The Dark Crystal - A Flawed Masterwork
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.ย. 2024
- A look at Jim Henson's fantasy passion project, which I recently got to see on the big screen.
I can now be supported on Patreon here: / councilofgeeks
T-Shirts with the channel logo can be purchased here: www.teepublic....
You can follow me on twitter @councilofgeeks or send an e-mail to councilofgeeks@gmail.com.
If you like how Lis and I are together maybe check out the Punch Like a Girl Podcast: fireandwaterpod...
If you don't find me insufferable, please check out the Council of Geeks Podcast on iTunes: itunes.apple.c...
I'm also on the Stardust app (councilofgeeks) if that's your jam.
![[TH] 2024 PMSL SEA Finals D3 | Fall | รู้ผลทีมแชมป์ พร้อมตั๋วสู่ PMGC](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/7NxsN0Ch6vk/mqdefault.jpg)
![ตีสิบเดย์ [FULL] | นางเอกหมอลำเงินล้าน "อุ๋งอิ๋ง เพชรบ้านแพง" & ไฮโซสาวสุดฮอต "ลิลลี่ เหงียน"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/jPxQS_EgrJ4/mqdefault.jpg)
It was the reviews of the Dark Crystal that taught me never to listen to reviewers. Roger Ebert said the imagery was too frightening for children. Well, all those frightened children have grown up and LOVE this movie.
BTW, the Mystics (urRu) have corresponding characteristics to their Skeksis counterparts. For example, the Slave Master has an eyepatch, as does the urRu Herbalist. The urRu Alchemist has a wooden arm because the Skeksis scientist has a false arm.
I beg to disagree about Jen. He is a bit bland, but that's exactly the point. He is nothing but a reflection of his upbringing by the UrRu/Mystics and their Zenlike approach to life, taking goodness as a path of inaction, generosity and contemplation versus the relentless evil, selfish and uncontrolled urges that rule the Skeksis. On the other hand is Kira, a reflection of the Podlings , earth like and gentle but very "human". What I read from the film at a moral level is that when evil and injustice arises, goodness should always overcome passivity in order to achieve balance and fairness for all.
Alternate Timeline: The Adventures of Kira and Chamberlain!
Mmmmmmmm....
This is my favourite movie. In saying that yes Jen is a bit wooden. By the extras on the DVD the only human performance is near the beginning when Jen is running in the distance to see his dying master. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen this. I still love it and keep being blown away by the scale of it and the beauty. While watching I somehow manage to blockout the fact they all are puppets. Then at the end go wow they were all puppets. I think it hasn’t dated all that much considering how long ago it was made. I’m so glad you didn’t rip the movie to pieces I would be heartbroken. An amazing achievement in movie making all involved should be proud.
"the only human performance is near the beginning when Jen is running in the distance to see his dying master" ...and when he's sliding down the hill from Aughra's house. And when he and Kira are climbing into the caverns below the castle.
Jen knows about books, Kira knows about the world. Together they create the unified Gelfling that will complete The Prophecy, healing the duality of the Crystal, the Mystics and the Skekisis. I love that Jen is passive at first. He needs Kira to spark him into action, which in the end he passionately takes the action needed to heal the fractured world. Jen is not useless. He is a shard of The Prophesy which with other pieces perfect the narrative. The Dark Crystal is true to heart and illustrates aspects of character that audiences may not wish to admit, that sometimes we don't know how to react to trauma, that sometimes we are scared. Skeksis and Mystics are aspects of being, character, shards of the narrative which when united, heal the ignorance that cracked the Crystal in the first place. Jen is awesome, with Kira they represent a path to healing. I love your enthusiastic review of a very beautiful film.
I will say, I wasn't drawn out of it by the puppet, or the uncanny valley of Jen, but I can understand that. But Jen really isn't the 'hero', like I agree that standing alone he would be a weak link, but he and Kira are supposed to be the hero together. Or at least I think there is a very good argument that they are supposed to be one. Neither could complete the prophecy without the other. Sort of like the UrRu and Skeksis.
That's an interesting idea... not sure I buy it because I ask "what does Jen actually CONTRIBUTE to that dynamic?" Aside from happening to be the person who has the shard, is there anything about him that actually adds anything that Kira couldn't do just as well on her own?
Jen's been called on by his Master to fulfill the prophecy. So he physically goes alone - and the first time venturing out of his village into an unknown world. He also doesn't just happen to have the shard, he solved "the puzzle" and discovered it by means of his flute. Kira certainly helps Jen and vice versa - but yes, she's an absolute asset for sure - she's been on her own for a long while so she is more "street" smart than Jen - as he's sort of fumbling through this world.
@@CouncilofGeeks Jen was able to read so he was the one who read the prophecy in order to understand what to do. I guess reading is fundamental. I also agree that Jen and Kira function as one.
@@kyzmet123 I agree. I'd also give Jen a bit more credit for identifying the shard - it wasn't just blowing into a pipe, it was because he knew how to play the correct musical notes to mimic the call of the Mystics. Jen is educated in music and reading - skills that became essential to the quest - but he's also very sheltered. He wouldn't get far without Kira's survival skills and knowledge of the world. I think you're definitely right that they function as one. I always thought the prophecy referred to "Gelfling" as a race, rather than one single being. In the end, the Gelfling (because for all we know, Jen and Kira make up the entire species) work together to heal the crystal. Wouldn't have been an issue if Jen hadn't dropped the damn shard in the first place, but there you go!
That would have been a very interesting plot twist: Kira is the actual gelfling prophesied to save the world.
Kira is the hero for me. Jen told her to give the shard to the skeksis but Kira was like "Fuck no!"
Who else is hyped for the upcoming Netflix series!?
The Dark Crystal Conjunction it is like every Christmas I have ever had coming at once, like the door to my childhood is going to reopen. This is the event if the decade for me.
I can't wait. I hope it doesn't disappoint. I want the series to last for a good long while
@@kellyrickard3833 same!! I have waited a long time for this, I don't want to binge watch the series in one go but to process and reflect on each episode. Rewatch them and look for hidden detail :)
@@ashmckinlay1402 we can review the series together!!😎 but if I'm given the chance i can't not watch the whole thing. But i will be watching it repeatedly. I'm afraid it's gonna get ruined like thundercats did
Me.
9:42 I never realised that Fizzgig had a second set of teeth at the back of his throat!
Dark Crystal is in my top 3 favorite childhood movies. Still one of my fav. I agree with what you say about Jen, but he was always like Frodo to me. Everything is going on around him as he moves through the adventure. Aughra and Chamberlain are my absolute favorite characters in the film, and I always wished they would had made a movie around Aughra - but no such luck.
One thing I noticed, after watching Age of Resistance a whole bunch, is how little the Skeksis have to say. The dialogue is so short and simple...and lots of them parroting each other ("THE GELFLING!" "THE GELFING" "OH NOT THE GELFLING").
Though, I'm choosing to attribute that to severe deterioration post-Garthim Wars.
I'm old enough to have seen it in cinemas when it came out in 1982 (I was 12) and fell in love with it then. I agree that Jen is the weak link, but I think he was viewed as the character that leads us through the world. And naturally, having the female character captured and needing rescue (even if she does manage it herself) was standard plot of the era, and still is sometimes.
The big flaw for me these days, though, is the pacing. It's very slow in parts, particularly when the Podlings are in the machine getting their juices drained, or any of the crawling through tunnels scenes.
I am very much looking forward to what Netflix does with its upcoming prequel series, though. So excited for that.
Talking of Jim Henson's creations - and knowing the love we all have with Science Fiction - how about Farscape? Mostly serious, sometimes wacky, it heavily featured Creature Workshop creations alongside human actors and ran for four full seasons plus a little late add on called The Peacekeeper Wars....
I own all four seasons plus Peacekeeper Wars. Trust me, I am WELL acquainted.
skeksis remind me of the elites of this world
My dog IS Fizzgig before a haircut, but Falkor after...PM me 4 pics...
Technically in the film that actual prophecy says "by gelfling hand, or else by none" so the prophecy itself never mentions Jen or even mention that a male gelfling has to do it. The Narrator is the only person who says Jen "is the chosen one" so personally I just choose to ignore that because Kira does all the *real* work in this film. Jen is perfectly fine as a Luke Skywalker-type character. The naive protagonist who isn't particularly good at anything, but saves the day in the end while the other characters do the brunt of the work through the rest of the film.
I don't like Jen as a "hero" but I do like his relationship with Kira. Seeing how he tries to protect her, calls out for her when she's being drained, and holds her body sobbing as the castle falls around him... that's pretty touching stuff so I end up getting invested in the relationship between these two (helped greatly in part by Trevor Jones' amazing music. Look up the "love theme" music--so soft and sad!).
@Council of Geeks: I was in Hall H last Friday for the Dark Crystal Age of Resistance panel. We got to see the first episode. It was so awesome and beautiful. It is Dark Crystal. It is Jim Henson. And it took some getting used to because it was new but we are in for a big treat.
Hensen would've been thrilled to watch this video and hear your thoughts. He and Frank Oz both believed in pushing the craft to perfection. (Oz even refused to use CG effects until he was forced to for the rushed Little Shop of Horrors ending) They worked tirelessly on every scene, and even as they were creating it they didn't believe that anyone would take their work seriously. They truly did all this to satisfy their own love of puppetry.
It’s because of this movie that I always do the “mmmmmm” the Skeksis (spelling?) does every time I find something either interesting or even use it as a sarcastic noise.
Which is weird because I absolutely hated how annoying that got throughout the movie.
Mmmmmmm
I hate your whimper!
Not only I am old enough to have seem it on theaters , but I saw it 16 times ( over a period of 2 years ).
You have to remember that on that time there was no vhs in my country , and movies usually get back screening .
It of course one of my favorite movies , and Brian Froud had a major influence on my artistic choices .
I recognize the flaws on the movie , specially on jen's character , but still , for me the movie is a masterpiece .
thanks for the review . :)
I agree with you totally about Jen. He has no personality of which to speak - He isn't funny, he isn't particularly brave (apart from going on his quest alone to begin with at least), but Kira was so much more resourceful. She didn't have a personality either other than being knowledgeable about the land and the animals, but those aren't personality traits just skills. Thank god for the new series! :D I only wish Jim Henson had been alive to see it. I think he'd have been so proud of his son and daughter and happy to see his story finally told in depth and with love.
Jen always looked like Michael Jackson to me.
The skeksies, (??), scared the hell out of me. When they pushed one of them out, that was brutal. Such a great film. The soundtrack is perfect too.
is this a comedy reaction video , i cry every time i see the Dark Crystal, when they loose their vital essence, when thier brain gets drains, i still get emotional,
There are places you can visit that are shot in the film, the most obvious is Goredale Scar in North Yorkshire near Malham Cove.
I loved Dark Crystal...it kind of solidified my fantasy kick, Gen was a cliche of 80s male sitcom leads. Kira was abundantly more capable, knowledgeable and heroic. But Gen was the literal last & only hero available. Besides the Muppets, and Fraggle Rock, Dark Crystal is still one of my favorite movies
Despite also being more of a Labyrinth guy when it comes to just the movie of Dark Crystal alone, I really find this movie's world interesting and entertaining. The Chamberlain's whimper is legitimately an incredibly fulfilling vocal stim for me. Unfortunately, I've familiarized basically everyone I hang out with on a regular basis with Dark Crystal to some extent, so I basically can't ever use the noise to stim because it can never not be the Chamberlain noise. Oh well. You win some, you lose some, I guess.
When you are talking about Jen, you are kind of talking about Jim... Like how Kermit was Jim. Jim thought higher of Jane Henson's talents (Kira) than he did of his own talents.
First, gelflings are a female dominated society, so instinctivly Jen is kinda sub to kiras more overt personality that mentioned, Jen from my PoV was meant to represent innocence versus Kira's role as world learned and experienced. She couldnt read so naturally Jen could and by the lore it made sense. Skeksis were the frivolous half meant to embody sin and self preservation, while the mystic were the opposite and focused on good and balance. Jen was the only one who could be the hero because in short, he didnt care about being a hero and only wanted to payback in a sense the person who saved and raised him. It wasnt any old gelfling that could heal the crystal, it was what they represented in spirt. Child like innocence, selflessness and free of actual machinations. Kind of like how only frodo could resist the ring. Its a very similar situation. Except kira was kinda like "oh an oppertunity to be a hero to all the podlings and save people of the community and make the monsters pay. So I purpose if Kira tried herself to heal the crystal there wouldve been a diffrent outcome. Maybe a race of dark gelfling wouldve appeared, who knows? Though in short Jen whilst sucking as a hero pretty much treated it as a part time job he fell into because his rent was due ended up only doing everything he did, for everyone else. That said when the two races were rejoined, they didnt pretty much raise zombie kira for Jen as a reward for a job well done, but because they knew he couldnt rule alone because he had no intrest in doing so in the first place, and the committed massive amounts of genocide and left a zombie and rainman the gelfling to breed and clean up their mess. Another useless character was auhgra, who was litterally made immortal to act as a chroniceler of thra and was practically all knowing, had great knowledge in math and astronomy, and in 991 years came up with no contingency plan aside from putting her faith in a hail mary based on mysticism and did nothing but held a shard for again 991 years, had the chance and wouldnt even tell him which shard it was, to move things along. Honestly, if I was Jen I wouldve taken the easy way out, killed all the remaining mystics(who were linked to their counter parts so when one died the other would also) took my knowledge gained by them walked over to the now unpopulated castle healed the crystal and setup shop. Either way you look at it the mystics shouldve been held accountable for benefitting from genocide, who only had their long life spans due to the draining of the gelflings also, then saving one and pretty much raising it to be their golden ticket home after sucking the life out of planet until the next great conjunction and they could go home. The mystics pretty much were passive agressive oppertunists who played it off and got painted in a positive light and rolled with it, again for self preservation. Bear in mind the generous aliens were exiles from their own planet in the first place for generally being shallow a$$hats. They probably learned nothing from their time in time out.
Dark crystal is my favorite all time film, I agree with Jen's character being a bit weak but he is very likeable (his voice work is great) labyrinth is great too, but holds nothing against the power of the dark crystal. ;D
I think his love for Kira is what makes him most likeable. He's not really a good *hero* (doesn't need to be, Kira has that part covered) but him trying to protect and save her is just so endearing, especially at the end as he cradles her while the Skeksis run around frantically.
I saw The Dark Crystal in 82 when it came out and loved it! I watched it many times over the years with my children, and loved it each time. To compare it to Labyrinth is unfair Because of 1 thing , David Bowie!!!
Aughra, to me, was the Tom Bombadil of the movie.
That's a little harsh.
I think Aughra is more cosmic and rational, but Tom is Gaia.
I love this movie. Excellent movie. In 1999 to 2003 the Henson creature shop took the same special effect techniques to make the SciFi show Farscape. You should watch it and see the finale, Peacekeeper wars.
I own the entire series on DVD
I wish the Mystics were given more character development. The Skesis have character development. We get to know each one. We only get to know the wisest of the Mystics. Chamberlain, the Gartham General, the slave scientist all get character development. The Mystics get know character development.
I swear I think the Film has a hidden warming against Crystal Meth/Shard..
Kira doesn't know how to read when meets Jen. Jen teaches her how to read because the Mystics taught him. Jen is braver than Kira sometimes. She doesn't want to go into the castle.
Plenty of people have just decided to pretend that Kira is the one to fulfill the prophecy because Jen is that horrible.
I think Jen's character suffered because he was surrounded by intellegent female characters like Augra and Kira. He kind of flailed through his journey but thats ok and it makes him very sweet. I didnt have a problem with anything in this movie. I think the story is really good, connecting each skeksie with a mystic. When one dies the other dies from the other race. This movie was quite frightening at times too.
I saw this as an 8 year old in a theater. I think the language may have worked better BECAUSE I was so young then. At the time this was made we didn't have google, or cell phones. Context was key because not many things were sugar coated or completely explained. Between this and Star Wars I received an excellent education in good vs. evil.
Lol this was funny. I never thought of Jen that way. Jen isn’t that bad though but you are right Kira was badass! Think of Frodo Baggins kind of a sissy hobbit who takes the ring to Mordor. Jen is the same way. Just because he does and is able to heal the crystal doesn’t mean he has to be awesome. Sometimes it takes a village to be a hero to get you to your destination. Frodo didn’t do it alone.
I genuinely looove this film!
I think something that helped Kira worked better than Jen visually, especially as you mentioned in the face, was that the puppet kinda resembled Rebecca De Mornay. I didn't see The Dark Crystal when it initially came out in the theater and De Mornay didn't really show up on the pop culture radar until Risky Business the following year but I do remember wondering why Kira seemed familiar when I did eventually get around to seeing it.
I've been tossing and turning thinking about this movie and its Netflix series, and I just realized why it doesn't settle with me. It just has too many plot holes for me. Yes the world is immersive,but sometimes the dots don't connect.
Flawed!? FLAWED! GTFOH Another excellent videos thanks buddy!
I don't think Jen was really meant to be all that impressive. I remember back then many protagonists in children's films were actually designed to feel more bewildered and overwhelmed than impressive. They were meant to be relatable to children.
Children aren’t this useless. I get it as a starting point but he never really grows into his “destiny” either.
We do not call him chamberlain no no no we shall refer to him only as hmmmmmmm.
I tried to talk to animals thanks to this movie. I also asked for fizgig for many years.
I loved augras home and the creatures they rode. All jim hensons movies rock. Mirror mask, labyrinth and the dark crystal💗
Wait not important but why is this guys nails pink or purpleish?
Because I think they look good.
I agree, love the movie, but I’d sooner take whiny “ It’s not fair!” Sarah over dead-eyed Jen any day, For all her blubbering, at least she has an arc and a motivation haha. It seems Henson films struggled with protagonists, which is a shame. The art is beautiful.
the podlings are far more scary than the skeksis imo
I guess I'm in the minority, because I actually *like* Jen. And that wasn't a, "mini-rant." The amount of time that you spent griping about Jen is actually kind of scary. :D
Also, I do wish that we got to know the Mystics like we did the Skeksis.
Trust me. By my standards that was mini.
Im also on the boat with Jen bein kinda lame and could of been a much more complex character.
I dont think kids back then picked apart a movie like we do as adults...we were just in awe of the brilliance of the movie when it first came out in theaters.
And lets not forget that the original target audience for this movie was kids,which is prob why it wasnt well received to begin with because of the dark theme.
Also it was only one movie,so there wasnt enough time for character development.
But im excited for the new NF series....FINALLY we get some more Dark Crystal storytelling.
I think Jen had to be the way he is for plot and character development. I honestly don't think the movie could have worked with any other type of protagonist.
2 minutes in... "Good lad !" ^.^ [Non ironic slow clap] [Watches the rest and and completely contented in the result] [Edit - and only one. Did you ever see the Behind The Scenes footage of the Runners! No seriously - You Will LOVE IT!]
I have indeed.
Wow. I am impressed. I saw just one picture of those bird creatures and went like "I have to see this". Cause I've always loved puppets and practical effects, and seeing such gorgeous and detailed puppets always gets me excited. So I'm definitely gonna give it a watch. And I do believe that the story's gonna suck, but, hey, Shadow of the Colossus is the ultimate proof that sometimes great visuals can make up for a lackluster story.
I agree totally with you about Jen; he's such a lacking cipher.
Haven't seen the movie but a friend showed us the board game and that was pretty fun
I saw that a while back. Would love to play it.
Jen wasent chosen he was the only one that was still alive as fare as they knew he was chosen by default
I have never seen this movie before
I hear there’s a prequel series in the works
Maybe I will check both of them out later in the year.
ITS EXCELLEEEEEEEEENT!
There’s been talk of a sequel or prequel or something for almost 20 years. I’ll believe it when I see it.
If you search for the TV series on Netflix, "it'll say not out yet".
Obi Wan Kenobi
It will in August
Council of Geeks
You will in August
Good review.
Oh, brother! Whatever!
Totally going off on a bit of a tangent .... ever done a review of The Princess Bribe? Ever even see it?
Bribe???? I meant BriDe or course....
MAWWIAGE...
Inconceivable!
Then get a DVD and watch it again to check...... You won't be disappointed....
the ending was very weak; the skeksis and mystics re join each other and become something that looks like Don King
FROUD of FAIRIES fame! Check him out on FB!
I had no idea you wore nail varnish. Looks good ;)
Every now and then, and thanks.
Mmmmmmm.....
I saw The Dark Crystal when it was originally released. I left the theater not really knowing what I had just seen (in a "WTF" sort of way). I have found most of it forgettable and I have little desire to see it again.