The Dark Crystal
Directed by Jim Henson, Frank OzOn another planet in the distant past, a Gelfling embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of a magical crystal and restore order to his world, before the grotesque race of Skeksis find and use the crystal for evil.
- RichardOctober 12, 2025This one’s not just a film, it’s a rite of passage. The Dark Crystal was Jim Henson and Frank Oz at their most daring, crafting a world without a single human actor, where puppets carried the weight of myth, emotion and eerie beauty. If you saw it in the cinema, you remember the awe. On TV, it felt like a secret broadcast from another realm. And owning it on DVD? That was a commitment to wonder. Set on the alien world of Thra, the story follows Jen, a Gelfling tasked with restoring a broken crystal before the sinister Skeksis plunge everything into darkness. The visuals are pure handcrafted magic—Brian Froud’s designs, the Creature Shop’s puppetry and Trevor Jones’s sweeping score all combine into something timeless. It’s dark, yes, but never cruel. It’s fantasy with teeth, but also heart. Watching it now, it still holds up. The artistry, the ambition, the atmosphere, it’s all still there. And knowing it inspired Age of Resistance decades later only deepens its legacy. They don’t make them like this anymore and maybe they never did.
- Aaron SladeMarch 13, 2025They will never make anything like this ever again! The Dark Crystal scared the s%$t out of me as a young kid in the early 80s. It was so eerie and bizarre. Watching as an adult, I feel so lucky to have grown up with films like this for kids rather than the Disney slop that comes out now.
- csortegaFebruary 8, 2026The Dark Crystal is a visually striking fantasy whose charm lands strongest with younger viewers. Its world‑building is imaginative and its creatures captivating, but adults may find the story thin and the pacing uneven. A nostalgic curiosity for grown‑ups, a full‑blown adventure for kids.
- flavo43November 21, 2025The Dark Crystal is a rare kind of fantasy film: one that feels like you’ve stepped into a completely self-contained myth, not just a movie. Its original story and meticulously built world of Gelflings, Skeksis, and Mystics are extraordinary, rich with lore that absolutely deserved a sequel—even if that continuation took many years to arrive. The puppetry work of Jim Henson and Frank Oz broke new ground, creating expressive, tactile characters without a single human face on screen. Their craftsmanship set a standard for practical creature effects that has essentially never been repeated at this scale. Every frame feels hand-crafted, from the eerie landscapes to the smallest background critter. While the pacing and tone may feel unusual compared to today’s fast-cut fantasy, that deliberate rhythm gives the film a dreamlike, storybook quality. The Dark Crystal remains a bold, singular achievement in worldbuilding and cinematic artistry that still inspires awe.
- KadammmmOctober 4, 2025A classic display of the darker side of Jim Henson. A tale set in a faraway place with a young boy who must set out on an adventure that will test him and his friends to the fullest. Top notch imagery and puppeteer work. A childhood favorite of mine and still entertains my kids today.
- LillyMarch 26, 2025A true classic of my childhood. I have enjoyed watching the series of the dark crystal age of resistance, and needed to see the movie again. I love the workmanship and artistry of the puppets. I wish i could show more appreciation for this movie and the creators. I hope one day they can finish the series, this story deserves to be finished in its modern video quality.
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The Dark Crystal Trivia
The Dark Crystal was released on December 17, 1982.
The Dark Crystal was directed by Jim Henson, Frank Oz.
The Dark Crystal has a runtime of 1h 33m.
The Dark Crystal was produced by Gary Kurtz, Jim Henson.
On another planet in the distant past, a Gelfling embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of a magical crystal and restore order to his world, before the grotesque race of Skeksis find and use the crystal for evil.
The key characters in The Dark Crystal are Jen / High Priest, Ritual Master (Jim Henson), Kira, a Gelfling (Kathryn Mullen), Aughra, a Keeper of Secrets / Chamberlain (Frank Oz).
The Dark Crystal is rated PG.
The Dark Crystal is a Family, Fantasy, Adventure film.
The Dark Crystal has an audience rating of 8.1 out of 10.
The Dark Crystal had a budget of $15M.
The Dark Crystal has made $44.6M at the box office.