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Landstrider
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Landstriders are a race of forest-dwelling creatures in Jim Henson's fantasy film, The Dark Crystal. According to Habidibad.com "Friends of Kira, the Landstriders were bitter enemies of the Garthim warriors. Less powerful than the Garthim, they compensated with speed and intelligence."
Cream-colored, sparse-coated, long-legged, and floppy-eared, these quadruped animals are easily tamed and allow themselves to be subjected to the will of the rider, ready to travel at incredible speeds. The Landstriders are generally easygoing by nature, but they have a bold edge and are ready to fight should the need arise, springing up on their back legs and delivering powerful, slashing blows with their front legs to their opponents. Their favorite targets of attack are their hated Garthim foes and their greatest joy is the ruin of the Garthim.
The landstriders have an insect-like proboscis (which possibly doubles as a stinger) that unfurls in combat and is powerful enough to penetrate the dense shell armor of the Garthim. While they usually produce a low grunt, they produce a high squeal in battle.
The Podlings taught Kira to call the landstriders with a series of trills and clicks.
It was two Landstriders that carried Jen and Kira to the castle of the Skeksis (and gave their lives to distract a throng of Garthim so that Jen and Kira could save a net-full of Podlings recently captured from Kira's village) so that the Gelflings could fulfil the prophesy.
To produce the Landstrider's unique gait, the costumes were draped over stuntmen on stilts. Brian Froud, wondering how the Gelflings would manage to reach the Castle of the Crystal, got the inspiration for the Landstriders as he saw one of the performers walking on stilts.
In The Wedding episode of Home Movies Brendon does a film as a character called "the Landstander." The character has no relation to the Landstriders, but the name is partly inspired by them.(Commentary track on The Wedding.)