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The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance is a prequel to the 1982 movie, which I saw for the first time last year with the Blu-ray Special Edition and loved it.
With this series, Thra is a planet which circles three suns, and at the heart of it is The Crystal Of Truth. Aughra protects the crystal, which oversees seven clans of Gelfling, and quite frankly, as much as I enjoy this Hobbit-like universe, I’d need to have a brain the size of a planet to process all the initial information about how the different clans get about, so just relax, enjoy and don’t take anything too seriously.
All you need to know is that while everyone was getting along just fine, the Skeksis took a trip down to Thra, and build her orrery (that big machine that looks like something that should belong on George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces), so she can see what’s going on out there in the cosmos. Sadly, this kept her busy and left the crystal with her new builders from out of town. As such, the crystal allows them to be ah-ah-ah-ah staying alive, staying alive, so it must be down to the way they use their walk.
However, it’s losing its power, so a plan is required to fix it. As it states: “The Gelfling know nothing of the Skeksis’ crimes. The truth must come to light. The fires of rebellion must be lit. And a new age must begin…”, hence the title, and as the series begins, the Gelfling are only just starting to twig that something’s amiss, and we follow how they deal with all of that.
The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance shows that the existence of a full series also allows the Gelflings to have more direct interaction with the Skeksis.
And some random thoughts whilst watching the series:
- Back again is the process of Dreamfasting, which helps explain certain situations by letting someone else into your mind – to share memories and experiences to a positive end, so it’s not something used for nefarious purposes.
- Like the movie, the series of The Dark Crystal DOES get dark at times.
- I did laugh when I saw that some Gelfling get about on a Landstrider (like a slug inside a shell).
- The Fizzgigs are also back! Yay!
- I also need a Locksnake, which is a snake that locks something securely away by wrapping itself around it.
- At one point, one character’s walking around with a blindfold on, making me think of Netflix’s Bird Box with Sandra Bullock (below).
- My favourite line in the series comes when one of the Gelfling approaches two Skeksis, and one says to her, “You are always welcome, Princess”.
The other Skeksis confides to the first one in private, “Which Princess is this?”, and gets the reply, “Haven’t got a clue. They all look the same to me(!)”
What’s particularly brilliant about The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance, is that it shows everything is spot-on. In bringing it back, Netflix and Jim Henson’s Creature Shop haven’t gone for the horrendous CGI we might’ve expected, but while there will be CGI in here (as shown as the camera sweeps around the library in an early scene), it’s all done to complement the original movie perfectly, as you can see from the trailer.
Of course, this time, the dialogue is planned, since as the extras showed on that Blu-ray release, we learned that the Skeksis initially didn’t have any dialogue in English, making it difficult for anyone to understand exactly what they were saying. The filmmakers just assumed everyone would figure it out, but a test screening proved they hadn’t, so dialogue was written to fit their mouth movements in the hope that it would make sense, and it just about did.
In addition, it looks incredibly stunning, and I can just imagine how it might look on the big screen if it was ever shown that way.
Naturally, I’m not going to give spoilers, and there’d be so much to detail if I was (which I won’t), so if you loved the movie, or even have a passing interest in it, get on this. I will, however, say that it does rather slow down a bit from time to time, so I don’t think it needed ten episodes. A tighter eight episodes would’ve been better.
At the time of posting this review, I’m seven episodes in. I will continue to watch it and add some more spoiler-free thoughts to the above, but based on what I’ve seen with this so far, as well as the film, I can’t see my overall score changing.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance streams on Netflix from this Friday, August 30th. It’s not yet available to buy on Blu-ray or DVD, but in the meantime, you can buy the original movie on Blu-ray, 4K Blu-ray, Amazon Video and DVD.
Also available is the The Dark Crystal: The Ultimate Visual History – Hardcover Book, and you can pre-order the November 5th release of The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance: Inside the Epic Return to Thra – Hardcover Book.
Also, there’s the The Dark Crystal Board Game!
Episode 1-5 Score: 8/10
Director: Louis Leterrier (Grimsby)
Producer: Ritamarie Peruggi
Series Writing Credits:
Developers: Jeffrey Addiss, Will Matthews
Writers: Richard Elliot, Simon Racioppa, Kari Drake, Margaret Dunlap, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, JM Lee, Vivian Lee
Music: Daniel Pemberton, Samuel Sim
Cast:
Gelflings:
Rian: A Gelfling crystal castle guard of the Stonewood Clan: Taron Egerton
Brea: A Gelfling princess of the Vapra Clan: Anya Taylor-Joy
Deet: A Gelfling animal carer of the Grottan Clan: Nathalie Emmanuel
Aughra: The embodiment of the planet Thra and an astronomer: Donna Kimball
Cadia: A member of the Sifa Clan: Eddie Izzard
Maudra Mayrin/The All-Maudra: Leader of the Vapra Clan, the Gelfling queen and mother of Seladon, Tavra and Brea: Helena Bonham Carter
Tavra: A warrior of the Vapra Clan and one of Brea’s sisters: Caitriona Balfe
Gurjin: A member of the Drenchen Clan and Rian’s best friend: Harris Dickinson
Kylan: A song teller of the Spriton Clan: Shazad Latif
The Librarian: A member of the Vapra Clan who works in the library of the Vapra Citadel: Toby Jones
Seladon: A member of the Vapra Clan and one of Brea’s sisters: Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Maudra Fara/The Rock Singer: Leader of the Stonewood Clan: Lena Headey
Mira: A member of the Vapra Clan, a crystal castle guard and Rian’s girlfriend: Alicia Vikander
Naia: A member of the Drenchen Clan and Gurjin’s twin sister: Hannah John-Kamen
Onica: A member of the Sifa Clan and Tavra’s girlfriend: Natalie Dormer
Ordon: A member of the Stonewood Clan and Rian’s father: Mark Strong
Rek’yr: A member of the Dousan Clan: Theo James
Maudra Argot/The Shadow Bender: Leader of the Grottan Clan: Louise Gold
Maudra Seethi/The Skin Painter: Leader of the Dousan Clan: Kemi-Bo Jacobs
Skeksis:
skekSo/The Emperor: Leader of the Skeksis and the cruel ruler of the Planet Thra: Jason Isaacs
skekSil/The Chamberlain: The second in line to the Emperor’s throne: Simon Pegg
skekLach/The Collector: A cunning Skeksis who loves to collect living creatures: Awkwafina
skekUng/The General: The quick tempered commander of the Silkspitter army: Benedict Wong
skekAyuk/The Gourmand: The organizer of the Skeksis banquets: Harvey Fierstein
The Heretic: A Skeksis who is against the beliefs of the other Skeksis: Andy Samberg
skekMal/The Hunter: The wildest and most brutal of the Skeksis: Ralph Ineson
skekEkt/The Ornamentalist: The designer of the Skeksis garments: Alice Dinnean
skekZok/The Ritual-Master: The high priest of the Ceremony of the Sun: Keegan-Michael Key
skekTek/The Scientist: An old friend of Aughra who now uses the Dark Crystal for experiments: Mark Hamill
skekOk/The Scroll-Keeper: The Crystal Castle’s historian: Neil Sterenberg
Others:
Baffi: An eyepatch wearing Fizzgig: Dave Goelz
Vliste-Staba: The Sanctuary Tree: Theo Ogundipe
urVa/The Archer: The urRu/Mystic counterpart of skekMal/The Hunter: Ólafur Darri Ólafsson
The Myth Speaker: Sigourney Weaver
Hup: A Podling who is a friend of Deet: Victor Yerrid
Puppeteer cast:
Gelflings Brea, Maudra Fara and Skeksis skekEkt/The Ornamentalist: Alice Dinnean
Gelflings Deet and Naia: Beccy Henderson
Gelflings Gurjin, Ordon and Skeksis skekSo/The Emperor: Dave Chapman
The Skeksis Heretic: Damian Farrell
Gelflings Seladon, Mira and Skeksis skekLach/The Collector: Helena Smee
Augrah, Gelfling Deet, Skeksis skekUng/The General, skekSil/The Chamberlain and Podling Hup: Kat Smee
Augrah, Skeksis skekUng/The General, skekMal/The Hunter and The Gelfling Librarian: Kevin Clash
Gelflings Onica, Maudra Argot, Maudra Mayrin and Skeksis skekAyuk/The Gourmand: Louise Gold
Gelflings Rek’yr, Cadia, Skeksis skekTek/The Scientist and Mystic urVa/The Archer: Olly Taylor
Podling Hup, Skeksis skekZok/The Ritual Master and Gelfling Kylan: Victor Yerrid
Skeksis skekSil/The Chamberlain: Warrick Brownlow-Pike
Gelflings Rian, Tavra and Skeksis skekOk/The Scroll Keeper: Neil Sterenberg
Previously on DVDfever:
July 21st:
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is one of my most-awaited TV series of 2019, after I saw The Dark Crystal last year for the first time.
A Comic Con Trailer has now been released, and I can’t wait to see this, but I will… until August 30th.
Check out the trailer below:
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is one of my most-awaited TV series of 2019, after I saw The Dark Crystal last year for the first time.
The 10-episode series returns us to the world of Thra, where three Gelflings discover the horrifying secret behind the Skeksis’ power, and set out to ignite the fires of rebellion and save their world.
Watching this trailer, it shows everything is spot-on – they haven’t gone for the horrendous CGI we might’ve expected, but while there will be CGI in here, it’s all done to complement the original movie perfectly and I can’t wait to see this.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance will stream on Netflix from August 30th.
Director: Louis Leterrier (Grimsby)
Series Writing Credits
Developers: Jeffrey Addiss, Will Matthews
Writers: Richard Elliot, Simon Racioppa, Kari Drake, Margaret Dunlap, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, JM Lee, Vivian Lee
Cast: Hannah John-Kamen, Caitriona Balfe, Helena Bonham Carter, Dave Chapman, Charlie Condou, Harris Dickinson, Alice Dinnean, Natalie Dormer, Taron Egerton, Nathalie Emmanuel, Harvey Fierstein, Mark Hamill, Ralph Ineson, Jason Isaacs, Eddie Izzard, Theo James, Toby Jones, Keegan-Michael Key, Donna Kimball, Shazad Latif, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Simon Pegg, Andy Samberg, Helena Smee, Mark Strong, Anya Taylor-Joy, Alicia Vikander, Victor Yerrid, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson
Check out the trailer and Lord Chamberlain reaction below below:
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.