Customer Reviews

The Dark Crystal: 25th Anniversary

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For all who do not know, only a few years ago, a 2-CD edition of the Dark Crystal soundtrack was released by Numenorean Music - one CD contains the original soundtrack (the same as the 25th Anniversary CD), but the other CD contains the whole entire movie score (28 tracks!). I own this edition myself, but like it says on the package, it is a limited edition release. Unfortunately, the Numenorean Music website where I purchased the 2-CD set from no longer exists, but I know for a fact that it did not sell out quickly like the other reviewer has stated because copies were still available on the main website for over a good 2 years or so. The 2-CD set can still be found on other web store sites I'm sure and I have found copies available on eBay, so overall if anybody is after a lot more music from the Dark Crystal movie, definitely go after the 2-CD soundtrack and entire score set instead because it also is a remastered version and sounds superb! It still is good to see a major remastered release of this soundtrack CD though...the original was barely released on a CD and mainly on vinyl LP around the time the movie first came out...

Here is the track list for the entire movie score CD from the limited edition release:

1 Opening Titles And Main Theme / The Mystics' Sandpainting 4:54
2 Jen Plays His Pipes 0:56
3 Jen Goes To His Dying Master 0:39
4 The Death Of The Emperor / Death Of The Mystic Master / Mystics
Memorial Ceremony / Jen's Journey Through The New World 3:18
5 Skeksis Debate Leadership / Skeksis Duel (Film Version) 3:10
6 Chamberlain Is Attacked 1:20
7 Skeksis Summoned By Alarm 0:50
8 Garthim Are Dispatched / Jen On Aghra's Mountain 2:29
9 Jen Enters Aughra's Observatory 1:21
10 Jen Discovers Shard 0:22
11 Observatory Destroyed / Mystics Set Out 2:28
12 Gelflings Meet / Dreamfast 2:11
13 Skeksis Feast - Part One 2:27
14 Skeksis Feast - Part Two 0:30
15 Batbirds Dispatched / Environmental Musical Sounds / Gelfling Song /
Batbird Brought Down / Mystics Travelling #1 2:25
16 Pod Party / Destruction Of The Pod Village 4:10
17 Jen And Kira Love Theme 1:36
18 The Prophecy In The Ruins 2:09
19 Escape From The Chamberlain / Kira Summons The Landstriders 1:47
20 Jen And Kira Set Off On The Landstriders / Pod Person Drained 2:37
21 The Battle / Mystics Travelling #2 4:20
22 Jen And Kira In The Sewer 1:43
23 Kira Brought Before The Skeksis 0:57
24 Kira Drained In The Chamber Of Life 1:12
25 Kira Freed / Jen Goes In Search / Mystic Disintegrates / Mystics
Travelling #3 1:08
26 Jen Trapped In Lair / Jen Reaches Chamber Of Life 0:26
27 Jen Discovers Crystal Chamber 3:40
28 Gelfling Frightens The Skeksis / The Crystal Made Whole / Mystics And
Skeksis / Fuse / Finale / End Credits 16:10

I do know that those who like the film are most likely to buy this CD, but I would like to reccomend this for any fans of classical music, especially fans of Stravinsky and Prokofiev.

Tailor-made for this otherworldly film, this soundtrack is elegantly composed weirdness. While definitely strange and eerie, the sountrack is still very tatefully done, without resorting to the in-your-face, bombastic styles so typical of other soundtracks. Basically, picture putting Stravinsky and the composer for the soundtrack of Gone With the Wind into a jam session and giving them a couple synthesizers for good measure.

Seriously, I don't dislike a single song on this disk, which is rare for a soundtrack. I also put this on for my mother, who dislikes Stravinsky and his ilk, and she only disliked one track, despite that even she had to admit the similarities to Stravinsky's work. This is an excellent disk, and is one of my absolute favorites now.

Can't believe someone finally *gets it* with regards to the artistry of the entire body of artistic work that makes "The Dark Crystal" such an ever-growing timeless classic and finally releases the soundtrack by Trevor Jones. No thanks to the Disney corporation under the Eisner regime which bought up Jim Hensen's body of work and then let this gem languish in obscurity for years.

Till this release I'd been listening to an audio cassette made from the original LP record of the soundtrack ( only played once for that purpose and thus in *pristine* condition BTW ). Now the entire soundtrack is joyfully playing on my computer whilst I work through iTunes.

Let me say straight out that I grew up on clasical symphonic music and the only other music that caught my imagination as newer symphonic music was by way of film soundtracks. I would draw pictures while listenting to my parents' stereo system and, to this day , I *always* listen to *instrumental music* while illustrating , now with a 12" X 18" digital pen & tablet at my oak drawing board , and *the Dark Crystal* film soundtrack is yet one of the key soundtracks , along with dozens of others , that I regualrly return to for artistic *inspiration*.

As a direct result of my love of contemporary symphonic music in the form of film soundtracks I always keep one ear open on any new music when I view a film for the first time. That said I *knew* I wanted "The Dark Crystal" the very frist time I heard it while in the movie theatre for its first showing. It stands alone as music on its own and never fails to take you away to someplace else whenever you play it. It's a welcome addition to my musical pallette and can't recommend it enough. Listening to it in its entirety is lke getting lost in a tale of wonderous fantasy the way one gets lost in a good book to the ppoint where the printed words dissappear as the mind's eye theatre takes over.

As one reviewer put it, there was, indeed, a fuller version of this soundtrack out some time ago and yes, it is something of a listening experience however the album recordings allow you too enjoy the complete Pod peoples dance party music and the Gelfling Love theme and the Dark Crystal anthem in there entirety, a sound which evokes times spent walking across Dartmoor or the Lake District, wonderful music, truly inspiring work and this album alone is worthy to be hailed highly for these very recordings. The extended 2 disc version was insightful but not a nessarcary addition as it is the only end tracks (27) Jen Discovers Crystal Chamber and track (28) Gelfling Frightens The Skeksis, The Crystal Made Whole, Mystics and Skeksis, Fuse, Finale, End Credits which stand out finally, as I recall that whole sequence at the end of the film was musically very powerful and there Henson's ideas about music and image speaking more poignantly and successfully than the use of dialogue alone, are seen and heard at there finest but I have to say some addtional bonus tracks from the 2 disc edition wouldn't have gone a miss here.

Very satisfied with this purchase. Exactly what I expected! Was a gift for family and he was very pleased with this item.

This soundtrack includes all the fantastic music from The Dark Crystal - and then some! Full versions of the funeral, the pod dance, and the great themes from this movie, and then also includes music that didn't make the final cut but still blends beautifully with the world that Henson, Oz and Froud created. Booklet includes information on how the score was created, something you don't often get anymore.

Basically, if you like The Dark Crystal and you like music, you'll like this soundtrack.

An extraordinary music score!
Mistery and powerful from a very talented artist such as Trevor Jones!
Highly racommended to everyone love animation of workmen and likes dreaming!

This is easily one of the most beautiful fantasy soundtracks I've ever heard in a movie. It has a very soft, ethereal quality to it. The soundtrack makes what is essentially a puppet show seem like a real epic. I only wish the 2-disc version were still available. Still, the original soundtrack has over 40 minutes and covers most of the musical highlights.

Any Soundtrack collector will love and cherish this one.
Trevor Jones has composed music that's out of this world for the incredible images contained in the movie. Listening to it takes you right back in the peaceful chaotic world created around the magic of the Dark Crystal.

The Dark Crystal is one of the best fantasy films ever made, and the music by Trevor Jones is some of the best music to come out of the 1980s. The soundtrack has been out of print for some time, and now it is finally here!! There was a two disc limited edition that was available on other web sites, but sold quickly. This here is the original soundtrack release from 1982.

Trevor Jones' other scores include Excalibur, Labrynth, Runaway Train, G.I. Jane, From Hell, and The Last Of The Mohicans. His score for The Dark Crystal is haunting and beautiful. The Overture is grand with it's use of horns and strings. The love theme is quiet and haunting. The Pod Dance is playful and sounds like Irish folk music. The Gelfling Song helps give the movie and soundtrack it's own voice. Some battle music is missing, but all in all, it is a great representation of the movie. I highly recommend this, and is great for any fan of The Dark Crystal!!