Review by David Wangberg, Red Carpet Report Reporter follow David on Twitter @norcalmovieguy
The first time I watched Jim Henson’s Labyrinth was six years ago, when it was showing as part of a midnight movie series at my local theater. When it was announced that the theater was showing it, a lot of my friends noted how excited they were that it was coming back to theaters, even if it was just for one night.
I decided to watch it to see what all the chatter was about, since everyone made it seem like it was a great movie. By the end, I determined that I might have loved it if I grew up watching it like my friends did. Being 25 years old at the time, I found myself loving the visuals, and enjoying the songs, but the overall movie felt a little silly.
With its 30th anniversary being celebrated this year, I decided to give Labyrinth another shot. Fathom Events brought it back to theaters and were kind enough to provide passes to the showing I attended. I knew what was going to happen, having already seen it once in theaters and another time at someone’s house, but I wanted to see how much my opinion would change on a third viewing.
For those who haven’t seen Labyrinth, its premise is pretty simple. A teenager named Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) is forced to babysit her baby brother, Toby, while her father and stepmother go out on the town. She doesn’t want to watch her brother, as he is constantly crying and she doesn’t know how to calm him down.
So she makes a wish for the Goblin King to come and take him away. Even though she didn’t really mean it, that’s exactly what happens. King Jareth (David Bowie) snatches her baby brother and takes him to his labyrinth. Sarah is now given the task of retrieving Toby before the stroke of midnight.
What really makes Labyrinth work is its strong visuals and art direction. Granted some of it is dated by today’s standards, a lot of it still looks quite impressive, and is beautiful to see on the big screen. Bowie may come off as sort of scary to younger eyes that are just now watching it for the first time, but it’s a total blast to watch him dance, sing, and cause mischief as Jareth.
There are some detours in Labyrinth that don’t add anything to the film, such as when Sarah runs into these creatures called Fireys that have detachable body parts. It’s the weakest moment, since the characters are just thrown into the film for one song. But, as a whole, Labyrinth may not be a perfect film, but it’s still a fun watch.
The Fathom Events presentation came with a new introduction from Connelly and Brian Henson, the current chairman of the Jim Henson Company. They discussed, at length, their experiences from working on the film, and also working with Bowie, who passed away earlier this year. The special introduction also showcased some archival interviews with Bowie and showed some behind-the-scenes footage with him and Connelly dancing.
The behind-the-scenes and introduction prior to the movie only lasted about 10 minutes, but it gives a nice glimpse into the making of the movie. The movie presentation looked crisp and clear on the big screen, and was a treat to watch with a theater full of fans.
Grade: B
If you missed the 30th anniversary of Labyrinth, don’t worry. A special encore will be held Wednesday, September 14, at 2 and 7 p.m. Be sure to check the Fathom Events website to see if it is playing near you.
http://fathomevents.com/event/labyrinth-30th-anniversary-second-showing
Labyrinth Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LabyrinthTheMovieOfficial/
Fathom Events Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FathomEvents/
