43 Years Ago Today, One of the Most Important Fantasy Movies of All Time Was Released (And It Flopped)

When it comes to fantasy films, there are quite a few that come to mind when we talk about the most important ones and for many reasons. There are films we appreciate for their innovative storytelling and blending of genres, such as The Princess Bride and its perfect blend of humor and romance in the fantasy space. There are films that change how we see fantasy in terms of their stunning visuals and elements of horror, such as Pan’s Labyrinth. There are even films that take beloved fantasy literature and brings it to life perfectly on the big screen, like any of The Lord of the Rings films. And then there are films that completely change filmmaking and raise the bar on what is possible in terms of story, visuals, and practical effects, not just for fantasy but for films of all genres.

Released 43 years ago today on December 17, 1982, The Dark Crystal is one of those films. Widely considered a masterpiece, the Jim Henson and Frank Oz directed film was the first of its kind as a major live-action motion picture without any human actors, instead featuring elaborate and groundbreaking animatronics to build its expansive world. The films has gone on to be considered one of the most important fantasy films ever made, but it was initially met with mixed reviews — and perhaps even more surprising, the now-beloved classic was an absolute flop at the box office.

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The Dark Crystal Was Unlike Anything Jim Henson Had Done Before — And That’s a Good Thing

Set on the blighted planet of Thra, The Dark Crystal told the tale of Jen and Kira, two Gelflings on a quest to restore balance to the world and overthrow the rule of the evil Skeksis by restoring a powerful, but broken Crystal before the Great Conjunction of three suns cements their rule forever. Even based simply on its description, The Dark Crystal was unlike anything most would expect from Henson. By 1982, Henson was best known for his work with his lighthearted, family-friendly Muppets, with characters like Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear and Sesame Street creatures such as Grover, Cookie Monster, and Big Bird beloved by audiences. The Dark Crystal certainly was not the Muppets or Sesame Street. The story was darker, the characters — particularly the evil Skeksis — more monstrous and bizarre. Tonally, this was a very, very different thing.

And that was a good thing. The designs of the characters and creatures for The Dark Crystal were much more elaborate and completely unique. None of the characters — even the Gelflings — are based on humans or specific creatures found on Earth. Outside of their completely unique designs, with the film featuring no human son screen, the performances relied on groundbreaking animatronics. Human performers inside the puppet structures offered basic movement for larger creatures, while rods and cables, and in some cases radio control later in production, handled other movements. The film required an intense production and a lot of innovation, developing techniques that has gone on to be utilized in other films and productions (including the expansive prequel series that aired on Netflix in 2017, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.)

The Dark Crystal Failed At the Box Office But Is a True Gem

Despite its artistic achievements, The Dark Crystal fared badly at the box office. It was a bit of a perfect storm. The Dark Crystal was seen as a children’s movie, but it wasn’t an exactly cheerful or happy one. In fact, the film’s darker tone was considered scary for many children (Oz would later say that Henson thought it was “unhealthy for children to never be afraid” and made The Dark Crystal in the style of Grimm’s Fairy Tales, which are actually a lot darker than most people realize). Couple that darker, not exactly kid-friendly tone with the fact that the film cost a significant amount of money to make in 1981 — $25 million — and it struggled at the box office, making around $41 million.

Despite its poor box office performance, the film wasn’t without its successes. It remains to this day one of the highest-grossing puppet films of all time and remains the only live-action film to not include a single human character or actor. The Dark Crystal and its world is entirely realized on screen with puppets. The world created by the movie has also lived on. The film got a tie-in novelization when it was released, and while a sequel for The Dark Crystal was ultimate scrapped, the unproduced screenplay was adapted into a 12-issue comic book, series, The Power of the Dark Crystal in 2017. There are also prequel comics, Legends of the Dark Crystal and The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths, prequel novels, and a prequel series, Netflix’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. It’s all a testament to the power of the world The Dark Crystal created and, while it may not have won over the box office, it’s won over the hearts and minds of fans and that’s what truly matters.

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