The Dark Crystal

Hmmmm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGzVYyV_Jsg

Via io9:

TV Line reports that Louis Leterrier (Now You See Me, The Incredible Hulk, The Transporter) will direct and executive produce the series. Netflix’s official description reveals this about the plot: “When three Gelfling discover the horrifying secret behind the Skeksis’ power, they set out on an epic journey to ignite the fires of rebellion and save their world.”

Except...they lose.

(I mean I AM all for this, but.)

has ilx discussed the original version before they dubbed over the whole movie to make it less incomprehensible?

There's a fan edit floating around out there with low-quality workprint scenes spliced in that restore a lot of the 'Skeksis speaking Skeks-ese' scenes.

I LOVE the movie. I am not excited about a series run by the director of Now You See Me.

ducking out of calling the sequel "now you dont" was serious bullshit

the movie lives deep in my core. i'll watch this but i'll have my heavier set of disappointment-armor on

as a film score nerd the announcement of whomever they hire to do the music is likely to be especially deflating (trevor jones and peter knight having hit the ball wayyy out of the park on the film and LP...)

There's a fan edit floating around out there with low-quality workprint scenes spliced in that restore a lot of the 'Skeksis speaking Skeks-ese' scenes.

― human/hutt hybrid (Old Lunch)

the best fan edits only use the audio from the test print; it's incomprehensible but i feel like that would be the case even were the audio in super-hi-fi.

the close-up tracking shot over the plants and small creatures of that bog is one of my favorite sequences in the history of film btw.

i recently found this hidden in a corner of hq :

http://www.tolkienshop.com/contents/media/worlddcpb.jpg

the artwork is insanely good.
and there are pages of maps, and the page before is tracing paper, with overlayed graphics so when you put the two together they reveal more of the secrets.
the level of art/story detail is fantastic.

for example.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/81/da/b1/81dab1f891ef69e31f965513a15e48f7.jpg

the artwork page would be the basic creature, and then you would place the previous page over the top and see as above.

I need to own that tbrr

lest we forget the magnificence of AUGRA

Was just looking into that book the other day after realizing the reprint has itself gone out of print.

if only i have looked after my first edition better.

(to be fair, it has been through many years of neglect/house moves etc .. )

and its only the back sleeve page thats bent, the book itself is not that bad actually.

i will totally hunt for a messed up 'reading quality' copy

I will buy all this book

http://io9.gizmodo.com/a-look-inside-the-definitive-book-on-bringing-the-dark-1796466091

Oh my god yes. My Henson library is gonna need its own shelf soon.

Okay so...

https://io9.gizmodo.com/dark-crystal-age-of-resistance-releases-first-photos-a-1831144382

Game of Thrones’ Emmanuel is playing Deet

No word on who’s playing Deep Woods Off though

I'll reserve judgment until I've actually seen it, but my general feeling about this project is 'no'.

10 parts seems a little much

Update

http://www.animationmagazine.net/top-stories/netflix-dates-dark-crystal-age-of-resistance-premiere-new-images-released/

I mean...visually, it seems pretty close to the mark. Not crazy about all of the celebrivoices. I dunno, man, I just don't think I need this.

If nothing else, the money is all there on the screen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSV42j8lccg

A little heavy on the fan service, but looks very nice

Anyone else started this yet?

started tonight

flippin gorgeous, hard not to just float into pure nostalgic glee

Two episodes in and have to say it's excellent so far, if a little dark for my nine year old.

Looks absolutely stunning

peeper beetle D:

guys i’m OBSESSED

it’s really really good, super dark, the story is really well crafted and i think everyone should watch it

also my GOD there is some creepy shit in this

Yeah, I'm watching it sans kids now

I can’t stop looking at their tongues.

Just rewatched the movie for the first time since, uh, 1983 I guess - all I remembered was the jump scare with the little dog. Was expecting something shonky and dated, but it’s so fabulous! What a great surprise. Still can’t quite believe this passed for mainstream entertainment when I was a kid.

xp one episode in the can and that's all i can think about. i haven't watched the movie in forever but i feel like that wasn't there?

it was there

you need to get over the tongues imo
it will free you

rewatched the movie today & goddamn the original score is a thing of beauty. the worst part is still poor Jen, stuck describing everything we already see happening in the most awkward way :( but Kira sprouting wings is still one of my fave moments. and the intro of Aughra.

also Oz’s puppetry of Aughra & Chamberlain is incredible when you study it. all these subtle movements that create such an incredible canvas for the voice actors to go to town. Dennen’s Chamberlain is still amazing to me

made me appreciate how much the new series ties so much together. like filling in the backstory on the scientist’s light-up eye, the machiavellianism of the chamberlain, and the mystic/skeksis schism; or expands on ideas - like the gelfling throne Kira sits on, or podling culture, the origin of the garthrim.
and man i see even more how great a job Pegg does with dovetailing into Dennen’s original voicework as Chamberlain. It’s really something.

and all that natural-looking light! ugh. the staging & production has so much depth you just fall into it even when you try to hone in one a detail

goddamn the original score is a thing of beauty.

OTM

also Oz’s puppetry of Aughra & Chamberlain is incredible when you study it.

As much as I deeply love Jim Henson and all of his work, Oz was the true savant of that crew.

I have to say, y'all itt are doing a solid job of undercutting my skeksisism re: this undertaking.

you really should give it a shot

I’m really enjoying this (7 eps in, I think). Probably enjoying it more than the film, which I never had as strong nostalgic links to as, say, Labyrinth.

Hello parasite carrying an eyeball, why am I sympathising with you?

don't mess with skexis

i fancy watching this. not a huge fan of the film (although top marks for terrifying me as a child) but it's just nice to see some good old fashioned puppetry on the go in this world of cgi muck

xpost lol

Lookit, when it doesn't land I'm generally content to let it lie but my unheralded coinage of 'skeksisism' upthread was solid imho

rewatched the movie today & goddamn the original score is a thing of beauty. the worst part is still poor Jen, stuck describing everything we already see happening in the most awkward way :(

Watched the movie with my 7 year-old the other night (well most of it, got a little too creepy for him) but that was his thought as well, "is he going to narrate everything we already know the whole movie?".

What's wrong with being skeksy?

OMG!!!! I know a lot of you have mentioned how dark the series gets, but I didn't expect all the feels.

right?

v emotional

The Heretic!

BTW one reason I love Deet is how bright eyed she is, and how, because Grottans live in caves, their pupils are perpetually dilated, and so she is also literally bright eyed because everything is bright to her.

yes! that was such a specific & beautifully realized detail

the season is so rich with detail storywise & it is clear by the end that there’s so much more to tell, the idea of more seasons is v exciting & i did not expect to feel that way going in

Get that season 2 confirmed, Netflix!

Finished it now.

Fuck me. I already thought it was dark but those last few episodes take it to another level.

Kind of glad my kids stopped watching as episode 7 would have totally freaked them out.

Is this a lock for a second season or do the costs involved mean it's not such a sure thing?

THis is cute
https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/the-lead-artist-on-netflixs-new-dark-crystal-series-was-the-baby-in-labyrinth-114447773.html
saw the headline a few days ago.

So far seen the first episode which is really nicely done and already getting a bit dark.
Will watch the rest shortly.

groovyP: how come the kids stopped watching?

Son (9) was a bit too young, daughter (11) is not interested in any shows unless they're about Australian hotels or baby showers

Wish they had focused on fewer characters to give them more depth. Without that, the relationships between the characters felt thin, except maybe Deet and Hup. Everyone's hugging at the end and I'm like "you said two words to that character". Also, would have liked to see more about the aftermath of Seladon realizing her error - how it affected her and her relationship with Brea. Seemed like it was just dropped, everything forgiven/forgotten by both characters.

Some of the voices were grating but it's ostensibly a kid's show, can't really fault that. Many of the Skeksis voices were great tho

Visuals were simply amazing. My wife complained about the lack of emotion due to it being puppets, but I dunno, I was sold

Some things that I've learned since I finished the series:

- Puppeteering happens BEFORE voice actors record their lines, meaning that voice actors match to the puppeteers.
- Voice actors record their lines solo, because syncing to the puppets' mouth movements makes ensemble voice acting much more difficult.
- Voices aren't processed, i.e. Simon Pegg is actually using that voice for Chamberlain.

i see you watched that 90 minute making-of episode to.

*too

yeah I learned a lot of cool stuff from that!

it was enthralling!

i love that the whole Froud family is involved

Something to be Froud of.
It's nicely done anyway.
I think I need to give the original a watch again. & hope there's more or similar coming.

Just finished watching this last night, over about a week. I am a big fan of the original's charm despite its slowness; my wife could take it or leave it, but we both LOVED this. This is fantasy world-building like you rarely get to see in entertainment of this nature, and the puppetry and set building is unbelievably gorgeous. If there isn't a season 2 it will be a crime!

I also don't think that I have ever seen another actor take over a role that had originated with someone else 35 years prior and knock it out of the park the way Simon Pegg did here. The whole voice cast was great but his performance was next level.

otm

Mostly, I loved this. It’s flawed, a few too many forced references to the original for my tastes, and the skekses said the word “essence” about 50 times too many, but damn.. beautiful. I have a fair amount of insider knowledge on sets and props, and I can tell you that these people knocked it out of the park. Really, the first time in a while I felt like I was seeing something new and surprising in the classic fantasy genre.

Fucksake ☹️

netflix: hey guys here's the dark crystal age of resistance hope you like it

critics: holy shit this is good

fans: holy shit this is good

emmys: here's a fukken award

netflix: it is with regret we cancel the show 😔

— 𝙳𝙰𝙽 [♥️] 𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚆𝙸𝚂𝚃𝙻𝙴 (@Garcian_Smith) September 21, 2020

assholes
assholes
assholes

so mad about this

I guess it was fairly expensive to make?

But such a shit fucking decision when you know they're going to bankroll a plethora of awful shows and have already renewed dumb shit like Another Life