The Dark Crystal
"Another world, another time, in the age of wonder. A thousand years ago, this land was green and good - until the Crystal cracked. For a single piece was lost; a shard of the Crystal. Then strife began, and two new races appeared: the cruel Skeksis, the gentle Mystics. Here in the castle of the Crystal, the Skeksis took control. Now the Skeksis gather in the sacred chamber, where the Crystal hangs above a shaft of air and fire. The Skeksis with their hard and twisted bodies, their harsh and twisted wills. For a thousand years they have ruled, yet now there are only ten. A dying race, ruled by a dying emperor, imprisoned within themselves in a dying land. Today, once more, they gather at the Crystal as the first sun climbs to its peak. For this is the way of the Skeksis. As they ravaged the land, so too they learned to draw new life from the sun. Today, once more, they will replenish themselves, cheat death again, through the power of their source, their treasure, their fate - the Dark Crystal." - narrator
release year: 1982
genre: fantasy
viewing setting: home DVD, 2/21/19
synopsis: In a fantastic world, the dying lizard-kings of the world are threatened by a prophecy.
impressions: There were some really cool concepts here, namely the linked fate of the evil Skeksis and the benevolent Mystics. The evil fortress was neat, too - it really did look sinister sitting out there in the middle of a wasteland. There were some funny lines/sounds/motions from the Skeksis, too. The plot was simple: a physically puny but mentally and emotionally resilient hero sets out on a quest to save the world, and gets a little help along the way.
acting: n/a but the puppetry and voices are good, especially given that this was 1982
final word: Pretty cool 1980s fantasy spectacle
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