Lisa Henson says 4K versions of THE DARK CRYSTAL and LABYRINTH reveal “a richness impossible to duplicate with CG”

Jim Hensonclassic films The dark crystal AND Labyrinth they’re both now available in 4K from Shout Studios and its daughter Lisa Hensonthe current CEO of the Jim Henson Company, boasts that the ultra-high resolution look of films makes them even better.

While some of these 80’s high resolution 4K releases suffer from the remastering and the errors and lack of quality stand out like a sore thumb, the remasters for The dark crystal AND Labyrinth they have the opposite effect because the quality of the workmanship was incredible and according to Henson, this type of work cannot be duplicated in CG. She said:

“You may be able to see a little more of how things are made, you may be able to see a thread here or there, but what you will see, what you couldn’t see when the definition wasn’t so good are the texture. There’s no way that a CG texture can beat a real texture. So when you see how these puppets are made, and how beautiful the costumes are, and the level of detail, that’s the richness that’s impossible to duplicate with CG.”

I grew up on these two films and have watched them multiple times over the years on VHS and DVD. I have yet to watch them in 4K, but after reading what Henson had to say about them, I can’t wait to see what they’ll look like!

The dark crystal is a fantasy film directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz, released in 1982. Set in a richly imagined world, the film follows the journey of a young Gelfling named Jen, the last of her kind, as she embarks on a quest to cure the Dark Crystal, a powerful and corrupted gemstone who brought darkness and tyranny to his world. Along the way, Jen encounters a variety of mystical creatures, including the malevolent Skeksis and the wise Mystics, who hold the key to restoring balance to their world. The film is renowned for its groundbreaking puppetry and practical effects, creating a visually stunning and immersive world full of unique characters and a timeless story of good versus evil.

Labyrinth came out in 1986, was directed by Henson and starred David Bowie AND Jennifer Connelly. The film follows the story of Sarah, a teenager who, frustrated with her stepbrother Toby, inadvertently wishes him into the Goblin King’s labyrinth. To save Toby, Sarah must navigate a treacherous maze filled with bizarre creatures and outlandish challenges, all controlled by the enigmatic Goblin King, played by Bowie. During her journey, Sarah befriends a number of peculiar characters, including Goggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus, who aid her in the search for her. As the clock ticks, Sarah must outsmart the cunning Goblin King and face her own fears and insecurities.