Labyrinth (1986)

Director:

Jim Henson

Writers:

Dennis Lee (story) and
Jim Henson (story) and
Terry Jones (screenplay)

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 | Child | Castle

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 3 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

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)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 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 Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Henson Associates (HA)

Trivia:

Director Trademark: [Jim Henson]During the Goblin Battle scene, while Sarah and the gang opens the door to the Goblin Castle, you can see milk bottles near the door.

Goofs:

Continuity: The position of the broken bits of cannon, after the rock falls on it.

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:

Underground

better than "the Dark Crystal"

Jennifer Connelly is Sarah, an immature spoiled narcissistic bratty teen whom after wishing her baby brother, Toby, away to the Goblin King (a great David Bowie, who's a highlight of the film) and has to traverse a complex labyrinth to get him back learning to be a lot less selfish in the process. Bowie's songs highlight and punctuate a magical film that is sure to appeal to both the young and young at heart. Better then Jim Hanson's other more mature film of the 80's "The Dark Crystal", because it's a tad more humane and more easily to relate to, but both these films are fun to watch. Loving this film from when I was a kid myself might have shading my opinion of it a bit, yet re-watching it just now, I still find it very enjoyable.

My Grade: B+

Collector's Edition DVD Extras: "Inside the Labyrinth" 56 minute making-of featurette; Four photo galleries; posters gallery; Filmographies; Storyboards; Theatrical trailer; and trailer for "The Dark Crystal box set"

Random Notes: Comes packed with animation cell/scene composite card and postcards