08.10.07 5:00 AM CDT
• TV & DVDs
• Robert DeSalvo
Just in time for today’s theatrical release of the fantasy epic Stardust, starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert DeNiro, comes two anniversary DVD editions of movies that are its fantastical forbearers: Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal. Available on August 14 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, both ‘80s landmark fantasy films are presented in separate two-disc sets with all-new high-definition transfers and include extras featuring recently rediscovered footage and new interviews with the filmmakers.If you took a pass on The Dark Crystal 25 years ago due to some kind of understandable muppet phobia, give it another look. You’ve got to appreciate the intricate details and timeless story that directors Jim Henson and Frank Oz captured with expressive puppets and without the aid of splashy CGI effects. The hideous, lizard-like Skesis—bickering, burping and terrorizing from their castle as they lord over the Dark Crystal—are still unforgettable. As for Labyrinth, rediscover why you had a crush on lovely Jennifer Connelly (and still do) as the Oscar winner winds her way through David Bowie’s magical maze to save her kidnapped brother in her breakout role (pictured). Both movies are timeless myths that, with the exception of a few dated special effects in The Dark Crystal and one or two unnecessary Bowie musical interludes in Labyrinth, stand the test of time. We’ll know soon if Stardust will merit an anniversary edition in the year 2032. Let us know if you think it will.
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