The New DARK CRYSTAL Trailer Sure Is Pretty….

A week ago, Netflix dropped its second trailer for The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance before the August 30 release date. It has taken me a week to digest and process just what bothers me about it.

It’s not the story. Since this is the prequel to Jim Henson’s 1982 film, The Dark Crystal, we knew the story was going to take place years before the film. Thra is dying with the Crystal of Truth at its heart, a source of untold power. It is damaged, corrupted by the Skeksis who have it in their castle. This causes a sickness to spread across the land. This trailer shows the awakening three Gelfling have when they discover the horrifying secret behind the Skeksis’ power and they begin of the fight for Thra.

What disturbs me is how pretty the show is. By pretty, it’s clean. It’s smooth. It’s clear. It’s not The Dark Crystal visually. When the teaser was released, I did acknowledge that the special effects of the series would be better than the movie because of the advancement of technology. I did state that the teaser appeared to show that they would remain faithful to the physical effects while carefully updating for the digital age and if the teaser was a true representation of the series, then this could be good.

I’m not saying it will not be. I’m not saying that it will not be visually stunning. I am saying that after this trailer, I fear the show’s effects and visuals have too much help from the computers. The fluidity of the creatures’ movements is too good. It lacks the choppiness of a human being in costume or controlling it. It’s bright and clear. I’m not expecting the graininess of watching the original film, but a little grain would be a nice touch.

I’m sure that it will be a great series that I’ll become completely obsessed with. I just hope that my obsession is for the story and not the look. I will try my best to be relaxed and open-minded.  I’m just concerned over what we have gotten this week versus the taste we got in May.

The countdown is on while we wait for the Great Conjunction in one week…will it be the End? or the the Beginning? End of Aughra?

End, Begin, all the same, Big Change….