Labyrinth (1986)

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 scene where Toby is seated on Jareth's lap, the baby has a fixed and hypnotized look off-camera as Jareth murmurs evilly into his ear. In fact, Toby screamed so much during the many takes of this scene, that something had to be done to keep him quiet. Fortunately, a crew member had a glove-puppet Sooty. For the duration of Jareth's speech, David Bowie had the Sooty puppet on one hand (out of shot) gently wiggling to distract Toby. The child was entranced, hence the hypnotic stare, and the perfect silence.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the fight with the guards, the gate leading into the city is open on one side. But when Ludo calls the rocks, the gate is suddenly closed again, and the rocks push on it from the outside.

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 Venture Bros.: Showdown at Cremation Creek: Part 2 (#2.13)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

UNDERGROUND

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.