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The Dark Crystal

MrRING

Android Futureman
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Dark Crystal's Gelfling College

Anybody here a fan of Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal ?

If so, check out this great website for Gelfling College.

http://www.gelflingcollege.com/

It is run by Prof. Zeytoc, and it is "devoted to preserving the history and folklore of Gelflings."
 
C'mon, isn't anybody here a fan of The Dark Crystal ?

I think it's a fab film.

In a similar vein, Neil Gaiman/Dave Mckean fans are going to make a muppet fantasy film called MirrorMask in the tradition of Dark Crystal and the David Bowie one.

And the Gelfling College site is alot of fun, art, stories, a happening message board. Check it out!
 
I was just going to say, is that the one with David Bowie? But that's Labyrinth, which I liked more than The Dark Crystal. Haven't seen either since I was about 8 anyway! :D
 
It's strange, but there are quite a few fans of Labyrinth out there, whereas Dark Crystal has a lot less.

But on shear artistry alone, Dark Crystal rocks. And it's got an unconventional script, if awkward in places, and it's fans are pretty plentiful as far as fantasy go. In fact, that's one of the reasons that a studio is willing to put up the money for MirrorMask; DC and Labyrinth apparently sell steadily on DVD and video to this day. You have to agree that Jim Henson was a class act.

BTW, his Storyteller series is going to be release on DVD soon!

And I should explain that Gelflings are the elfish critters who are the heros of Dark Crystal; Gelfling College is their offspring's attempt at communication with the human world in the interest of both species.

Edit to include the SciFi.Com article on MirrorMask for any intersted parties:

Gaiman Reveals MirrorMask

Author-turned-screenwriter Neil Gaiman and visual artist-turned-director Dave McKean revealed details and images from their upcoming feature-film collaboration MirrorMask in a panel at Comic-Con International in San Diego. "There is a girl called Helena," Gaiman said. "She's part of a circus family, the Campbell Family Circus. She juggles, and she sells popcorn, and she really does not long to be in the circus, and she would quite like to run away and join real life."

Gaiman described the story to an audience of around 4,500 conventioneers, while McKean displayed a series of computer-generated images that were projected onto the big screen from his laptop. "Helena has a dream, or something that may not quite be a dream, in which she gets to try and sort everything out for herself in her own way," Gaiman said. "It's a dream in which she winds up in this very strange land, which is divided into the light kingdom and the dark kingdom. ... And there are all sorts of peculiar adventures to be had."

Gaiman said that the project was originally conceived by executive producer Lisa Henson of Jim Henson Pictures, who wanted to develop a new film that could equal the cult status of the company's earlier works. "The whole thing all started with a phone call from Lisa," Gaiman said. "She said that TriStar had noticed that The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, far from being the financial failures that they were commonly perceived to be, actually had become these rock-solid, perennial sellers that people bought on video and then bought on DVD.'"

Henson, a longtime friend of Gaiman's, saw a short film directed by McKean and contacted Gaiman about the project, based on his close working relationship with the artist. "She said, 'Do you think we could get Dave McKean to direct the film for no money if we promised him that basically it's being made on so little money that you can actually do something really cool and creative?'" Gaiman said. "And then Lisa said to me, 'Obviously, we couldn't afford you to write it, but maybe you could come up with a story, and we'll find a writer.' And I said that if Dave was going to direct it, I was going to be writing it, and we weren't going to talk about that bit anymore." MirrorMask is scheduled for worldwide theatrical release in 2004.
 
I absolutely ADORE the Dark Crystal.....I watch it several times a year....and I want a Fizzgig!!!
 
Lady Molivery said:
I absolutely ADORE the Dark Crystal.....I watch it several times a year....and I want a Fizzgig!!!

She also introduces all the children belonging to friends and family to it. Only a few are tramatized.
 
Dark Cyrstal

And Ms Mid...do you coutn youself among the traumatized????
 
No, but I didn't have to watch it with you. :p
I saw it at the movies, you know, the place with the big screen, the way movies were meant to be seen.
 
Also love DC - "I wan't your esssenssse"! I actually new a girl who was a spit of the she-gelfling, she even talked like her - scary :eek: Great score, puppetry and acting, loved the giant hare things they travel on, and the story was well done, if a little obvious.

Very excited by the MirrorMask thing, love Gaiman and McKean's work on Sandman, but like a lot of these things I think I'll wait until it actually comes out before I get too excited :)

BTW and OT does anyone know what happened to "the Genie and the Thief" or whatever it was called by the guy who did Roger Rabbit. Saw a trailer for it years ago and it never turned up.
 
The Truth about Starbright Boggins

Gelfling College has an exclusive link to tabliod paper The Suns and their article about Starbright Boggins, who is accused of draining the life essences of other podlings! There is more to the story than what meets the eye, check out the exclusive here:

http://gelflingcollege.com/boggins/index.html
 
I did prefer Labyrinth, but Dark Crystal was a good film too. The range of creatures was wonderful.
I still reckon Gail Platt from Corrie looks like one of the mystics. :D
 
SKEKSISSssss.....

Those shuffling, moth-eaten berobed monstrosities were my favourites. Weird dark science / magic ceremonials in their decrepit tower was tip top too.

Oh, and talking about herr Gaiman et al, anybody heard about the '1602' project he's got on at the moment? Sounds right up the fortean alley...
 
The Skeksis scared the hell out of me! Always have, always will. Why? They look like giant ASSASIN BUGS!
 
Sertile said:
The Skeksis scared the hell out of me! Always have, always will. Why? They look like giant ASSASIN BUGS!

Thanks, I hadn't noticed that before. (EEEWWWWWWW!!!!)
:eek:;)
 
Sertile said:
The Skeksis scared the hell out of me! Always have, always will. Why? They look like giant ASSASIN BUGS!

Didja know the Skeksis were based on... crocodiles?
 
Dark' sequel crystalizes
Odell, Duffy penned script; no helmer attached

By ADAM DAWTREY

The Jim Henson Co. is planning to make a sequel to its 1982 fantasy classic "The Dark Crystal." Titled "The Power of the Dark Crystal," the new movie is written by David Odell (whose credits include the original film and "The Muppet Show") and Annette Duffy. No director is yet attached.

Odyssey Entertainment is handling worldwide sales for the project.
Pic, which will start shooting this fall for delivery early in 2007, will combine live-action animatronic characters with CG animation to represent their world.

The story is set many years after the first film. Original heroes Jen and Kira are now king and queen, and must fight to save their kingdom when the crystal is once again split. Lisa Henson and Kristine Belson will act as producers, with Brian Henson and Odyssey's Ralph Kamp and Louise Goodsill serving as exec producers.

" 'The Dark Crystal' created its own world. We are now going to fully explore this universe through the sequel film, which will be followed up with an animated series as well as interactive games and other media," said Lisa Henson.

Brian Henson added, "With the Jim Henson Co. celebrating its 50th anniversary, 'The Power of the Dark Crystal' is a wonderful tribute to our legacy of fantasy projects. The original film set a new standard for the genre and broke new ground in visual effects." The original film was directed by Frank Oz and Jim Henson

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=upsell_article&articleID=VR1117922745&categoryID=13&cs=1
 
Terrific!

I loved both `Labyrynth` and `Dark Crystal`!!

They must be my two most favorite films of all time!
 
I preferred Labyrinth, but there's no scope for a sequel. I'd rather see them do something else in a similar vein, anyway.
 
I loved the Dark Crystal! I also preferred it to Labyrinth though that was great too. I wonder if it is possible to get it on DVD? I got The Neverending Story last week from Ebay which is another film I love. I'm not sure it is wise to do a sequel to Dark Crystal though, especially after all this time. Still, we shall see.
 
I saw The Dark Crystal at the cinema as a young lad, and it scared the bejesus out of me. Almost as much as Beaker from The Muppet Show.
 
anome said:
I preferred Labyrinth, but there's no scope for a sequel. I'd rather see them do something else in a similar vein, anyway.

Since the bird Connelly developed a penchant for getting her puppies out in subsequent films, I've always thought there was scope for a slightly more "adult" sequel!

:D

Altogether now.......

"I saw my baby, crying hard as babe could cry......"
 
I adore both The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth - although Labyrinth has the edge for me. I always wanted to be like Jennifer and I fancied the pants off David Bowie in that film :D
 
I just liked the way that Bowie's Demon King (or whatever) was arbitrarily evil. The bit where she complained about him changing the rules on her was a classic.

Then again, so were the milk bottles on the castle steps.
 
Ah, how could he be evil?

He had the goblins abduct her brother when she asked, didnt he?

Wasnt that a classic scene!

(IMHO a valuable public service.)
 
The Dark Crystal-Best Movie Ever! Made a huge impression on me as a kid. ET came out about the same time, and I saw both in the theater. I never understood why ET was so hyped and praised, but DC was virtually ignored. Jim Henson created a totally convincing, absorbing world. I even looked for those weird little swamp creatures around the stream that borders my parent's property!
 
One of my favourite films ever, and one of few outright fantasy films I've got any time for.

They reissued the Brian Froud illustrated World of the Dark Crystal book recently (um, possibly a couple of years ago, am banfying about the word 'recently' a bit fluidly there) a brilliant, brilliant peice, the film pales slightly in comparison.

(I always preferred the other characters to the gelflings though, to the point of owning a three foot paper mache skek'sis).
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Yeah, it's still in print, great book:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0810945797/

And guess what? Atlanta's own Center for Puppetry Arts has a Skeksis on display in a giant cube in their puppetry museum (also used by Neil Gaiman for research into Mr. Punch):

http://www.puppet.org/

Pix here:

http://www.puppet.org/museum/pix/img_skeksis.jpg

And a write up:

Skeksis Body puppet from the 1982 movie "The Dark Crystal" by Jim Henson. As many as 3 puppeteers were needed to articulate the fingers, eyes and facial movements from outside of one of these creatures while the main puppeteer performed from inside the Skeksis moving the head, arms and body. The bulk of the puppet was attached to a backpack carried on the main puppeteer's shoulders which kept his hands free to manipulate all these parts. There is no way to see out of the creature once inside so a small television monitor was attached to the backpack. This allowed the puppeteer inside the body to see where he was going.

[Emp edit: Shortening link]
 
ET came out about the same time, and I saw both in the theater. I never understood why ET was so hyped and praised, but DC was virtually ignored. Jim Henson created a totally convincing, absorbing world.

Thats is because ET was an emotional film whereas DC an interlectual.

(is it just me, or is there something very sinister about kids being prepared to protect this wrinkled little thing with their lives?)
 
Good news:

February 01, 2006

Genndy Tartakovsky To Helm Sequel To The Dark Crystal!

(Posted In Animation Film News Sci-Fi / Fantasy USA and Canada )

Those squealing sounds you're hearing? Those are the web monkey losing his mind ...

Variety broke news today that Genndy Tartakovsky of Clone Wars and Samurai Jack fame has been tapped to direct a sequel to classic Henson puppet animated film The Dark Crystal. Tartakovsky will apparently use CG for the backgrounds and environments while all character work will be animated the good ol' Henson way, with puppets. New characters are in the works and design work on those will be handled by the original Dark Crystal designer.

Really, for fans of the original, does it get better than this?

Details at Variety. Thanks to Jung for the pointer.

www.twitchfilm.net/archives/004989.html
 
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