Dark Crystal museum exhibt from the 80s

[LordFett]

Sometime during the 80s while riding a train back to NM from PA we stopped in Chicago and went to a museum, they had an exhibit with many of the puppets form the Dark Crystal. Kermit was there too, so I don't know if there were other Henson creations and we just went to the Dark Crystal stuff or what. While visiting my parents this month I found the pictures and scanned them. There weren't many taken, but I'll post what I have and would love to see more if anyone else has any.

 

[ArkRaider]

Cool pictures! Thanks for sharing!

 

[propsculptor]

Thanks for posting those great Photos, I wish I was able to go there back then, you were very lucky!!

 

[niennumb1]

OH MAN. That's just incredible!!!! AMAZING!

Tried to color correct one, but it's hard with the pix so faded. So envious you got to go to that so many years ago!

 

[LordFett]

Tried to color correct one, but it's hard with the pix so faded.

Next time I get home I will be looking for the negatives and getting the photo redeveloped LARGE (All of my parents negatives are in a 15 gallon rubbermaid tub).

I don't really remember much of the trip other then being fraking excited. I was huge into the Dark Crystal at the time and was just blown away by the display. I knew everything was puppets but being so young I thought they were puppets like my sock puppets and didn't expect them to be larger then a human.

I really wish my mom would have been able to take more photos but there were signs everywhere that said no flash photography (yet everyone was doing it). The pics I posted are all I think we got, times were really rough for us back then and film was something she didn't like to waste. Sure wish we had digital cameras back then (I just took almost 400 pics of my baby sister's wedding, mom took 200+ and my other sister took another 200) vs the 20 or so from my parent's wedding in 75.

 

[DaddyfromNaboo]

Next time I get home I will be looking for the negatives and getting the photo redeveloped LARGE (All of my parents negatives are in a 15 gallon rubbermaid tub).
...

See if they can scan the negatives and have them saved on a CD at Kinko´s or whereever you are taking the negatives to have them developed. It´s way better than scanning in or photographing a large paper print. I think nowadays they do that anyway.

Awesome, by the way. Reminds me to dig up the pics of the Muppet exhibit in Cologne/Germany in the late 90ies.

 

[Solo4114]

Sadly, I bet all those puppets have disintegrated by now.

 

[staermose]

My thought was as well to see if the they could be color corrected somewhat. But as stated, they have faded to much to produce any satisfatory results.
But then I thought, 'what if they where black and white photos?'
That seems to work a little better.

 

[DaddyfromNaboo]

My thought was as well to see if the they could be color corrected somewhat. But as stated, they have faded to much to produce any satisfatory results.
But then I thought, 'what if they where black and white photos?'
That seems to work a little better.

Great idea with the B/W, that brings out a lot of details !

If possible, please scan the images in as TIF in CMYK-mode. RGB doesn´t really do the trick when it comes to color restoration, at least I don´t know how to do that with RGB.

 

[firesprite]

Oh, WOW! I'm SO jealous.... I absolutely adored the Dark Crystal as a kid. Surprisingly, my husband and I went back and watched it again this past week and you know what? It holds up! The effects are still really impressive and the puppets are still just as captivating as I remembered them being. Fizzgig is still my favorite though!

 

[darth_myeek]

There are Dark Crystal costumes & props at the EMP museum in Seattle. The Dark Crystal pieces are on display within the Muppets/Henson exhibit.
- Pics not allowed.
- Interactive muppet exhibit where you can be a muppet in a band.
- artifacts from Jim Henson's career. (advertising too)

The EMP is somewhat confusing, but worth the trip:
- Sci-Fi museum (death star, kirk's chair..etc),
- Music museum (Jimi Hendrix costumes, smashed instruments and interactive music exhibit)
- Muppets Exhibit (ending 8/16) Which may be part of the music museum?.

If you going to Seattle for a week, pick up a city pass.
$54 down from $109 and covers:
- space needle
- emp (or museum of flight) (choose EMP) :lol
- harbor cruise (l.a.m.e.)
- pacific science center - very good for the wee ones.
- woodland park zoo. (didn't make it)

Also the Boeing factory tour is worth the trip.

 

[skythecat]

Remember a Dark Crystal exhibition in the UK back in the 80's, I recall there were lots of costumes and also a couple of fx pieces from the move 'The Company of Wolves

 

[chris_s]

I always hope to see someone recreate a Garthim costume.

 

[Jet Beetle]

Incredible! Thanks so much for sharing these - finding old pics and scanning them can be a real pain in the arse - so a double scoop of thank you is in order.

I always thought that girl from crystal looked like Rebecca Demornay --

And hey - you were a cute kid.

 

[Idaho Jones]

Hey its Earl Hickey...

Great pictures, thanks for sharing. I just added DC to the move rental list so the kids could watch.

 

[CSMacLaren]

Man, that brings back fond memories.

 

[antigravity]

Sadly, I bet all those puppets have disintegrated by now.

You know, I don't think that's the case. I saw the Jim Henson exhibit last summer when it was at the Smithsonian. There were definitely some Dark Crystal puppets that were in superb condition. The costumes and props that they had on display also appeared to be in great shape too.

If I remember correctly, the Kermit on display was a model built in the 1980s. The Rowlf and Bert and Ernie were 1970s puppets, I believe. I'd bet that between the Henson craftspeople who make these items, and the archivists caring for them now -- these pieces are in really, really good hands.

 

[Forestmoonstudio]

Thanks for sharing. I always loved that movie. They need more movies like that instead of CG. Alot of FX guys would keep their jobs if they did.

 

[Apollo]

Thanks for posting those great pics!

 

[Nwerke]

Excellent pics - thank you! I loved that film too.

I tried to correct for the fading too, but it would be great to see new prints if you can find those negatives.