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IMDbPro

The Dark Crystal

  • 19821982
  • PGPG
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
66K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,054
89
Frank Oz, Jim Henson, Sean Barrett, Barry Dennen, Percy Edwards, Stephen Garlick, Dave Goelz, Miki Iveria, Lisa Maxwell, Patrick Monckton, Brian Meehl, Kathryn Mullen, Susan Westerby, and Billie Whitelaw in The Dark Crystal (1982)
In a place outside time lies a mystical realm of sound and vision, a wondrous civilization where good and evil struggle to possess the Dark Crystal.
Play trailer1:32
3 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Adventure
  • Family
  • Fantasy
On another planet in the distant past, a Gelfling embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of a magical crystal, and to restore order to his world.On another planet in the distant past, a Gelfling embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of a magical crystal, and to restore order to his world.On another planet in the distant past, a Gelfling embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of a magical crystal, and to restore order to his world.
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
66K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,054
89
  • Directors
    • Jim Henson
    • Frank Oz
  • Writers
    • David Odell(screenplay by)
    • Jim Henson(story by)
  • Stars
    • Jim Henson
    • Kathryn Mullen
    • Frank Oz
Top credits
  • Directors
    • Jim Henson
    • Frank Oz
  • Writers
    • David Odell(screenplay by)
    • Jim Henson(story by)
  • Stars
    • Jim Henson
    • Kathryn Mullen
    • Frank Oz
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 293User reviews
    • 119Critic reviews
    • 66Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
      • 2 wins & 5 nominations total

    Videos3

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:32
    Official Trailer
    The Dark Crystal
    Trailer 0:44
    The Dark Crystal
    The Dark Crystal: 25th Anniversary Edition
    Trailer 0:50
    The Dark Crystal: 25th Anniversary Edition

    Photos213

    Jim Henson, Percy Edwards, Stephen Garlick, Dave Goelz, Lisa Maxwell, and Kathryn Mullen in The Dark Crystal (1982)
    Jim Henson, Percy Edwards, Stephen Garlick, Dave Goelz, Lisa Maxwell, and Kathryn Mullen in The Dark Crystal (1982)
    Frank Oz, Jim Henson, Barry Dennen, Percy Edwards, Stephen Garlick, Dave Goelz, Lisa Maxwell, and Kathryn Mullen in The Dark Crystal (1982)
    Jim Henson, Sean Barrett, Stephen Garlick, and Brian Meehl in The Dark Crystal (1982)
    Frank Oz and Billie Whitelaw in The Dark Crystal (1982)
    Sean Barrett and Brian Meehl in The Dark Crystal (1982)
    Jim Henson, Percy Edwards, Stephen Garlick, Dave Goelz, Lisa Maxwell, and Kathryn Mullen in The Dark Crystal (1982)
    Frank Oz and Barry Dennen in The Dark Crystal (1982)
    Frank Oz, Jim Henson, Stephen Garlick, and Billie Whitelaw in The Dark Crystal (1982)
    Barry Dennen, Miki Iveria, Patrick Monckton, and Susan Westerby in The Dark Crystal (1982)
    Jim Henson, Dave Goelz, Michael Kilgarriff, and Jerry Nelson in The Dark Crystal (1982)
    Lisa Maxwell and Kathryn Mullen in The Dark Crystal (1982)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jim Henson
    Jim Henson
    • Jen, a Gelfling (performer)as Jen, a Gelfling (performer)…
    Kathryn Mullen
    Kathryn Mullen
    • Kira, a Gelfling (performer)as Kira, a Gelfling (performer)
    Frank Oz
    Frank Oz
    • Aughra, a Keeper Of Secrets (performer)as Aughra, a Keeper Of Secrets (performer)…
    Dave Goelz
    Dave Goelz
    • Fizzgig, a Friendly Monster (performer)as Fizzgig, a Friendly Monster (performer)…
    Steve Whitmire
    Steve Whitmire
    • Scientist (performer)as Scientist (performer)
    • (voice)
    Louise Gold
    • Gourmand (performer)as Gourmand (performer)
    Brian Meehl
    Brian Meehl
    • Ornamentalist (performer and voice)as Ornamentalist (performer and voice)
    • (as Brian Muehl)
    • …
    Bob Payne
    • Historian, Scrollkeeper (performer)as Historian, Scrollkeeper (performer)
    Mike Quinn
    Mike Quinn
    • Slave Master (performer)as Slave Master (performer)
    Tim Rose
    Tim Rose
    • Treasurer (performer)as Treasurer (performer)
    Jean-Pierre Amiel
    • Mystic Weaver (performer)as Mystic Weaver (performer)
    • (as Jean Pierre Amiel)
    Hugh Spight
    • Mystic Cook (performer)as Mystic Cook (performer)…
    Robbie Barnett
    • Mystic Numerologist (performer)as Mystic Numerologist (performer)…
    Swee Lim
    • Mystic Hunter (performer)as Mystic Hunter (performer)…
    Simon J. Williamson
    • Mystic Chanter (performer)as Mystic Chanter (performer)
    • (as Simon Williamson)
    Hus Levant
    • Mystic Scribe (performer)as Mystic Scribe (performer)
    Toby Philpott
    • Mystic Alchemist (performer)as Mystic Alchemist (performer)
    David Greenaway
    • Mystic Healer (performer)as Mystic Healer (performer)
    • (as Dave Greenaway)
    • Directors
      • Jim Henson
      • Frank Oz
    • Writers
      • David Odell(screenplay by)
      • Jim Henson(story by)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Jim Henson's plan with this movie was to get back to the darkness of original Brothers Grimm fairy tales. He felt that children liked the idea of being scared and that this was a healthy emotion for them with which to deal.
    • Goofs
      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

      Aughra: End, begin, all the same. Big change. Sometimes good. Sometimes bad.

    • Crazy credits
      The opening credits show only the credits for the crew.
    • Alternate versions
      The original home video release replaced the theatrical end credit roll (the credits rolled over an image of the last shot of the film) with a different, video-based one (end credits rolling over an image of Aughra's face.). Subsequent home video releases restored the original end credit roll.
    • Connections
      Edited into The World of 'The Dark Crystal' (1983)
    • Soundtracks
      Gelfling Song
      (uncredited)

      Written by Trevor Jones

      Performed by Lisa Maxwell

    User reviews293

    Review
    Top review
    I can never get enough of this!
    Finally,I was looking to write a review on one of my favourite Non-Asian Fantasy movies of all time and here I found it!The Dark Crystal is definitely that!

    Hmmmmmmm,where to start?Well,we have heard a similar story of good vs. evil from J.R.R Tolkien,but not one so realistic though!But probably the high point is the very deep character development.Probably have to agree with Riza about the skeksis here.They do seem like the most intresting of all the characters (save for Augra). I would not want to run up into them in the dark,or the light for that matter.Jen and Kira are very cute,but I think Kira is a little more interesting than Jen (no,I'm not sexist,I just think that Jen seemed rather emotionless most of the time,but then again,that's what you get by being raised by emotionless creatures).

    Not too many flaws in the film.The story is great,the characters are fantastic,the soundtrack is uplifting,the SFX are more real that anything in "The Phantom Menace" and the ending.....well,it needed to be a little realistic,and the lengh needed to be a little bit longer,but other than that,we have a near-flawless masterpiece right up here!
    helpful•4
    0
    • Mitora-san
    • Dec 21, 2000

    FAQ2

    • Does Kira speak a real foreign language or is it made up?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 17, 1982 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Site
      • Starz Encore
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Crystal
    • Filming locations
      • Highland, Scotland, UK
    • Production companies
      • Incorporated Television Company (ITC)
      • Jim Henson Productions
      • Henson Organisation
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $15,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $41,613,957
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $4,657,335
      • Dec 19, 1982
    • Gross worldwide
      • $41,630,431
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 33 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Atmos
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

    Related news

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    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Frank Oz, Jim Henson, Sean Barrett, Barry Dennen, Percy Edwards, Stephen Garlick, Dave Goelz, Miki Iveria, Lisa Maxwell, Patrick Monckton, Brian Meehl, Kathryn Mullen, Susan Westerby, and Billie Whitelaw in The Dark Crystal (1982)
    Top Gap
    What is the Japanese language plot outline for The Dark Crystal (1982)?
    Answer
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