Labyrinth (1986)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Jim Henson

Writers:

Dennis Lee (story) and
Jim Henson (story) ...

Release Date:

27 June 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Musical

Tagline:

Where everything seems possible and nothing is what it seems.

Plot:

15-year-old Sarah accidentally wishes her baby half-brother, Toby, away to the Goblin King Jareth who will keep Toby if Sarah does not complete his Labyrinth in 13 hours.

Plot Keywords:

Goblin | Labyrinth | Baby | Castle | Rescue

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 3 nominations

Cast

David Bowie	...	Jareth the Goblin King
Jennifer Connelly	...	Sarah
Toby Froud	...	Toby
Shelley Thompson	...	Stepmother
Christopher Malcolm	...	Father
Natalie Finland	...	Fairy
Shari Weiser	...	Hoggle
Brian Henson	...	Hoggle / Goblin (voice)
Ron Mueck	...	Ludo / Firey 2 / Goblin (voice)
Rob Mills	...	Ludo / Firey 3
Dave Goelz	...	Didymus / The Hat / The Four Guards / Left Door Knocker / Firey 3 (voice) (as David Goelz)
David Alan Barclay	...	Didymus / Firey 1
David Shaughnessy	...	Didymus / The Hat / The Four Guards / Goblin (voice) (as David Shaughnessy)
Karen Prell	...	The Worm / The Junk Lady / Firey 2
Timothy Bateson	...	The Worm / The Four Guards / Goblin (voice)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:L | Germany:12 | Portugal:M/6 | South Korea:12 | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G (original rating) | Australia:PG (cable rating) | Peru:PT | Singapore:PG | UK:U | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Elstree, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Henson Associates (HA)

Trivia:

In the DVD version, there are hidden faces in seven scenes. In general, they resemble the head that Jareth leans against before giving Hoggle the peach (David Bowie's actual face at that time). The faces can be found: Upper right corner of the [stone] maze, just after the worm shakes its head and says "If she'd have kept on going down that way..." To the right of the screen, after the rung under Hoggle breaks, as he watches it fall. Upper left corner of the hedge maze, as Hoggle is muttering "Get through the labyrinth, get through the labyrinth, one thing's for sure... " Lower right corner of the wall bordering the Bog of Eternal Stench, just after the ledge breaks under Sarah and Hoggle for the first time. During the wide shot of the hedge maze in the middle left on the stony floor just after the hat says, "It's so stimulating being your hat." In the forest as Sir Didymus says "We should reach the castle well before day."

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Hooks visible on the glass bubbles, when they are first set free.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Sarah: Give me the child. Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child that you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom is as great...
[thunder rumbles]
Sarah: For my will is as strong as yours, my kingdom as great... Damn. I can never remember that line.
[Sarah looks up the line from the Labyrinth book]
Sarah: You have no power over me.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Sasquatch Gang (2006)

Soundtrack:

CHILLY DOWN

S10 Reviews: Labyrinth (1986)

Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) is a teenage girl who lives in a fantasy world of goblins and magic. But her fantasy becomes reality when the Goblin King (David Bowie) takes her stepbrother. Now she has thirteen hours to solve the massive Labyrinth and make her way to the Goblin castle beyond. Along the way she befriends several of Henson's fantastic Muppet creations for the final battle.

This wonderfully produced and magical fantasy is great fun from the beginning to the end. Henson (fresh off the equally impressive Dark Crystal) 'mines his imagination for very realistic places and endearing and vivid characters. Toping it all off is a wonderful casting and a nice soundtrack and musical score.