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Genndy Tartakovsky to Direct Dark Crystal Sequel 186

An anonymous reader writes "The folks at Jim Henson productions announced almost without fanfare that a sequel to the impressive The Dark Crystal is in the works and will be directed by the award-winning Genndy Tartakovsky, who created the hit series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Samurai Jack and Dexter's Laboratory, will direct 'Power of the Dark Crystal,' the sequel to the 1982 classic fantasy film."
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Genndy Tartakovsky to Direct Dark Crystal Sequel

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  • by metricmusic ( 766303 ) on Saturday February 25, 2006 @04:11AM (#14799266) Homepage Journal
    Aughra: Where is Brian Froud?
    Jen: He's dead.
    Aughra: Could be anywhere, then.
  • Yeah....I'm not so sure this is a good idea. I have fond memories of that movie and I don't want to see them going up in flames.
    • I agree 100%. This movie is part of many peoples childhoods. Maybe the sequal will be part of the next generations. But, if there is anything that I've learned, it's you can't go back.

      I fear that for us, this movie will be a mockery.
      • Yeah....I'm not so sure this is a good idea. I have fond memories of that movie and I don't want to see them going up in flames.

        I fear that for us, this movie will be a mockery.

        How would a sequel affect your perception of the first movie? Thats something I cant grasp when everyone is bitching about the new Star Wars, Matrix sequels or what ever. I've seen the SW sequels which didnt live to the expectations, still the originals are the same kick-ass as ever. Nothing changed. Same with Matrix, first one
        • Two words as to why the new Star Wars movies, at the very least, damaged my perceptions of the originals: Midi-chlorians. Ok, well one hyphenated word, then.

          I know there are a lot of people who like them for whatever god-awful reason, but these things take the Force from being a mystical energy that surrounds and guides life and reduces it to something horribly similar to an abysmal anime. "Well my midi-chlorian count is over... TWO million! I have the power to go... SUPER-Jedi!"

          Having said my peac

    • Re:Not so sure (Score:2, Insightful)

      by Sky Cry ( 872584 )
      I've got a perfect solution for you... don't watch the sequel!
    • by Anonymous Coward
      Geez, not exactly rocket science (which doesn't seem all that hard to begin with anyway)
    • I think a sequel to Dark Crystal makes about as much sense as a sequel to Bambi: none. In both cases, it is the result of a movie studio unable to come up with original material.

      • Snowman: you've expressed exactly what I was thinking when I saw this. Do you do tarot readins as well? ;-)

        I have fond memories of both Dark Crystal and Bambi, but both are singular movies and complete in themselves. I don't see what another movie would bring to the world, other than a few bucks into producers' pockets.

        On the other hand, after reading TFA, this movie seems to be a movie set in the same "universe" as Dark Crystal, but also distinct. It might actually have some merit.

        • For the most part, I think sequels are stupid and pointless. Movies tend to stand alone very well unless they were written from the beginning to be part of a series (e.g. Star Wars). Sometimes, a sequel works well despite not being written to be a series (e.g. Toy Story 2, Lethal Weapon 2-4). However, the other 99% of the time, sequels are hack jobs that try to inject new content into a balanced movie, and rarely works out well.

          If, as you say, this movie just exists in the same movie universe but isn't dir

  • The Crystal Method (Score:2, Informative)

    by SinGunner ( 911891 )
    another world
    another time
    in the age of wonder

    another world
    another time
    this land was green and good
    until the crystal cracked

    once more
    they will replenish themselves
    cheat death again
    the power of their source
    the crystal

    can't you can't you trip like i do
    can't you can't you trip like i do
  • the girl ones have wings and can fly

    my head asploded when i saw that film at a tiny age. i still remember that little creature those grizzled vulture dudes pinned down and fried with some sort of ray to extract some life extending goop. and how when one of the evil vulture dudes would die, their "good" counterpart would die as well

    serious lsd trip-like stuff for a little kid, it left an impression
  • I for one welcome our... You get the point.

    I don't really know what to say about this article. Whether or not this is a good or bad thing, this is left to be seen when something is available to be seen. However, if my memory serves me right, the Dark Crystal wasn't all that good. BUT!!!! I did like it. I enjoyed the fantasy of the story, but due to the fact I didn't get to see it until 4 years ago, thanks to modern unimaginative CG movies we have these days, I personally didn't get all to into the mo
  • Man, I dunno about this guy. Dexter's Lab was ok, but the Clone Wars sucked ASS. Holy crap. There were sooo many times in that thing I would just cringe in embarrassment.

    I hope I'm wrong. Dark Crystal was awesome. It's just a big strike against the chances of the sequel being respectful of the originality and imagination of the original.

    • Watch them all. Watch them many times. In order, out of order... your perception will be changed. This man is incredible.
    • by Anonymous Coward
      I hope I'm wrong.

      Not to offend, but you are wrong. The Clone Wars shorts were absolutely amazing, and in my opinion stand head and shoulders above the actual films (perhaps not so hard to do). Maybe you were expecting something from them that they weren't intended to provide, or maybe it was the unusual animation style, but I would strongly recommend watching them again.

      I don't know if making a Dark Crystal sequel is a good idea, but since they're doing it I'm thrilled to know that Tartakovsky is in charg
      • If by "amazing" you mean "sucked," then yes!

        Maybe he was given an awful story to work with, but after Dexter and Samurai Jack, I expected a lot more. A lot more.
        • Seriously? Sucked?

          As a fairly avid Star Wars fanboy, I appreciated and enjoyed Genndy's take on the Star Wars universe. The art direction was great. The dialog, true to the action roots planted by Samurai Jack, was sparse but effective. The battles had a good sense of excitement to them, much unlike the fights seen in the recent Eps 1-3.

          I'm curious to hear why you thought Clone Wars sucked.
      • I'm with rev

        My boy and I really tried to enjoy them.

        Funnily enough I didn't know until now they were by the same guy that brought us Mandark and Mojo Jojo.

        Maybe I didn't have enough faith, it wouldn't be the first time one needs to watch a few, leave it and then watch them again to get over the culture shock.
        • by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 25, 2006 @07:22AM (#14799590)
          It wasn't quite like shooting heroine into the tip of my penis, but the Clone Wars micro series he did was beyond just TV. I was making damn sure what ever I had to do there was time set aside to watch those live. I have the DVDs and still I'm blown away. That man single handedly rescued the Star Wars of my childhood after what Lucas did it. Before he came along, I'd even pared down the series to just Empire Strikes back.

          The ephemeral sense of wonder, and childhood impression of daring is something he recaptures with startling regularity. To say nothing of the cultural pool he draw from and weaves into his stories for another generation. If someone is going to make a followup to Dark Crystal, I'm glad its him.
    • Really? I find that odd, because everybody I know, from those who like The Waterboy to those who like The Royal Tenenbaums think it absolutely rocks. What don't you like about it? Also, I must agree with my sibling post in that you have to watch Samurai Jack.
      • Also, I must agree with my sibling post in that you have to watch Samurai Jack.

        Oddly enough, I've liked everything he's done except Samurai Jack.

        Somehow, Professor Utonium in a bathrobe with a sword, acting all serious and silent just never did it for me.

        But aside from that, I'll agree with what others have said - I don't know if screwing with a sequel to something Henson made seems like such a good idea, but I'll give it a shot just because they have Tartakovsky directing it.
    • They were okay, on their own. Their style was something you can either accept or not.

      The biggest problem arrises when you already have an idea what the style should be like. Dexter labs and the other originals stand on their own and so their very stylised art can be allowed to work.

      Clone wars however clashed for me with my perception of what star wars should be like. Not that much since I grew up with far worse art massacres in the form of the early star wars comics but still it clashed.

      But the Dark Crys

      • by DrSkwid ( 118965 )
        you're right vi [bell-labs.com] is the best,

        and emacs [bell-labs.com] aint all that.

        =)

      • Without muppetry, I don't think the world would be the same. It is absoluetly amazing what the Henson Creature shop accomplishes.

        I hope if they DO do the CGI that they figure out how to make their actors LOOK like the original muppet actors with the generally soft edges.

      • I bet you hated Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings, too. That had CGI in it.

        But seriously, did you read any of the article? Genndy is directing, not doing art. Those are actually different jobs in filmmakingland!
    • Sorry mate, got to disagree (mostly) with you on this one. Dexter was pretty damn good- an honestly funny show which is rare in children's animation these days. The voices were partcularly sharp and the art direction was very good. Samurai Jack was fantastic in almost every aspect- great plots, beautiful artwork and superb direction. The Star Wars stuff was ok- but his hands were tied by the Lucas people in many respects. The second series was better than the first, and had a lot more of his style reflected
      • I can easily see either viewpoint - Dexter's Laboratory took a break after the first few seasons, and the series went on in syndication for a while. Later on, some more episodes were ordered, but the writing and art direction of these were clearly different, and clearly sub-par in comparison. I think Dexter's VA might even have changed, and a quick check on IMDB proves I was right. I think Dexter basically died after they made the direct-to-DVD movie release. That in and of itself was decent, but not fabulo
      • The second series was better than the first, and had a lot more of his style reflected in them.

        Clone Wars Vol. 2 completely blew me away. As a Star Wars fanboy who really disliked the prequels, I was shocked to see something so good set in the prequel universe. I have to assume Lucas stayed out of this project.

        Which bodes well for a Dark Crystal II - this guy is really good at re-interpreting the author's original intent. If he can channel 1975 George Lucas (killed during pre-production of Jedi and repla
    • Ahhh... Today is a fine day for movies.
    • but the Clone Wars sucked ASS. Holy crap

      What are you blind man? How about the 10 minute elongated scene with Mace in the heat of battle? Or when Yoda uses his mind power to navigate an enemy shit directly into another ship right before landing? The catroon serious had an element beyond the movies that was awe-inspiring. Very different than the movies, duh, but they were incredible and fantastic in their own right!
    • Dexter's Lab was the done when he was becoming very popular. It was a good show, taken from the perspective of a child, full of the fanstansy and nondeterminstic thougth that is typical of a child. It is pretend, and only makes sense if you are a child or a creative adult. In particular, adolescents and teens are too obsesed with rules, learning the rules, and bending the rules to thier advantage for such a show to be of any interest. The other work he has done, like 2 stupid dogs, shows the level of cr
    • Clone Wars sucked ASS.

      Are you serious?

      Clone Wars was the best Star Wars of the decade, tons better than any of the three prequels.

      Of course, that's from watching them all at once on the DVD. I imagine if I'd seen them in 3-minute chunks (what idiot came up with that idea?) it would've been considerably less interesting.
  • by Badmovies ( 182275 ) on Saturday February 25, 2006 @05:10AM (#14799369) Homepage
    I see that the voice talents seem to be the same people. This immediately looks good, but I have found that this is not always the case. Anyone else who has listened to the BBC "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" show probably knows what I mean. The first two series were done within a short time of each other. They also had Douglas Adams' input. The third (and others) were made about twenty-five years later. They are nothing like the first two; I never listen to the CD of the third series that I purchased. Most of the major voice talents are the same. Including Zaphod, who sounds like a roaring drunk in rehab, in the new series. And, possibly most of all, the performances do not have any of the charm and energy that the first two exhibit.

    The choice of director is heartening and seems like a good choice, but I did not watch the clone wars series so I have not seen Tartakovsky do anything that did not have a strange sense of humor. That could work for Aughra, but Jen and Kira were pretty straight forward. The reason I am concerned is that Jean-Pierre Jeunet does good on movies like "Delicatessen" and "Amelie," but totally missed the mark with "Alien: Resurrection." There are other examples of directors who seem to have a certain type of movie pegged (and do great making those movies) and cannot adjust to something different.

    Let us just hope that the script is good and everything comes together.
    • by mccalli ( 323026 ) on Saturday February 25, 2006 @05:39AM (#14799426) Homepage
      Anyone else who has listened to the BBC "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" show probably knows what I mean. The first two series were done within a short time of each other. They also had Douglas Adams' input. The third (and others) were made about twenty-five years later. They are nothing like the first two; I never listen to the CD of the third series that I purchased. Most of the major voice talents are the same. Including Zaphod, who sounds like a roaring drunk in rehab, in the new series. And, possibly most of all, the performances do not have any of the charm and energy that the first two exhibit.

      We're going to have to agree to differ on this one, as I thought the quandary and quintessential radio series to be superb. Remember that the books themselves are darker by now, and that the performances are coloured accordingly. Remember too that the characters are supposed to be older and more experienced.

      As for having Douglas Adam's input, whilst I have the utmost respect for his work I thought the two recent series showed how much better things were when he had an editor or someone else to bounce off. I thought the last book was quite poor, and not just because of the ending. I also thought the fourth book was only so-so. But the radio series...both were superb, because they had editorial input from others. Douglas Adam's did not create HHGttG on his own first time round - that's why certain characters are missing from the books, because he didn't have the rights to them.

      Cheers,
      Ian

    • but totally missed the mark with "Alien: Resurrection."

      even the best director in the universe can only do so much with a shit script.
    • > Including Zaphod, who sounds like a roaring drunk in rehab, in the new series.

      Good point. Zaphod ought to sound like a roaring drunk who would never go to rehab. After all, he is the man who invented the Pan-Galactic Gargleblaster.

  • by Anonymous Coward
    C'mon, you know you liked watching them ;)

    And I'm being quite truthfull. That's good "X" viewing.
    • That was originally Craig McCracken's production. Tartakovsky did some work on it as well, but you know that by now.

      If you go back and watch the old Space Ghost Coast to Coast ep/special where they rolled out three debuts on their What A Cartoon show, they do a mock-up of a pageant where the producers of each short vies for a regular spot in the Cartoon Network lineup.

      They aired the original pilot with Fuzzy Lumpkin, his meat gravy, and his meat ray. Funny how that show was never aimed at young girls earl
  • *seriously*

    WATCH Samurai Jack.
    WATCH the PowerPuff Girls.

    I mean *really* *really* WATCH them. This man is the man for the job. If you really see his previous work you will KNOW its true.
  • by Old Spider ( 948471 ) on Saturday February 25, 2006 @06:32AM (#14799516)
    The original movie wasn't unique for the time, but was still an excellent creation with a finite storyline. Creating a sequel to Dark Crystal is like creating a sequel to Highlander and Never Ending Story. The only points for doing so are: "Hey, I've got this cool (crappy) script and the connections to make it happen!", and "Hey, let's make some more money off this thing!" It won't have the same spirit which only comes from something that's new. This sequel won't have the spark of beginner's luck to it that made the first one so special. Leave it be, remaster the original, repackage it with two or more DVDs full of extra material, and I'll be more than happy to line your pockets --but please keep the innovative new (crappy half-baked) script in the dust bin where it belongs.
  • That's awfully big (and opinionated) talk to call The Dark Crystal "impressive." Fucking heebie-jeebies inducing is more like it. Even the good guys in that movie are fucking creepy. I've always hated it and always will. I don't even remember what the story was about -- only that if I ever met one of the characters in a dream, I'd set his creepy muppet ass on fire.
  • In addition to the live-action animatronics that in my opinion made the original such a masterpiece, this sequel will include CG animation elements as well. I just pray that they won't mess that part up, as it can ruin an entire movie for me - just as the CG in the Star Wars prequels (instead of sticking to the suits & animatronics used in the originals) ruined those films for me.
    • And what about Lord of the Rings? Or King Kong?

      CG done in moderation or with good direction is excellent. So many entire scenes in Star Wars were shot with full green screen. George simply wasn't up to the task of directing the actors properly, and they needed more direction since no props existed at all. I mean, Natalie Portman and Hayden Christiansen are good actors. Look at their other work.

      The editing was good. The cast was good. The special effects were really good. But the scripts sucked, an

  • Don't get me wrong I loved the movie and a sequel would be nice in theory just because it means we might get a fantasy movie. We are not exactly being flooded by them.

    But I am also reminded what happens time and time again when some non-movie director gets his paws on a famous property. Usually it is some guy who did some music videos who gets to do a full movie and screws up.

    This time it is a cartoon director. I only seen dexters lab and powerpuff girls. Dexters lab was okay powerpuffs was a bit to much

    • The style mismatch doesn't give me high hopes. Just because someone has awards in one style doesn't mean they are any good in another.

      Very good point. Mod parent up here. But...

      either Henson studios is swimming in cash or it is going to suck so bad it will stagger believe.

      Not every movie taken to a series has sucked. In fact, when I show people the Stargate movie, they can't believe how much better the series was.

      I'm not going to say more about Stargate, because I don't know what the original budget of S
  • We had this movie when i was young dubbed in french
    although i could not understand a word of what they were saying
    i watched the movie frequently and remember
    i was scared to death when that monsterdog fetzkiek popped out of his mousehole and said graawwwlll.
  • I don't see the real point in making sequels, except perhaps to piss people off when it's not like the original.

    There have been very, very few sequels that were better than the original -- Army of Darkness, Empire Strikes Back, The Wrong Trowsers ... (Mallrats, but on a different level) ... and each of these was absolutely nothing like the original, and they had the advantage that they weren't just copying the original story.

    I thought it was cool that Henson allowed Mirror Mask to be made -- I'd prefer seei
    • and each of these was absolutely nothing like the original, and they had the advantage that they weren't just copying the original story.

      You poor, poor boy*.

      Sequels are the ONLY way you can get real character depth with cinema. The guy that Tom Hanks plays for a scant two-hundred minutes might be gripping and moving, but he's also shallow. Even if the story is all about him (think "Castaway"), you still get only a fraction of a real character.

      The situation is even worst with fantasy and sci-fi, because yo
      • Sequels are the ONLY way you can get real character depth with cinema.

        WTF? Go and rent The Searchers right now. Hell, go and rent Forest Gump while you're there. When you return those, add Patton and Death and the Maiden and any other of the zillion movies that randomly are popping into my head. If a sequel is needed to give a character depth, chances are the original needed a better script.

        • If a sequel is needed to give a character depth, chances are the original needed a better script.

          Oh, sorry. I should have ammended that to "sequals, or movies that are extended diatribes about one character."

          And even then, you don't really know the characters. There's an illusion of depth that goes back to Shakespherean plays -- it's not a BAD thing, mind you -- but it's not the kind of depth that, oh, characters on well-written soap operas have. (And, in kind, depth isn't always a GOOD thing, either.)
  • by Bushido Hacks ( 788211 ) on Saturday February 25, 2006 @02:07PM (#14800763) Homepage Journal
    From the Home Office of Mojo Jojo
    1 Volcano Observatory Place
    Townsville, USA

    To: The City of Townsville

    Dear Citizens of the City of Townsville,

    I, Mojo Jojo, have developed an evil plot to take a very mystical story and sling my monkey dropping all over it. And I, Mojo Jojo, feel not remorse if this movie stinks at the box office. I am willing to spend the money and the resources to make certain that this cinematic feature is a complete and udder catastrophe that neither you or the Powerpuff Girls can stop.

    I have studied that there is no reason to steal from banks anymore. Thanks to my superior intellect, I, Mojo Jojo, have learned that I can steel more money by making people just give it to me through legal commerce by creating a mediocre feature that will haunt people for years on end. A few people may even start a fan club honoring my work allowing me to take more money from the people of Townville. I could be like that John Heder person. Could you believe that people wasted good money on seeing such a movie. While I, Mojo Jojo, have plans on creating a death ray that will oblterate all the actors of the terrible movie that I saw as well as the state of Idaho, I hav decided to delay obliterating everyone and everything that reminds me of Napoleon Dynamite. People will rejoyce and display there graditude by wearing "Vote for Mojo" shirt, not "Vote for Pedro". Mojo would make a better candidate than Pedro, who ever the hell he is.

    I know that my plan will be successful, unlike all the other attempts that were thwarted by those annoying Powerpuff Girls!

    Victory will be mine! MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

    Sincerely, Your Bestest Friend,

    Mojo Jojo

    PS: (|):|33) pwn3z joo!
  • I'm still waiting for the spaceballs sequel that was promised. It seems like some of these sequels don't ever materialize.
  • I highly recommend by them:

    The Storyteller
    Mirrormask (which just came out)

  • Does anyone else hope he'll still finish this?!

    C'mon, send Jack home.

    Btw, I wonder how this happens behind the scenes. Does cartoon network just pull it and it's done, or do they give the artist some warning, like it's done this year, you've got 10 eps to wrap it up.
  • Per IMDB, it looks like they got Trevor Jones to score the sequel as he did the original (magnificently) and (hopefully) have the London Symphony Orchestra perform the score. Too bad they can't get Marcus Dodds to conduct as he passed away in 1984 according to the IMDB.... (-_-) ;_;

  • It's a puppet film (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Teko ( 112672 ) on Saturday February 25, 2006 @11:21PM (#14802488) Journal
    Lots of odd comments here about how "Genndy will screw it up 'cuz I hate his style of animation" or even "The original had crappy animation."

    Quick and simple: the original was an entirely live-action, puppeteered film. It's the only movie like it ever made, actually: the only all-puppet feature film with no humans or live animals present at all. The sequel will be, as well, although they're using CG sets to cut costs.

    As for the story, keep in mind that the first movie didn't have a story either. Jim Henson literally brought Brian Froud in, said "make me a world", and then wrote a story around the creatures and world he'd created. With Froud on board again, combined with the fanboy geeky brilliance that Genndy showed with Clone Wars, I have high hopes for this.
  • The defining thing about The Dark Crystal to me was the sense of ecology. It was fun watching a group of biologists start geeking out at a fantasy movie because of all the clever "creature" moments and panning shots of swamps teeming with life. The whole "You have wings?! I don't have wings!" / "Of course not ... you're a boy" line that had the entomologists and the feminists of the group both in tears of laughter for days. The Dark Crystal has become the yardstick against which I find I measure the det

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