Magic Kingdom

Taron Egerton leads an all-star voice cast in an epic puppet adventure

- Benji Wilson

In the age of Marvel movies, where computer graphics can bring any monster to life, there’s something very nostalgic about puppets.

So, it’s a welcome change this week when Netflix brings us an epic re-imagining of Jim Henson’s classic 1983 movie, The Dark Crystal.

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is set in the same magical world of Thra, but many years before the events of the movie. It remains, however, an epic battle between the wide-eyed Gelflings (the good guys) and the repugnant Skeksis (the bad) – with all the characters controlled by talented puppeteers.

OTHERWORLDLY

When TV&Satellite Week went on set in west London to watch The Dark Crystal being made, every stage was on stilts, raised 4ft off the ground so that the puppeteers – many of whom worked on the original film – could operate the creatures from below.