Labyrinth: A Fresh Perspective

 

1986 saw the release of several memorable movies from the decade: Top Gun, Crocodile Dundee, Karate Kid Part II, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Aliens, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. As a kid growing up in the 80's it was hard to miss seeing most, if not all, of these movies, whether at the theater, on home video, or on TV. One film that released to much less acclaim and attention at the time was Labyrinth, which came out during the summer of '86. Labyrinth was a Jim Henson film that featured David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly along with a host of puppets of all shapes and sizes. I remember the movie being promoted and then releasing on video. I'm not sure why I never saw it. Maybe it was David Bowie in the fright wig, or maybe I thought it would be too scary.

Labyrinth wasn't a success upon release, and it was a source of vast disappointment for Jim Henson, which is understandable considering all the painstaking hard work that must have gone into the making of the film.
Over the years since its release, Labyrinth has maintained an ever growing and loyal following. It has remained popular on home video formats and there is even an annual gathering of fans in California.
After all the talk surrounding this movie and its status as a cult classic, I finally decided to visit it for the first time recently. It's always interesting to see a film like this that I haven't seen before and evaluate it based on what I would have thought about it as a kid and what I think of it now.

Labyrinth is the story of teenage Sarah (Connelly) who is whisked away to a magical realm in order to search for her infant stepbrother, who has been kidnapped by Jareth, the Goblin King (Bowie). Sarah has to find her way through a labyrinth filled with obstacles, creatures both friendly and villainous, and strange landscapes. Along the way she learns a thing or two about responsibility and selflessness.

What makes the film so memorable is its use of imagination, no doubt due to Jim Henson and so many other contributors, including George Lucas. The Labyrinth itself is full of weird and interesting creatures such as the Fire Gang who can switch their extremities, or Ludo, who appears like a vicious beast but is actually kind and gentle. There is also the pit of helping hands and the talking door knockers. The musical numbers are bizarre, but then again, it is David Bowie. The most noticeable song is "Magic Dance", which was stuck in my head the rest of the day after viewing the movie. There is definitely an appreciation for all of the puppet work that has the viewer believing that the characters are real, and they are much more effective than today's overused CG characters.

What doesn't work is the film's ending, which feels anticlimactic. Sarah confronts Jareth, simply tells him he doesn't have power over her, and he turns into an owl and flies away. Why doesn't he have power over her? Is it because she is an adult now? Is it because she isn't frightened of him? It is unclear. Not enough to ruin the film, but not satisfying.

Overall, Labyrinth is indeed an '80s gem to be treasured. Its uniqueness garners it classic status and it deserves its following. It's available for viewing right now on Netflix Instant and is also offered at a low price point on Blu-ray.