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The Dark Crystal (25th Anniversary)
Composed by Trevor Jones
La-La Land Records (2007)
Rating:
7/10
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 Dark
Crystal Overture
(357 kb)
The
Funerals/ Jen's Journey (357 kb)
The
Pod
Dance
(314 kb)
More clips from
The Dark Crystal at Amazon.com
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“While THE DARK CRYSTAL also contains a noticeable
employment of synthesizers, it is Jones' work played by the famed
London Symphony Orchestra that has made this score one of his most
beloved.”
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Two Become One...25
Years Later.
Review by Christopher
Coleman
Two and a half decades
ago, long before there
was a Weta Workshop,
long before the advent
of 3-D animated films,
Jim Henson and Company
were among the masters
of visual fantasy.
Back in 1982, THE DARK
CRYSTAL was as
innovative as 300 or
THE MATRIX might be
considered today.
Jim Henson's film was
called the "first live
action film without
any humans on screen."
While the visuals and
style of story-telling
of THE DARK CRYSTAL
doesn't hold up against
many of
today's fantasy films
or animated
features, the
visionary spirit of
Jim Henson and Frank
Oz can still be
appreciated.
Their work has now
been re-released on a new
25th anniversary DVD
which has more
features than the
original, as well as
better picture and
sound. Preceding
the release of the new
DVD comes La-La Land
Records corresponding
release of THE DARK
CRYSTAL 25TH
ANNIVERSARY
SOUNDTRACK.
THE DARK CRYSTAL was
the score that put
TREVOR JONES on the
film music map.
Following his
noteworthy effort (an
effort sadly overshadowed by the
employment of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana)
in director John
Boorman's EXCALIBER,
Jones was brought on
to help orchestrally-ground
Henson's otherworldly
tale. While THE
DARK CRYSTAL also
contains a noticeable
employment of
synthesizers, it is
Jones' work played by
the famed London
Symphony Orchestra
that has made this
score one of his
most beloved.
What Trevor Jones'
score for THE DARK
CRYSTAL is most
remembered for is its
main theme, which
serves as the backbone
for most of the score.
This main theme could
be broken into two
parts: one that
represents the Dark
Crystal itself and its
caretakers, the
malevolent Skekses and
the other, a beautiful
melody which forms the
basis for a number of
heroic secondary
themes.
Trevor Jones fortifies
the story by musically
reiterating its main
plot point,
"What was sundered and
undone, shall be
whole, the two made
one." This being
a prophecy regarding
both the Crystal and
the two peoples of the
Crystal, the Skekses
and the Mystics.
These two races came
into being when the
Crystal was
inexplicably cracked.
In the film, the
Skekses are generally
identified with the
more ominous portion
of the Crystal-theme
as they are the ones
who have been in
control of it for 1000
years. The
Skekses are tall and
haughty as is their
musical
representation.
The Mystics, on the
other hand, are short
and humble and their
soft, somewhat
monotonous theme
reflects this.
As the film concludes
their two themes are
unified just as the
Skekses and Mystics
are.
Aside from Jones'
orchestral wizardry,
he also employs an
array of synthesizers,
as well as instruments
from antiquity, which
give THE DARK CRYSTAL
a certain depth and
richness...albeit a
dated depth, since the
synths employed are
unmistakeably from the
late 70s/early 80s
era.
Interestingly, just
like other fantasy
films of the era:
Willow (1988) or
Return of the Jedi
(1983), THE DARK
CRYSTAL also features,
what was apparently,
an obligatory
folksy-tune played on
the indigenous
instruments of some
simple-folk of the
film. Instead of
dwarves or Ewoks, this
time, we have "The Pod
Dance" (7), which is
played by the Pod
people, of course.
Over the years, there
have been a few LP
releases of the score
(for you youngins,
that means "records").
There have also been
bootleg CDs and then
in 2003 a
limited edition,
2-disc set was
released which
contained the very
same tracks as offered
here, but also a
second disc that
contained the cues as
heard in the film.
In the end, La-La Land
Records release of THE
DARK CRYSTAL is one
that will likely
satisfy the collector
who has been pining
for Trevor Jones'
detailed work.
With sound quality
that is superior to
the 2003 Numenorian
Records release and
intriguing liner notes
by Randall D. Larson,
The 25th Anniversary
Edition is a good buy,
especially for
enduring fans.
THE DARK CRYSTAL is an
entertaining listen,
but is slightly
injured by its dated
feel. It suffers
just as the movie
does. While
amazing for its time,
25 years later, its
age shows which
distances itself from
audiences.
Today, the film comes
off as a
super-extended-edition
of the Jabba's Palace
scenes from Return of
the Jedi and the
non-orchestral bits of
score follow suit.
Be that as it may,
collectors and Jone's
fans will want to
pounce on this release
as Jones does
provide enough
symphonic wonders to
make the overall
listening experience
of THE DARK CRYSTAL a
positive one.
Rating:
7/10
|
Track |
Track Title |
Track Time |
Rating |
|
1 |
The Dark Crystal
Overture |
3:11 |
**** |
|
2 |
The Power
Ceremony |
3:57 |
*** |
|
3 |
The
Storm |
1:03 |
*** |
|
4 |
The
Mystical
Master
Dies |
0:51 |
** |
|
5 |
The
Funerals/Jen's
Journey |
5:25 |
*** |
| 6 |
The Skeksis' Funeral |
2:42 |
**** |
| 7 |
The Pod Dance |
3:14 |
*** |
| 8 |
Love Theme |
3:17 |
**** |
| 9 |
Gelfling song |
2:22 |
*** |
| 10 |
The Gelfling Ruins |
2:43 |
*** |
| 11 |
The Landstrider Journey |
0:44 |
**** |
| 12 |
The Great Conjunction |
4:13 |
**** |
| 13 |
Finale |
7:14 |
**** |
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Total Running Time (approx) |
40 minutes |
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