The Dark Crystal
All actors and roles (10)
All team (31)
Short description
The Dark Crystal is a 1982 fantasy adventure set on a distant world in ages past. A magical crystal that kept the universe in balance has been damaged, and the ruling Skeksis have used their power to enslave the gentle Gelflings and other peoples. A young Gelfling named Jen is sent to find the crystal's missing shard and heal it before the three suns align, a deadline after which the Skeksis would rule forever. He is joined by another Gelfling, Kira, and together they must reach the Skeksis' castle and reunite the shard with the crystal. The film is performed entirely with puppets, and its world includes the wise, meditative Mystics, who are bound to the Skeksis, and Aughra, the keeper of secrets.
Frank Oz and Jim Henson directed, from a screenplay by David Odell; Gary Kurtz and Henson produced. The film was the first feature Oz directed, and the third that Henson directed, following Time Piece and The Great Muppet Caper. The cast includes Henson, Oz, Kathryn Mullen, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire and Louise Gold. Made for about 15 million dollars, it took roughly 44 million worldwide.
On IMDb it holds 7.1/10 from around 77,000 votes, and on TMDB 7.2/10 from about 1,300 votes, while critics rated it 6.6/10 across 50 reviews, so audiences have been somewhat warmer toward it than reviewers.
What's left behind the scenes
- The film shows 9 of them, but originally, each Skeksis was based on a deadly sin.
- The film was banned in some Islamic countries. All dubbed copies of the film in Persian and Arabic were destroyed.
- The Garthim costumes were so heavy that performers had to rest every few minutes without removing them.
- Illustrator Brian Froud dedicated 5 years of his life to working on the project.
- Initially, Jim Henson asked Brian Froud to make the Skeksis creatures resembling crocodiles and living in a castle.
- Talented little people actors Mike Edmonds, Deep Roy, Jack Purvis, Malcolm Dixon, and others participated in the work on the film.
- The prototype for the Urgru was a witch from ancient Greek mythology.
- Jim Henson (1936-1990) named the world where the plot unfolds "Mitra." When someone mentioned in his presence that the name sounded like that of a Persian deity, it was changed to "Nitra," and then to "Thra" altogether. In any case, the name of the world is never mentioned in the film.
- Initially, it was planned that the Skeksis and Mystics would speak their own languages. Screenwriter David Odell even invented lines and entire monologues for the actors. Eventually, this idea was abandoned. After the first viewing, science fiction writer Alan Garner was invited to the project to write an introductory text. After that, Odell had to “translate” what he had written back into English, and also ensure that the characters’ lip movements matched on screen.
Similar movies
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
