"So, the Labyrinth is a piece of cake, is it? Well, let's see how you deal with this little slice.."
Jareth
 |
| Dance, magic dance. |
Synopsis:
Spoiled 15 year-old Sarah accidentally causes the abduction of your infant brother Toby by invoking the presence of the Goblin King. Wracked with regret, she leaves the real-world behind and descends into a magical kingdom, where she has only 13 hours to save Toby, before he becomes a goblin forever more.
Final Word: 10/10
Labrynth represents a follow-up project to the puppet-based film The Dark Crystal, with director Jim Henson and conceptual artist Brian Froud reuniting to deliver a much lighter movie this time around (the former was quite a bleak little film). Labrynth was written, among others, by Monty Python's Flying Circus' very own Terry Jones, which goes a long way to explain much of the film's absurdist humor- played out brilliantly here by Henson's anarchic and rag-tag collection of puppets.
Sadly, I've turned to this in light of the news that David Bowie has left these dull lands for someplace a little more exciting. Here, the Thin White Duke plays the part of Jareth, the Goblin King- a character pitched somewhere between lounging aristocrat and apathetic rock-star. It's impossible imagining anyone else in this part, and I wouldn't be entirely surprised if the role was either written specifically for him, or rewritten after his casting. It's a presence and a persona he seems to slip effortlessly into, and even though he's clearly the villain of the piece, it's difficult not to be won-over by his disarming charm (despite a rather creepy scene where he essentuially begs a 15 year old girl to be his lover- best not dwell on that particular aspect*). This is easily one of the singer's most fondly remembered movie roles, of which he had too few, but it looks like he had a real blast doing it, especially while he's lording over the goblins...
Despite hanging around Bowie's performance, the film still delivers in all other aspects. Sarah is played by Jennifer Connerlly, who would go on to find fame and critical acclaim as a curvaceous adult. Here, Connerlly adds humanity and humidity throughout to a character that is first introduced as petulant and selfish, taking the stale character arc of 'girl to womanhood' and enthusing it with a touching sincerity. Along Sarah's journey she encounters a host of comical scenarios and bizarre creatures (which serve to both help and hinder in equal measure), as designed by Froud and bought to vivid life by the geniuses at the Henson Workshop.
All in all, Labrynth is a fun and beautiful family fantasy, and Bowie provides one Hell of a catchy soundtrack. Once watched, never forgotten.
Spoiled 15 year-old Sarah accidentally causes the abduction of your infant brother Toby by invoking the presence of the Goblin King. Wracked with regret, she leaves the real-world behind and descends into a magical kingdom, where she has only 13 hours to save Toby, before he becomes a goblin forever more.
Script: 2/2
Pace: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Aesthetic: 2/2
Intention: 2/2
Final Word: 10/10
Labrynth represents a follow-up project to the puppet-based film The Dark Crystal, with director Jim Henson and conceptual artist Brian Froud reuniting to deliver a much lighter movie this time around (the former was quite a bleak little film). Labrynth was written, among others, by Monty Python's Flying Circus' very own Terry Jones, which goes a long way to explain much of the film's absurdist humor- played out brilliantly here by Henson's anarchic and rag-tag collection of puppets.
Sadly, I've turned to this in light of the news that David Bowie has left these dull lands for someplace a little more exciting. Here, the Thin White Duke plays the part of Jareth, the Goblin King- a character pitched somewhere between lounging aristocrat and apathetic rock-star. It's impossible imagining anyone else in this part, and I wouldn't be entirely surprised if the role was either written specifically for him, or rewritten after his casting. It's a presence and a persona he seems to slip effortlessly into, and even though he's clearly the villain of the piece, it's difficult not to be won-over by his disarming charm (despite a rather creepy scene where he essentuially begs a 15 year old girl to be his lover- best not dwell on that particular aspect*). This is easily one of the singer's most fondly remembered movie roles, of which he had too few, but it looks like he had a real blast doing it, especially while he's lording over the goblins...
Despite hanging around Bowie's performance, the film still delivers in all other aspects. Sarah is played by Jennifer Connerlly, who would go on to find fame and critical acclaim as a curvaceous adult. Here, Connerlly adds humanity and humidity throughout to a character that is first introduced as petulant and selfish, taking the stale character arc of 'girl to womanhood' and enthusing it with a touching sincerity. Along Sarah's journey she encounters a host of comical scenarios and bizarre creatures (which serve to both help and hinder in equal measure), as designed by Froud and bought to vivid life by the geniuses at the Henson Workshop.
All in all, Labrynth is a fun and beautiful family fantasy, and Bowie provides one Hell of a catchy soundtrack. Once watched, never forgotten.
* spoiler; it's all OK, the whole thing only happens in Sarah's imagination...That's better, right?
RIP David Bowie.
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