What is it about the 1980s that begat so many attempts at proper fantasy adventure films? I mean the likes of Dragonslayer or Krull - a kind of film we don't really see today; even the Lord of the Rings/Hobbit pictures eventually drifted into the war film genre. And yet, for a time it seemed as though Hollywood had been playing D&D during staff lunches and couldn't wait to roll up their campaigns on film.
And then you have The Dark Crystal, a charming children's fantasy adventure with noble heroes, wise elders, cute pets and (oh yes) villains who range from disgusting to frightening. Oh, the Skeksis, those shriveled-up vulture things with terrible table manners. The scene which really got me as a child is when the Skeksis' emperor dies a lingering, rasping death, his fellow uglies seemingly indifferent to his fate. The scene left me with strange feelings of pity and horror. Not bad for a puppet show death scene!
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