A true masterpiece brought to life by the ingenious puppetry and peerless storytelling of Jim Henson, Dark Crystal is revered by an entire generation of fans. For the first time, this deluxe and highly comprehensive book tells the complete story of this deeply personal Henson project, highlighting the unique creative journey and groundbreaking techniques that brought the film to the screen. Drawing from unseen archive interviews with Jim Henson and new interviews with the film’s behind-the-scenes creative team, Dark Crystal: The Ultimate Visual History leaves no stone unturned in chronicling the entire production, from the initial concept based on themes close to Henson’s heart to the ingenious conceptual design, puppet construction, and logistics of the shoot itself. The book also delves into the wider world of Dark Crystal, exploring the creation of comics, novels, and other official projects inspired by the film.
This deluxe coffee-table book contains an in-depth look at the day-to-day production of the film and showcases a huge range of incredible visuals, including candid set photography, previously unseen concept art, storyboards, production notes, and more. The book also features a plethora of amazing removable items, such as script pages, notes and sketches from Henson, and other unique treasures. Definitive, enthralling, and revelatory, Dark Crystal: The Ultimate Visual History is the last word on an enduring modern classic and the book that fans of the film have been waiting for.
Caseen Gaines has written for Rolling Stone, The A.V. Club, and Decider. He is the author of The Dark Crystal: The Ultimate Visual History, which was published last September by Insight Editions and produced with the participation of The Jim Henson Company.
His previous books include We Don’t Need Roads: The Making of the Back to the Future Trilogy (Plume, 2015), which was featured by NPR, The Hollywood Reporter, Vanity Fair, Entertainment Tonight, People Magazine, and other media outlets worldwide.
Gaines’s first book, Inside Pee-wee’s Playhouse (ECW Press, 2011), received a Silver Medal at the 2012 Independent Publisher Book Awards. Its follow up, A Christmas Story: Behind the Scenes of a Holiday Classic (ECW Press, 2013), includes a foreword from Wil Wheaton.
He can be found on social media @caseengaines.
