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Info Wanted: Dark Crystal - Workprint - is anyone working on it?

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 (Edited)

Anyone working on the workprint of The Dark Crystal?

There is a Monochrome 704x352, mono audio 44.1khz AAC version float about on the interwebs.

Surely someone has a better version?

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SilverWook said:

Someone has. Just found out about this over at FE.org.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVKdqvpLb-s

 Thanks so much for sharing the link.  The 80's were such a unique time for film making and the Jim Henson productions always have held a very special place in my heart.  I wasn't even aware a work print existed, so I'm definitely happy to watch this recompiled effort to get a since of how different things could have been.

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This is great. Thanks for sharing the link. You guys better grab this quick because it will probably get taken down for copyright reasons.

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To be clear, that's not really the work print.  Details seem sketchy, but the version on YouTube is a reconstruction using mostly digital media sources.

No knowing how accurate it really is.

Dr. M

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My impression is that he's matched the workprint shot-for-shot, only using the original b/w VHS when he has to. Although I guess we haven't seen this VHS to confirm, the alternate audio is pretty good evidence.

ROTJ Storyboard Reconstruction Project

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 (Edited)

The official home video releases contains a lot of deleted and pre-final audio scenes.

I'm not saying he just cut that all together, but if someone did, it might pass for a workprint.

I haven't watched and compared this to the DVD bonus features so I can't be sure.  It's also the reason I haven't bothered to watch it yet.

I have no reason to say it isn't legit, but it is not uncommon for fan editors to take liberties in their enthusiasm to recreate a better version than before.

Besides, he insists on calling it a Director's cut, but there is no evidence that Henson and Oz would have edited the original version let alone the version on YouTube.  He would have been more accurate in calling it a reconstructed workprint.

Dr. M

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Reconstructed workprint is the better title.

Now, I've never actually seen The Dark Crystal (it's on my to-watch list), so I only got 20 minutes into this but do the DVD extras include:

  • All the skeksis scenes without English-dialogue?
  • Difficult to see, fuzzy, black-and-white bits?
  • Warbly, VHS audio at times?

cause this does.

ROTJ Storyboard Reconstruction Project

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timdiggerm said:

Reconstructed workprint is the better title.

Now, I've never actually seen The Dark Crystal (it's on my to-watch list), so I only got 20 minutes into this but do the DVD extras include:

  • All the skeksis scenes without English-dialogue?
  • Difficult to see, fuzzy, black-and-white bits?
  • Warbly, VHS audio at times?

cause this does.

 It's been a while since I've sat through the extras, but it does have at least some of that.  IIRC the extras are pretty expansive.

I'll give this a look, but timdiggerm, if you've never seen the Dark Crystal, I would definitely say watch the theatrical version first.

Dr. M

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Yes just spotted this the other day...

Reconstructed workprint is much more fitting title... Apparently somone has offered to colorize the Black and white video to color for this project so another version will be available perhaps in the future.

I think it's interesting but I would watch the original first and if you like it this as a second watch

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I haven't heard about this version, but the person responsible for the VHS transfer of the b&w workprint said that they viewed a color workprint as a kid at an early screening, but was only able to obtain the b&w version.  I imagine that the color workprint has to be available somewhere.

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I would love to get a crack at re-capturing the VHS at better quality.

Donations welcome: paypal.me/poit
bitcoin:13QDjXjt7w7BFiQc4Q7wpRGPtYKYchnm8x
Help get The Original Trilogy preserved!

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The person who did the original VHS transfer was going to re-do it, but I believe the hard drive crashed and the site where it was posted went down months later.

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I’m pretty sure everything on that was ported over to DVD and Blu Ray. Still the nicest LD version ever released, with a dedication to Jim Henson on the back cover.

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Where were you in '77?

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SilverWook said:

I’m pretty sure everything on that was ported over to DVD and Blu Ray. Still the nicest LD version ever released, with a dedication to Jim Henson on the back cover.

thanks