You are here:
The Crystal Calls - Making The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance

The Crystal Calls - Making The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance

2019

Director

Randall Lobb

Runtime

83 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Go behind the scenes with stars, puppeteers and creators as they bring Jim Henson's magical world of Thra back to life in a sweeping fantasy series.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

5.4/10

Fair


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Fair

The film focuses on character construction rather than explicit queer identities. It maintains a neutral stance, documenting a non-human world that inherently disrupts traditional human social norms.

Gender Representation

Fair

The documentary highlights women and diverse creators within the creature shop and puppetry departments. It showcases technical agency in a world that subverts traditional biological hierarchies.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Good

The production explores a color-blind fantasy ecosystem through various species. This multi-species approach allows for a departure from Anglo-centric casting norms via non-human biology.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Fair

The film documents the world of Thra, which operates outside Western religious or capitalist frameworks. It focuses on a complex, mythic social structure and ecological symbiosis.

Disability Representation

Fair

There is no explicit documentation regarding the portrayal of disability or neurodivergence. The narrative remains centered on the physical mechanics of puppetry and production environments.

Strengths

  • Showcases the significant technical agency of women and diverse creators within the puppetry and creature departments.
  • Documents a multi-species narrative architecture that moves away from Anglo-centric casting norms.
  • Provides insight into a mythic social structure that exists entirely outside Western religious and capitalist frameworks.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks explicit focus on LGBTQ+ identities or queer theory within the documentary's narrative.
  • Does not provide direct commentary on racial intersectionality or disability representation.
  • Maintains a craft-oriented focus that avoids exploring gendered power dynamics or social hierarchies.

AI Analysis

The documentary serves as a technical examination of the craftsmanship behind the Jim Henson Company's work. It prioritizes the artistry of creature design and puppetry over sociological critique or identity politics. While the film does not center overt political messaging, it provides the technical scaffolding for a world that disrupts conventional expectations of identity. The focus remains on the professional labor required to build a non-traditional social order. Ultimately, the film's value lies in its documentation of a creative process that builds a non-human ecosystem, offering a subtle departure from standard human social hierarchies.

How are these scores produced? →

Similar Movies

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.