Nerd Processor
‘The Dark Crystal’ Made Me a Bad Person
Jim Henson’s beloved fantasy film — now with a Netflix prequel — forced me to take a moral reckoning
It’s easy to see why so many people love The Dark Crystal. Jim Henson’s passion project is a marvel of puppetry, set in an unbelievably lush fantasy world, which has captivated legions of fans long after the film came to theaters in 1982. So many, in fact, that Netflix is debuting the highly anticipated prequel series Age of Resistance today (August 30), but I am not one of those legions of fans. And I am deeply concerned that my dislike of The Dark Crystal makes me a bad person.
Unlike certain films I will not mention, I am not terrified of The Dark Crystal, although like many kid-targeted movies of the ’80s, there are a few moments that I am confident induced many nightmares. My problem was that I did not like the act of watching The Dark Crystal, despite the amazing puppetry and beautiful settings. Looking at the movie made me queasy.
If you remember the movie, you might assume that I was unsettled by the Skeksis, the villains who looked more or less like vulture-lizard hybrids who had briefly been set on fire. Of course, given that they’re evil and ancient, the Skeksis were designed to look awful on purpose…
