Labyrinth/The Dark Crystal

Starring:Jean-Pierre Amiel, Robbie Barnett, Peter Burroughs, Malcolm Dixon, Mike Edmonds, Dave Goelz, Louise Gold, David Greenaway, Jim Henson, Hus Levant, Brian Muehl, Kathryn Mullen, Frank Oz, Bob Payne, Toby Philpott, Kiran Shah, Richard Slaughter, Steve Whitmire, Simon Williamson
Director: Jim Henson, Frank Oz
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
The Dark Crystal
Jim Henson's fantasy epic The Dark Crystal doesn't take place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, but like Star Wars it takes the audience to a place that exists only in the imagination and, for an hour and a half, on the screen. Recalling the worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien, Henson tells the story of a race of grotesque birdlike lizards called the Skeksis, gnomish dragons who rule their fantastic planet with an iron claw. A prophecy tells of a Gelfling (a small elfin being) who will topple their empire, so in their reign of terror they have exterminated the race, or so they think. The orphan Jen, raised in solitude by a race of peace-loving wizards called the Mystics, embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of the Dark Crystal (which gives the Skeksis their power) and restore the balance of the universe. Henson and codirector Frank Oz have pushed puppetry into a new direction: traditional puppets, marionettes, giant bodysuits, and mechanical constructions are mixed seamlessly in a fantasy world of towering castles, simple huts, dank caves, a giant clockwork observatory, and a magnificent landscape that seem to have leaped off the pages of a storybook. Muppet fans will recognize many of the voice actors--a few characters sound awfully close to familiar comic creations--but otherwise it's a completely alien world made familiar by a mythic quest that resonates through stories over the ages. --Sean Axmaker

Labyrinth
Sarah (a teenage Jennifer Connelly) rehearses the role of a fairy-tale queen, performing for her stuffed animals. She is about to discover that the time has come to leave her childhood behind. In real life she has to baby-sit her brother and contend with parents who don't understand her at all. Her petulance leads her to call the goblins to take the baby away, but when they actually do, she realizes her responsibility to rescue him. Sarah negotiates the Labyrinth to reach the City of the Goblins and the castle of their king. The king is the only other human in the film and is played by a glam-rocking David Bowie, who performs five of his songs. The rest of the cast are puppets, a wonderful array of Jim Henson's imaginative masterpieces. Henson gives credit to children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, and the creatures in the movie will remind Sendak fans of his drawings. The castle of the king is a living M.C. Escher set that adults will enjoy. The film combines the highest standards of art, costume, and set decoration. Like executive producer George Lucas's other fantasies, Labyrinth mixes adventure with lessons about growing up. --Lloyd Chesley

Jim Henson Fantasy Film Collection (Labyrinth / The Dark Crystal / MirrorMask)
Average customer rating:

Jim Henson's Film Collection Family Hit

Jim Henson's Magic.

Wonderful Fantasy Films

A Masterpiece Collection

Puppets and CGI

Jim Henson Fantasy Film Collection (Labyrinth / The Dark Crystal / MirrorMask)
Starring: Jim Henson's Fantasy Film Collection
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000GFRI5E
Release Date: 2006-09-05

Customer Reviews:

Jim Henson's Film Collection Family Hit.......2007-05-14

If this sounds childish or reads juvenile please forgive the wounded one hand typist. LOL!!!

This film collection is wonderful!! My grown children adore it because it brings back happy memories of their childhood and my only grandchild is mesmerized by "The Dark Crystal", as are all of my neices and nephews. The Labyrinth is my grown girls choice and I love them all.They actually get up to sing and dance with the music and songs that to this day they know every word to.
Thank you for bringing joyous memories and delightful entertainment to my family,Through the eyes of the master puppeteer.

Mrs. Cheryl D. Fowler

Jim Henson's Magic........2007-05-12

To gather a large proportion of Jim Henson's work together is really wonderful. Somehow he and his team managed to provide a depth to all he did which makes his work long lasting. This is very apparent in the mysterious "MirrorMask" which is extremely challenging."Labyrinth" has always been a family favourite with us and it too has a depth of concept which is very powerful.Images such as the Junk Woman and the Man with the bird growing on his head are creative and strange."The Dark Crystal" is an early work and has certain crudities which are not apparent in the later films. However the inventive images of Brian Froud are wonderful and add much to the film.

Wonderful Fantasy Films.......2007-01-18

Great films that do justice to the legacy of the Jim Henson Company.

A Masterpiece Collection.......2006-09-17

Everyone of us has a favorite muppet, that is how well Jim Henson stood out as one of the most creative minds for family programing and now his legacy is remembered in a box set of the three non muppet films. These movies are nothing but pure grandure of fantasy used to stimulate the mind and senses. The stories are origional family friendly and a pleasure to watch over and over again. Jim Henson worked with other creative minds of the time such as Rick Callum, Frank Oz and of course one of Jim Hensons' equils George Lucas. No wonder these movies are so good.

The Dark Crystal, the first of these films is Lord Of The Rings with muppets. Its the story of a dying world and two races of creatures created by the breaking of the keeper of the world, the Dark Crystal. Now it is up to Jen, the last of his race to unite the crystal before the three suns of the planet align. Dark Crystal is an eye popping marvel. It doesn't move too quickly but that is how Jim Hensons' work is most of the time. But just watching the fact that there is not a single human in this movie and that its all done through the magic of puppetry and voice acting keeps you in your seat itching to see what happens next.

Labyrinth, probably the fan favorite of the three is the most entertaining in my eyes. Picture a twisted Wizard of Oz, with goblins. It's the story of a young, but still hot Jennifer Connely as she wishes her baby brother is taken away by the infamous Gobin King (That is David Bowie and yes he is singing!)Now she muse get to the caslte through a puzzeling maze filled with creatures you have never seen anywhere else before her brother becomes a goblin. This movie is great its a must see.

The last one was made long after Jim Henson left us, but the story of Mirrormask stays true to the legacy of Jim Henson storytelling. Filled with stimulating images, crazy creatures and a important moral to lesson to learn.

This collection goes right up there with the great movie trilogies of the past 35 years. It is worth every penny and there is no doubt in my mind you will want to watch them as much as you can.

Puppets and CGI.......2006-08-30

Of course, we all remember Jim Henson for bringing us those fuzzy, adorable animal puppets and their variety show.

But Henson also produced some very memorable, intriguing fantasy films, and after his death his production company has continued that tradition. "The Jim Henson Family Film Collection" brings together three classic films from Henson and his company, as well as an accompanying book of unknown content.

"Labyrinth" becomes a problem for teenage Sarah, who is stuck babysitting her crying baby stepbrother. But when she idly wished that the goblins would steal him, she never expected it to happen -- or that the Goblin King Jareth (David Bowie) would challenge her if she tries to get her brother back.

Now Sarah has only thirteen hours to navigate a changing, hazardous maze, with Jareth's castle at the center of it. To find her way, she will have to befriend strange creatures and avoid lethal bogs, nasty fairies, head-jugglers, and finally Jareth himself -- or her brother will be turned into a goblin himself.

"The Dark Crystal" is the heart of this movie, where on another world, there are two strange races -- the enormous, gentle, peaceful Mystics, and the nasty, vulture-like, vicious Skekses. They are somehow connected to a massive crystal that was broken long 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.

The Mystics have cared for one of the last Gelflings, an orphan named Jen. As the conjunction approaches, they send him out to find the lost shard. Along the way, Jen finds new friends who assist him in his quest, including another Gelfling. But can they avoid the Skekses? And what will happen when the suns line up, and the crystal is completed?

These movies were created in whole by Jim Henson, and even in the darker moments, they have his unmistakeable stamp. More recent -- and quite different in tone -- is "Mirrormask," which instead has the stamp of writer Neil Gaiman, and seems like a warped "Alice in Wonderland." But Henson's production company does a great job with all the weird special effects.

In "Mirrormask," we're introduced to Helena (Stephanie Leonidas), a young circus girl who longs for a "normal" life, and makes elaborate, otherworldly drawings. But one night her mother collapses, and needs life-saving surgery. The guilt-ridden Helena is suddenly whisked into a world that looks very like her drawings, where everyone has a mask -- and the beautiful queen of light (who looks a lot like Helena's mom) is in a coma.

Helena is determined to wake the queen, and gets juggler Valentine (Jason Barry) to accompany her on her quest for the mysterious Mirrormask. But the stakes become higher when the forces of darkness -- and their eerie queen -- target Helena, and she finds that a dark duplicate of herself has taken over her life. Now Helena must somehow defeat the dark forces, with her mother's life -- and her own -- hanging in the balance.

All three of these movies are classics of one type or another, and each embraces a different kind of fantasy. One is about wanting to be swept into an idyllic fantasy life. One is entirely of another world. And one is about the dangers of the other world.

To top it off, three are coming-of-age stories, whether for a teenage girl or a Muppet Gelfling -- they all focus on someone pursuing something that can save what is important to them, and growing as a person along the way. The scripting tends to be tight and a little wry. Sometimes it gets goofy, but well-acted (and in Bowie's case, well-sung).

What's more, the styles of each movie change: "Dark Crystal" is very fantastical and serious, even with some gross, dark parts, while "Labyrinth" is more kiddy-friendly and Muppety, with the little chivalrous fox (though Bowie's tight pants are a BIG distraction). And "Mirrormask" has a different style altogether, with lots of shadowy buildings, eerie lighting, fleshy masks, wide bodies and tentacle-like limbs.

The "Jim Henson Fantasy Films" are a good collection of films, showing off Henson's more fantastical side. Definitely worth seeing.

Average customer rating:

Two Great Fantasies From the Heyday of Fantasy Filmmaking!
Great film - teens and adults in our house loved it.
Special Features are a welcomed bonus
jim henson is a genious!
great movies

Labyrinth/The Dark Crystal
Starring: Jean-Pierre Amiel , Robbie Barnett , Peter Burroughs , Malcolm Dixon , and Mike Edmonds
Director: Jim Henson , and Frank Oz
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Adventure | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

7-9 Years | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

10-12 Years | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Family Films | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

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The NeverEnding Story
Willow (Special Edition)
The Last Unicorn
The NeverEnding Story / The NeverEnding Story II

ASIN: B00004Y7ET
Release Date: 2000-10-03

Amazon.com

The Dark Crystal
Jim Henson's fantasy epic The Dark Crystal doesn't take place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, but like Star Wars it takes the audience to a place that exists only in the imagination and, for an hour and a half, on the screen. Recalling the worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien, Henson tells the story of a race of grotesque birdlike lizards called the Skeksis, gnomish dragons who rule their fantastic planet with an iron claw. A prophecy tells of a Gelfling (a small elfin being) who will topple their empire, so in their reign of terror they have exterminated the race, or so they think. The orphan Jen, raised in solitude by a race of peace-loving wizards called the Mystics, embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of the Dark Crystal (which gives the Skeksis their power) and restore the balance of the universe. Henson and codirector Frank Oz have pushed puppetry into a new direction: traditional puppets, marionettes, giant bodysuits, and mechanical constructions are mixed seamlessly in a fantasy world of towering castles, simple huts, dank caves, a giant clockwork observatory, and a magnificent landscape that seem to have leaped off the pages of a storybook. Muppet fans will recognize many of the voice actors--a few characters sound awfully close to familiar comic creations--but otherwise it's a completely alien world made familiar by a mythic quest that resonates through stories over the ages. --Sean Axmaker

Labyrinth
Sarah (a teenage Jennifer Connelly) rehearses the role of a fairy-tale queen, performing for her stuffed animals. She is about to discover that the time has come to leave her childhood behind. In real life she has to baby-sit her brother and contend with parents who don't understand her at all. Her petulance leads her to call the goblins to take the baby away, but when they actually do, she realizes her responsibility to rescue him. Sarah negotiates the Labyrinth to reach the City of the Goblins and the castle of their king. The king is the only other human in the film and is played by a glam-rocking David Bowie, who performs five of his songs. The rest of the cast are puppets, a wonderful array of Jim Henson's imaginative masterpieces. Henson gives credit to children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, and the creatures in the movie will remind Sendak fans of his drawings. The castle of the king is a living M.C. Escher set that adults will enjoy. The film combines the highest standards of art, costume, and set decoration. Like executive producer George Lucas's other fantasies, Labyrinth mixes adventure with lessons about growing up. --Lloyd Chesley

Customer Reviews:

Two Great Fantasies From the Heyday of Fantasy Filmmaking!.......2005-03-10

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!

Great film - teens and adults in our house loved it........2003-01-11

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.

Special Features are a welcomed bonus.......2002-05-07

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!

jim henson is a genious!.......2002-03-06

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.

great movies.......2002-01-11

I recommend getting both of these movies, or at least renting them! The first time I watched The Dark Crystal was when I was a little baby:)..I went to see this movie when it first came out in movie theaters, I think I was 3 or 4? Anyways, I watched it again when I was older..but my dad always liked to tell me when I first watched this movie, I sat on his lap and everytime the evil lizard-like birds came on or those big beetles came on the screen I would take his hand and cover my eyes.lol (of course, I don't remember much..but I do remember being scared of those two characters!) But it has always been one of my favorite movies! It's a great fantasy movie. (The Last Unicorn was also one of my favorites, which I also recommend!) So, if you have younger kids...be warned, it IS scary for the younger kids! But it is still a movie that I recommend watching!
The Labyrinth is also a pretty good movie too. It's about a girl that has to save her baby brother from the goblins and the goblin king so she goes to this really cool world to save him, meeting really strange and weird characters along the way too..I can't really explain why I loved those movies as a kid, i just did!..everything seems so interesting and the whole world is different and exciting..especially when you have talking animals of course:)

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