| Photos (see all 15 | slideshow) | Videos (see all 12) |
| Stephanie Leonidas | ... | Helena / Anti-Helena | |
| Jason Barry | ... | Valentine | |
| Rob Brydon | ... | Morris Campbell / Prime Minister | |
| Gina McKee | ... | Joanne Campbell / Queen of Light / Queen of Shadows | |
| Dora Bryan | ... | Aunt Nan | |
| Stephen Fry | ... | Librarian | |
| Andy Hamilton | ... | Small Hairy | |
| Simon Harvey | ... | Sphinx | |
| Lenny Henry | ... | Cops 1-4 | |
| Robert Llewellyn | ... | Gryphon | |
| Eryl Maynard | ... | Mrs. Bagwell | |
| Eve Pearce | ... | Future Fruit Lady | |
| Nik Robson | ... | Pingo / Bing (as Nik Robinson) | |
| Victoria Williams | ... | Nurse | |
| Rick Allen | ... | Man In a Box | |
| Gina D'Angelo | ... | Heir of Insanity Woman | |
| Simon Schofield | ... | Heir of Insanity Man | |
| Silvia Fratelli | ... | Mimbre | |
| Lina Johansson | ... | Mimbre | |
| Emma Noris | ... | Mimbre (as Emma Norin) | |
| Peachi Pangea | ... | Pyrotechnic Artist | |
| Mark Tate | ... | Stilt Walker | |
| Richard Thompson | ... | Tat - The Strongman / Gorilla | |
| Robin Thompson | ... | Magician | |
| Iain Ballamy | ... | Circus band - band leader and soprano sax | |
| Chris Batchelor | ... | Circus band - trumpet | |
| Stian Carstensen | ... | Circus band - button accordian | |
| Martin France | ... | Circus band - drum kit | |
| Stuart Hall | ... | Circus band - violin and banjo | |
| Dave Powell | ... | Circus band - sousaphone | |
| Trifon Trifanov | ... | Circus band - alto sax | |
| Peter Borroughs | ... | Red Troll | |
| Rusty Goffe | ... | Yellow Gnome | |
| Kerry Jay | ... | Music Box Dancer | |
| Fiona Reynard | ... | Receptionist | |
| Nick Dainton | ... | Politician / Monkeybirds | |
| Nick Jackson | ... | Male Giant / Mr. Shoe-Thing / Monkeybirds | |
| Mark Perry | ... | Politician / Monkeybirds | |
| Kate Robbins | ... | Female Giant / Mrs. Shoe-Thing / Chicken | |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Stuart St. Paul | ... | Ticket Buyer (uncredited) | |
Directed by | |||
| Dave McKean | |||
Writing credits(WGA) | ||
| Neil Gaiman | (story) & | |
| Dave McKean | (story) | |
| Neil Gaiman | (teleplay) | |
Produced by | |||
| Martin G. Baker | .... | executive producer | |
| Lisa Henson | .... | executive producer | |
| Simon Moorhead | .... | producer | |
| Michael Polis | .... | executive producer | |
Original Music by | |||
| Iain Ballamy | |||
Cinematography by | |||
| Tony Shearn | (as Antony Shearn) | ||
Film Editing by | |||
| Nicolas Gaster | |||
Casting by | |||
| Louis Hammond | |||
Production Design by | |||
| Dave McKean | |||
Art Direction by | |||
| Zöe Trodden | (supervising art director) | ||
Costume Design by | |||
| Robert Lever | |||
Makeup Department | |||
| Michelle Davison-Bell | .... | hair designer | |
| Michelle Davison-Bell | .... | makeup designer | |
| Sam Smart | .... | hair stylist | |
| Sam Smart | .... | makeup artist | |
Production Management | |||
| Tessa Beazley | .... | production manager | |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director | |||
| Janine Bevan | .... | third assistant director | |
| Oli Blanc | .... | second assistant director | |
| Jo Lea | .... | first assistant director | |
Art Department | |||
| Guy Bernard | .... | construction manager | |
| Paul Frost | .... | production buyer | |
| Justin Hayzelden | .... | stand-by props | |
| Greg Mason | .... | painter | |
| Ashley Murray-Fowler | .... | carpenter | |
| Gwen Murray | .... | art department trainee: FT2 | |
| Gary Nutkins | .... | trainee carpenter | |
| Stuart Walpole | .... | stand-by props | |
| Kate Wicks | .... | production buyer | |
| Jason Wood | .... | property master | |
| James Wright | .... | carpenter | |
Sound Department | |||
| John Crossland | .... | boom operator | |
| Pete Freshney | .... | boom operator | |
| Dan Green | .... | adr recordist | |
| David Hunt | .... | sound effects editor | |
| Hugh Johnson | .... | sound designer | |
| Hugh Johnson | .... | sound re-recording mixer | |
| Melissa Lake | .... | foley artist | |
| Gareth Llewellyn | .... | assistant sound re-recording mixer | |
| Paul Miller | .... | boom operator | |
| Stefan Mørk | .... | dialogue editor | |
| James Perry | .... | adr recordist | |
| Ian Sands | .... | production sound mixer | |
| Larry Sider | .... | supervising sound editor | |
| Barnaby Smyth | .... | foley supervisor (as Barnaby Smith) | |
| Barnaby Smyth | .... | sound designer (as Barnaby Smith) | |
| Joakim Sundström | .... | supervising sound editor | |
| Jason Swanscott | .... | foley artist | |
| David Turner | .... | sound technical coordinator | |
| Alan Cridford | .... | location music mixer (uncredited) | |
Special Effects by | |||
| Jamie Niman | .... | character animator | |
Visual Effects by | |||
| Kevin Baguley | .... | digital coordinator | |
| Dave Barnard | .... | post production technical supervisor | |
| Pete Coogan | .... | managing director: Jim Henson's Creature Shop | |
| Jocelyn Deborne | .... | systems administrator | |
| Daniel Gerhardt | .... | animator | |
| Daniel Gerhardt | .... | digital effects artist | |
| Pawel Grochola | .... | animator | |
| Pawel Grochola | .... | digital effects artist | |
| Arjun Gupte | .... | animator | |
| Arjun Gupte | .... | digital effects artist | |
| Peter Guyan | .... | systems engineer: Jim Henson's Creature Shop | |
| Alexis Hall | .... | lead animator | |
| Alexis Hall | .... | lead digital effects artist | |
| Trevor Harvey | .... | animator | |
| Trevor Harvey | .... | digital effects artist | |
| Richard Hince | .... | head of motion capture: Artem Digital | |
| Sean Hince | .... | motion capture supervisor | |
| Eliot Hobdell | .... | render wrangler | |
| Katja Hollmann | .... | digital lab supervisor: Lipsync Post | |
| Christian Jelen | .... | animator | |
| Christian Jelen | .... | digital effects artist | |
| Jordan Kirk | .... | animator | |
| Jordan Kirk | .... | digital effects artist | |
| Ellie Koorlander | .... | animator | |
| Ellie Koorlander | .... | digital effects artist | |
| Sian Lawson | .... | biomechanist | |
| Paul Lee | .... | animator | |
| Paul Lee | .... | digital effects artist | |
| Katy Lemon | .... | scanning and recording: Lip Sync Post | |
| Dave McKean | .... | compositor | |
| Dave McKean | .... | texture artist | |
| Max McMullin | .... | CGI producer | |
| Max McMullin | .... | CGI supervisor | |
| Matt Middleton | .... | digital effects artist | |
| Matt Middleton | .... | lead animator (as Matthew Middleton) | |
| Matt Middleton | .... | lead digital effects artist (as Matthew Middleton) | |
| Jamie Niman | .... | animator | |
| Jamie Niman | .... | digital effects artist | |
| Mike J. Nixon | .... | lead animator (as Michael Nixon) | |
| Mike J. Nixon | .... | lead digital effects artist (as Michael Nixon) | |
| Evelina Persson | .... | animator | |
| Evelina Persson | .... | digital effects artist | |
| Mark J.G. Smith | .... | render wrangler | |
| Martin Stacey | .... | animator | |
| Martin Stacey | .... | digital effects artist | |
| Ross Stansfield | .... | animator | |
| Ross Stansfield | .... | digital effects artist | |
| Toby Taplin | .... | lead animator | |
| Toby Taplin | .... | lead digital effects artist | |
| Dave Walker | .... | animator | |
| Dave Walker | .... | digital effects artist | |
| Keith Mottram | .... | digital compositor (uncredited) | |
| Kevin Phelan | .... | head of post production: Lip Sync Post (uncredited) | |
Stunts | |||
| Stuart St. Paul | .... | stunt coordinator | |
Camera and Electrical Department | |||
| Andy Bell | .... | electrician | |
| Steve Blythe | .... | electrician | |
| Steve Blythe | .... | generator operator | |
| Roy Elson | .... | rigger | |
| Avelino Fernandez | .... | electrician (as Avalino Fernandez) | |
| Kate Filby | .... | second assistant camera: re-shoots | |
| Mike Gianotti | .... | electrician | |
| Colin Ginger | .... | crane operator | |
| Michael Green | .... | first assistant camera | |
| Gwilym Hoosen-Owen | .... | electrician (as Gwilyn Hoosen-Owen) | |
| Vanessa Kellas | .... | still photographer | |
| Jody Knight | .... | grip | |
| Nathan Mann | .... | first assistant camera | |
| Jem Morton | .... | key grip | |
| Pete Murray | .... | Steadicam operator | |
| Mark Nutkins | .... | second second assistant camera | |
| Sigge Rosen Rawlings | .... | video assistant operator (as Siggi Rosen-Rawlings) | |
| Mark Spencer | .... | still photographer | |
| Bill Vanderkris | .... | grip | |
| Aaron Walters | .... | best boy | |
| Gavin Walters | .... | gaffer | |
| Colleen Webley | .... | second assistant camera | |
| Dave Wells | .... | daily grip trainee | |
| Tony Shearn | .... | camera operator (uncredited) | |
Costume and Wardrobe Department | |||
| Rebecca Brown | .... | costume assistant | |
| Yvonne Duckett | .... | costume assistant | |
| Debbie O'Brien | .... | costume assistant (as Debbie O'Brian) | |
| Nathalie Pateman | .... | costume assistant | |
| Jane Spicer | .... | costume supervisor | |
Editorial Department | |||
| Ruth Coulson | .... | first assistant editor | |
| Keith Mottram | .... | post-production conforming editor: HDTV | |
Music Department | |||
| Iain Ballamy | .... | music arranger | |
| Iain Ballamy | .... | music mixer | |
| Iain Ballamy | .... | music producer | |
| Igor Outkine | .... | musician | |
| Ashley Slater | .... | music mixer | |
| Ashley Slater | .... | music producer | |
| Ashley Slater | .... | music programmer | |
| Ashley Slater | .... | music recordist | |
Transportation Department | |||
| Mickey Atkins | .... | driver: minibus | |
| John Hogben | .... | location driver | |
| Bill Lilburn | .... | location driver | |
| Fred Russell | .... | location driver | |
| Micky Webb | .... | location driver (as Mickey Webb) | |
Other crew | |||
| Tim Adnitt | .... | copyist | |
| Jane Ballamy | .... | coordinator: circus performers | |
| Brittan Brown | .... | post-production accounting services | |
| Valentina Coccia | .... | production coordinator | |
| Victor Gallucci | .... | stand-in | |
| Nicole Goldman | .... | unit publicist | |
| Louise Green | .... | assistant accountant | |
| Kathy Hughes | .... | script supervisor | |
| Kevin Kelly | .... | assistant: Lisa Henson | |
| Nikki Lucas | .... | juggling double: Stephanie Leonidas | |
| Anton Mackman | .... | juggling double: Rob Brydon | |
| Andy Matthews | .... | stand-in | |
| John O'Quigley | .... | operator: filmstream s-2 storage | |
| Bill Riddlaw | .... | unit nurse | |
| John Sargent | .... | financial controller | |
| Lara Sargent | .... | first assistant accountant | |
| Michael Scanlon | .... | floor runner | |
| Heather Taylor | .... | script supervisor | |
| Martin Vance | .... | unit nurse | |
| Martin Warnes | .... | unit nurse | |
| Mark Williams | .... | copyist | |
| Daniel Grant | .... | production assistant (uncredited) | |
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| Labyrinth | Something Wicked This Way Comes | The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe | The Incredibles | Enchanted |
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| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb Adventure section | IMDb UK section |
| Add this title to MyMovies |
The medium of film is--like the medium of writing or other celebrated media--practically limitless in potential for fantastic creations. However, the fantasy (NOT SCI FI) genre is severely underrepresented in it. For every Lord of the Rings, we have ten attempts at The Matrix.
But what better alchemical mix to straight-up fantasy can we have than Neil Gaiman, Dave McKean, and the Henson Company? One thing Henson could do with his puppets that many others never really aspired to do was create fantasy the likes that weren't really done again, and his legacy lives on, using the enriching and creative mind of Gaiman, the celebrated British fantasy writer and comic book artist whose vivid imagination was so perfectly translated into film using practically every chemical for fantasy possible: CGI, animation, painting, set design, split-screen, superimposition, saturated colors, I even think there were moments of stop-motion animation.
The story is about a fifteen-year-old girl named Helena who works for a circus. Her creative and artistic mind keeps her busy from day to day until her mother falls ill and has to go to the hospital. Blaming it on herself for a row she had with her mother, Helena "escapes" into dreamland... or does she? I think what's really refreshing about this film is that, despite what a lot of people say about it, it's NOT that much like Alice and Wonderland. I can't help but think that, despite the fact that this film uses a lot of tropes common to the fantasy genre, it's distinct and original, something to be admired and appreciated. I don't think anything in this film really came off as that clichéd, even though it did come across as familiar. It might even be possible to say that anybody who has a real problem with it is just taking it too seriously, but that argument always goes in the wrong direction so forget about it.
One of the things I think that's important about a film like this is that it's not really a kids movie. Children could watch it, easily, and be fine with it, but it's not directed just to them. It isn't really directed at a target audience in the genre sense. It is simply fantasy for fantasy's sake, going where a lot of filmmakers seem desperate to avoid because "It's just not real enough." That's why, despite the fact that this movie has pretty obvious CGI, it doesn't matter as much as the obvious CGI in The Hulk: it's so fantastic, it helps that it doesn't seem real.
Too bad it just won't get the marketing or the attention it deserves, probably ever. That's why if it's ever considered a classic at all, it'll be a cult classic. Such seems the destination of many things that dare to be what they want and not what others want them to be.
--PolarisDiB