Plot: What’s it about?
In a distant world, in a far removed time, a Dark Crystal maintains the balance within a mystical kingdom. As long as it remains intact, the forces of evil are held back and the kingdom is safe, but a darkness soon looms over the lands. After the crystal is broken and a shard is removed, the evil Skeksis assume control over the world, but this struggle will not be a bloodless one, as resistance is immense. The Skeksis begin to slaughter the peaceful Gelflings, but the other inhabitants face slavery, so there’s good side to the Skeksis’ assault. A long while soon passes and it is thought that all the Gelflings have been killed, but two have survived, raised by outsiders and never revealed to those who would destroy them. Jen was raised by all the knowing mystics, which means he has a wealth of knowledge, including some crucial insight. If the Dark Crystal is not repaired soon, the reign of the Skeksis will last forever. But if the shard can be returned to the original place, the crystal will heal and balance will return to the lands. At the same time, the other surviving Gelfling, Kira finds herself at Jen’s side, as they attempt to end the sadistic rule of the Skeksis. But first, they’ll have to face many dangers, not to mention find the missing shard. Can two simple Gelflings manage to heal the crystal and save the world?
This isn’t the typical Jim Henson production, but The Dark Crystal remains a well liked, popular motion picture. At the time, Henson had done mostly light, brisk comic material, so this marked a change in course, since this material was dark and had a more serious tone. The puppets aren’t as bright and colorful as his usual work, as some hideous and deformed characters even populate the world of The Dark Crystal. While it is darker than Henson’s usual work, it has all of his imagination and wonder, so the characters are well crafted, the storyline is complex, and the visuals really immerse the audience in the film’s world. The attention to detail is excellent, with all kinds of small touches that enrich the visuals, such as exotic plants and such. But this isn’t just a visual feast, as the storyline is competent and the characters are well developed, so you actually care about what happens in this magical realm. So we have a movie that not only looks good, but has all the elements we look for, its even safe for younger audiences. Well, some scenes might spook very young kids, but for the most part, The Dark Crystal is family safe. This new Superbit edition has greatly enhanced visuals, but at the cost of some excellent supplements. I recommend this new version, but I’d say real fans will want to own both, to have the best of both worlds.
Video: How does it look?
The Dark Crystal is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is a welcome improvement over the previous disc, as detail is opened up and we have a sharper, more dynamic visual presentation. I found colors to be a little richer also and as usual on Superbit releases, the black levels are more refined. The differences are not massive, but if you have decent equipment, you’ll be able to spot some solid enhancements in this edition. The print debris is lessened, but not by much and of course, that brings down the visuals somewhat. I would love to see a full scale restoration on this one, to be sure. So another improved experience thanks to the Superbit line, though the source materials could use some work in this case.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio here is solid, thanks to the included Dolby Digital & DTS 5.1 options, but the material holds back the soundtracks. I found both to be effective, passable options, but if you’re expecting a whirlwind experience, you’ll be let down. The materials limit just how much can be done, so surround presence is never too impressive, though a few scenes do sound terrific. The audio also has a thin, sometimes even harsh presence, due to the limitations of the materials and in the end, these soundtracks don’t amount to much. The music comes to life well and makes use of the speakers, but the sound effects aren’t able to drum up much dynamic presence, while bass is infrequent and unremarkable. The dialogue is smooth and free from errors, but on the whole, this material simply can’t take advantage of these soundtracks. This disc also includes subtitles in English and Spanish, should you need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes no bonus materials.
