The Dark Crystal (1982)

Directors:

Jim Henson
Frank Oz
(more)

Writers:

Jim Henson (story)
David Odell (screenplay)

Release Date:

17 December 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

Another World, Another Time... In the Age of Wonder.

Plot:

On another planet in the distant past, a Gelfling embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of a magical crystal, and so restore order to his world.

Plot Keywords:

Crystal | Shard | Evil | Quest | Monster

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Jim Henson	...	Jen / High Priest (Ritual Master) / Podling / Additional Characters
Kathryn Mullen	...	Kira, A Gelfling (performer) / Jen, A Gelfling (assistant) / Additional Characters (uncredited)
Frank Oz	...	Aughra - A Keeper Of Secrets / Chamberlain / Podling / Additional Characters
Dave Goelz	...	Fizzgig, A Friendly Monster (performer) / General (Garthin Master) (performer) / Dying Emperor (performer) / Podling (performer)
Steve Whitmire	...	Scientist (performer and voice) / Kira, A Gelfling (assistant) (voice)
Louise Gold	...	Gourmand (performer)
Brian Muehl	...	Ornamentalist (performer and voice) / Urzah (performer) / Dying Master (performer and voice) (voice)
Bob Payne	...	Historian (Scrollkeeper) (performer)
Mike Quinn	...	Slave Master (performer)
Tim Rose	...	Treasurer (performer)
Jean-Pierre Amiel	...	Weaver (performer) (as Jean Pierre Amiel)
Hugh Spight	...	Cook / Landstrider (performer)
Robbie Barnett	...	Numerologist (performer) / Landstrider (performer)
Swee Lim	...	Hunter / Landstrider - Performer
Simon Williamson	...	Ursol, The Chanter (performer)
Hus Levant	...	Scribe (performer)
Toby Philpott	...	Alchemist (performer)
David Greenaway	...	Healer (performer) / Aughra, A Keeper Of Secrets (assistant) (as Dave Greenaway)
Richard Slaughter	...	Healer (performer)
Kiran Shah	...	Additional Performer / Jen (body) / Kira (body) (uncredited) / Aughra (body) (uncredited)
Mike Edmonds	...	Additional Performer
Peter Burroughs	...	Additional Performer
Malcolm Dixon	...	Additional Performer
Sadie Corre	...	Additional Performer
Deep Roy	...	Additional Performer
Jack Purvis	...	Additional Performer
Gerald Staddon	...	Additional Performer (as Gerald Stadden)
Mike Cottrell	...	Additional Performer
John Ghavan	...	Additional Performer
Annie Jones	...	Additional Performer (as Abbie Jones)
Natasha Knight	...	Additional Performer
Lisa Esson	...	Additional Performer
Stephen Garlick	...	Jen (voice)
Lisa Maxwell	...	Kira (voice)
Billie Whitelaw	...	Aughra (voice)
Percy Edwards	...	Fizzgig (voice)
Barry Dennen	...	Chamberlain / Podling (voice)
Michael Kilgarriff	...	General (voice)
Jerry Nelson	...	High Priest / Dying Emperor (voice)
Thick Wilson	...	Gourmand (voice)
John Baddeley	...	Historian (voice)
David Buck	...	Slave Master (voice)
Charles Collingwood	...	Treasurer (voice)
Sean Barrett	...	Urzah (voice)
Mike Iveria	...	Podling (voice) (as Miki Iveria)
Patrick Monckton	...	Podling (voice)
Sue Westerby	...	Podling (voice)
Joseph O'Conor	...	Narrator / Urskeks (voice)

Directed by
Jim Henson
Frank Oz
Gary Kurtz		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Jim Henson		(story)
David Odell		(screenplay)

Produced by
Jim Henson	....	producer
Duncan Kenworthy	....	associate producer
Gary Kurtz	....	producer
David Lazer	....	executive producer
Bruce Sharman	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Trevor Jones

Cinematography by
Oswald Morris

Film Editing by
Ralph Kemplen

Production Design by
Harry Lange

Art Direction by
Brian Ackland-Snow
Terry Ackland-Snow
Charles Bishop
Malcolm Stone

Costume Design by
Val Johnston
Leisja Limmer

Production Management
Bill Benson	....	production supervisor
Philip Koehler	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gary Kurtz	....	second unit director
Christopher Newman	....	second assistant director (as Chris Newman)
Dusty Simmonds	....	assistant director

Art Department
George Ball	....	property manager
Frank Billington-Marks	....	assistant property master
Alan Booth	....	construction manager
Max Bowen	....	construction manager
Ron Burkett	....	supervising painter
Steve Court	....	chargehand
Brian Froud	....	conceptual designer
Richard Holland	....	set designer
Katharina Kubrick	....	assistant art director
Peter Mann	....	constructor
Denis Rich	....	concept artist
Roy Shave	....	set master
Keith Short	....	sculptor
Bill Stallion	....	storyboard artist
Adrian Start	....	chargehand painter
Peter Young	....	set designer
Andy Aitken	....	scenic plasterer/mould maker (uncredited)
Dennis Murray	....	plasterer (uncredited)
Philip Sharpe	....	set constructor (uncredited)
John Stevenson	....	visual development (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ben Burtt	....	sound designer
Ben Burtt	....	special sound effects
Brian Mann	....	dialogue editor
Bill Rowe	....	sound re-recording mixer
Nicholas Stevenson	....	sound editor
Peter Sutton	....	production sound
Don Wortham	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Bob Baldwin	....	special effects
Bob Baldwin	....	special mechanical design
Valerie Charlton	....	creature costumes project leader
John Coppinger	....	puppet designer
Leigh Donaldson	....	special mechanical design
Nick Dudman	....	foam latex technician
Tony Dunsterville	....	special effects
Roy Field	....	special effects supervisor
Robert Harman	....	wire effects: production effects unit
Michael McCormick	....	creature fabricator: 'Skeksis' unit
Brian Smith	....	miniature effects supervisor
John Stephenson	....	special mechanical design (as John Stevenson)
Paul Wilson	....	photography: miniature effects
Ian Wingrove	....	mechanical effects supervisor
Tad Krzanowski	....	special mechanical effects & model effects: Henson Entertainment (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Craig Barron	....	matte camera assistant
Martin Body	....	matte camera operator
Christopher Evans	....	matte paintings
Roy Field	....	special visual effects
Neil Krepela	....	matte department supervisor
Jim Miller	....	other effects supervisor
Michael Pangrazio	....	matte paintings
Brian Smithies	....	special visual effects
Jon Sorensen	....	visual effects
Charles Stoneham	....	matte artist
Jonathan Taylor	....	visual effects: first assistant camera
Janice Body	....	matte art assistant (uncredited)

Stunts
Kiran Shah	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Neil Binney	....	camera operator: second unit
Derek Bowrie	....	camera operator
David Browne	....	camera operator
Derek V. Browne	....	camera operator
Murray Close	....	still photographer
Gary Cross	....	electrician
Tim Dodd	....	clapper loader
Ian Kelly	....	video engineering supervisor
Steve Kitchen	....	electrician
Jason Lehel	....	camera trainee
John Leman	....	gaffer
Vince Goddard	....	electrician (uncredited)
Edward Summer	....	stereoscopic still photographer (uncredited)

Animation Department
Debbie the Roboteer	....	consultant: sculpture, animation and robotics

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Betty Adamson	....	wardrobe supervisor
Sarah Bradpiece	....	associate costume designer: "Skeksis"
Barbara S. Davis	....	associate costume designer: "Gelflings/Podlings" (as Barbara Davis)
Shirley Denny	....	associate costume designer: "Mystics"
Ellis Duncan	....	associate costume designer: "Gelflings/Podlings"
Steven Gregory	....	associate costume designer: "Skeksis"
Diana Moseley	....	associate costume designer: "Mystics"
Patty Smith	....	associate costume designer: "Gelflings/Podlings"

Editorial Department
Marcel Durham	....	assembly editor

Music Department
Michael Clifford	....	music editor
John A. Coleman	....	orchestrator (as John Coleman)
Marcus Dods	....	conductor
Dina Eaton	....	music editor
Peter Knight	....	orchestrator
John Richards	....	music recordist
Eric Tomlinson	....	music recordist
Graham Walker	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Bunny Alsup	....	assistant: Mr. Kurtz
Jean-Pierre Amiel	....	choreographer
Jean-Pierre Amiel	....	mime coach
Jerry Andrews	....	creature fabricator: "Mystic" unit
Martin G. Baker	....	assistant: Mr. Lazer
David Alan Barclay	....	puppet builder
Sidney Barnsley	....	unit accountant
Jill Bennett	....	assistant accountant
Penny Campbell	....	assistant: Mr. Henson
Valerie Charlton	....	landstrider effects supervisor (as Val Charlton)
Tim Clarke	....	mystic effects supervisor
Jill Colley	....	assistant: Mr. Oz
Richard Dimbleby	....	creature crew
Harry Franchetti	....	creature fabricator: "Mystic" unit
Brian Froud	....	creature design
Lew Grade	....	presenter (as Lord Grade)
Rollin Krewson	....	fizzgig effects supervisor
Cheryl Leigh	....	script supervisor
Pamela Mann	....	continuity: second unit
Michael McCormick	....	creature fabricator: "Skeksis" unit
Gates McFadden	....	choreographer
Tom McLaughlin	....	latex foam lab supervisor
Wendy Midener	....	gelfling effects supervisor
Fred Nihda	....	garthim effects supervisor
Brian Smithies	....	special creature effects supervisor
Ann Tasker	....	unit publicist
William Webb	....	optical editorial coordinator
Paul Wilson	....	creature crew
Ian Wingrove	....	creature crew
Craig Miller	....	marketing consultant (uncredited)
Bernard Rose	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Incorporated Television Company (ITC) (as ITC Entertainment) (presents)
• Jim Henson Productions
• Henson Associates (HA)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1982) (USA) (theatrical)
• Associated Film Distribution (AFD) (1982) (USA) (theatrical)
• EDKO Film (1983) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• Kuk Dong (1983) (South Korea) (theatrical)
• Toei Company (1983) (Japan) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1983) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1982) (UK) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Video (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1987) (USA) (TV)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (UK) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Jim Henson Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• LW Editora (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Video Ltd. (1986) (UK) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (2-disc deluxe edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Special Effects

• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)

Other Companies

• Numenorean Music  score album released by (limited edition)
• Solters & Digney  publicity

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (35 mm prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:LH | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Malaysia:(Banned) | Iran:(Banned) | South Korea:All | Japan:G | Hong Kong:I | Netherlands:6 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1986) | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Twyecross, Leicestershire, England, UK

Company:

Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Trivia:

The Garthim costumes were so heavy that the performers had to be hung up on a rack every five minutes to rest whilst still in costume.

Goofs:

Continuity: The Gelfling puppets have three fingers and one thumb on each hand. When Kira and Jen make their way into the castle via a mouth-like entrance, Kira's right hand has five fingers in the long shot (actors, not puppets, were used for long shots of the Gelflings).

Quotes:

General: Chamberlain! I challenge!
Chamberlain: Trial by stone.
General: Trial by stone!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial' (1996) (V)

TOLKIEN would love this movie !

This must be, along with KRULL, one of the most forgotten fantasy movies ever ! I´ve been searching for a VHS copy of DARK CRYSTAL, for years now ! Nobody seems to have ever released this on tape !

WHY, is this movie so hard to find ?!! I´m fortunate enough to have a copy of it, but it isn´t a very good copy at all, because it was taped about 10 years ago, from a movie channel, and it´s got tons and tons of satelite interferences and "rain" in the image. At least i get to own the movie. I guess...

The first time i´ve seen anything about DARK CRYSTAL, was back in 1982 when i was 12 years old. I wento to see Spielberg´s - ET, and before it, the presentation movie trailer for DARK CRYSTAL came on the screen. I remember that i was much more impressed by it, than by ET. By the end, all i wanted to know was when DARK CRYSTAL would be on the theater. I was so impressed by it, that those 2 minutes from the presentation stayed in my mind ever since, and all that i remember from the day i went to see ET, was that i watched 2 minutes of something that i never thought it existed or would be possible. Remember it was 1982, and in those days, children´s programs on tv didn´t included the amount of fantasy stuff that it is showned today, so watching that was somehow a revelation for me.

Anyway 6 year later i got to finaly see it, on a forgotten childrens matinee, and i loved every minute of it, altough i felt even then that it had some dull parts in it. Somehow there is something diferent with the pace this story is told. Even now i feel this, each time i watch DARK CRYSTAL.

But this is just a minor thing. Maybe i´m being just picky. Because DARK CRYSTAL is a masterpiece, it might have its flaws, but that doesn´t prevent it from being one of the greatest fantasy movies ever. Even though is so forgotten by everyone. Even i forget i have it. In a way, this is an Historical movie, because to my knowledge this was the first time that the atmosphere from the now common fantasy novels was portraited in a movie. And what a begining !!! Jim Henson got it right, right at the first try !

Every time i watch this i only wished he had lived enough time to adapt TOLKIEN´s - LORD OF THE RINGS to the movies. He would make a fantastic job for sure.

With DARK CRYSTAL ,Jim Henson achieved a perfect balance between a kids movie and a fantasy movie for adult viewers. This only added credibility to the world he created for this story. Just for this alone he should be praised. He showed the way, a fantasy movie should be made, but nobody in Hollywood seem to have learned anything from it.

I have read that DARK CRYSTAL, was a comercial flop, because it was released during the ET days, and not many people went to see it. Wich is a sad thing, because a masterpiece like this deserved to have filled the theaters. Maybe adults thought it was just for kids and the kids wanted to see ET, so it flopped. I read that even american reviews attacked DARK CRYSTAL. Maybe it was the usual in america, when a movie can´t be put in a category, nobody makes many efforts to publicize it. And i bet this was a nightmare to some people who had to publicize it. How would they present it ?

So if, you can find it, you have to see this movie ! I f you like fantasy, you´ll go nuts with it. Only the landscapes are enough to make anyone drool. The story is very,very good and much more adult oriented than it might seem at first, the pecial effects are pefect for it, the soundtrack is excelent, and the characters are very lifelike and believable. I only don´t like very much of the hero, it feels to much like a pupet. Compared to the others is a bit strange.

It´s time DARK CRYSTAL gets the atention it desrerves, this is a brilliant movie.