15 Best Dark Fantasy Movies Of All Time
10. The Dark Crystal (1982)
The Dark Crystal certainly has a lot of elements and a great world saving quest to suggest it's a high/epic fantasy, but the intricately detailed and gruesome creatures provide a strong case for this Jim Henson puppet masterpiece to sneak into the dark fantasy sub-genre.
Released in 1982, The Dark Crystal is a wholly original universe with dense lore and grand world building. It follows a young Gelfling named Jen who is tasked with overthrowing the evil Skeksis and revive a powerful crystal that will bring hope to their home world of Thra.
The creation of the grotesque looking Skeksis certainly brought nightmares to young children during the film's initial release, and they provide a great threat of danger to Jen during his mission.
The animatronic puppetry used in the film was considered revolutionary of its time, and at least four puppeteers were required to control each character. Over the years, The Dark Crystal has gained cult status, with a one-off prequel season created by Netflix in 2019.
The Dark Crystal is one of those classic '80s films that never quiet reached global phenomenon status, but has lived long in the memory of movie buffs. The film sits at 79% on Rotten Tomatoes and grossed a respectable $40 million at the box office for its time.