THE LABYRINTH

You may (or may not) be surprised to find out I only recently discovered this film even existed. I finally found this little gem on my cousin’s facebook status of all places and Max if you’re reading this (and knowing you, I sincerely doubt it but still) I mean you. Thanks mate. It was a revelation – I have evidently had a very deprived childhood…
Oh yes. This is a children’s film – it was meant as one anyway. But see, just like the animation, I like children’s films. A lot of the time, they are nostalgic. And sometimes, ideal for relaxing to. So is this one. Starring David Bowie (of all people) and a pint-sized Jennifer Connoley (aged ?? at the time)The Labyrinth is THE best dollop of gorgeous, kitsch 80’s yum I have seen in a very VERY long time.
This is the story of Sarah (Jennifer Connoley). She is a pretty regular teenager; she is into fairy stories and doesn’t like being left at home alone to babysit her little brother. On one such night when her baby brother Toby is being particularly grizzly and tiresome she inadvertently says the magic words – and the goblins carry off her baby brother. Confronted by Jareth, The Goblin King (guess who) she finds out that she has to solve the magic labyrinth, pass through the goblin city and get to Jareth’s castle in just 13 hours if she wants to see her brother again. If she fails, he will turn into a goblin and there will be no turning back…
Now, there are certain things to say about this film. For instance, the rest of the cast (except Toby, Sarah, Jareth and Mother – who appears very briefly at the beginning of the film) is made up entirely of puppets. The visual effects are… Well, very 1986 (not surprisingly, the year the film was made). And Terry Jones (again of all people. What do you mean which Terry Jones – the one from Monty Python! Oh for Heaven’s sake, you knew that, right??) wrote the thing. And that means, children’s film though it is, it is crammed full of very Python-esque and VERY British VERY dry humor. Not excessively mind you, but for some constitutions even a small smidgen of British humor is too much. I almost rolled around on the floor in places. And, and, if you are a David Bowie fan, he makes, in a word, THE BEST, the most leodard-clad and glam make-upped goblin king you could ever, possibly, remotely imagine. He is pure yum in himself.
In short, I cannot begin to explain how strongly I advise you to watch this film. I recognize it’s a niche and you may find it completely silly, but if you like this kind of film, you will bitterly regret not having watched it. And if you are among those folk (I believe they exist) that are gob-smacked I have never heard of this, well just re-watch it. Go on, you know you were looking for an excuse! =)