Labyrinth & Dark Crystal: Sept. 1

[Steve]

It's kinda funny that these 2 are announced together. My wife bought them on DVD a couple of years ago and they came boxed together. I understand these are not a box set but they still seem joined at the hip.

[kpkelley]

Originally Posted by fireman325

It's kinda funny that these 2 are announced together. My wife bought them on DVD a couple of years ago and they came boxed together. I understand these are not a box set but they still seem joined at the hip.

They are both directed by Jim Henson.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by kpkelley

They are both directed by Jim Henson.

I forgot all about that.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by kpkelley

They are both directed by Jim Henson.

Actually, "Dark Crystal" was co-directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz, which is why it aspires to a least a bit of straightfoward technical seriousness and grim earnestness--
While "Labyrinth" was directed by Henson solo, which is why it came off sloppy, toneless, wildly disorganized, often hedging bets with embarrassing humor when it should've kept its mind on its business, and reflected Jim's own post-'84 psychological preoccupation that All Fantasy Should Look Like Ridley Scott's "Legend".

(Which is rather ironic, when you look at some of Scott's ideas for "Legend" after "Dark Crystal" came out... )

[Zen_Amako]

Legend came out in '85 and Labyrinth was released in '86. Was Henson really that preoccupied with Legend? I would think he would have already been well into production on Labyrinth when Legend came out.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Zen_Amako

Legend came out in '85 and Labyrinth was released in '86. Was Henson really that preoccupied with Legend? I would think he would have already been well into production on Labyrinth when Legend came out.

Legend came out in Europe in '84, and Henson quickly hired cinematographer Alex Thomson to work on Labyrinth.

As for how much "influence" there may have been, feel free to peruse either "Labyrinth" or any episode of "The Storyteller" to theorize about Jim's sudden tastes for gold-filter cinematography, swiring leaves/petals/snowflakes, backlit fires, Wagnerian high-doom and dark-haired virginal Mia Sara clones wherever "fantasy" was remotely involved...

Originally Posted by zak88lx

Will we see all the puppet strings now that it's in 1080P?

Given that most of them were hand/suit, likely not.

[FindYourWay]

Originally Posted by EricJ

As for how much "influence" there may have been, feel free to peruse either "Labyrinth" or any episode of "The Storyteller" to theorize about Jim's sudden tastes for gold-filter cinematography, swiring leaves/petals/snowflakes, backlit fires, Wagnerian high-doom and dark-haired virginal Mia Sara clones wherever "fantasy" was remotely involved...
p

And your point is?
From this post and your prior one, you didn't like Labyrinth. Regardless of technical and artistic influences/inspiration of the time, both Legend and Labyrinth are two very different films with very different color palettes.

At the heart of Legend, lies the struggle of good and evil. At the heart of Labyrinth lies a coming-of-age story.

Legend for the most part, is lackluster. I own both of them and take what I can from Legend, but it is just not satisfying. Labyrinth on the other hand is much more clever and certainly weirder. It also boats a "dark-haired virginal" Jennifer Connelly, with far superior acting chops to the lifeless and stiff Mia Sara.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by FindYourWay

And your point is?

It's better when directors make their own movies.

(Or, "Gee, Henson was doing some creative stuff there for a while, before he decided to chuck it all out and become an embarrassing fanboy of ONE movie the mainstream never really liked...")

[benricci]

Originally Posted by EricJ

Legend came out in Europe in '84, and Henson quickly hired cinematographer Alex Thomson to work on Labyrinth.

Um, nope. I'm pretty sure Legend was released in Europe in the fall/winter of 1985.

[MifuneFan]

The double-feature pack is $14.99 at Amazon this week:

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-D...Blu-ray/40972/

[zak88lx]

I'm wondering how the Dark Crystal will turn out on Blu-ray.
Can they digitally remaster videos of puppets?

Will we see all the puppet strings now that it's in 1080P?

[Blu-Runner]

Buying Labyrinth. Maybe Dark Crystal, depends.

[Silo5]

Originally Posted by zak88lx

I'm wondering how the Dark Crystal will turn out on Blu-ray.
Can they digitally remaster videos of puppets?

Will we see all the puppet strings now that it's in 1080P?

They can always give it the "Official George Lucas CGI Upgrade Treatment"

Seriously though, I would be interested in The Dark Crystal. I haven't seen it since I was a kid.

[krumlin]

I hope they do a better remaster than the collectors DVD. The separation between the superimposed composites and background was to drastic, just like the star wars remaster. They need to color correct so that it does not ruin the special effects this time.

[ganthc]

I will be getting Dark Crystal. I love that movie.

[FindYourWay]

Originally Posted by krumlin

I hope they do a better remaster than the collectors DVD. The separation between the superimposed composites and background was to drastic, just like the star wars remaster. They need to color correct so that it does not ruin the special effects this time.

They did. They did a hi definition master for the 25th Anniversary Editions, which came after the collectors edition. PQ improved dramatically.

[benricci]

Both 80s fantasy films directed by Jim Henson, featuring his genius puppeteer crews. They are also owned by the same studio, so it's pretty natural to keep releasing them together.