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Special Features
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
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
Product Description
Customer Reviews
Plenty's been said about both movies elsewhere on Amazon.com and on the net, almost all of it positive. Labyrinth is a fantastic film, visually outstanding, great characters, good music, and a decent plot; enormous fun for (really) all ages. You'd expect no less from the collaboration of three of the great creative minds of our time--Jim Henson, George Lucas, and Michael Moschen (the only juggler to have received a MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant). And then there's David Bowie, who makes an astonishingly effective Goblin King.
The Dark Crystal is cut from a different mold. It's much darker in tone, for starters, so it may not be appropriate for small children. Brilliant visuals--no humans appear at any time in the film; instead you'll see some of the most innovative puppetry out there. The creators define a truly rich fantasy world, detailed in every respect; one of the best scenes to watch for is where the camera just pans across a landscape of alien flora and fauna.
HOWEVER, if you're going for DVD, it may be preferable to buy the two movies separately. One of the best things about the versions released individually is the extras they include--deleted scenes, making-of specials, etc. At the time of this writing, there's no indication that this two-disc set includes any of that extra material; and according to an Amazon.com customer service representative, "It appears that the "Dark Crystal/Labyrinth" two-disc set does not contain the same deleted scenes and/or special features as the Special Edition discs, for sale individually."
So my recommendation is: get these movies, they're worth getting. But if you're interested in the bonus material--and it's worth being interested in--stick to the individually released DVDs rather than getting this package and missing out on the extra content.
I would have preferred if the pictures that were shown on the front of the slip cover, also served as the artwork for each movie's Blu-ray case. It would have served the purpose of this release a little bit better. I would have also enjoyed a small booklet or something that showed more concept art from the movies or maybe some new special features on each disc.
Depending on how much you find Labyrinth for, this set costs about the same as buying both individually (probably a little cheaper even). If you are a collector or already own these on Blu-ray, save your money because this isn't worth your time. These are the same Blu-rays that were already released, just with a special package. If you don't own these on Blu-ray though, this is indeed a nice way to get them because you can keep both movies together on your shelf using the slip cover. Overall, this release could have been much better but it's still decent. (I have included the product links of each movie on Blu-ray to show you what versions you're actually getting with this set).Labyrinth [Blu-ray]The Dark Crystal [Blu-ray]
The Dark Crystal is a classic good against evil tale. Though it uses puppets, the theme is darker and more violent than Labyrinth. I've watched younger kids close their eyes, or get scared during some of the "scary" scenes. I think what's great about this movie is that it keeps on moving, you're never stuck in the same place for too long, as the characters are always on the go.
This collection presents two movies that are similar only in the fact that puppets are used in both. Based on your age, the mood of each movie will vary greatly. Still, these are great films, and classics that will be around forever.
From the age of wonder comes a tale so bizarre, so mystical, so magical, it has to be seen to be believed! Read more
