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The Dark Crystal | Year: 1982 Classification: Feature Film Family Directed: - Frank Oz - Jim Henson - Gary Kurtz Actors/Actresses: - Frank Oz - Jim Henson - Kathryn Mullen The Dark Crystal is a work of art Filmed entirely using puppets from the late Jim Henson's own workshop, the movie is steeped in fantastical lore in which no human appears. It centers around a young Gelfling named Jen, who believes he is the last of his kind. He soon discovers he is not alone when he meets another Gelfling named Kira who has been hidden away. In the process he learns that he is the one prophesized to save his planet by restoring a mystical crystal to its original state before the aligning of planets brings about the rule of the Skeksis (vulture-like feral creatures who have no qualms about destroying one another to stay in power.) So begins his quest to search for the legendary Dark Crystal. The late Jim Henson (along with his now famous Creature Shop) created a mythical visual masterpiece, helped along by Brian Froud's breathtaking conceptual designs. This DVD re-release is presented in Widescreen anamorphic format and features such treats as character drawings, two deleted scenes, and a wonderful Documentary: The World Of The Dark Crystal filled with interviews and trivia (did you know that Jim Henson orginally created an entire language for the series but abandoned the concept believing that children would not want to read subtitles.) A neccessary edition to your DVD collection, especialy for Henson fans. THIS DVD IS PERFECT IN EVERY WAY I've seen some other reviews here criticizing the color quality of this DVD. Those reviewers are on crack. The colors of this DVD are absolutely stunning, and are truly the way the filmmakers wanted them to be. The previous laserdisc and video versions were muted and distorted, and it is those previous versions of the movie to which this DVD is being compared. The DVD is far superior. As for sound quality, it is as excellent as it could be considering the time (1982) when the film was released. We didn't have surround sound digital whatever back then. The isolated score is, in fact, included on the disc -- and boy is it beautiful. My favorite way to watch the movie is actually with ONLY the music score playing. The imagery and music play together in perfect synch and convey the story without the need of any dialogue or sound effects. If you love the DARK CRYSTAL, buy this DVD -- you will NOT be sorry. If you love the DARK CRYSTAL and don't have a DVD player -- GET ONE! Beautiful, but something missing... Perhaps *beautiful* is the wrong word, for this movie is rarely aesthetically beautiful. Don't get me wrong on this point, beauty is not necessarily a good thing. What I mean to say is, atmospherically this is a triumph... but not beautiful. The 'characters' blend in perfectly(... beautifully?) to their world. The landscapes are... well... dark (which is fitting). It's aesthetically perfect, and in a movie like this, perfection demands there be little beauty. The creatures are organic. 'Nuff said. They're wonderful. They're believable. They're just plain... wow. So what's missing? Terry Gilliam is quoted as saying a children's movie should be "Exciting enough for adults, and intelligent enough for kids" (Re: Time Bandits). The Dark Crystal is an imaginative masterpiece, but I couldn't help but feel the simplistic plot, 2-dimensional characters (I appreciate that making puppets' mental workings visible must be one of the hardest tasks in a movie with a fully puppet cast) patronizes the intelligence of all but the youngest children. They're a lot brighter than we treat them, and they're getting brighter by the day ;) But, I suppose a great movie can do without great characters as long as the focus isn't on the characters, as long as it compensates atmospherically. And "The Dark Crystal" more than compensates. So what's missing? I'll relate this to another adventure movie: Dune. Dune was atmospherically beautiful, but it took itself too seriously. It was a massive undertaking, granted, but I can't remember laughing... or even smiling once. 137 minutes without smiling is a long time. And it's the same with "The Dark Crystal". The only slightly comic break from the plot is the antics of a round-furry-dog-thing, but this isn't enough. "The Dark Crystal" Takes its battle-between-good-and-evil far too seriously, and unless one's awe at the world Jim Henson created can last one the full 90 minutes or so of the movie, one becomes impatient. Humour is an important tool with infinite potential - especially in a movie aimed at children, but it's a tool almost entirely overlooked in "The Dark Crystal". Even in a story as serious as Macbeth takes a moment to let its audience step back and chuckle towards the beginning. "The Dark Crystal" doesn't give us this opportunity. In conclusion, "The Dark Crystal" is a... beautiful movie, but one that takes itself far too seriously. I became impatient with the simplistic plot, 2-dimensional characters (as 'beautiful' as they may be), and almost total lack of humour, but... clearly from the other reviews I've read, other's did not. RE: the DVD<BR>It's a lovely little package, but for the price you pay for it, it better be. I'm particularly fond of the little note-pad included. I would have liked to see more documentaries on the DVD, perhaps audio commentary, but alas - it shall not be. 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