The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Is a Stone-Cold Masterpiece
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It has especially worked its way into popular literature. A books writing is at a 5th grade level, has almost zero depth, but then is full of sex and violence which makes it an "adult" novel. Authors like Sarah J Maas are almost comically bad writers but have achieved immense popular success using this setup.
Not surprising that books like this succeed.
This has resulted in a population which is terrifyingly disconnected from reality, and yet utterly certain of their own beliefs; beliefs which have been worked into the core of their self-identity by the magic of political kayfabe. "The GOP believes Corona is from a lab, so it must be wrong" ... "Trump will genocide Gaza worse, so voting for someone arming an internationally condemned genocide is good and practical actually", etc.
Out of the small subset of people who really can read, and think for themselves, there is only a small number of them who can communicate their ideas effectively (and only to people who can at least sorta read at a 6th grade level). And the number of those people who have any power to amplify their voice is too depressing to think about for long.
... And yes, the Age of Resistance ties into this in many ways. The Skeksis are seen as strong, maybe even benevolent leaders by most, who are very far from any levers of power and aren't getting very well informed. Meanwhile, quietly (at first), the life of the small people is being drained...
Oh, how I agree with your comment!
This is a bizarre trend I've also noticed. Also unfortunately helped with the "adult" monicker for anything showing sex, which is in reality generally more aimed at horny teenagers and so-called "young adults" rather than grownups.
Ultra-Violence is for all ages, great for kids.
One small shot of side boob -- OH NO, that is ADULT, porn.
https://www.bookforum.com/print/2701/ottessa-moshfegh-s-affe...
Edit: and for the life of me I could never understand what anybody saw in that vile show "Euphoria." It seemed so obviously just to want to do nothing but luxuriate in its own vulgarity and graphicness and expected audiences to be very impressed by how big everybody's feelings are. Same for "The Power of the Dog," which was as unsubtle and uninteresting a melodramatic turd as I've ever seen.
I was agreeing very much with both parent comment and yours, until your edit.
I loved Euphoria.
> graphicness - Was it graphic at all? > how big everybody's feelings are - Were their feeling that big? > It seemed so obviously.. - Maybe obvious to you? This might say more about you..
I found it brilliant and at times ironic and self aware and very explicit about what its target is (I think it's very much for teenagers)
So i don't know if it is a good example of this trend at all.
Just to say how nuanced these things can be, i guess...
The film has some interesting zen-like qualities like duality, and a more complex set of morals. The series just feels like most modern creations with a pretty bland right vs wrong.
The film is also almost entirely practical effects, which are incredible (the behind the scenes footage is amazing), while the series leans a bit too heavily on CGI in parts, which detracts from the action a bit (à la LoTR vs The Hobbit).
Given this piece I might go back to finish it now (and from another comment possibly upgrade my TV), but I still think I'll prefer the film.
How do you, as a Gelfling, navigate your life, in the shadow of these incredible creatures? That’s what the story tells - you worship them as gods, you treat them cautiously as potential allies or enemies, you rise in rebellion to eject them from your world - and maybe in the end you find a new peace and balance.
I do think that mystic and skeksis perspectives are present, in little peeks and glimpses, but I would still welcome another excursion into Thra to find out more about what their lives are like.
It offers a level of subtlety I have not seen often in film, particularly since Star Wars.
1. Ki (Introduction) - Sets up characters and situation.
2. Shō (Development) - Expands the characters and fleshes them out.
3. Ten (Twist) - Introduces a new element or change.
4. Ketsu (Conclusion) - Shows the outcome and connections between elements.
In contrast Western films usually follow a three act structure:
1. Setup - Introduces the hero, often stepping into the unknown, and establishes the initial conflict and sets the stage for the story.
2. Confrontation - The hero faces mounting challenges and conflicts, often involving threats to innocent people or community. Stakes are raised and the story progresses to a conclusion.
3. Resolution - The story culminates in a climatic confrontation between the hero and the villain. Some sacrifice is usually paid, the hero triumphs, justice is served and order returns to the community.
I grew up on Disney and the three act structure, so when I experienced Studio Ghibli for the first time with Princess Mononoke it felt very different, fresh and more mature. While I don't necessarily love all of Studio Ghibli's catalogue, I do treasure Princess Mononoke, Kiki's Delivery Service, and Porco Rosso.
In the case of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, I highly recommend reading the manga over watching the Studio Ghibli anime.
1. Kishoutenketsu prefers to introduce the primary conflict as late as possible, whereas any writer in Hollywood will try to introduce it as early as possible.
2. Kishoutenketsu prefers to frame the primary conflict as a difference in perspective that must be bridged from both sides, rather than outright competition between irreconcilable goals.
These differences aren't fundamental (you can find all the counterexamples you like, especially if you cite movies with twist endings) but they are encouraged by style guides and deliberately (or even subconsciously) prioritized by writers, to varying effect.
I like the Lynch version of this in Lost Highway:
1. Conflict: someone sent us a video of the outside of our house.
2. Rising Conflict: oh no, now they sent us a video of the inside of our house!
3. Conglitch: now they sent us a video of me murdering my wife?!? Didn't I just see her go in the bedroom?
4. Sogflatch: wait wut now I'm getting sentenced for murdering my wife?!?
5. Segfault: Hey Warden, the guy who murdered his wife disappeared and now there's a different guy in his cell!!!
6. Reboot: New guy adjusting to life after materializing in and getting released from the murderer's cell...
There's a similar game with conflict in Blue Velvet where "teen coming-of-age plot arc" becomes entangled with a separate "drug-addled adult plot arc." The latter ends up dominating to the point where the "teen drama" bullies get scared and drive off from what would have been the climax of their plot arc (never to be seen again!).
Yeah, you guessed it: two of my favorite animated movies!
I love the movie, I actually think Naussica is his best movie, followed by Princess. However as someone who grew up on western movies there is a rhythmic miss to these movies, a pacing that is unlike other movies. I never said it made the movies bad, just that it was, I guess strange... unexpected.
.. and like I said, looking at the movie, there is nothing there I would cut nothing that would bring it back to the expected western rhythm.
I haven't watched the movie with anyone (and I don't mean anime fans -- which I'm not one, by the way) who was bored or frustrated by the train scene. A screenshot of that scene is often featured in articles about the movie, so at least reviewers seem to like it. I think it's one of the most hauntingly beautiful passages, too.
"The expected Western rythm" isn't something to be treasured at all costs, if at all. "A pacing that is different" is not the same as a "rythmic miss". It's just part of media literacy to be able to appreciate different rhythms. And come on, these aren't alien or bizarre movies, I've watched movies where the pacing really threw me off, and these barely register.
We do agree Mononoke is superb, so there's that!
I'm not saying that the train scene is a miss, i've very specifically saying that it as at that point that i've seen people check the timeline and see a remaining timeline that 'feels' longer than it 'should' be as an example.
I'm not saying the western rhythm is the only thing that matters or that all other structures are inferior. I'm saying that these movies have a different structure, and that's honestly it. I've seen it throw people off, it throws me off, I don't want them to end, I don't throw away my copy of it but it's a bump in the road nonetheless.
I love these movies they are some of my favorite gifts to give to my young nieces. I give them as a gift on a holiday and we do a watch of them while my siblings and parents and whatnot inevitably watch sports. I think this easter it might be finally time for mononoke (the oldest is 16 and her sister is 11.. i think it might still be a little intense for the 11 year old).
I'm not sure that I would call myself an anime 'fan' but I have consumed, and continue to consume anime as part of my media diet. I don't watch every series that gets hyped by the anime community but I catch one here and there, sometimes they stick and sometimes they don't. (recent things I've enjoyed are DanDaDan, Delicious in Dungeon and the Ranma 1/2 remake.)
We agree the pacing and some of the structure is mildly different to some Western cinema (but not too much, there's nothing radically different either, which is why Disney/Pixar found Ghibli so inspiring).
I guess what's puzzling is your wording: you say the rythm is different (arguably true), that you wouldn't cut anything (agreed) but also call it a "rythmic miss".
What you claim about the train scene is both confusing and feels anecdotal -- I've never seen people do what you claim. The scene is there, it works, and it's beautiful and I've never seen anybody check the time at this point.
That's all I say: it's not a "rythmic miss" and it seems presumptuous to claim otherwise.
We do not disagree on anything else, really.
Also,
> I actually think Naussica is his best movie
I don't agree but I love Nausicaa's visuals. They are also hauntingly beautiful. I owe it to myself to get the manga, too.
They could easily have made the cash back on some reality thing that cost nothing but made bank.
This is what I also hate about the gaming industry. If you have a team that works good - find something to do for them.
The guys behind Prince of Peria lost crown were brilliant in every aspect. And Ubisoft disbanded them instead of giving them time to get their footing. But we have a bloated AC:Shadows crap coming our way.
You seem to assume that people want to keep working together forever. Gamesdev can be really intense and for a lot of devs the end of a game is the opportunity to part ways cleanly and try something else.
They were always doomed by the budgetary limits, kind of like how the latest Indy movie was doomed to lose money unless it was as big as Avatar.
Really good stuff IMHO, I suspect it was the movie(s) Snyder actually set out to make.
I'm struggling to get through the series. That ultra clunky opening narration is not a great sign and the world building and underlying plot feels shallow in the series.
I'd LOVE for more Dark Crystal content but I would like them to start over...
There are some kinda deep cut star wars references that non-fans will miss. Mon Mothma the political head of the rebellion is seen only sparingly in the original trilogy and in rogue one (scenes were shot for her in the prequels setting her up as politically aligned with Padme and Bail, but they were cut) is a main character here. Other characters like Saw Gererra only appear in the clone wars series and Rogue One (a film for which this series is a prequel). However this didn't seem to effect my friends much only one of whom had even seen rogue one and the prequels, the other two only having seen the original series.
I'm so glad that it got a second season and am very excited to see it play out.
It's a really beautifully shot show.
I have not seen it nor the original film to be fair, but this is quite literally the first positive thing I have heard about it.
I was young when the original came out so I found it good but scary. I felt the prequel was excellent and it left me wanting more.
These days I feel a lot of my youthful nostalgia has been vandalised for a quick corporate buck. Probably the worst has been Willow on Disney+.
There are so few examples of good follow-ups to nostalgic media. The only other example I can think of is Blade Runner (1982) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017).
https://ondisneyplus.disney.com/show/willow (notice you can only see clips/trailer)
Disney then canned it and I'm pretty sure they removed it from Disney+ for a tax write off.
I know this is controversial, but I disliked Blade Runner 2049. It feels made by someone who just didn't get Blade Runner and was both copying it mechanically in parts, and improvising unfaithfully in others. (Coincidentally, I liked Arrival but the changes Villeneuve introduced to make it more "sentimental" ruined the reigned-in emotions in Ted Chiang's piece -- again it felt like he just didn't "get it").
I obsess about Blade Runner -- to me almost every scene is artwork, and the music is amazing. The plot? I mean, yes, there are plot holes aplenty, but I don't think this movie is truly about the plot, beyond the philosophical themes.
Blade Runner 2049 in contrast seems so cynical and shallow to me. It just didn't work.
PS: also, the insufferable Jared Leto. And the non-entity that is Luv. While Blade Runner has the best anti-hero ever in Roy Batty... and the best dying speech (vs Luv's "I'm the best!". Ugh).
I think the only good Dune media besides the books was the video game Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty by Westwood Studios (RIP). Without it, I think there would be no Command & Conquer and no heyday for the real-time strategy (RTS) genre.
https://archive.org/details/the-dark-crystal-a.-o.-r.-episod...
Given how fragmentation and enshittification of streaming services is driving users back to piracy, one can't help but feel like the current model may not persist much longer. Heck, I wonder what the impact of the trade war is going to be! A lot of people in a lot of countries are cancelling Disney Plus, Netflix, Amazon Plus, Apple TV, etc. just because they're American.
Think you might be over-estimating the size of your algorithm bubble there. Normal people don't even make that connection.
The antics of the US have been a perfect excuse to clean up under-used subscriptions.
There has been a surge of antipathy towards the U.S. in Canada and Europe; owing to Trump's threats with respect to trade wars, annexation of Canada and Greenland, and undermining NATO and the ability of Europe to defend itself.
If they were separate shows I would be tempted not to compare them at all.
Season 2 is simply forgettable.
I seriously don't understand who's in charge of this idiocy. its not like they are relying on nielson boxes. they have good data on what is bringing people to the streaming platform. there's no reason for them to be cutting shows prematurely that people love.
(Had a page crash and strange refreshes from ads.)
My biggest gripe is that puppets have no facial expression, so this so-called "amazing voice acting" doesn't work for me. It feels like they're overacting to make up for lack of facial expression. Thing is, I've seen this work in shows like Yonderland where puppets make up less than 50% of the cast. If their human counterparts are good actors, the puppets interaction with humans work, especially if they have good lines and interesting characters (which, in the case of Yonderland, they do but with Dark Crystal they very much don't).
It's odd, but I also think that the CGI and lack of any physical actors is what kills this for me. I don't know anyone in the acting profession but one example I can relate is the amazing "Yes, Minister" political comedy series from the BBC on the early 80s. That was originally available as a radio show. Having watched and loved it, I decided to put the radio version on one day while cleaning. I had to turn it off. Even though it was the same cast of great actors, I think the fact that they were sitting around a bunch of microphones and not inter-acting completely stunted the dialog. I decided to put on the TV version and simply listen to it. Even though there were visual gags I couldn't see, it was far far better. Something about being the characters in costume, on a set, interacting with other actors, injected vitality and comic timing into the performance. You could listen between the lines and feel the gags you couldn't see.
I understand that a lot of time, effort, CGI went into this, but I just feel slapped in the face with beauty while not caring one jot about a single character. Or as the wife very uncharitably put it after 45 minutes "I hope all of these characters die in this".
Sometimes there are adult shows that also appeal to kids. Sometimes there are shows that appear to be aimed at kids but are really aimed at adults. But this wants to be the latter and fails as either.
This reminds me of Yonderland, an absolutely amazing TV show that has plot, characters and occasionally adult humour that will fly over the heads of children in the same way that a lot of great Simpsons gags did, in the good old days. Yonderland is made by the same people who did Ghosts (no, not the American rehash, the far superior original). Find it, watch it, it's brilliant.
Also, can't help pointing to this Robot Chicken gem: The Dark Cristal:
Every time I try to watch a tv series the padding starts to burst at the seams by at best the 3rd episode. Then I give up for a few years, let myself be tricked again and nothing has changed ...
Scavenger's Reign on Max got similarly cancelled after one season. There isn't much audience for weird shows like that, apparently. :(
I'm massively disappointed it got cancelled. It really scratched the sci-fi itch that usually only gets scratched via books. Most sci-fi movies and shows are really just lazily dressed up romance.
The plot and characters felt a bit shallow/stereotypical/predictable in a bad way.
It’s like they had too much of the ecosystem that they wanted to show, so they split it up among too many characters, and didn’t invest the appropriate character development in each. Plus, I really want to steep in the ecosystem, the rush to get to the ship is, IMO, not really necessary (it serves to force the characters to explore the environment, but IMO some alternative force that doesn’t put the characters on such a tight timer would be preferable). I often found myself thinking: wow, I wish the characters could take more time exploring this phenomenon, but also, the character should, given their in-character motivation, leave this interesting thing alone. They are wasting precious time.
I’d love to see a Mushishi like series set in that universe. Focus on one character’s journey through the ecosystem. Give the character motivation to unravel the mysteries instead of dodge them.
Common Side Effects has great characters IMO, it really captures this tension where the alternative to selling out is to accomplish nothing, maybe.
Louis Leterrier is considered a journeyman Hollywood director, but his work here was insane.
And the puppetry.
Huh. Why not also compare Jackson's puppet/splatter films, Bad Taste, Meet the Feebles, heck even Braindead?
"Ooh, aren't I lucky, I got a chunky bit!"
You could also have mentioned Heavenly Creatures and The Frighteners (filmed in my home town, was a blast seeing Michael J. Fox roaming around).
I suspect they mentioned LotR because you know, well known and, fantasy.
Not really comparable to Barry and the team vs. the evil aliens, or Harvey Weinstein personified in a walrus puppet.
But I'm rather glad you're aware of Jackson's earlier works.