vistas, and story lines that Jim Henson and crew went through. It's all quite neat to behold. The film not only looks spectacular, but the special features include more of the making of if you are interested in that kind of extra material.

All in all, this Blu-ray is the one you want. There's also the 4K edition if you want even better image quality. I got the regular Blu-ray version and I couldn't be happier with it. Even though Jim Henson and company improved their puppetry, realism, and acting by the time they made Labyrinth in 1986, The Dark Crystal holds up on its own merits as a successful experiment in puppetry and creative children's film-making. I think most families and even adults would appreciate all the love and care put into this highly imaginative tale.