"Chamberlain! I challenge!"
September 3, 2017 5:31 PM   Subscribe

Back in May, it was announced that Netflix would be producing a limited series prequel to the classic Jim Henson film The Dark Crystal. And in keeping with the spirit of the original, the new series will feature all new puppetry and animatronic characters. For fans of the original film who also have an artistic bent, the filmmakers have decided to hold a very unique contest: Design your own creature for the series and Jim Henson's Creature Shop will bring it to life.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI (25 comments total) 19 users marked this as a favorite
 
Mmmmmmmmmmm!
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 5:34 PM on September 3, 2017 [2 favorites]


I LOVE The Dark Crystal, and I'll watch this, and I'm kinda excited, but... can I just admit that I feel something inside of me die just a little bit whenever I hear the word "prequel" in connection with something I love? Not sure why. It's just coarse and rough and irritating, and it gets everywhere.

"Reboot" is just about as bad.
posted by kikaider01 at 6:33 PM on September 3, 2017 [18 favorites]


WHAT.
posted by xyzzy at 6:35 PM on September 3, 2017


I feel something inside of me die just a little bit

Drained, perhaps?

But yeah, I agree. "New stories from the universe of the Dark Crystal," or something similar would sit better.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:46 PM on September 3, 2017 [1 favorite]


mmmmMMMMMmm
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 6:56 PM on September 3, 2017 [6 favorites]


mmmmMMMMMmm

I stand corrected. I shall banish myself.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:58 PM on September 3, 2017 [2 favorites]


But could this be a time when the stars align and this is the one project that actually might make a GREAT further creative contribution? Maybe I'm inclined to think positively because I'm assuming there's some level of desire to honor the practical effects tradition in this prequel over CGI, since it's a Henson production. But yes, I also shudder every time I hear there will be prequels or reboots or "new seasons" after a huge gap-I'm sorry but I think specifically of the Wet Hot and Arrested Development continuations, that I think didn't really add to or achieve what's fun about the originals :(
posted by Kemma80 at 7:36 PM on September 3, 2017


Not to MEGA COMMENT-but it just seems to me that this is a project that is likely the product of adoring fan-creatives attempting to honor and continue a tradition rather than the original makers deciding "let's make more." Not sure if that makes sense.
posted by Kemma80 at 7:41 PM on September 3, 2017


TRIAL BY STONE!
posted by Start with Dessert at 8:57 PM on September 3, 2017


Anyone have any exciting development news on this?
posted by Samizdata at 9:14 PM on September 3, 2017


The Dark Crystal... Reboot
We need a brand-new take - something that really tricks kids into thinking they want to see a movie about puppets!
(CN: Robot Chicken, Muppet on Muppet violence, gelfling twerking.)
posted by zamboni at 9:19 PM on September 3, 2017 [1 favorite]


500.00 to the "winner" and they give up all the rights? Goddamn I hate crowdsourcing.
posted by fluttering hellfire at 9:28 PM on September 3, 2017 [7 favorites]


Yeah, well, imagine whipping out the (now laminated) paperwork showing your entry was the winner to that delightfully geeky person when they are chilling and Netflixing with you and it gets to THAT part of the stream...

BAM! No Barry White needed...
posted by Samizdata at 9:38 PM on September 3, 2017 [3 favorites]


"The Sexy Skeksis? That was me."
posted by benzenedream at 9:40 PM on September 3, 2017 [3 favorites]


So, exposure might not cover the rent but it might help you get laid?
posted by Harald74 at 11:28 PM on September 3, 2017 [1 favorite]


But yeah, I agree. "New stories from the universe of the Dark Crystal," or something similar would sit better.

The Adventures of Fizzgig. I'd be down with that
posted by fshgrl at 12:29 AM on September 4, 2017 [4 favorites]


So, exposure might not cover the rent but it might help you get laid?

At this point in my life, it's enough. It's enough.
posted by Samizdata at 12:50 AM on September 4, 2017 [1 favorite]


Of course not: you're a boy!
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 4:37 AM on September 4, 2017 [2 favorites]


I swear to Christ if Fraggles show up I will burn it all down.
posted by RolandOfEld at 6:04 AM on September 4, 2017 [2 favorites]


To be fair, the Dark Crystal: Creation Myths comic mini series from several years ago was actually pretty good and featured prose stories of legendary Gelfling heroes & myths by Brian Froud in addition to the main story told in the comic (how life came into being on Thra, the origin of Augra, the arrival of the UrSkeks from the stars, and how the Crystal came to be Sundered). If you enjoyed the original movie, you'll like Creation Myths.

I haven't yet read the new comic that is the adaptation of the unproduced movie sequel, so I can't tell you if that's any good.
posted by KingEdRa at 6:47 AM on September 4, 2017


seriously though where is the kickstarter/patreon where we just pay brian froud to draw whatever he wants as long as there's a quarterly/semiannual folio of his sketches published

(and if henson co. wants to make movies out of any of the sketchwork, all the better)
posted by murphy slaw at 7:40 AM on September 4, 2017 [2 favorites]


Crowdsourced art 'competitions' where artist loses all rights to work = BULLSHIT.
Compensate the artist what the work is worth dammit!

Also it says right there in competition rules there is no guarantee that your creation will even be seen on the final work.

"Possibility of a cameo".

It's a steaming pile of opportunistic bullshit.

It breaks my heart.
posted by Faintdreams at 3:16 PM on September 4, 2017 [1 favorite]


Having not heard of the comics until now (I'll try to track those down), I really feel the only non-movie-itself Dark Crystal material needed is the book, The World Of The Dark Crystal. It's one of the few books that was worth the weight and space that I've brought with me to Japan. It's massive, with beautiful illustrations (and overlays of tracing paper covered with glyphs that bring out the beauty of the illustrations under them!) and the whole books is narrated by Aughra, who is telling you this.

It's stunning. I will give the series a try, but Dark Crystal was magical, and very much a lighting in a bottle product of its time. I have grave doubts justice can be done.
posted by Ghidorah at 6:57 PM on September 4, 2017 [2 favorites]


I have to second reservations, and I've complained about prequels on the blue before.

It's important to remember that The Dark Crystal was a world and story designed originally to be conveyed to the audience with no English whatsoever. It was meant to all be told in conlangs like the vaguely Slavic one they used for the podlings. Part of its charm was that it was never meant to be catalogued and explained to the viewer: it was all texture to let you see the characters and their struggles play out on the screen.

I think telling distorted myths of a distant past is the only way to really treat this setting with respect.
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 12:03 AM on September 5, 2017


Yeah, well, imagine whipping out the (now laminated) paperwork showing your entry was the winner to that delightfully geeky person when they are chilling and Netflixing with you and it gets to THAT part of the stream...

BAM! No Barry White needed...


Oh, my sweet summer child.


That's...that is not how it works.

I admit getting mildly excited about this since it is right up my dark weird alley with half-seen things that go skittering behind the dumpsters.
I would, and have, taken $500 to give up image rights, but only when it was absolutely guaranteed.
On one hand, I am very protective of my work. On the other hand, Muppets.
posted by louche mustachio at 6:41 AM on September 5, 2017 [1 favorite]


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