Anyone who has been reading my reviews or personal blogs for a while now, will know that I went to a screening of The Princess Bride at the Prince Charles Cinema in London back in February.
On that day, the PCC were also showing Labyrinth as part of a double bill with The Princess Bride, but Labyrinth had already sold out when I found out about the screening.
As Labyrinth is one of my favourite childhood movies, and as I had never seen it at the cinema, I had been keeping an eye on the PCC in case they showed it again. Of course, a trek to London to see a film I've seen countless times at home is a little extreme, but not if you already happen to be in London, as I was on the 4th July. Which was the date my waiting and hoping that the PCC would show Labyrinth again, paid off.
For anyone who is not familiar with this childrens classic, it's a tale of goblins, life sized mazes, forging friendships and David Bowie!!! The story is told through the eyes of Sarah (Jennifer Connelly), who has yet again been made to stay home and look after her baby brother Toby, rather than being allowed to go out and indulge in her love of fairy tales. Thinking how unfair this is, Sarah inadvertently requests that the Goblin King (David Bowie) takes her brother away. As Sarah didn't really believe the Goblin King was real, and didn't expect her brother to be taken, she undertakes a journey to solve the labyrinth that surrounds the Goblin King's castle and save her baby brother from becoming a goblin...forever.
I know everyone's opinion will differ on this film but to me it's a classic in every possible way. I hate musicals but I love the songs in Labyrinth (and not just because I'm an old school Bowie fan). I also love the goblins, who were brought to life by the brilliant Jim Henson, the man behind The Muppets, Fraggle Rock and The Dark Crystal and who worked on Sesame Street. It's thanks to him that the goblins in this movie are so lifelike, which enables them to become great friends with Sarah, and in turn the audience, as we fall in love with their quirks, Hoggle's cowardice, Ludo's big heart and Sir Didymus's bravery.
Yes I will admit that Sarah is whiney and spoilt but who isn't at her age? It just makes her character all the more realistic. And the casting of David Bowie as Jareth, the Goblin King, was a stroke of genius. He makes what could have easily been a creepy character so charismatic. I would defy any other actor to turn this character around - he turns babies into goblins and asks young girls to love him while saying he will be their slave, not really the norm for a kids film!
If you've never seen Labyrinth, where have you been for the last 25 years?! It's a classic in every sense of the word and a must see for adults and children alike. 10 out of 10.
NB - I love that the trailer says that the film has 'the excitement of David Bowie'!
Viewing Date - 4th July 2011
Original UK Release Date - 28th November 1986 (I was 5)
Cast Overview:
David Bowie ~ Jareth
Jennifer Connelly ~ Sarah
Toby Froud ~ Toby
Shelley Thompson ~ Sarah's Stepmother
Christopher Malcolm ~ Sarah's Father
Director ~ Jim Henson
Writer(s) ~ Jim Henson (Story), Dennis Lee (Story) and Terry Jones (Screenplay)
No doubt the point lost by Sarah's whineyness was regained by David Bowie's pants.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt. In fact I think David Bowie's pants could re-gain any number of points lost along the way! ;0D
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