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The Behind the Scenes Pic of the Day heals the crystal! Check out these rare Dark Crystal pics straight from The Frouds!
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with today’s Behind the Scenes Pic!
I can’t tell you how happy I get when I see proof of this column spreading out into the world. One of the great joys of my day to day is seeing reader submissions of BTS images. My geek brothers and sisters have heard the call and many hundreds have pitched in to help keep this column going strong.
It humbles me daily and when I hear from people within the industry out of the blue with rare shots that feeling gets turned up to 11. It’s quite exciting, actually, as a person who nerds out about these images not only to see them, but to be able to share them with you good people.
That happened just this past weekend when Ms. Sarah Froud, daughter-in-law to Brian and Wendy Froud reached out with some rare Dark Crystal shots, asking if I’d be interested in sharing them with you guys.
Um, yeah.
I grew up with Brian and Wendy’s work with Jim Henson in films like The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth as well as their contributions to Empire Strikes Back and The Muppet Movie! Much of my fascination with movie magic springs from their work.
They sent over three images. The first is Wendy Froud (mother of Toby, by the way… yes THE Toby from Labyrinth… you know, the babe… the babe with the power…) puppeting Jen on top of the Crystal with Jim Henson. The next shot is Henson with an early version of Jen and the last is the crew photo featuring everybody who worked on the flick! You can see Frank Oz, producer Gary Kurtz and Henson right up front in that one.
They are all very cool!
Thanks to Sarah Froud for sending these shots on! Click to embiggen and be sure to visit Wendy and Brian Froud’s Facebook Page and Blog to keep up with them, interact, check out their great fantasy art and see more rare behind the scenes shots!
If you have a behind the scenes shot you’d like to submit to this column, you can email me at quint@aintitcool.com.
Tomorrow’s behind the scenes pic… oh yes… wait, no. I mean no…
-Quint
quint@aintitcool.com
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Click here to visit the complete compilation of previous Behind the Scenes images, Page One
Click here to visit the complete compilation of previous Behind the Scenes images, Page Two!
Readers Talkback
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Too awesome!
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Always fun to see Henson at work. I much prefer Labrynth, but love seeing Henson pics.
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CGI will never compare to this movie magic.
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Also, someone recently pointed out the uncanny resemblance between Real Dolls and Gelflings. And by golly, it's true.
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Aug. 8, 2011, 7:53 p.m. CST
Yet another reason this has become the best column on AICN. Gorgeous pics.
by Finch
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but meanwhile London is ablaze and it's the fault of those loveable 'attack the block' style chavs.
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after loooking at them all for a few more minutes, those first two shots are epic and some of the best pics that have been featured in this column. Everything looks great in that first shot. I'd have that framed in the living room if that were me in it.
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Aug. 8, 2011, 7:55 p.m. CST
What was sundered and undone shall be whole...the two made one.
by Finch
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... from back in the day when you actually got programmes at the movies. I seem to recall that last pic being in it. And my Mum took me to see a display of the original puppets that was on at a local shopping centre. Made a big impact on me at 7 yrs old.
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The Froud's are very nice but effin' WEIRD! Their panels are filled with fucking whackjobs.
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Carly Simon...hahahaha. Glad I was drinking anything when I read that. Nice one.
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For some reason it aroused me when I was a wee chop. Henson and co opened the door to feelings not yet understood by me. Still barely do.
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Aug. 8, 2011, 8:07 p.m. CST
I am still in awe and humbled by the scope of the world created for "The Dark Crystal"!
by The Reluctant Austinite
I still have the paperback novelization and the Marvel Comics adaptation. As amazing as the film is, I appreciate it even more when watching the documentary about the making of the film. This was truely a handmade "Lord of the Rings". The sets are absolutely mind boggling.
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Quint, great job every day. So many of these pics have turned into my facebook profile. My favorite has been Kirshner and Vader.
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That was awesome!
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Love it.
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Aug. 8, 2011, 8:20 p.m. CST
Correction: That is not an early version of Jen, it is a rehearsal puppet... p
by Emperor_was_a_jerk
Correction: That is not an early version of Jen, it is a rehearsal puppet. So as to not damage or put other while un-needed stress or wear on the puppets, they often used lower quality, more resilient versions of the puppets during rehearsals and while blocking the scenes. While making The Empire Strikes Back, they did the same with Yoda.
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with a ticket to the 1982 premier at the Palace of the Arts in San Francisco, signed by Jim Henson and Gary Kurtz. The bound volume is a true classic, with vellum dividers and templates, and hundreds of color plates. Truly Brian Froud's masterpiece.
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Aug. 8, 2011, 8:28 p.m. CST
Bonus points if you can spot Gates "Beverly Crusher" McFadden
by samuelk
in the third pic.
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But never liked the design of the Gelflings. Something too plastic-y and dead-like about them that I really didn't like as a kid. I equate it to the whole "uncanny valley" affect that people talk about when discussing CGI. Which bugged me, because they were the leads and every other muppet in the movie was f***ing amazing to watch move about and interact - with the possible exception of the podlings (did I get that right?) which looked like background characters in any big musical number on the Muppet Show. But at least they didn't creep me out. That said, I love that movie.
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i couldn't find Bev Crusher, but half of the women have their head turned.
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Many Thanks Ms. Froud, for sharing. CHAMBERLAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Aug. 8, 2011, 8:46 p.m. CST
Convinced my family to go to this AMAZING film when i was 10....
by LowDevil
My Dad, God bless him, hated the shit out of this movie. So did Mom. But God damn I loved it.
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wanted to fuck a puppet. Now that you are an adult, do you "drain your essence" all over your Real Dolls (aka Mrs. Choppa #3) face?
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for the Muppetification of the Star Wars universe.
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She was hot in the 90's, but is kinda looking like The Crypt Keeper nowadays. I love how she was fired from Next Generation for sucking, but the replacement sucked so bad they got her back because she "sucked less."
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Aug. 8, 2011, 9:03 p.m. CST
This opened on Christmas week in a second run theater in Louisville right by my house.
by The Reluctant Austinite
This opened the week of my Christmas vacation in a little second run theater called J-town 4, not in our town's big multiplex. I could ride my bike over to see it, and I did three times. I even saw it on Christmas day. It was a big deal for me at that time that I didn't have to get my parents to drive me to the big theater across town to see it, but I could walk right over to the place I usually watched grindhouse and second run flicks and see a first run film like "The Dark Crystal". I imagine it must not have done well at the box-office at the time, but it's become a cult classic over time.
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I loved it though...
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I suppose you were fantasizing about draining Mr. Rogers' essence.
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the same guy from the empire strikes back hoth cave pic?
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Hell they should have had a public fundraising campaign. It was such bullshit that they were just shut down like that.
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We need an archive of BTSPOTD. Something like the list that used to appear after each column, but on it's own page. Does the fancy new site architecture let you guys do that? or at least make it it's on column so I don't need to squint past a bunch of headlines to find one that is BTSPOTD Love the column
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At the Museum of Moving Image in Astoria Queens in July, 2011, Craig Shemin was asked how things were going with the movie. He explained that the film was still in development, but it was unlikely they would start filming soon.
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http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Power_of_the_Dark_Crystal
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Aug. 8, 2011, 10:19 p.m. CST
Hey you're not allowed to put the title of the movie in the BTSPOTD headline.
by highfunctioningsociopath
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But they need to move forward NOW. We will make it worth your while by showing up in droves. Just the interest in these pics alone proves your audience is still there.
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BOO-shay BOO-shay BOO-shay.
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To save their collective lives. Power of the Dark Crystal is still in development because they've lost about 3 directors. It's simply a DEAD project. Dead. Dead. Dead.
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Just one of the prime movers of the first two Star Wars films, that's all. And yep, he was also in that awesome Hot cave pic. That is one of my fave BTS pics so far.
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Close to the middle of the group, between the burly guy with the beard, the less-burly guy with the bigger beard, and the Steve Miller-looking guy with the striped shirt and sunglasses. What a great-looking bunch. You can just tell there are all kinds there - nerds, artists, craftsman, technical guys, laborers. Young hotshots and guys that have been doing it for decades. A living, breathing, three-dimensional space. This type of thing is not gone from today's filmmaking world, but there's less of it. We can see the effects of that.
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Both Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. After revisiting them on BluRay I was surprised how good they hold comparing to most of the recent genre flicks. Real soul and heart, beautiful movie craftmenship.
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Saw STAR WARS in 1978 at a drive-in theater when I was 4 and my fascination with sci-fi fantasy movies blossomed from then onward. So many inspirational films in my childhood, I am so grateful for the magic back then. I still consider The Dark Crystal as one of my favorite films. The theme song plays in my head every so often and I still quote the film here and there. These pics are awesome, thank you so much!!!
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Sweet, humble guy. He brought a cool goblin puppet he made named Ignatz. Toby said he is working in effects in HW.
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someone recently pointed out the uncanny resemblance between Real Dolls and Gelflings.
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Her hair is really dark and I've only ever known her with the red, but I'm pretty sure you're right. The nose, chin, and smile look correct. <p> Strange, we were just talking about this movie with my nephew and his friend on our last gaming night. He had just watched Labrynth for the first time (he thought it was "weird") and is going to watch Dark Crystal for the first time this week. Ah, to be 15 again.
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When movies really were magical.
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Aug. 9, 2011, 7:17 a.m. CST
And yeah - this feature has become the best part of this site.
by ClayMatthews
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I met him recently at a Forbidden Planet book-signing in London. A real gentleman, who graciously signed my copy of The World Of The Dark Crystal and drew a Fizzigig alongside his autograph.
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Aug. 9, 2011, 7:49 a.m. CST
The masters at work. Proof positive CGI is a lazy man's tool.
by Grammaton Cleric Binks
I'm not anti-CGI, but I am anti-overuse of, let's forget any plot CGI.
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Aug. 9, 2011, 7:55 a.m. CST
Gary Kurtz (politely) kicked me out of a Dark Crystal display
by zacUpquark
At WorldCon 1981 (Denvention 2) they had a display of production materials, like set miniatures, maquettes, paintings/drawings, costumes, etc, in the exhibition hall. It was right next to the actual Spinner from Blade Runner (they'd turn on the lights every half-hour or so). We wandered in (past a velvet rope it seems), and Mr. Kurtz came up and told us the display was not ready for the public just yet, and we should come back in an hour. Good stuff like that has unfortunately migrated from WorldCons (a cool, literary convention) to ComicCon (a crazed, crowded pop-fest).
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As a movie, this was pretty mediocre. You can admire the work and the genius behind the costumes and setting, but the story... meh.
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Far left in front, two heads left of Kurtz. What do I win?
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My QA manager from a past job, man I swear she was a Gelfling. Good BTSP Quint.
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Imagine if Henson came walking into an execs office today pitching the bat-shit insane (and brilliant) story of the dark crystal; after the initial OH GOD ITS ZOMBIE HENSON!!! He would surely be kicked out for such a different kind of movie pitch...
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Aug. 9, 2011, 9:16 a.m. CST
I really miss Jim Henson. No telling what he would've created had he not died.
by DonkeyBalls
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I feel old. At least, I'm assuming it's his wife that sent these pics in, since it was the Froud's daughter-in-law that sent them. Of course, they probably have other kids. I have nothing to add other than this is one of my favorite ongoing articles of any website.
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Aug. 9, 2011, 9:32 a.m. CST
I had to embiggen the picture to find Gates McFadden
by Grammaton Cleric Binks
I could be wrong, but it looks like she's behind the little kid in the baseball on the shoulders of presumably his dad. Sunglasses older man is behind her. Sunglasses cheesy moustache man is checking her out. Gee, this is a lot more fun that looking for the other shooters in the Kennedy pictures.
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Aug. 9, 2011, 10:48 a.m. CST
Not one mention of the creepy gay asian guy in the front row?
by proevad
This board has gone to hell.
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At the very back? This is the movie that made me want to make films. I had no idea what a director, or a producer, or a technician did. I just thought friends got together and made puppets in their shed. Sigh, to be 7 again.
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Aug. 9, 2011, 12:36 p.m. CST
Actually I change my guess. It looks like she's next to
by Grammaton Cleric Binks
the guy trying to impress her with his shirt unbottoned all the way down, and she's behind Bluto.
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Aug. 9, 2011, 12:48 p.m. CST
boycott the new movie until Henson gets name billing
by Arcadian Del Sol
Disney has removed the "Jim Henson's..." from all marketing for the new muppets. I say it should forever be part of their brand. Jim Henson's Muppets. Im boycotting the movie until I see his name somewhere.
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I find myself thinking a lot about the parallels between my reactions to the Dark Crystal and to the first half of Avatar - in the sense that a huge amount of effort was taken in creating the mythology and environment and the importance of taking time for panning shots across the local ecology. I love fantasies that actually care about the world as the primary character. I'm hoping that Power of the Dark Crystal makes it through development hell some day, just to get see a fully developed vision of what that world would have become after an age of light and peace.
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cool though. Fav movie, fav show coming together.
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Really fucking weird. They all three could be her.
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Aug. 9, 2011, 4:02 p.m. CST
nah, asian guy with great gams makes me feel funny in the pants
by soma_with_the_paintbox
Billy Crudup in valley girl drag next to him--that's creepy. And "OH GOD ZOMBIE HENSON!" Holy fuck, I lol'd Anyone else smell ozone?
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Is behind the boy with the baseball cap on the guy's shoulders...
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Is the girl that did Kira's voice in the pic... (she still looks hot!)
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Totally believable alien world, no human characters... a classic.
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actually she left because of unwanted sexual advances from one of the writer/producers (the same one that created the borg), but he left after season 2 and patrick stewart convinced her to come back
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Aug. 10, 2011, 12:27 p.m. CST
He must have seen that movie where she's full frontal about
by UltraTron
to be flamethrowered. That's all he could think about whenever she got near him I bet.
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Aug. 10, 2011, 12:28 p.m. CST
3 behind the scenes pics for the price o one! Great value!
by UltraTron
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Aug. 11, 2011, 10:30 p.m. CST
I rewatched Dark Crystal again recently. It wasn't so good. They didn't think story telling was important.
by mistergreen
They loved the puppets but forgot how to tell a story. It was disappointing.
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