Reviews (769)

A wonderful movie for the kids... Great Jim Henson fun!!
I watched this movie for the first time as a young child and , I must say, it definitely appeals to the imagination of young and old alike. The puppets and the scenery are very fanciful and identify well with the fairy tale story line.Jennifer Connelly plays a young girl who lives in her ficticious dream world with princesses and goblins. When she makes the mistake of taking the fairy tale for granted, her bratty baby brother is swept away by none other than the almighty Goblin King (played by David Bowie.) She is forced to search through a twisting, mystical maze called the Labyrinth. Along her way she makes friends who are also fed up with the Goblin King and his shenanigans.The music provided by the talented David Bowie brings the story to life. It excites the kid in you and leaves you with at least one song in your heart. Jim Henson's muppets are as colorful and imaginative as ever and they conjure up rememberances of the fanciful visions that we used to dream of as children. This film is definitely worth seeing again and again and again...

A MAZE OF WONDERS!
This movie is a timeless classic. I first saw it on its theatrical release and still love it as much now as I did then. Its fantastic characters and enchanting sets make this a beatiful and magical tale, which could only be created by the artistic genius of Jim Henson's workshop. Now with this Dvd release, the film has been given a new lease of energy. The improved picture quality really emphasises the films gorgeous colors, really bringing to life the action. The script is blessed with the fantasy of the 'Dark Crystal' (an equally brilliant movie) but with the added mayhem of the Muppet show,it is far more more light hearted.

As is standard with Jim Henson movies, there is a wonderful mixture of characters, which interact together brilliantly. The acting may not be the best, but it is important to remember that Jennifer Connelly who plays Sarah (the lead character)was only 14 when she made this movie and is having to act with puppets which can't be easy. The great David Bowie gives a convincig performance as the goblin king, providing musical interludes, which admittedly, I found somewhat tedious as a youngster but enjoy now. All the elements blend to make a lively, innocent adventure movie which will be enjoyed by all ages.

The Dvd also provides a wonderful trove of extras, including a delightful 'making of' documentary which gives some really interesting insights to the movies creation.

Timeless magic
On its' release this little gem of a film was overlooked and not the hit it deserved to be.
The story centres around Sarah, a teenager, who resents her stepmother and Toby, her baby stepbrother and 'wishes' for the goblins to take him away. When they do Sarah finds herself journeying through the labyrinth of the goblin king (Bowie) in order to save him.
She befriends an assortment of creatures such as Hoggle, a grumpy dwarf type being and Ludo, a massive, hairy beast who has a gentle nature. They accompany and help Sarah on her way to the goblin king's castle where Toby is being held.
Jim Hensons workshop has worked it's usual magic and the film is littered with songs written and performed by David Bowie.
This film is pure entertainment for any age group, well worth watching.

Simplistic yet Imaginative
Rather than relying on modern cinematics and special effects, Labyrinth instead relies on the talent and imagination of it's creators. It combines the talents of Set Designer M.C. Eshcher, Producer and Director, the infamous Jim Henson, and of course, the talented fantasy artist and designer Brian Froud. This combination creates an absolutely fun, and magic filled journey through the naivete of childhood that can be shared by the young and old alike.

Jeniffer Conolly is superp as Sarah, and David Bowie even more superb as Jareth, The Goblin King. The casting couldn't have been more perfect, as both artists became legends in their own right in that their appeal has lasted through the decades, and so, has the film. It remains a cult classic.

If anything, the lack of special effects has made it's appeal even more undeniable, as it cannot be dated. Too many times has it occured with films that as speical effects develop, the films lose their appeal. As the film relies on the fantastic nature of not only the genre, but the spectacular muppetry, the film retains it's beauty, despite it's simplistic cinematics...

A must see for all lovers of the fantsy genre...and of course Jim Henson or David Bowie fans...

The Labyrinth
This is a great movie! I love it so much. It's kind of corny by today's standards. However, it is allot of fun.
The costumes are really cool to look at. David Bowie's music is fun in it as well.
Makes a nifty sound track. The character Sarah Williams is kind of annoying. However, David is great in it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of Jim Henson's finest hours was the Storyteller series that first aired on HBO in 1987. As with his other non-Muppet creations (Labyrinth), Henson fills the screen with wonderful creatures that have a wisp of a J.R.R. Tolkien fantasy. This collection of nine stories (it does not contain the Greek myths arc) were adapted by Anthony Minghella, who became an Oscar-winning filmmaker a decade later with The English Patient. Minghella weaves the narration of the storyteller (played with aplomb by John Hurt) with dialogue from the stories to beguiling effect; the storyteller doesn't simply introduce the tales.

A few of the stories have been available before on video, but this collection starts with the debut, the Emmy-winning "Hans My Hedgehog," the title role being a young disformed man who helps a lost king in the woods. Other highlights include "The Luck Child" about a king bent on destroying a commoner boy, known as the luck child ("the seventh son born of a seventh son on a week with two Fridays"). After a wizard declares the boy will grow up to be king. The fate of the king is one of those hooks that should have the kids smiling for days. Henson himself directs "Death and the Soldier," a brilliant example of how these episodes were so wonderfully complex. A penniless solider (Bob Peck) is given a magical sack and he uses it to full effect, capturing gremlins and greater evils on his way to be king. "Sapsorrow" is a curious variation on the Cinderella legend. "A Story Short" is the storyteller's own adventure. He makes a deal with a king to tell a story every day of the year. Yet on the last day, the storyteller's mind is a blank and his fate may lead him to a boiling vat of oil. Henson's work is true family entertainment and at only 22 minutes per episode, it's the perfect companion for some fine entertainment around the TV. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (33)

We're almost there. . .
It's been taking the Henson company a long time to get these titles pumped to DVD, and it's nice to see The Storyteller fill the gaps in the shelves. I am still waiting for Fraggle Rock, but hopefully that is on the horizon.

I remember these as part of the Jim Henson Hour (another series I would like to see again) and they were as enjoyable to watch as they are now.

I gave the DVD 3 stars, simply because it's just that. . . a DVD. No extra's no behind the scenes, nothing added to it, just the stories, one after another in a digital format. The content and movies are great, its just that, well, there wasn't anything else. Kind of disappointing, but I'm sure back then, they didn't have a lot of cameras on the set filming behind the scenes, it wasn't the fad or desire back then.

This is a dvd though, that's not for kids. Young kids that is. Some pretty spooky moments, and the creatures can be a bit scarey. It's a fairly dark, gritty form of story telling, but fun and amusing at times.

To wrap up, its great. If your a fan of Jim, it belongs in your DVD library. No extras though, just the 9 episodes and that's it. The sound is good, picture great, just as I remember them. My only desire for some of the recent releases of Henson DVD's is to actually have more of Henson on them. He was a great man, and to hear him speak about his films and what he was doing is always a rare treat. I just wish they had more film footage of him.

Fairy tales will never be the same
I'm amazed that this series has gotten so little attention. This is Jim Henson and crew at their best, making fun of the lines between fantasy and reality, costume and puppetry, and new storytelling and old stories.

All of these short pieces were unfamiliar to me, at least in part. 'Sapsorrow' turned out to contain a story I knew, or thought I did. Part of the reason these fairy tales were unfamiliar was their authenticity. These stories were originally meant for adults. They had hard, dark edges, and were not the vapid Disneyfied versions that most people know.
Lots of kids will like these stories as much as adults do, but this may be too much for younger children. This isn't Sesame Street - it's one of the dark alleys off to the side.

The narrator is one of the unexpected treats on this disk. He opens and closes each short story, talking to his dog on a fire-lit night. The narration is a treat, too. It has a wonderful rolling cadence, too musical for regular speech but too prosaic to be a chant. It may give you some idea what the old epic poems must have sounded like in their original settings.

This is for anyone who likes fantasy, who likes a rich visual experience. You just have to see it for yourself - typed words can't begin to give the experience you'll find in this collection.

Fairy-Tales Aren't Just Kid's Stuff
I remember seeing this series for the first time years ago and thinking it was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever experienced. I still believe that when I watch it now. These stories, based on old folk legends (some woven together), have a great deal of resonance - that is why they have endured. Fairy-tales are not dumb, or childish, but rather are for those who still have the ability to enjoy the extraordinary, without needing to continually question the logic and criticise the rationality. Jim Henson was himself a modern-day storyteller, and is very much missed - they are a rare breed.
The stories are wonderfully crafted, if you wnat to be picky, some of the visual effects are a little dated (hey, it's 1987), but who cares when you're listening to such great tales!?
John Hurt is fantastic as the intriguing Storyteller, and even gets a well-deserved episode all about himself.
Hans My Hedgehog was always my favourite episode, and IMHO the Grovelhog costume is incredibly impressive. It's a genuinely touching story, and for me is on a par with The Elephant Man in terms of the tissue factor. I really wish that more of these had been made, but the ones that exist are a real blessing.
Show Storyteller to your children (I know some of you are worried about age, but I say go for it, children are darker than you think) and I am sure they will thank you profusely when they get older. As some have pointed out, they aren't always happy tales, but here is the valuable lesson - life isn't always happy. But it's still beautiful, and someting to marvel at, and learn from. Just like this DVD.
Oh, and if anyone tries to tell you it's just kid's stuff, let it go. They've lost their heart.

Just as good as it was 15 years ago.
I did not have the luxury, when I was growing up, to see these stories as they were originally shown on the Jim Henson Hour which aired in America and not until much later, in Australia. I happened upon the videos (these nine episodes were set on three videos) in a local rental shop and under extreme duress, my father rented them for myself and my sister. Much like we had done with the Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, we were transfixed by each and every episode. The thing we loved most about them was that they weren't your usual Disney-esque fluffiness. They were based on German, Russian and Celtic folklore and are in many cases, even today, still considered quite dark tales.

Now, many, many years later, I found and bought the DVD and am quite happy to say that the Jim Henson magic is still very much there. Sure, there's no special features on the DVD and I admit I would have liked to have seen some behind-the-scenes productions that are so accessible in this format of entertainment, but what was most important is that we got the series. To be honest, I couldn't complain about the quality of the DVD, it seemed pretty good to me. If the picture was blurry, it added to the atmosphere of the story rather than from detracted from it.

Some people who are not familiar the Jim Henson Creature Shop would find these productions stupid, cheesy and very out of date, but please remember, Jim Henson was a puppeteering pioneer and set many a standard for the fantasy genre. It was also well before the marvels of CGI were used on a regular basis, so please, don't complain when you see a puppet squirrel or badger flit across your screen and say that it would have been much better as a computer animation.

If you want seamless realistic graphics, go and watch the new Lord of the Rings epics, or The Matrix movies.

If you want to recapture a charming, fanciful bit of your childhood, when we didn't need thrills and spills to entertain us, watch The Storyteller series. You won't be disappointed.

"The Best Place by the Fire was kept for the Storyteller!"
Jim Henson's most famous contribution to the entertainment world is obviously "The Muppets", but if you're looking for his best work (in terms of both visual brilliancy and depth of theme and meaning) the award would have to go to "Labyrinth" and "The Storyteller." The former is of course the famous movie starring David Bowie, but the latter was a television series that was made up of a collaboration of Anthony Minghella's screenplays that drew on a range of folklore and ancient storytelling, Jim Henson's amazing puppets and John Hurt's performance as a nameless, gnome-like storyteller who sits by the fire with his (extremely talkative) dog, speaking directly to the viewer of the marvellous things he's seen and done in his lifetime.

There are nine episodes altogether, each one about twenty-five minutes long, with a separate tale in each one. Each one is both narrated by the Storyteller, but also acted out by a separate group of actors with which the Storyteller and his dog interact with - and it's not just them entering the world of the stories (such as the Storyteller performing a card trick in the court of the king)- sometimes the stories invade their fireside hearth: figures appear in the flames of the fire, shadows perform on the sides of pots and cups, the dog looks into his bowl to see faces looking up at him, and often the Storyteller produces objects that feature in the stories as proof of their reality.

Each story is very different, both from each other and from their original source material in order to create tales that are new, but also deeply familiar. Archetypes such as foundling children, wicked stepmothers, fay-like helpers, magical implements and triad motifs are prevalient, and you'll be surprised at how many familiar faces turn up! Some of the episodes are melded from several stories (such as "The Soldier and Death" which uses three Slovac tales to piece together a longer story) but others simply change a few details from their original sources ("The Three Ravens" uses ravens instead of swans as seen in the myth "The Children of Lyr" or Hans Christian Anderson's later retelling "The Seven Wild Swans") Spotting the similarities is part of the fun of watching, but a warning to parents - not all of the stories end happily, and often the content itself can be violent, scary, enigmatic or even mildly sensual.

"Hans My Hedgehog" is the winner of several television awards, and tells a darker version of "Beauty and the Beast" and "East O' the Sun and West O' the Moon", of a woman who makes a wayward wish for a baby and ends up with a hedgehog for a son.

"Fearnot" is the story of a young man that is so cheerful and simple that he has no idea what it's like to quiver and shudder in fear. Determined to know what the sensation is like he sets of - but the answer to being afraid may lie closer to home than he thinks...

"The Heartless Giant" is the bittersweet tale of a young prince named Leo who befriends a giant that has a nest of wasps in place of his heart. But can such a creature be trusted?

"Sapsorrow" is an interesting take on the "Cinderella" legend, as well as "Donkeyskin" in which a young woman seems to be forced to marry her own father if he does not hide herself within an elaborate disguise.

"The Three Ravens" is one of my favourites - three brothers are turned into ravens by their stepmother, and it is up to their sister to break the curse by never speaking a word. But when she falls in love and finds her beloved's stepmother is the witch that caused her brother's grief her danger intensifies: her children begin to disappear, and she cannot speak to defend herself.

"The True Bride" is the story of Anja, the slave of a troll who is helped by a beautiful white lion into getting her fortune. But when her financee (Sean Bean!!) is kidnapped by the troll's daughter, she leaves all her riches in order to get him back.

"The Soldier and Death" tells of a soldier who manages to a deal with devils that results in him capturing Death itself in his sack. The portrayal of Death is fascinating, and the puppetry of the devils is amazing.

"A Story Short" is the Storyteller's own story about beggars and fleas, a cruel wife, a deal with a king and a pot of boiling oil. This is another of my favourites.

Finally, "The Luck Child" concerns a young man named Lucky who is fated to be the next ruler of the land. The jealous king sends him on a dangerous quest to prove his worth, instructing him to bring back the griffin's golden feather. The puppet of the griffin is amazing, and the humour in this episode is great: "No, you're a sensitive monster!"

Although some of the techniques used for scenery looks a little dated by today's standards, the puppets are as ingenious as ever, and "The Storyteller Collection" is an educational and intriging display of storytelling that I highly recommend. ... Read more

Reviews (196)

A underrated masterpiece of fantasy!
Jim Henson's 1982 Fantasy epic is set in another world and time, a elf-like being called " Jen" has a task that he must take. His task is to return an important Crystal shard back to a important universal source called " The Dark Crystal" before 3 suns line up, he joins up with a female Gelfling and must save the universe from the evil Skeckis before it's too late.

A magical movie that is one of the greatest fantasy epics of all time and also one of the best animated movies ever made, why is it animated you say? cause it's performed by Puppets that why. The DVD is impressive with excellent transfer and widescreen the way it was meant to be seen, the extras are phenomenal such as trailers, documentary, deleted scenes and more that adds to the value of the DVD. It's a must see movie if your into adventure, fantasy, sci-fi and animation, it's also a must see movie for your whole family and a guaranteed good time.

Movie Fairy Tale Told Right.
Jim Henson was one of the greatest artists and filmmakers of the 20th century. It took awhile for his genius to be appreciated in the United States, but over a decade since his death people are finally beginning to recognize the mastery of his creative mind. For example, THE DARK CRYSTAL. The film had a fairly decent run when it was originally released in theatres in 1982. However, the film wasn't acknowledged or heralded for the creative and complex masterpiece that it is until recently.

THE DARK CRYSTAL was a humongous undertaking. It is a film that takes place in a fantasy world, filled with frightening and mystical creatures; yet does not star one human being. The entire cast of the film consisted of nothing but puppets: some rather large and cumbersome, some that human performers were fitted in, some that were small, some that were animatronic; but all puppets nonetheless. Nothing like it had ever been attempted before and through the work on THE DARK CRYSTAL, Henson pushed puppetry and animatronics to a whole new level.

THE DARK CRYSTAL is about a young male Gelfling (think of an elf, but much smaller) named Jen and the journey he undertakes to save his world from an eternal dominion by a group of dragon-like creatures called Skesis. Jen's entire race was wiped out in a holocaust by the Skesis in an attempt to prevent a 1000 year old prophecy from being fulfilled. Jen is the last of his race, or so he believes. Jen leaves the race of Mystics who have raised the child since his parents' murder and sets forth on a journey to the great Palace to heal the Dark Crystal by inserting The Shard that had been broken from the crystal a millenium ago. Along the way he meets a variety of fantastical creatures from a one-eyed wise woman, the a race of miniture-round-headed people called Podlings, to a female Gelfling named Kira.

The plot of the movie is excellent and is told in the manner of such classic works as THE LORD OF THE RINGS, STAR WARS, and THE ODYSSEY. The world that Henson created is one of magic and fantasy, yet the story contains a great deal of Truth within it. It is a tale of adventure, love, sacrifice, and redemption; which speaks to the divinity in us all.

The movie is acceptible for an entire family to watch and contains several morals. However, children younger than five may find some of the creatures frightening. Nevertheless, THE DARK CRYSTAL is a fairy tale and like all true fairy tales, it does not gloss over the fact that evil is an ugly and nasty business. This movie is one of the best by one of the greatest.

Beautiful, but something missing...
Perhaps *beautiful* is the wrong word, for this movie is rarely aesthetically beautiful. Don't get me wrong on this point, beauty is not necessarily a good thing. What I mean to say is, atmospherically this is a triumph... but not beautiful. The 'characters' blend in perfectly(... beautifully?) to their world. The landscapes are... well... dark (which is fitting). It's aesthetically perfect, and in a movie like this, perfection demands there be little beauty.

The creatures are organic. 'Nuff said. They're wonderful. They're believable. They're just plain... wow.

So what's missing?

Terry Gilliam is quoted as saying a children's movie should be "Exciting enough for adults, and intelligent enough for kids" (Re: Time Bandits). The Dark Crystal is an imaginative masterpiece, but I couldn't help but feel the simplistic plot, 2-dimensional characters (I appreciate that making puppets' mental workings visible must be one of the hardest tasks in a movie with a fully puppet cast) patronizes the intelligence of all but the youngest children. They're a lot brighter than we treat them, and they're getting brighter by the day ;)

But, I suppose a great movie can do without great characters as long as the focus isn't on the characters, as long as it compensates atmospherically. And "The Dark Crystal" more than compensates.

So what's missing?

I'll relate this to another adventure movie: Dune. Dune was atmospherically beautiful, but it took itself too seriously. It was a massive undertaking, granted, but I can't remember laughing... or even smiling once. 137 minutes without smiling is a long time.

And it's the same with "The Dark Crystal". The only slightly comic break from the plot is the antics of a round-furry-dog-thing, but this isn't enough. "The Dark Crystal" Takes its battle-between-good-and-evil far too seriously, and unless one's awe at the world Jim Henson created can last one the full 90 minutes or so of the movie, one becomes impatient. Humour is an important tool with infinite potential - especially in a movie aimed at children, but it's a tool almost entirely overlooked in "The Dark Crystal". Even in a story as serious as Macbeth takes a moment to let its audience step back and chuckle towards the beginning. "The Dark Crystal" doesn't give us this opportunity.

In conclusion, "The Dark Crystal" is a... beautiful movie, but one that takes itself far too seriously. I became impatient with the simplistic plot, 2-dimensional characters (as 'beautiful' as they may be), and almost total lack of humour, but... clearly from the other reviews I've read, other's did not.

RE: the DVD
It's a lovely little package, but for the price you pay for it, it better be. I'm particularly fond of the little note-pad included. I would have liked to see more documentaries on the DVD, perhaps audio commentary, but alas - it shall not be.

Glorious!
I admit to being scared out of my wits by the Skeksis and the Garthim when I was little (reptiles combined with vultures and spiders combined with crabs are still terrifying to me), but I've come to really cherish this Tolkien-esque/ Froudian film. The gentle, nurturing Mystics, and cute little dog/ dust ball Fizzgig are among my favorite characters. The Podlings are simply adorable... the Gelflings are finely- featured and beautiful(Jen is very ponderous, if somewhat passive... Kira shows just how women can be, and are, just as strong as men!)... the Landstriders (which gracefully manage to combine the aspects of cats, moths, giraffes, camels, bats, rabbits, and who knows what else, into such beautiful creatures) are swift, courageous animals, and are very dear to me (for some odd reason). Possibly because I love animals(and I just have a thing for the underdog/unsung hero.) And there's the gentle Nebrie and many other creatures.

It's incredible to me that they were able to do this whole film without human actors! I seriously thought when I first saw it that they were real, flesh-and-blood creatures! Jim, Frank, Brian, and the rest of the crew really put their time and effort into making this film! Their hard work really paid off; the facial expressions and movements are impeccable! And the scenery is unbelievably lush, beautiful, and realistic. All of it looks so natural and earthy. It is as if they actually had real-live creatures acting, in my eyes... and they fact that they took the time to make up all of the history beind this story! That's just amazing!... and I could not get enough of "The Making of The Dark Crystal". How they all managed to sculpt, design, and perform these characters is mind-blowing for me, since I'm far from an artist like this crew. No matter...

This film, while impressive, is not for all people; there is a sizable mortality rate in this film that (the little ones) are likely to find very disturbing, including several struggles (Screaming Podlings being snatched up to be converted into slaves, Nebries being served to the Skeksis for dinner, and two Landstriders squealing as they fall to their deaths in a cliffside battle with the Garthim... I can't bear to watch (or hear) animals being harmed, and especially animals as gentle and benevolent as they are. Was showing these things really necessary?)

Apart from little things here and there, it is truely quite an accomplishment, if not earth-shattering, to watch!

22 Year Old Masterpiece of puppetry, still
When you think of Jim Henson you would sooner think of brightly colored animals with funny voices like dogs, bears, frogs and gonzos or fraggles. The Dark Crystal is something completely different however. It is scary, scary as hell.

It is a story of two races, Scepsis and Mystics who became seperated when the crystal cracked. To regain the balance in the universe the crystal must be whole again. In a prophecy it is said that a Gelfling will do this, allmost all of them are killed, except for one Gelfling called Jen...

Even though this movie is made 1982 it does not look dated at all. The puppets and body suits are amazing and really form their own world, much like Lord of the Rings. I'm surprised not more movies or stories in this fantasy world have been made.

This movie should not be watched by children under at least 12. The Scepsis are scary, vulture like creatures aided by an army of big bugs. Even the Gelflings look a little scary.

It's a masterpiece of puppetry, so definitely watch it. ... Read more

Reviews (196)

A underrated masterpiece of fantasy!
Jim Henson's 1982 Fantasy epic is set in another world and time, a elf-like being called " Jen" has a task that he must take. His task is to return an important Crystal shard back to a important universal source called " The Dark Crystal" before 3 suns line up, he joins up with a female Gelfling and must save the universe from the evil Skeckis before it's too late.

A magical movie that is one of the greatest fantasy epics of all time and also one of the best animated movies ever made, why is it animated you say? cause it's performed by Puppets that why. The DVD is impressive with excellent transfer and widescreen the way it was meant to be seen, the extras are phenomenal such as trailers, documentary, deleted scenes and more that adds to the value of the DVD. It's a must see movie if your into adventure, fantasy, sci-fi and animation, it's also a must see movie for your whole family and a guaranteed good time.

Movie Fairy Tale Told Right.
Jim Henson was one of the greatest artists and filmmakers of the 20th century. It took awhile for his genius to be appreciated in the United States, but over a decade since his death people are finally beginning to recognize the mastery of his creative mind. For example, THE DARK CRYSTAL. The film had a fairly decent run when it was originally released in theatres in 1982. However, the film wasn't acknowledged or heralded for the creative and complex masterpiece that it is until recently.

THE DARK CRYSTAL was a humongous undertaking. It is a film that takes place in a fantasy world, filled with frightening and mystical creatures; yet does not star one human being. The entire cast of the film consisted of nothing but puppets: some rather large and cumbersome, some that human performers were fitted in, some that were small, some that were animatronic; but all puppets nonetheless. Nothing like it had ever been attempted before and through the work on THE DARK CRYSTAL, Henson pushed puppetry and animatronics to a whole new level.

THE DARK CRYSTAL is about a young male Gelfling (think of an elf, but much smaller) named Jen and the journey he undertakes to save his world from an eternal dominion by a group of dragon-like creatures called Skesis. Jen's entire race was wiped out in a holocaust by the Skesis in an attempt to prevent a 1000 year old prophecy from being fulfilled. Jen is the last of his race, or so he believes. Jen leaves the race of Mystics who have raised the child since his parents' murder and sets forth on a journey to the great Palace to heal the Dark Crystal by inserting The Shard that had been broken from the crystal a millenium ago. Along the way he meets a variety of fantastical creatures from a one-eyed wise woman, the a race of miniture-round-headed people called Podlings, to a female Gelfling named Kira.

The plot of the movie is excellent and is told in the manner of such classic works as THE LORD OF THE RINGS, STAR WARS, and THE ODYSSEY. The world that Henson created is one of magic and fantasy, yet the story contains a great deal of Truth within it. It is a tale of adventure, love, sacrifice, and redemption; which speaks to the divinity in us all.

The movie is acceptible for an entire family to watch and contains several morals. However, children younger than five may find some of the creatures frightening. Nevertheless, THE DARK CRYSTAL is a fairy tale and like all true fairy tales, it does not gloss over the fact that evil is an ugly and nasty business. This movie is one of the best by one of the greatest.

Beautiful, but something missing...
Perhaps *beautiful* is the wrong word, for this movie is rarely aesthetically beautiful. Don't get me wrong on this point, beauty is not necessarily a good thing. What I mean to say is, atmospherically this is a triumph... but not beautiful. The 'characters' blend in perfectly(... beautifully?) to their world. The landscapes are... well... dark (which is fitting). It's aesthetically perfect, and in a movie like this, perfection demands there be little beauty.

The creatures are organic. 'Nuff said. They're wonderful. They're believable. They're just plain... wow.

So what's missing?

Terry Gilliam is quoted as saying a children's movie should be "Exciting enough for adults, and intelligent enough for kids" (Re: Time Bandits). The Dark Crystal is an imaginative masterpiece, but I couldn't help but feel the simplistic plot, 2-dimensional characters (I appreciate that making puppets' mental workings visible must be one of the hardest tasks in a movie with a fully puppet cast) patronizes the intelligence of all but the youngest children. They're a lot brighter than we treat them, and they're getting brighter by the day ;)

But, I suppose a great movie can do without great characters as long as the focus isn't on the characters, as long as it compensates atmospherically. And "The Dark Crystal" more than compensates.

So what's missing?

I'll relate this to another adventure movie: Dune. Dune was atmospherically beautiful, but it took itself too seriously. It was a massive undertaking, granted, but I can't remember laughing... or even smiling once. 137 minutes without smiling is a long time.

And it's the same with "The Dark Crystal". The only slightly comic break from the plot is the antics of a round-furry-dog-thing, but this isn't enough. "The Dark Crystal" Takes its battle-between-good-and-evil far too seriously, and unless one's awe at the world Jim Henson created can last one the full 90 minutes or so of the movie, one becomes impatient. Humour is an important tool with infinite potential - especially in a movie aimed at children, but it's a tool almost entirely overlooked in "The Dark Crystal". Even in a story as serious as Macbeth takes a moment to let its audience step back and chuckle towards the beginning. "The Dark Crystal" doesn't give us this opportunity.

In conclusion, "The Dark Crystal" is a... beautiful movie, but one that takes itself far too seriously. I became impatient with the simplistic plot, 2-dimensional characters (as 'beautiful' as they may be), and almost total lack of humour, but... clearly from the other reviews I've read, other's did not.

RE: the DVD
It's a lovely little package, but for the price you pay for it, it better be. I'm particularly fond of the little note-pad included. I would have liked to see more documentaries on the DVD, perhaps audio commentary, but alas - it shall not be.

Glorious!
I admit to being scared out of my wits by the Skeksis and the Garthim when I was little (reptiles combined with vultures and spiders combined with crabs are still terrifying to me), but I've come to really cherish this Tolkien-esque/ Froudian film. The gentle, nurturing Mystics, and cute little dog/ dust ball Fizzgig are among my favorite characters. The Podlings are simply adorable... the Gelflings are finely- featured and beautiful(Jen is very ponderous, if somewhat passive... Kira shows just how women can be, and are, just as strong as men!)... the Landstriders (which gracefully manage to combine the aspects of cats, moths, giraffes, camels, bats, rabbits, and who knows what else, into such beautiful creatures) are swift, courageous animals, and are very dear to me (for some odd reason). Possibly because I love animals(and I just have a thing for the underdog/unsung hero.) And there's the gentle Nebrie and many other creatures.

It's incredible to me that they were able to do this whole film without human actors! I seriously thought when I first saw it that they were real, flesh-and-blood creatures! Jim, Frank, Brian, and the rest of the crew really put their time and effort into making this film! Their hard work really paid off; the facial expressions and movements are impeccable! And the scenery is unbelievably lush, beautiful, and realistic. All of it looks so natural and earthy. It is as if they actually had real-live creatures acting, in my eyes... and they fact that they took the time to make up all of the history beind this story! That's just amazing!... and I could not get enough of "The Making of The Dark Crystal". How they all managed to sculpt, design, and perform these characters is mind-blowing for me, since I'm far from an artist like this crew. No matter...

This film, while impressive, is not for all people; there is a sizable mortality rate in this film that (the little ones) are likely to find very disturbing, including several struggles (Screaming Podlings being snatched up to be converted into slaves, Nebries being served to the Skeksis for dinner, and two Landstriders squealing as they fall to their deaths in a cliffside battle with the Garthim... I can't bear to watch (or hear) animals being harmed, and especially animals as gentle and benevolent as they are. Was showing these things really necessary?)

Apart from little things here and there, it is truely quite an accomplishment, if not earth-shattering, to watch!

22 Year Old Masterpiece of puppetry, still
When you think of Jim Henson you would sooner think of brightly colored animals with funny voices like dogs, bears, frogs and gonzos or fraggles. The Dark Crystal is something completely different however. It is scary, scary as hell.

It is a story of two races, Scepsis and Mystics who became seperated when the crystal cracked. To regain the balance in the universe the crystal must be whole again. In a prophecy it is said that a Gelfling will do this, allmost all of them are killed, except for one Gelfling called Jen...

Even though this movie is made 1982 it does not look dated at all. The puppets and body suits are amazing and really form their own world, much like Lord of the Rings. I'm surprised not more movies or stories in this fantasy world have been made.

This movie should not be watched by children under at least 12. The Scepsis are scary, vulture like creatures aided by an army of big bugs. Even the Gelflings look a little scary.

It's a masterpiece of puppetry, so definitely watch it. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Best Baby and Toddler DVD
My daughter has watched this video almost every day since she was two months old (she's now 21 months old). It quickly became her favorite video last year, and I think it's because of the catchy, high-energy songs.

She prefers this video to many other ones because there are several good musical numbers, and there is only a limited amount of between-song talking. I even memorized several of the songs to sing to her in the car when we ride around town, and that used to stop her from crying when she was 6-12 months old (actually, it still works pretty well in the car sometimes).

Now that she's 21 months old, she jumps up and down and dances around when the songs come on, and she applauds at the end of each song. I'm amazed that this video has kept her attention for 19 months. Also, she really loves the "preview other sesame street DVDs" section. It shows you 30-second snippets of 15-20 other DVDs, focusing on the catchy songs. I choose the "play all previews" selection to give her a 10-minute block of previews. That gives us about 55 minutes of total entertainment - twice the length of many other toddler DVDs.

I almost forgot the most redeeming quality of this DVD - it teaches words. My daughter can now say the words "go", "sticky", and "elmo". She even tries to sing along with the syllables that she knows.

I can't recommend this DVD enough! It's a great baby and toddler DVD!

Great blend of old and new
For moms and dads who remember the classic Sesame Street skits, this DVD offers some nice gems. And it blends the older material into a cute, cohesive storyline that features some really catchy music and fun new action. My 18-month old just loves this DVD.

Another hit by Sesame Street!
My two-year old son is a huge fan of Sesame Street, and we own several VHS/DVD Sesame Street videos. This is our latest addition to our library of videos, and was an instant hit! My son loves to watch this video - over and over! It grabbed his attention right from the very start. I was a bit worried that he wasn't old enough to deal with seeing words, but Bert and Ernie do it in a very entertaining way, which keeps my son's attention. He is enjoying himself and learning while watching this video. All Sesame Street shows/videos are educational, in my humble opinion, but this one is by far VERY educational. Buy it!

We love this video!
The story is cute and our daughter loves it. I like how they dissect different words to make other words. There are a number of jokes that are funny for adults, so watching it with your child is not annoying. We have it on DVD and play it in the car or on the plane during long trips - it's been a lifesaver! I also like that my daugther is learning while she is being entertained.

Great video for toddlers and parents!
We own several Sesame Street videos and this is by far the best one. It is fun for our 18 month old daughter and for her parents! It has a Muppet Show feel to it and the songs are very catchy. It is a great introduction to the use of words as well. Enjoy! ... Read more

Reviews (120)

DVD - about time!
well, i can't really rate the dvd, because its not out, but i can rate the film...this is a timeless classic that to me and my family has become synonymous with the weather getting cold....i can't remember a christmas without it...this is the Muppet retelling of "the Gift of the Magi" (which i learned later in life), and with the genious of Jim Henson, another master graces this film - the music of paul Williams...paul williams has been a major influence to me...he also wrote the music for the Secret of Nimh, and some may recognize his voice as the 'Penguin' on the "Batman Animated Series"...he was recently homaged on an episode of "Dexter's Laboratory" as dexter's music teacher...the songs in Jugband Christmas are songs that will stay with you forever..."Grandma's Bathing suit", "Barbeque", "aint no Hole in the Washtub", "Brothers" and my favorite "When the river Meets the Sea"...even if you never saw this film in the 70's or 80's, its never too late to discover it, maybe for your kids to discover it too...

I own both versions of the VHS...the one with more music and less dialog, and the one with more dialog and less music...it will be interresting to see if on this DVD they do one extended version with all the dialog and all the music...I am also curious to see if the quality is restored at all...
Either way, this is a movie to own.

There are 2 versions of Emmet Otter
To clear up some of the confusion and angry reviews about this special being edited, as a fan of Emmet Otter, let me explain that there are 2 different versions of this classic holiday special. In 1977, HBO first aired Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas and also ran it in 1978 and 1979 which is the version that's been available on VHS for years and was just released on DVD. In 1980, ABC snatched the special away from HBO for one year and made some changes to it including adding Kermit's voiceover narration, trimming some of the songs ("Ain't No Hole In The Washtub" and the reprise of "When The River Meets The Sea"), extending some scenes like the Riverside Rest scene where Emmet, Ma and the boys are singing inside where it pans over to Kermit narrating to us the audience (the original 1977 version did not have Kermit at the Riverside Rest but just dissolved onto the next scene when Emmet, Ma and the boys are walking home after singing) while trimming others. HBO began airing the special again in 1981 and throughout the '80s but instead of using the original 1977 version that they ran from 1977 to 1979, they instead ran the ABC network version which is what most viewers had remembered seeing and therefore were upset by the video release which was the original 1977 cut and not the 1980 network version. So my advice to those who still have a copy from HBO recorded during the '80s, keep it and buy the video version which is the original version that aired back in 1977 on HBO and watch them back to back and decide for yourself which version you like the most. Personally, I prefer the video edition because that was the version I had remembered watching as a kid. I just wanted to clear up any confusion by those who had bought the video or DVD and was disappointed to see what they thought was an "edited version" of what they had remembered seeing on ABC or HBO in the '80s which is not really the case when it comes to this classic holiday special where there are 2 versions: the 1977 cut which ran on HBO from 1977 to 1979 and the 1980 ABC network version which ran once on ABC in 1980 and on HBO from 1981 into the late '80s. Hope this information helps.

They should be required to indicate that it has been edited
This was one of my favorite Muppets features ever since the first time I saw it on HBO. Unfortunately, as other reviewers have indicated, this version has been clumsily edited and I was very disappointed in the changes. Kermit's narration has been removed, the ending is changed, and some of the lyrics of the songs are redone. The Muppets features always showed the whole range of emotions, from sentimentality to honest anger and a little cartoonish violence. These things have all been removed from the film. I am not sure if the changes were made to "sanitize" this for kids, or if it was just cut for time reasons, but the changes make no sense and really cut the heart out of the film. Save your money until they release the original HBO special.

Great version, but I miss Kermie in the middle
I was one of the people who saw this in its original form and, unlike it's cousin The Muppet Family Christmas, it survived the editing process with only minor resections. However, it boggles my mind why they removed Kermit's narration towards the end of the show. It is quite obvious where they did it because Emmet freeze frames for a few seconds and then it abruptly segways into them singing together. Oh well. I have loved this one since I first saw it on HBO in the late 80's. This is a good example of how a good story survives, no matter how low-tech its presentation is. It is nice to have it on DVD, even with the alterations. Merry Christmas!

My Favorite Christmas Special
My brother and I watched this every year growing up, now my little girl watches it. She loves it just as much as we did. There are a few parts that have been deleted, but it is still a great Christmas special. ... Read more

Description

Journey into the fantastical world of LABYRINTH, starring David Bowie, and Jennifer Connelly in one of her first lead roles, and a cast of incredible creatures created by Jim Henson and produced by the Master of Myth, George Lucas! The classic fantasy adventure film available in an all-new Collector’s Edition. DVD will be re-mastered to add new bonus materials. ... Read more

Reviews (769)

A wonderful movie for the kids... Great Jim Henson fun!!
I watched this movie for the first time as a young child and , I must say, it definitely appeals to the imagination of young and old alike. The puppets and the scenery are very fanciful and identify well with the fairy tale story line.Jennifer Connelly plays a young girl who lives in her ficticious dream world with princesses and goblins. When she makes the mistake of taking the fairy tale for granted, her bratty baby brother is swept away by none other than the almighty Goblin King (played by David Bowie.) She is forced to search through a twisting, mystical maze called the Labyrinth. Along her way she makes friends who are also fed up with the Goblin King and his shenanigans.The music provided by the talented David Bowie brings the story to life. It excites the kid in you and leaves you with at least one song in your heart. Jim Henson's muppets are as colorful and imaginative as ever and they conjure up rememberances of the fanciful visions that we used to dream of as children. This film is definitely worth seeing again and again and again...

A MAZE OF WONDERS!
This movie is a timeless classic. I first saw it on its theatrical release and still love it as much now as I did then. Its fantastic characters and enchanting sets make this a beatiful and magical tale, which could only be created by the artistic genius of Jim Henson's workshop. Now with this Dvd release, the film has been given a new lease of energy. The improved picture quality really emphasises the films gorgeous colors, really bringing to life the action. The script is blessed with the fantasy of the 'Dark Crystal' (an equally brilliant movie) but with the added mayhem of the Muppet show,it is far more more light hearted.

As is standard with Jim Henson movies, there is a wonderful mixture of characters, which interact together brilliantly. The acting may not be the best, but it is important to remember that Jennifer Connelly who plays Sarah (the lead character)was only 14 when she made this movie and is having to act with puppets which can't be easy. The great David Bowie gives a convincig performance as the goblin king, providing musical interludes, which admittedly, I found somewhat tedious as a youngster but enjoy now. All the elements blend to make a lively, innocent adventure movie which will be enjoyed by all ages.

The Dvd also provides a wonderful trove of extras, including a delightful 'making of' documentary which gives some really interesting insights to the movies creation.

Timeless magic
On its' release this little gem of a film was overlooked and not the hit it deserved to be.
The story centres around Sarah, a teenager, who resents her stepmother and Toby, her baby stepbrother and 'wishes' for the goblins to take him away. When they do Sarah finds herself journeying through the labyrinth of the goblin king (Bowie) in order to save him.
She befriends an assortment of creatures such as Hoggle, a grumpy dwarf type being and Ludo, a massive, hairy beast who has a gentle nature. They accompany and help Sarah on her way to the goblin king's castle where Toby is being held.
Jim Hensons workshop has worked it's usual magic and the film is littered with songs written and performed by David Bowie.
This film is pure entertainment for any age group, well worth watching.

Simplistic yet Imaginative
Rather than relying on modern cinematics and special effects, Labyrinth instead relies on the talent and imagination of it's creators. It combines the talents of Set Designer M.C. Eshcher, Producer and Director, the infamous Jim Henson, and of course, the talented fantasy artist and designer Brian Froud. This combination creates an absolutely fun, and magic filled journey through the naivete of childhood that can be shared by the young and old alike.

Jeniffer Conolly is superp as Sarah, and David Bowie even more superb as Jareth, The Goblin King. The casting couldn't have been more perfect, as both artists became legends in their own right in that their appeal has lasted through the decades, and so, has the film. It remains a cult classic.

If anything, the lack of special effects has made it's appeal even more undeniable, as it cannot be dated. Too many times has it occured with films that as speical effects develop, the films lose their appeal. As the film relies on the fantastic nature of not only the genre, but the spectacular muppetry, the film retains it's beauty, despite it's simplistic cinematics...

A must see for all lovers of the fantsy genre...and of course Jim Henson or David Bowie fans...

The Labyrinth
This is a great movie! I love it so much. It's kind of corny by today's standards. However, it is allot of fun.
The costumes are really cool to look at. David Bowie's music is fun in it as well.
Makes a nifty sound track. The character Sarah Williams is kind of annoying. However, David is great in it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Dark Crystal
Jim Henson's fantasy epic The Dark Crystal doesn't take place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, but like Star Wars it takes the audience to a place that exists only in the imagination and, for an hour and a half, on the screen. Recalling the worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien, Henson tells the story of a race of grotesque birdlike lizards called the Skeksis, gnomish dragons who rule their fantastic planet with an iron claw. A prophecy tells of a Gelfling (a small elfin being) who will topple their empire, so in their reign of terror they have exterminated the race, or so they think. The orphan Jen, raised in solitude by a race of peace-loving wizards called the Mystics, embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of the Dark Crystal (which gives the Skeksis their power) and restore the balance of the universe. Henson and codirector Frank Oz have pushed puppetry into a new direction: traditional puppets, marionettes, giant bodysuits, and mechanical constructions are mixed seamlessly in a fantasy world of towering castles, simple huts, dank caves, a giant clockwork observatory, and a magnificent landscape that seem to have leaped off the pages of a storybook. Muppet fans will recognize many of the voice actors--a few characters sound awfully close to familiar comic creations--but otherwise it's a completely alien world made familiar by a mythic quest that resonates through stories over the ages. --Sean Axmaker

Labyrinth
Sarah (a teenage Jennifer Connelly) rehearses the role of a fairy-tale queen, performing for her stuffed animals. She is about to discover that the time has come to leave her childhood behind. In real life she has to baby-sit her brother and contend with parents who don't understand her at all. Her petulance leads her to call the goblins to take the baby away, but when they actually do, she realizes her responsibility to rescue him. Sarah negotiates the Labyrinth to reach the City of the Goblins and the castle of their king. The king is the only other human in the film and is played by a glam-rocking David Bowie, who performs five of his songs. The rest of the cast are puppets, a wonderful array of Jim Henson's imaginative masterpieces. Henson gives credit to children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, and the creatures in the movie will remind Sendak fans of his drawings. The castle of the king is a living M.C. Escher set that adults will enjoy. The film combines the highest standards of art, costume, and set decoration. Like executive producer George Lucas's other fantasies, Labyrinth mixes adventure with lessons about growing up. --Lloyd Chesley ... Read more

Reviews (16)

The Wonderful Wizard Frank Oz
These 2 films are, in my opinion, 2 of the absolute best childrens' (and parents') entertainment available. These movies are engaging, visually stunning, and offer SO much to talk about with children. Labyrinth may be more appropriate for older kids, maybe 8 and older, but Dark Crystal is great for all ages. Both movies do contain some "bad guys" who can be a little frightening, but I remember being more terrified of the Evil Queen in Disney's Snow White than by David Bowie's Goblin King. In fact, the Goblin King is a very human seeming character, if a little morally flawed. (But that's the point of the villain, isn't it?) Both movies are wonderful, but I recommend watching them WITH your children. There's a lot to discuss, and trust me, it won't be a chore! The movies are great. I'm in college, but I own both and watch them on a regular basis. I wish I could thank Frank Oz personally.

jim henson is a genious!
what stands out in my mind is the day i found out that jim henson died. I remember asking my mom why my sister was crying and she said "Because Jim Henson died." she absolutly loved his work. i, too, am a big fan. i love jim henson and wish he was still alive to create these brilliant movies and fascinating characters.
labyrinth is my all time favorite movie. i watch it at least once a day. it revolves around sarah, a girl who wishes the goblin king to take her baby brother away. he does and the movie focuses on her quest to get him back and the people/things she meets along the way. david bowie is excellent in this movie. the songs are great and i couldn't imagine anyone else being the goblin king. i don't think he's ever been so sexy. the sets are amazing and the creatures are just beautiful. they all have seperate personalities and if you left out just one, the movie would not have been the same. my favorite is ludo but i've always been a fan of big animals.
the dark crystal is completely different in almost every way. there are no humans at all, it's all puppets. the story revolves around the skeksis and they mystics who once were the same but became seperated (like the good part of a person and the bad part) when the crystal broke and a shard was lost. the skeksis worship the crystal becuz it gives them power. the story surrounds jen, a gelfling, who is the last of his kind. he is charged with finding the lost shard and replacing it in the stone to reunite the two halves and bring life back into the dead land. along his journey he meets kira (another gelfling), fezgig (her dog, sort of), the podpeople (who've taken care of kira since all the other gelflings were killed), augrah (the keeper of the shard and other knowledge), and many monsters who are minions of the skeksis.
both these films are awesome. the movement is wonderful, the dialogue is witty and the visuals are stunning. jim hensons team of set designers and creative developers are the best around and these movies will make you wish there were more like them.
as a side note, i'd like to point out that labyrinth was filmed at elstree studios, the same place as part of the rocky horror picture show which is also a favorite of mine.
buy this movie and enjoy it with everyone you know.

Great film - teens and adults in our house loved it.
The creatures truly come to life, and as you sink into it, the fantasy becomes richer and richer. Very memorable characters. Love the muppets, but in this film Hensen's mastery of the larger figures is amazing. It's one you'll want to watch more than once. Don't be surprised if you find yourself comparing acquaintances and family members to the characters.

Two Great movies for the price of one.
These two are Jim Henson's non-muppet masterpieces of fantasy and adventure, The Dark Crystal ( 1982) deals in another world where magic rules, a Gelfling named "Jen" must return an important shard back to the Dark Crystal from the evil Skeckis, then "Labyrinth ( 1986)" which deals with a Teen girl who babysits her little brother and wishes him away by the evil Goblin King which she has to go into a large maze to find him.

Both are inspiring works of genius from Jim Henson that can entertain young and old.

Highly recommended films if you enjoyed "The Princess Bride", " The Wizard of Oz", "Return to Oz", " Harry Potter", "Lord of the Rings", " Army of Darkness", " The Last Unicorn", " Secret of NIMH", "Legend", "Dragonheart", and " Neverending Story".

Special Features are a welcomed bonus
Simply put: Both are a must for any Jim Henson fan. I personally never really liked Dark Crystal but Labyrinth is a Henson classic. Both include items such as an hour long documentary on the making of Labyrinth and some deleted scenes from Dark Crystal. A great bonus to any DVD collection! ... Read more

Description

Everyone's invited to the Sesame Street Dance Along!Join Big Bird, Gina, Mike, Count, Bert, Hoots the Owl, and "the kids" as they show us different types of dances.And you can do your own thing with "The Any Way You Fell Dance."All in all, there are nine terrific dances that are sure to make everyone want to dance along! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

4 thumbs up from our house
We bought this for our 22 month old twin girls who, as my huband says, are in their "kinetic" phase and they LOVE it. Since the very first viewing they have asked several times a day to watch "Big Bird Dance". It is a bit corny to adults here and there, but it's not that bad. Our girls "fly" around the room with their blankets flapping behind them on Batty Bat. But nothing beats watching the two of them following the directions perfectly on A Very Simple Dance to Do. They exectue it beautifully. It's so amazing (I wish they would follow my requests as easily). We've even heard them in their crib at night singing that and going through the steps.

As always there is great variation in the musical styles (pop, jazz, swing, disco, snippits of classical/bluegrass/asian, etc) which our girls really enjoy also.

All in all, this is a great DVD for those little ones in their "kinetic" phase. Oh, and for parents, the spoof on Saturday Night Fever is a great little nugget -- all while the kids learn the ABC's. Leave it to Sesame Street to throw the adults a bone in the midst of all the kid stuff (since we watch this as many times as the kids do).

Our only request is that it be LONGER. Our girls could dance for ours. But of course Sesame Street wants the kids to more than watch videos...and so do I.
Hope you enjoy it too.

1969?!
I bought this DVD because it said 1969 as the publication date. Don't be fooled.
The DVD is pieces from different eras. There are a few bits that can be from 1969 (the disco scene, obviously!), but the live action scenes were from the 80's, judging by the way the clothes look.

It's a nice video and my daughter seems to like it. Just don't buy this DVD if you want to go down memory lane with your kids!

Disappointed...
Being the biggest Sesame fan (yup, child of the 70s), I was so anxious to buy anything Sesame on DVD for my 16 month old daughter. She's nuts about all the DVDs we own (and so am I), but not this one. I found it quite lame, corny (Barney is supposed to be corny, not Sesame Street) and boring. Too many "people" in it with "people" skits interrupting Muppet skits. Sesame Street is nothing without the Muppets, so I found this DVD was filled with a lot of filler. With such high hopes for this one, it was only worth it for the Disco Grover skit which was worth 2 stars. We're selling ours [...]

GREAT!!!!!!!!
My son has been watching this video since he was 8months old, and loves it more every time he sees it. The songs are catchy, the dancing is fun to watch and join in with. Plus it has a favorite from my childhood, "Doin the Pidgeon" with Bert. An absolute must have in your toddlers' repetoire.

A lot of fun!
My two daughters, ages 1 and 2, are Sesame Street fanatics. The girls love this video. The 2 year old follows the steps in "A very simple dance". The songs are very catchy. This is a very good video. I have the dvd version. ... Read more

Description

Join your Favorite furry friends at the Fuzzy Awards Show, as they await announcement ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Give it a try!
Sometimes it takes a few viewings to get into a video in our house. I always preview the tapes before my 17 month old watches them, just to make sure they aren't too scary. I watched this one twice, I loved it so much! This tape is now played every day without fail, and we all love it. Don't be put off by the style of the songs. They aren't really modern sounding, but they are so catchy, that you can't help but love them. Remember that these tapes are for your child, but you have to watch them, too. Enjoy!!

Warm and Fuzzy (and blue and orange!)
Similar to "The Best of Kermit" this is arranged as an "award show" - but it contains a fabulous collection of clips with your favorite monsters, and some you've never seen before!

Herry and Elmo host the "Fuzzy Awards," and though Elmo can hardly wait to open the envelope, Herry manages to make him behave while they play the nominees - "Fur," just for fun, "Herry's Family Song," comparing Herry and his parents, "Frazzle," - who says "arrrgh!" no matter what he feels, "Two Heads Are Better than One", with the two-headed monster, "Fuzzy and Blue (and Orange!)" with the terrific trio of Grover, Herry, and Cookie (and Frazzle), "Comb Your Face," "Healthy Food," a Cookie Monster rap, "What Do I Do When I"m Alone" with Grover (what happened to Being Afraid?) and, of course "C is for Cookie."

My favorite moment in the show is the achievement award, which Herry gives to "That Furry Blue Mommy of Mine," a song remeniscent of "Dream a Little Dream" that makes me give my boy an extra squeeze.

Enjoy!

PS. One small dissapointment: it doesn't include "Monster in the Mirror," which surprised me.

Lots of monster fun!
I've bought quite a few used videos lately, as the selection is better than what the stores are carrying lately for Sesame Street. This video is a riot and my daughter begs for it almost daily. Set-up like an awards show, the songs "Fur" and "Fuzzy and Blue" are fun and entertaining even for adults. I like this video because it includes the character Frazzle, who was dropped because he was deemed "too scary" to kids. My 2 year old LOVES Frazzle and begs for his song over and over. How's that for scary? This video is cute and the songs are fun. From the songs mentioned above to "C is for Cookie" this video contains lots of monster fun!

Sesame Street's Monster Hits! (1990)
Parents,
This is a great Sesame Songs Video. My 8 year old son loves Cookie Monster and I wanted to find a video that did include him. Tap along as Cookie Monster croons his big hit C Is For Cookie, clap along as Grover sings Fuzzy And Blue and What Do I Do When I'm Alone. Get some more monster in you.

A great diversion from the all Elmo everything
It took our 2 year old a little while to get into this video, but now that he has, he asks for it every night "Onster Hits".

As a parent, it's nice to see characters that I grew up including Grover, Herry, Cookie Monster which don't seem to appear much in the current Sesame Street shows.

There are quite a few monster in this video that I hadn't seen, nor have I seen since, although Frazzle is great.

I'd definitely recommend buying this video. You just may have to view it two or three times for you and your kid(s) to get into it. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Stomp + Sesame Street = GREAT STUFF for little ones
The cast of Stomp visits Sesame Street in this fantastic DVD.

In the usual Sesame Street style, there is a general plot line (Telly loses his Tuba) intertwined with short bits and cartoons all related to making music. The Stomp cast crosses in and out of the plot, making music with brooms, cans, boxes of Tic Tacs, etc. Very creative and very charming.

My 14-month-old loves this video. He's just starting to try to make "music" along with the video, usually using an oatmeal box or pots and pans that I put nearby for him to use.

Great stuff, including the "Pinball" cartoon (counting to 12) that I loved to watch when I was little.

When Your Heart Is Open Wide....
...then everything *truly* is music. This wonderful video is teaching my 2-year old son, *and* re-reminding me of the beautiful simplicity of ordinary objects around us. It awakens the imagination to how these common materials can be used and played with in new and unusual ways. I delight in watching my son pat-pat-pat on tables with wooden spoons or tinker toy sticks. He has even created his own musical instrument by taking a can, filling it with rocks and shaking it, yelling, "moo-sik!" - with no probing from me. To think of the money I have spent on 'real' musical instruments. Completely fun, totally foot-stomping, AND educational entertainment for all ages. As an aside, those Stomp cast members are not only extremely talented, but pretty darn cute to look upon!! In my opinion, one of the best in Sesame Street videos.

Another Amazon Sesame Street DVD listed incorrectly as 1969.
This is a really fun DVD. My daughter enjoys it a lot.
The only problem is that Amazon lists these Sesame Street DVDs as from 1969. I purchased a few of them to discover that only portions, such as the pinball count video, are from the original Sesame Street. The majority of the scenes are not from my generation at all!

Otherwise, it's a swell DVD!

FAVORITE SESAME
We just purchased this DVD for my daughter who is 9 mos old, I happen to think I enjoy it more than even she does! We love Sesame Street and think this is one of the most entertaining! I wish STOMP would come back to make another DVD for us !

our babies are addicted -- but in a good way
They've been watching every night as their bedtime winddown for a couple months now (they're 14 month old twins) and still enjoy it. They've become more musical watching it, somehow -- clapping, tapping feet, bobbing the head. We have not yet found any other Sesame Street video that compares with this one. Love it. It's even tolerable for the parents to watch over and over and over.... ... Read more

Description

DJ Jackman Wolf is your host for this hip and happenin’ lesson in the two R’s: ROCK & ROLL. Sing, dance and laugh along as your Sesame Street friends phone in their favorite music video requests: Bert digs "It’s Hip To Be Square." The Count’s #1 favorite is "Count Up To Nine" and Oscar’s grouchin’ and groovin’ to "The World Is ‘No’." But wait, that’s not all! You’ll also get Grover’s "Monster In The Mirror," "Rock ‘N’ Roll Readers" by Chrissy and the Alphabeats and many, many more.Kids from 1 to 91 will love the sizzling sounds of Sesame Street’s Rock & Roll! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The best we own!
We own about 10-12 Sesame Street DVD's and this is by FAR the best of them!!!
The songs are great! My 5 month old loves this CD! Not just for older children. My husband and I enjoy it, as well!
I end up singing the catchy tunes at the office... an unfortunate side effect...

Rock & Roll
Parents,
My 8 year old boy loves Cookie Monster but Cookie Monster is not in this that much. But this is a very good video. This video tape is very rare. It is so rare it has a small miunte part with the Count's wife the Countess in it. If you have this video you are very lucky.

My kids love it, and so do I
The songs on this video are excellent kids versions of
cool rock songs. They did a great job rendering them
for little ears - so much so that I find myself humming
the tunes myself after watching the video with the kids.
And of course, everything is visually engaging in true
Sesame Street fashion.

Rock and Roll
I grew up watching Sesame Street for many years. Now I'm 18 and I still think it rocks. On this tape you'll find the GREATEST song ever written by the legendary Jim Henson. It's called "you're Alive" and it taught your children about what was alive and what wasn't. This video will prove to you that learning doesnt have to be painstaking. Your kids (maybe yourselves too) will realise that learning is a pleasure with awesome songs and tapes like this one....END

A most enjoyable learning video
I first purchased it in 1990 for my first grand daughter and she loved it. Next I bought one for her to take home. When her sister came along she also loved it and now their youngest sister also loves it. Unfortunately, it finally wore out and now I can't find a new one anywhere. The video consists of favorite rock and roll song tunes with lyrics about learning different things for example The Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction" is called "cooperation". I highly recommend this video if anyone can find it. ... Read more