Culture
Adventure fantasy film
The Dark Crystal (1982): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
The Dark Crystal is a 1982 adventure fantasy film directed by Frank Oz, starring Jim Henson, Dave Goelz and Steve Whitmire. It runs 1 hour 33 minutes and earned $44.6 million worldwide. It earned 4 award nominations, including Best Special Visual Effects at the BAFTA 1984. Critics gave it 66 on Metacritic.
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- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 33m (93 min)
- Director
- Frank Oz
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Universal Pictures
- After the credits
- Yes Extra scene during or after the credits
The story
What Is The Dark Crystal About?
The premise of The Dark Crystal without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Raised by the Mystics, a young Gelfling named Jen learns he must repair the Dark Crystal to restore balance to his world. Long ago, the Crystal maintained harmony, but it was shattered, unleashing the Skeksis, who now rule with malevolence and bring chaos. Jen undertakes a dangerous quest to find the Crystal shards and reunite them, facing perilous landscapes and formidable foes as the fate of his world hangs in the balance.
The Dark Crystal Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- puppetry
- magical crystal
- crystal shard
- cult favorite
- puppet
- mystic
- crystal
- quest
- monster
- feeding on energy
- sword and sorcery
- mission
+38 more Show fewer
- magic
- good versus evil
- slavery
- orrery
- mutation
- psychotronic film
- mysticism
- begins with voice over narration
- high fantasy
- cult film
- three word title
- male hero
- title written by male
- title directed by male
- male protagonist
- epic fantasy
- humanoid
- epic adventure
- winged humanoid
- slimehouse
- opening narration
- last of one's kind
- castle
- fantasy world
- journey
- death of mentor
- pipe the musical instrument
- voice over narration
- valley
- multiple characters voiced by same person
- practical effects
- shard
- hidden entrance
- giant crystal
- actor voicing multiple characters
- planetary alignment
- reunification
- dark fantasy
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Cast & crew
The Dark Crystal Cast
Jim Henson leads the cast, with Dave Goelz and Steve Whitmire. Directed by Frank Oz; 9 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Frank Oz
Also Starring in The Dark Crystal
· 5 more From the director
More from Frank Oz
More films directed by Frank Oz, best-rated first: Derek DelGaudio’s In & Of Itself, Little Shop of Horrors, Bowfinger and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.
Ratings
The Dark Crystal Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The Dark Crystal 66 on Metacritic.
-
Metacritic 66 Metascore
User score 7.4
See on Metacritic
Plot
The Dark Crystal Plot Summary
What happens in The Dark Crystal from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
On a barren planet ravaged by the passage of time, the aftermath of a cataclysmic event a thousand years earlier gave rise to two distinct species. The menacing Skeksis, who wielded the fractured power of a crystal to prolong their lifespans, and the benevolent urRu Mystics, who inhabited a secluded valley. Among these Mystics was Jen, a young Gelfling orphaned after the Skeksis annihilated his clan. As the alignment of celestial bodies approached, marking the Great Conjunction, the dying Mystic Master bestows upon Jen a sacred mission: to restore the crystal by reclaiming a vital shard from the enigmatic Aughra. If he fails to accomplish this task before the convergence of the three suns, the world will be irrevocably subjected to the tyranny of the Skeksis.
Full summary
The whole story of The Dark Crystal, scene by scene
Box office
The Dark Crystal Box Office
The Dark Crystal grossed $44.6 million worldwide. $41.6 million came from the US and Canada and $3 million (7%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$44.6M
- US & Canada
- $41.6M
- International
- $3M
US & Canada 93%
Rest of the world 7%
Awards
The Dark Crystal Awards & Nominations
The Dark Crystal earned 4 award nominations, including Best Special Visual Effects at the BAFTA 1984. The 4 nominations come from 3 ceremonies, the most at the Saturn Awards 1983.
4 nominations3 ceremonies
-
BAFTA 1984 1 nomination- Nominated Best Special Visual Effects
-
Saturn Awards 1983 2 nominations- Nominated Best Poster Art
- Nominated Best Special Effects
- Saturn Awards 1980 1 nomination
- Nominated Best Supporting Actress
Videos
The Dark Crystal Trailers & Videos
19 videos: 3 trailers, 9 clips and 7 behind-the-scenes videos.
- Trailer Official Trailer
- Trailer Digital Trailer
- Clip Skeksis Dinner
- Clip Prophecy
Quiz
How Well Do You Know The Dark Crystal?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What catastrophic event happened a thousand years before the events of The Dark Crystal?
Details
The Dark Crystal Also Known As
29 alternative titles, including “Ciemny krysztal” and “Dâku kurisutaru”.
- Also known as
-
- Ciemny krysztal
- Dâku kurisutaru
- El cristal encantado
- El cristal oscuro
- Le Cristal Magique
- Der dunkle Kristall
- Cristal oscuro
- O Cristal Encantado
- Den mörka kristallen
- Το Μυστηριώδες Κρύσταλλο
- הקריסטל האפל
- A sötét kristály
+17 more Show fewer
- Тёмный кристалл
- Den sorte krystal
- Temný krystal
- Siyah Kristal
- Тъмният кристал
- 다크 크리스탈
- Ciemny Kryształ
- 魔水晶
- 黑水晶
- Темний кристал
- Cristalul întunecat
- Tamni kristal
- Temni kristal
- ダーククリスタル
- Pha Lê Đen
- Tumma kristalli
- เดอะ ดาร์ก คริสตัล อภินิหารผลึกแก้ว
Seen The Dark Crystal?
More like this
Movies Like The Dark Crystal
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Crystal Calls - Making The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Krull and Labyrinth.
-
The Crystal Calls - Making The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance 2019 -
Krull 1983 -
Labyrinth 1986 -
Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight 2008 -
The Black Cauldron 1985 -
The NeverEnding Story III 1994 -
Spellbound 2024 -
Crystalstone 1987 -
The NeverEnding Story 1984 -
Friend of the Jolly Devil 1987 -
The Sword in the Stone 1963 -
The Flight of Dragons 1982
From the blog
Articles About The Dark Crystal
Our article about The Dark Crystal: “Behind the Scenes: The Making of Epic Fantasy Films”.
FAQ
The Dark Crystal FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of The Dark Crystal, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Dark Crystal?
The Dark Crystal runs 1 hour 33 minutes (93 minutes).
When was The Dark Crystal released?
The Dark Crystal was released on December 17, 1982.
Who directed The Dark Crystal?
The Dark Crystal was directed by Frank Oz.
More films by Frank Oz Who is in the cast of The Dark Crystal?
The Dark Crystal stars Jim Henson, Dave Goelz and Steve Whitmire, among 9 credited actors.
How much did The Dark Crystal make at the box office?
The Dark Crystal grossed $44.6 million worldwide ($41.6 million domestic, $3 million international).
How is The Dark Crystal rated?
The Dark Crystal has 66 on Metacritic.
Was The Dark Crystal nominated for any awards?
The Dark Crystal received 4 nominations across 3 ceremonies.
Does The Dark Crystal have a post-credit scene?
Yes. The Dark Crystal has an extra scene during or after the credits, so it is worth staying seated.
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