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Anyone been watching this?

It basically a bunch of puppets by Jim Hensens company set in a fantasy world (evil Skethis overlords control a crystal of power and basically subjigate the more naiive Gelflings).
Watched the first episode and had no clue of what to make of it - it swings between being adorably cute and fairly dark but after watching some more its definitely grown on me.

Leaving aside the puppets themselves, the production values are quite high, great music/score, some cool sets and settings, the voice acting is solid and the extra CGI effects very good.
I think its definitely influenced visually by things like World of Warcraft, Morrowind, Skyrim etc as I caught at least 5-6 very similar looking influences.

Its not a deep plot by any means so dont expect any sort of brain stretching but Im finding it a fun watch and each episode leaves you going "hmm what'll happen next?".
It struck me that its quite female orientated with lots of strong female characters (Sigourney Weaver voices one of them) which is cool (and will no doubt bug some basement dwellers ).

I'd recommend having a look although have a feeling it might be marmite for some.

It's a continuation from the film made years ago by the same company - called Dark Crystal. It's one of those "been on the shelf for so long many thought it would never come" sequels that was once going to be a film. I've not seen it because I've not got netflix but I'm really hopeful that it does well. The film was fantastic and puppet work by Jim Henson firm has always been top rate.

ps the original film predates all those games so might well have inspired them first - though having not seen the new series I can't judge on what might have influenced or inspired what.

Yes I did some googling this morning. It seems this is a prequel to a 1980s production set in the same universe.
I havent seen the 80s one however.

You really should see it - its one of the great classics!

 Overread wrote:
You really should see it - its one of the great classics!

I can only concur, its a fantastically strange movie of the kind that really wouldn't get made today, I think its also on Netflix currently

Thought I'd watch the original before checking out the Netflix series. Wow this is great stuff.

It's the story of a cabal of Tzeentch daemons terrorizing a rural xenos population. Told with muppets.

it's the story of a cabal of Tzeentch daemons terrorizing a Proto-Tau population. Told with muppets.

Fixed

The skeksis designs are amazing.

Aye the puppets themselves are really well done in general.

I have been waiting eagerly for this, as my kids love the Dark Crystal (also a favorite from my youth in the 80s)

Halfway through it now. Was a bit worried about what they were going to do with one of my favorite movies from childhood, but have been fairly impressed so far. Actually surprised they got away with a PG rating, as there are some definitely dark moments. The Skeksis are not pleasant beings by any means. The creature design is by Brian Froud who does excellent artistic work with a Celtic vibe that results in really interesting looking creatures and settings.

 slave.entity wrote:

It's the story of a cabal of Tzeentch daemons terrorizing a rural xenos population. Told with muppets.

And there is this. Very apt analogy for 40k fans!

 Ratius wrote:

I think its definitely influenced visually by things like World of Warcraft, Morrowind, Skyrim etc as I caught at least 5-6 very similar looking influences.

I think that may have more to do with Brian Froud's heavy Celtic influence being shared by those other properties. Not saying they were not inspired at all by any of those games, but I think it is more likely that the similarities are due to all the properties drawing from a Celtic influence.

So there is a movie of this! I wasn’t sure at first. I thought it was one of those things you misremembered because it’s been so long.

The movie is on Netflix as well. This is definitely on my list of to watch. Loved the movie as a kid. Jim Henson is the best AFAIC.

 SlaveToDorkness wrote:
The movie is on Netflix as well. This is definitely on my list of to watch. Loved the movie as a kid. Jim Henson is the best AFAIC.

Yup, Jim Henson plus Brian Froud equals pure awesome!

 ikeulhu wrote:

 SlaveToDorkness wrote:
The movie is on Netflix as well. This is definitely on my list of to watch. Loved the movie as a kid. Jim Henson is the best AFAIC.

Yup, Jim Henson plus Brian Froud equals pure awesome!

This and Labyrinth are such good movies!

Agreed, and it is no coincidence that both were a result of the pure awesome combo!

 ikeulhu wrote:
Agreed, and it is no coincidence that both were a result of the pure awesome combo!

don't forget the 'tough love' approach to 80's film certification, there was some rather dark movies that got away with PG certs (heck everytime Watership Down is shown in the UK there's complaints)

besides maybe Coraline I don't think any kids film has got close in modern times for creepy weirdness

 Turnip Jedi wrote:

don't forget the 'tough love' approach to 80's film certification, there was some rather dark movies that got away with PG certs (heck everytime Watership Down is shown in the UK there's complaints)

besides maybe Coraline I don't think any kids film has got close in modern times for creepy weirdness

I am very surprised the new series got by with a PG rating, as they have managed to keep the dark creepiness of the original movie in the series. For example, one of the Skeksis gives the Scientist of the group a couple of helpers that have had their mouths sewn shut to better keep secrets!

You can get away with things with puppets that you can't with live actors - esp in ratings. Look at something like the short series Mongrels - they did a lot of things in that which if they'd tried with live-actors they'd have been shutdown before ever being shown on the TV.

Animation/cartoon and puppets are the same. It's why Watership Down, Plague Dogs, Dark Crystal, etc.... all carry a far lower rating than if they were real-live actors and the like.


It's like warhammer - there's ogres (Lord of the Rings) with their eyes sown shut; there's demons with guts spilling all over the place etc.... and yet the only age rating is for the "small parts choking hazard"

 Overread wrote:
Animation/cartoon and puppets are the same. It's why Watership Down, Plague Dogs, Dark Crystal, etc.... all carry a far lower rating than if they were real-live actors and the like.

That is a very valid point, and I also know the fact that the blood shown in the series being a different color from red also allows them to get away with more than they would otherwise.

Binged watched it this weekend. I grew up with the original movie, plus many Muppet productions. Jim Henson's creature shop has been a part of many things, like Farscape, Star Wars, etc.

I rather enjoyed this show. I was hoping it would "wrap up" and bleed into the original movie, but (without spoiling it) they did a fairly good job of leaving things open for another season, but not really needing one. We can fill in the gaps with our imagination if they don't get to do another season.

I was also rather impressed by the voice acting, which seamlessly matches the original despite being different actors. Simon Pegg, for example, voices Chamberlin and did such a great job, I swore it was Frank Oz (who did the original voice)

-

Yeah, Pegg's Chamberlain was spot on. So much to be impressed with in the series. Really hope they get to do a second season.

I'd only seen the original movie once, on TV - its use of 1980s fantasy movie tropes (key among them the inescapable narrator) soured it for me but there's no denying the quality production design and fantastic puppetry.

I've just finished it - quite good through and through - and I'm finding myself doubting whether it's actually the hard prequel to the movie I thought it was:

The Dark Crystal movie opens with the Skeksis absorbing energy from the crystal through a ritual where one of the sun's crosses over a window - the same ritual is attempted in the series (by younger, more vital looking Skeksis) and the driving action of the plot begins because the ritual no longer works.

Also...


That all said it's a great show - more than willing to be as (or dare I say, more) dark as the movie it's based on, the Skeksis are wonderfully cruel bullies, the voice acting is quality all up and down (with Mark Hamill as Scientist and Jason Isaacs the surprisingly baritone Emperor as notable standouts), and the show itself marries puppet work and production design that is just as good as the original movie with well done CGI that augments the practical work and only rarely takes center stage itself.

So, it's good. That's good news. I was a bit apprehensive.

Bran Dawri wrote:
So, it's good. That's good news. I was a bit apprehensive.

So was I at first, but I have been very pleasantly surprised so far with its quality.

 Captain Joystick wrote:

Spoiler:

- with Scientist having just created one of the crab monsters from the movie to serve as their standing army, but needing to kill one of his servants (implied to be the last surviving member of its species) to do it. So where do the others come from?

I had the same thought too, but:


-

I think its definitely influenced visually by things like World of Warcraft, Morrowind, Skyrim etc as I caught at least 5-6 very similar looking influences.

Like a lot of fantasy influences, this is very definitely the Other Way Around. As others have noted, this is a new entry for an old film, and Brian Froud has been around for many, many decades. His Faeries, goblins and trolls have been published since the seventies, and the WoW trolls & goblins (for example), are a homage or blatant rip off, depending on how you want to look at it. (To the point that I named my first troll character Froud when I started playing WoW, because it was that blatant).

The cover art for The Land of Froud(1977) has some designs that worked their way into the Dark Crystal before even the feature film (basically a proto-Mystic).
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/286026.The_Land_of_Froud

Ive watched it all. Looking forward to the next series. It's gunna get REAL dark by the end of it.

The Hunter is my favorite new addition.

First of all the original Dark Crystal is a epic masterpiece. Please watch it first before seeing this series.

I watched all 10/11 episodes and besides some nostalgic moments and being overall pleasing to look at. It was a waste of a great oppertunity.

The world building was poor/ predictable/ and forced. They also broke the spirit of the landscape by including way too much CGI.

Chamberlain was overdone and the voice actor wasn't the best (disapointing - I think he's everyones favorite skeksis). Plus stragely enough - didn't whimper as much as he should have!

While the new mystic and skexis pair on the "alter of the suns" or whatever it was called were exceptionally childish. While the original was totally targeted at children...I don't believe any characters were there simply for comedic effect. These characters were only included for this reason.

Also...Why the heck was the narrator a new voice? The narrator was probably the most memorable thing about the original. I think it's a big part of how the series misses the tone of the original.

The series also ended rather abruptly and stupidly. Leaving me with the idea that the entire series of events up to now were a complete waste....

Ogra also didn't remain true to character...

I'd give it a 6/10 just for the fact that it is well produced and hit the world visually. They just missed in every other way possible to me.

I flipped through this for a second, but I've never seen the original movie. Do I need to watch the movie first... ?