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Rating:  - Fantasy come to... life?
Of course, we all remember Jim Henson for bringing us those fuzzy, adorable animal puppets and their kooky variety show.
But Henson also produced some very memorable, intriguing fantasy films, full of otherworldly beauty, humor and a distinctly horrific note at times. This two-pack brings together the quirky, dreamlike coming-of-age tale "Labyrinth" and the exquisite, otherworldly, horrific "Dark Crystal," both of which were swimming with very unique Henson creations.
"Labyrinth" becomes a problem for teenage Sarah, who is stuck babysitting her crying baby stepbrother, but would prefer to stay in her romantic, fantastical daydreams instead. When she idly wished that the goblins would steal him, she never expected goblins to appear and snatch him away -- or that the Goblin King Jareth (David Bowie) would challenge her if she tries to get her brother back.
He gives Sarah thirteen hours to navigate a changing, hazardous maze, with Jareth's castle at the center of it -- and endless bizarre perils along the way. To find her way, she will have to befriend strange creatures and avoid lethal bogs, nasty fairies, head-jugglers, and finally the clever, eerie Jareth himself -- or her brother will be turned into a goblin as well.
"The Dark Crystal" is the heart of this movie, where on another world, there are two strange races that appeared one thouysand years ago -- the enormous, gentle, peaceful Mystics, and the nasty, vulture-like, vicious Skekses who ruin the surrounding lands. They are somehow connected to a massive crystal that was broken a thousand years ago, and now a shard is missing from it. What's more, three suns are about to come into conjunction, and the shard has to be back in place when that happens.
The Mystics have cared for one of the last Gelflings, an orphan named Jen whom they rescued from the insectile Garthim. As the conjunction approaches, they send him out to find the lost shard. Along the way, Jen gains the crystal shard for himself, and meets the only other living Gelfling, Kira. Now they must both evade the Skekses' Garthim henchmen and bat-winged spies, and somehow infiltrate their castle. But what will happen when the suns line up, and the crystal is completed?
Both "Labyrinth" and "Dark Crystal" are well-crafted, well-deserved classics, even though they are wildly different kinds of fantasy stories -- one is all about wanting to be swept into a fantasy world, and the other is about the perils of one such world. And they're coming-of-age stories, whether for a teenage girl or a Gelfling -- both focus on pursuing something that can save what is important to you.
But they are quite different in tone -- "Labyrinth" is goofier and a bit more childlike, with the fox chevalier and the bouncing heads among others. On the other hand, "Dark Crystal" aims at portraying a truly alien world, and Brian Froud's slightly weird designs make it seem so -- strange swamp reptiles, colorful anemones, vast crystalline castles, desiccated vulture-like creature, shrieking fuzzballs, and gorgeous forests full of strange plants and animals. Not to mention the abrasive, lumpy witch Aughra, who's an absolute riot.
Additionally, "Dark Crystal" also has the honor of being the first major movie to entirely star puppets, with nary a human being in sight -- some of those puppets still walk in a herky-jerky Muppet manner, but their design is utterly detailed and believable, from Jen's sort-of-human, fawnlike features to the vast four-armed Mystics, and the rattling armored Garthim soldiers. And the special effects end up being pretty spectacular, especially during the climax.
By comparison, "Labyrinth" has a few special effects snags, but it rarely detracts from the visual grandeur and creepiness of the maze. A then-teenaged Jennifer Connelly gives a solid, mature performance as a young girl whose reckless wish threw her in over her head, and David Bowie perfectly brings across the Goblin King's ruthlessness and chilliness, while also giving him a warmth and affection at times.
"Labyrinth" and "The Dark Crystal" are among the better fantasy movies ever made, and definitely among the most striking. Utterly fantastical and very endearing.
Rating: - Two Great Fantasies From the Heyday of Fantasy Filmmaking!
Begin With "The Dark Crystal": Another Time, Another World...
From the age of wonder comes a tale so bizarre, so mystical, so magical, it has to be seen to be believed! A world that once thrived is now nearly a wasteland, ruled over by cruel, half bird/half lizard creatures called the Skeksis. The planet's more humble creatures flee from their presence. Their evil is countered only by a race of good and kind wizards called the Mystics, but it is the Skeksis who maintain power over the Dark Crystal. The only hope for returning balance to their world is in that of a small gelfling boy named Jen, who, with the help of his new friends, Kira and Fizzgig, and the guidance of a wise old woman named Aughra, must reunite the Dark Crystal with its missing shard and heal an ancient species.
An adventure that could only have come from the mind of Jim Henson, "The Dark Crystal" is a masterpiece in every sense. Bringing to vivid life the fantastical and grotesque illustrations of Brian Froud, and clearly influenced by "The Empire Strikes Back" and "The Lord of the Rings," Jim Henson and Co-Director Frank Oz have invented a world all their own. Every creature and character that appears onscreen is a figment of the imagination, and each one is as real as you or I. The visual effects and scenery are a feast for the eyes, but the simple and engaging story is equally captivating. In the Gelflings, the filmmakers manage to capture the very embodiment of pure innocence and goodness, and in the Skeksis, the very essence of evil. The Special Edition DVD release has more than enough extras to satisfy, the most overwhelming of which is the hour long making-of documentary, "The World of the Dark Crystal." Other features include deleted and work-print scenes, trailers, character art profiles, talent files, and an isolated music score. Well worth the purchase for anyone looking to own the quintessential 80's fantasy film. And, while I don't think her much to look at, Kira's voice is heavenly.
Then, Get Lost In the Labyrinth...
Sarah is a beautiful but delusional teenage girl living with her overbearing parents and incessantly crying baby brother. She immerses herself in a world of fairytale fantasy to forget her day-to-day strife, and rehearses lines from books in the hope of one day becoming a great actress like her real mother. But on one particularly stormy night, Sarah is left alone to tend to her baby brother yet again, and the assignment is more than she can bear. She finally makes a hasty wish for the infant to be taken away by goblins, to trouble her no more! --- Her wish is granted. --- Sarah suddenly finds herself alone in a fairy kingdom on a magical quest to save her brother, journeying beyond the gates of the goblin city and to the castle of the very Goblin King himself, but to get there she first must solve the Labyrinth!
From fantasy masters Jim Henson and George Lucas comes a film that delighted a generation! Labyrinth is a magical fantasy that combines the Wizard of Oz, Alice In Wonderland, and the Return of the Jedi, with an 80's twist in the form of David Bowie's one of a kind musical style. The film follows Sarah's transformation from bratty teenage girl to sympathetic and endearing heroine, as she makes her way through all the traps and twists the Goblin King sets before her, picking up new friends as she goes, from the ugly but good-hearted dwarf, Hoggle, and an enormous, hairy simpleton called Ludo, to brave Sir Didymus the fox and his noble steed, Ambrosius the dog. Almost the entire cast is direct from Jim Henson's creature shop, featuring an assortment of weirdies and baddies the likes of which you've hopefully never seen. And there's more magic still, thanks to the sorcery of Jareth, the Goblin King, portrayed beautifully by the hypnotic personage of David Bowie. Jennifer Connelly holds her own as Sarah though, looking more beautiful than I have ever seen her, and far too hot to be the staying at home and reading Tolkien on a Friday-night type, but we'll let that slide in lieu of the gorgeous eye-candy. If Henson and Lucas were aiming for a timeless classic here, ala "The Wizard of Oz," they may have missed the mark, as the music of the film dates it as unmistakably 80's. Nevertheless, it is without a doubt a masterpiece of filmmaking in true Jim Henson style, a great trip for the 80's fantasy enthusiast, and an excellent piece of fantasy entertainment for anyone who is a fan of the genre. More than a few elements from the world of Harry Potter were clearly inspired by this film, just as it was inspired by the classic fantasies that came before it. "Labyrinth" is a true work of art, and a true milestone of fantasy entertainment!
The DVD is in widescreen, featuring a fullscreen theatrical trailer, and a long and informative behind the scenes featurette that includes interviews with the performers and creators, not to mention more lovely footage of Jennifer Connelly. Cast and Crew "Talent Files" are also included. Don't hesitate to add "Labyrinth" to your collection today!
Rating: - Great film - teens and adults in our house loved it.
The creatures truly come to life, and as you sink into it, the fantasy becomes richer and richer. Very memorable characters. Love the muppets, but in this film Hensen's mastery of the larger figures is amazing. It's one you'll want to watch more than once. Don't be surprised if you find yourself comparing acquaintances and family members to the characters.
Rating:  - Special Features are a welcomed bonus
Simply put: Both are a must for any Jim Henson fan. I personally never really liked Dark Crystal but Labyrinth is a Henson classic. Both include items such as an hour long documentary on the making of Labyrinth and some deleted scenes from Dark Crystal. A great bonus to any DVD collection!
Rating: - jim henson is a genious!
what stands out in my mind is the day i found out that jim henson died. I remember asking my mom why my sister was crying and she said "Because Jim Henson died." she absolutly loved his work. i, too, am a big fan. i love jim henson and wish he was still alive to create these brilliant movies and fascinating characters.
labyrinth is my all time favorite movie. i watch it at least once a day. it revolves around sarah, a girl who wishes the goblin king to take her baby brother away. he does and the movie focuses on her quest to get him back and the people/things she meets along the way. david bowie is excellent in this movie. the songs are great and i couldn't imagine anyone else being the goblin king. i don't think he's ever been so sexy. the sets are amazing and the creatures are just beautiful. they all have seperate personalities and if you left out just one, the movie would not have been the same. my favorite is ludo but i've always been a fan of big animals.
the dark crystal is completely different in almost every way. there are no humans at all, it's all puppets. the story revolves around the skeksis and they mystics who once were the same but became seperated (like the good part of a person and the bad part) when the crystal broke and a shard was lost. the skeksis worship the crystal becuz it gives them power. the story surrounds jen, a gelfling, who is the last of his kind. he is charged with finding the lost shard and replacing it in the stone to reunite the two halves and bring life back into the dead land. along his journey he meets kira (another gelfling), fezgig (her dog, sort of), the podpeople (who've taken care of kira since all the other gelflings were killed), augrah (the keeper of the shard and other knowledge), and many monsters who are minions of the skeksis.
both these films are awesome. the movement is wonderful, the dialogue is witty and the visuals are stunning. jim hensons team of set designers and creative developers are the best around and these movies will make you wish there were more like them.
as a side note, i'd like to point out that labyrinth was filmed at elstree studios, the same place as part of the rocky horror picture show which is also a favorite of mine.
buy this movie and enjoy it with everyone you know.
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