Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.
The Dark Crystal (1982) Directed by Jim Henson.
Beneath three suns; the Great Sun, the Rose Sun and the Dying Sun, many creatures and races inhabit the planet Thra, but the dominant race is the urSkeks who are the guardians of the Crystal of Truth. The Crystal is an artifact of great power, and the urSkeks use its power wisely. But then, during a conjunction of all three suns, the urSkeks cracked the Crystal of Truth, and split into two races; the gentle Mystics and the vulture-like, cruel Skeksis. Thus the Crystal became corrupt and dark. The Skeksis drove the Mystics from the castle, ruling and despoiling the land, motivated only by greed and pride. But there is hope that the Skeksis will be destroyed by a Gelfling. The prophecy, rediscovered in an ancient Gelfling city, read:
”When single shines the triple sun, What was sundered and undone Shall be whole, the two made one, By Gelfling hand, or else by none.”
Jen is the last of the Gelflings. Raised by the Mystics, he has known only peace and acceptance. But as the next Great Conjunction approaches, the Mystics send him on a Quest. First, he must seek Augrha, an oracle, and obtain the Dark Crystal Shard, then somehow “heal” the Crystal of Truth.
In the meantime; both the leader of the Mystics and the Emperor of the Skeksis are dieing. And among the Skeksis, this means a power struggle. The Chamberlain and the General contend, the latter emerging victorious, and the Chamberlain is subjected to the ultimate humiliation; he is stripped of his clothes that hide his hideousness, then he is exiled.
The Skeksis see Jen in the Crystal, and dispatch the insect like Garthim to kill him. They find him at Augrha’s after he gets the crystal, but before she can explain what he is to do with it. He flees, and she is captured. Meanwhile, the Mystics begin their long trek to the Castle for the final confrontation.
On his journey, Jen moves into strange lands, and sees many wondrous creatures. But the most wondrous is Kira, a female Gelfling! Kira has been raised by the podlings, and they throw Jen a grand party.
Which is crashed by the Garthim. Jen blames himself, but Kira says this always happens. The podlings are taken as slaves by the Skeksis. They continue their quest.
But they are again beset by the Garthim and things are looking bad, when they are saved by the most unlikely source; The Chamberlain.
As they continue their journey, the Chamberlain pursues, claiming he wants Skeksis and Gelflings to live in peace, but eventually, his true purposes become clear. He captures Kira, and uses her to buy his way back into Skeksis society. However, this merely has the end effect of making sure that the Gelflings and the Crystal Shard are all in the right place, the Palace of the Crystal, at the right time, the Grand Conjunction.
The Cast
This is the first live action movie where not a single human actor appears. None the less, it involved a great number of people, puppeteers and voices, to make this movie happen.
Jim Henson ... Jen, A Gelfling (performer) / High Priest (Ritual Master) (performer) / Podling (performer)
Kathryn Mullen ... Kira, A Gelfling (performer) / Jen, A Gelfling (assistant)
Frank Oz ... Aughra, A Keeper Of Secrets (performer) / Chamberlain (performer) / Podling (performer)
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)
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)
Patrick Monckton ... Podling (voice)
Sue Westerby ... Podling (voice)
Joseph O'Conor ... Narrator / Urskeks (voice)
As you can see, this is a big cast, doing a lot of different things.
Of all the performances, I really only have one comment. Frank Oz as the voice of the Chamberlain; the Chamberlain needed to be unctuous and annoying. Oz achieved this by making him hum questioningly after every statement, and in place of speaking where appropriate. Let me tell you, if their vulture like appearance and table manners did not convince you they were evil, this did the trick. You just wanted to throttle him.
The Analysis
This movie is a phenomena. An entire world is crafted by hand, and by hand, they are brought to life. There are some bodies in suits, but where possible, there is nothing but a puppet. The world is totally a new creation, perhaps influenced by mythology and Faery tales, but basically a new cosmology, freshly minted.
Beyond the staggering achievement of an entirely puppetted movie, the story is good. It is somewhat predictable. Mythic journeys frequently are. I prefer to think of it as following the comfortable patterns of the oral tradition. Still, predictable is a fair indictment. The acting is good, if a little annoying at times.
Taken as a whole, this is a great movie. It is family friendly; kids will love it, but parents will enjoy it too. A mythic tale of good and evil, prophesy and courage, id and super ego, this story has it all.
Featuring fantastical puppet flora and fauna from Muppet man Jim Henson this dark but wonderful children's movie follows Jen and Kira two young Gelfli...More at Family Video
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