The Dark Crystal (1982)

Voti degli utenti:

7.0/10   

Directors:

Jim Henson
Frank Oz
(ancora)

Writers:

Jim Henson (story)
David Odell (screenplay)

Data di uscita:

17 dicembre 1982 (USA)

Genere:

Animation | Adventure | Family | Fantasy

Slogan:

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

Plot:

Another planet, another time. 1000 years ago the mysterious Dark Crystal was damaged by one of the Urskeks and an age of chaos has began...

Plot Keywords:

Creature | Christ Allegory | Mission | Good Versus Evil | Kingdom

Premi:

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

Recensioni degli utenti:

A major accomplishment!

Cast

Jim Henson	...	Jen, A Gelfling (performer) / High Priest (Ritual Master) (performer) / Podling (performer) / Additional Characters (uncredited)
Kathryn Mullen	...	Kira, A Gelfling (performer) / Jen, A Gelfling (assistant) / Additional Characters (uncredited)
Frank Oz	...	Aughra, A Keeper Of Secrets (performer) / Chamberlain (performer) / Podling (performer) / Additional Characters (uncredited)
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	...	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)

Regia di
Jim Henson
Frank Oz
Gary Kurtz		(uncredited)

Scritto da
Jim Henson		(story)
David Odell		(screenplay)

Prodotto da
Jim Henson	....	producer
Duncan Kenworthy	....	associate producer
Gary Kurtz	....	producer
David Lazer	....	executive producer
Bruce Sharman	....	associate producer

Musiche originali di
Trevor Jones

Fotografia di
Oswald Morris

Montaggio di
Ralph Kemplen

Scenografie di
Harry Lange

Architetto-scenografo
Brian Ackland-Snow
Terry Ackland-Snow
Charles Bishop
Malcolm Stone

Costumi di
Val Johnston
Leisja Limmer

Direttore di produzione
Bill Benson	....	production supervisor
Philip Koehler	....	production manager

Aiuto regista
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
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
Roy Shave	....	set master
Keith Short	....	sculptor
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)

Sonoro
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

Effetti speciali
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
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
Jonathan Taylor	....	visual effects: first assistant camera
Janice Body	....	matte art assistant (uncredited)

Controfigure
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

Altro personale
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

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

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1982) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1982) (UK) (theatrical)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Video Ltd. (1986) (UK) (VHS)
• Jim Henson Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (UK) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• LW Editora (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Associated Film Distribution (1982) (USA) (theatrical)
• CBS Television (1987) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Buena Vista Home Video
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• EDKO Film
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Kuk Dong
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Toei Company

Effetti speciali

• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)

Other Companies

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

Durata:

93 min

Nazionalità:

USA | UK

Lingua:

Inglese

Colore:

Colore

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sonoro:

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

Divieti:

Iceland:LH | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Malaysia:(Banned) | Iran:(Banned) | South Korea:All | Japan:G | Hong Kong:I | 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

Luoghi delle riprese:

Twyecross, Leicestershire, England, UK

Company:

Henson Associates (HA)

Curiosità:

Was the highest-grossing box office release of 1983 in France and Japan.

Errori:

Personale o equipaggiamento visibile: When the evil Ritual Master calls for the crystal bats to fly away to watch Jen and Kira you can see thin white strings as the bats fly from the castle ceiling.

Citazioni:

Jen: Where is this Augrah? How does she look like? How will I find her? "Follow the Greatest Sun for a day to the home of Augrah"... hmph. Some directions!

Movie Connections:

Citato in "South Park: Tsst (#10.7)" (2006)

A major accomplishment!

It took an infinity of imagination to make The Dark Crystal, a film so overflowing with invention that you literally have to watch it about 100 times just to take it all in. Everyone involved, from the director to the best boy gave the film such loving affection and made it the best it could possibly be. Kid's movies (if you want to call it that) these days simply are not what they used to be and probably never will be again. This is yet another thing that makes The Dark Crystal so damn precious.

The film is set in another world, in another time in an age of wonder. It has been 999 years and 1 year since the powerful, life-giving crystal cracked and stopping shining. Since then the land has become barren and the Urskeks (a race of God-like beings) have split into two separate races, the peaceful Uru 'Mystics' and the evil Skeksis-a horrific cross between bird and reptile. The three suns that shine upon the land are about to line up in a great conjunction that only happens once every 1000 years. If the crystal is not repaired before then the cruel Skeksis will rule the land forever.

Jen is a Gelfling (a sort of fairy creature), believed to be the last of his race. A prophecy tells of a single Gelfling defeating the Skeksis and restoring peace to the land. Raised by the Uru, Jen begins a journey to repair the crystal when the Skeksis Emperor dies (in a truly disturbing scene). On his way he meets Aughra, a sort of witch creature and Kira, another Gelfling and her race of Podling people (sort of like Fraggles). Though there is no specific love scene between them, there is a very nice romance developing through-out the story.

Filmed in gorgeous locations across England and Scotland (with the use of a lot of matte paintings of course) the film really, really does take you to another world. There's not a single human in sight (a perfect world or what) and, with exception to the awful Skeksis, almost every creature is cute and fluffy (such as Kira's Fizzgig). The production design, in particular the genius contributions by Brian Froud, is so immense and impressive that you wish you could jump through the screen and actually be there in order to appreciate it more.

Trevor Jones' breathtaking, beautiful score is among his best work (tying with Merlin in 1998) and is surely some of the best film music you are ever likely to hear. Ever! There was a limited edition of the score put on CD a few years ago but only 5000 were ever printed. It's sure to be quite expensive now but it's so goddamn worth it! Henson, Oz and Froud teamed up again a few years later to make Labyrinth which seems to be more fondly remembered as it's not as sinister as The Dark Crystal and has human actors in it to make it more accessible to those with narrower minds. I prefer this one though (no fruity songs, no David Bowie!) as it has a certain edge to it that Labyrinth lacks.

An epic. A masterpiece. An unforgettable classic. The Dark Crystal is magical, mystical timeless classic. I can't recommend it enough. If only we still had movies like this. I'll take risk-taking The Dark Crystal over PC drek like The Shaggy Dog any day.