Quite frankly, seeing the actual size of it gave me chills, even knowing - from that brief featurette shown at NYCC - that the puppets used in The Dark Crystal are quite large. In person, SkekZok is my height (5’7″) and more detailed than I ever could have realized. In addition to Muppets, Sesame Street characters, and film reels, the exhibition also features concept drawings for The Dark Crystal and even a full Skeksis puppet: SkekZok, the Ritual Master. SkekZok puppet on display at the Museum of the Moving Image.Įarlier this year, my partner took me to the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, which has an ongoing Jim Henson exhibition. And Kira is still the coolest… although, I must admit, watching this movie now left me with a deep fondness for Aughra that rivals my love of Ursula and Madam Mim. The mystics still seem like sweet, aging friends I’d like to sit down with for a cup of tea. The Skeksis are still terrifying, still disgusting, still ugly. In 1982, Henson’s use of animatronic puppets was revolutionary although it’s been 37 years, the film still feels magical and unique, a masterpiece in and of itself. However, upon rewatching as an adult, many of my feelings have not changed. I don’t recall how I felt about Aughra or Jen, or if the actual plot of the film affected me at all. And Kira, who could talk to animals and had a weird, growly companion named Fizzgig, seemed so incredibly cool. The Mystics, on the other hand, seemed like homely grandparents I wanted to hug. As a kid, the Skeksis - vulture-like creatures with disgusting habits and thin, reedy voices - absolutely terrified me. I can’t remember the last time I watched The Dark Crystal, but I know I must have been very young. So he goes on a hero’s journey that once again changes Thra irrevocably - this time, for the better.įrom here on out, expect spoilers for the movie if you don’t want to know what happens and you haven’t seen it, stop reading! Because neither of them know about Kira, Jen is told he’s the only one who can do this deed. Shortly before his death, Jen’s master tells him that he must find the astronomer Aughra, retrieve the broken piece of the Dark Crystal from her, and heal it. The two made one by Gelfling hand or else by none”), they murder the entire Gelfling race… except for two children, Jen and Kira, who escape and are raised by the Mystics and the Podlings, respectively. To avoid a prophecy that foretells their doom (“When single shines the triple sun, what was sundered and undone shall be whole. Ever since, the Skeksis have used the Crystal to continually replenish themselves and rule over the now-decimated planet. If you haven’t seen the original film, here’s the basic synopsis: when the Dark Crystal cracked 1,000 years ago, two races - the Skeksis and the Mystics - appeared in the magical world of Thra. And I have to admit, even four decades after it premiered, elements of The Dark Crystal are still terrifying. Since it’s been some time since I watched the film, I screened it so it would be fresh in my mind for the new series. The series, a prequel to Jim Henson‘s 1982 classic, hits Netflix at the end of this month. Ever since Lisa Henson and Louis Leterrier took the stage at New York Comic Con 2018 to reveal a brief, behind-the-scenes look at The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, I’ve been counting down the days until its premiere.
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