(This post was automatically translated -with some manual corrections- with www.DeepL.com/Translator)

In early 1982, test screenings were organised to gather audience feedback on the working versions of Dark Crystal. The poor reception of the film prompted Henson to make some major changes: deleting several scenes, subtitling and then dubbing the Skeksis into English (initially we couldn’t understand what they were saying), changing Aughra’s voice, changing the soundtrack, and so on.

This initial version of the film was long considered lost by fans: it existed only through the testimonies of test viewers who had been able to see it (see Aikousha’s testimonial in the appendix) and a few deleted scenes in the DVD extras (Skeksis funeral below). The Jim Henson Company no longer seemed to have a complete copy.

Against all expectations, in 2010 a copy surfaced in very poor condition. It was difficult to watch, but with the increasing democratisation of audio and video processing tools, faneditors were able to embark on reconstructions.