“Another World. Another Time. In the Age of Wonder. A thousand years ago, this land was green and good…until the Crystal cracked. A single piece was lost, a shard of the Crystal. Then strife began and two new races appeared: the cruel Skeksis and the gentle Mystics…”

Thus begins the late Jim Henson’s first foray into elaborate, Tolkein-inspired myth making. It is a basic good vs. evil quest story — a young “gelfling” named Jen, the last survivor of an ancient elf race, must fight the forces of tyranny and restore harmony to his world — in a land where prophecies, saviors and mysticism can guide one’s destiny.

When this epic fantasy came out in 1982, there was no CGI and live actors did not stand in bare stages talking to blue tennis balls. To create the world of The Dark Crystal, every detail, every organism, every flora and fauna had to be built to move, to shift in the landscape, to evolve and respond naturally. The residents of this world are painstakingly crafted beings brought to life by skilled puppeteers, each creature with it’s own personality and mannerisms. The film is a visual feast of stunning, alien vistas and outlandish creations thrust into an utterly convincing environment.

Epic in both concept and technical artistry, The Dark Crystal showcases Henson at the top of his form, creating tangible worlds with conceptual designer Brian Froud, production designer Harry Lange, scenarist David Odell and co-director Frank Oz. Jason Lust, Senior VP of Feature Films at the Jim Henson Company, will introduce the film and preview its long-awaited sequel, The Power of the Dark Crystal, due in 2008.