LABYRINTH [1986 / 2016] [30th Anniversary Limited Edition DigiBook] [Blu-ray + Digital HD ULTRAVIOLET] [UK Release] Let Jim Henson Take You into a Dazzling World of Fantasy and Adventure! Restored Beyond Its Original Brilliance!
A 16-year old girl Sarah [Academy Award® winner Jennifer Connelly and Best Supporting Actress in ‘Beautiful Mind’ 2001] is given 13 hours to solve a dangerous and wonderful labyrinth and rescue her baby brother when her wish for him to be taken away is granted by the Goblin King [David Bowie]. Celebrate the 30th Anniversary of this beloved fantasy classic from visionary filmmaker Jim Henson, but most of the film's significant characters are played by puppets produced by the Jim Henson's Creature Shop. Now fully remastered in 4K.
FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 1987 BAFTA Film Awards: Nominated: Best Special Visual Effects for Brian Froud, George Gibbs, Roy Field and Tony Dunsterville. 1987 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA: Nominated: Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film. Nominated: Saturn Award for Best Costumes for Brian Froud and Ellis Flyte. 1979 Hugo Awards: Nominated: Best Dramatic Presentation for Jim Henson (story/director), Terry Jones (screenplay) and Dennis Lee (story).
FILM FACT No.2: Richard Corliss noted that the film appeared to have been influenced by ‘The Wizard of Oz’ and the works of Maurice Sendak, writing that "Labyrinth lures a modern Dorothy Gale out of the drab Kansas of real life into a land where the wild things are." The dialogue starting with phrase, "you remind me of the babe" that occurs between the Goblin King, Jareth [David Bowie] and the goblins, in the “Magic Dance” sequence in the film, is a direct reference to an exchange between Cary Grant and Shirley Temple in the 1947 film ‘The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer.’ This was the last feature film that Jim Henson would direct.
Cast: David Bowie (Jareth), Jennifer Connelly (Sarah), Toby Froud (Baby 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), David Alan Barclay (Didymus / Firey 1), David Shaughnessy (Didymus / The Hat / The Four Guards / Goblin), Karen Prell (The Worm / The Junk Lady / Firey 2), Timothy Bateson (The Worm / The Four Guards / Goblin) (voice), Frank Oz (The Wiseman), Michael Hordern (The Wiseman) (voice), Denise Bryer (The Junk Lady) (voice), Steve Whitmire (The Four Guards / Firey 4 / Ambrosius) (voice), Kevin Clash (The Four Guards / Firey 1 / Ambrosius) (voice), Anthony Asbury (The Four Guards / Right Door Knocker / Firey 5), Anthony Jackson (The Four Guards / Goblin) (voice), Douglas Blackwell (The Four Guards / Goblin) (voice), David Healy (Right Door Knocker) (voice), Robert Beatty (Left Door Knocker) (voice), Toby Philpott (Firey 1), Ian Thom (Firey 2), Charles Augins (Firey 2) (voice), Sherry Amott (Firey 3), Danny John-Jules (Firey 3 / Firey 4) (voice), Cheryl Henson (Firey 4), Kevin Bradshaw (Firey 4), Alistair Fullarton (Firey 5), Rollin Krewson (Firey 5), Richard Bodkin (Firey 5) (voice), Percy Edwards (Ambrosius) (voice), Marc Antona (Goblin Corps), John Aron (Ballroom Dancer), Elfrida Ashworth (Ballroom Dancer), Kenny Baker (Goblin Corps), Michael Henbury Ballan (Goblin Corps), Danny Blackner (Goblin Corps), Peter Burroughs (Goblin Corps), Toby Clark (Goblin Corps), Tessa Crockett (Goblin Corps), Terry Dane (Ballroom Dancer), Warwick Davis (Goblin Corps), Malcolm Dixon (Goblin Corps), Margaret Foyer (Ballroom Dancer), Anthony Georghiou (Goblin Corps), Elizabeth A. Gilbert (Ballroom Dancer), Louise Gold (Ballroom Dancer), Moira Grant (Ballroom Dancer), Paul Grant (Goblin Corps), Derek Hartley (Ballroom Dancer), Andrew Herd (Goblin Corps), Douglas Howes (Ballroom Dancer), Richard Jones (Goblin Corps), John Key (Goblin Corps), San Lee (Ballroom Dancer), Mark Lisle (Goblin Corps), Janis Mackintosh (Ballroom Dancer), Peter Mandell (Goblin Corps), Penny Marsden (Ballroom Dancer), Kim Mendez (Ballroom Dancer), Wendy Millward (Ballroom Dancer), Leonie Palette (Ballroom Dancer), Caroline Pope (Ballroom Dancer), Christopher Preston (Ballroom Dancer), Jack Purvis (Goblin Corps), Katie Purvis (Goblin Corps), Nicholas Read(Goblin Corps), Peter Salmon (Ballroom Dancer), Peter Sim (Ballroom Dancer), Graeme Sneddon (Ballroom Dancer), Linda Spriggs (Goblin Corps), Penny Stead (Goblin Corps), Graham Tudor-Phillips (Ballroom Dancer), David Turner (Ballroom Dancer), Sharon White (Ballroom Dancer), Albert Wilkinson (Goblin Corps), Barrie J. Wilkinson (Ballroom Dancer), Michael Attwell (voice) (uncredited), Sean Barrett (Goblin) (voice) (uncredited), Toni Barry (Stepmother) (voice) (uncredited), John Bluthal (Goblin) (voice) (uncredited), Jim Henson (Goblins) (uncredited), Peter Marinker (Goblin) (voice) (uncredited), Paul Markham (Out Stretched Hand) (uncredited), Steve Nallon (Goblin) (voice) (uncredited), Jan Ravens (Goblin) (voice) (uncredited), Enn Reitel (Goblin) (voice) (uncredited), Kerry Shale (Goblin) (voice) (uncredited) and Mildred Shay (Goblin) (voice) (uncredited)
Director: Jim Henson
Producers: David Lazer, Eric Rattray, George Lucas and Martin G. Baker
Screenplay: Dennis Lee (story), Jim Henson (story) and Terry Jones (screenplay)
Composer: Trevor Jones (Score Composed)
Cinematography: Alex Thomson B.S.C. (Director of Photography)
Image Resolution: 1080p
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 (Panavision)
Audio: English: DOLBY ATMOS (7.1 Dolby TrueHD Compatible)
Czech: 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround
Hungarian: 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround
Japanese: 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround
Polish: 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround
Russian: 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround
Spanish: 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround
English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Subtitles: English, English SDH, Arabic, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguêse, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish
Running Time: 101 minutes
Region: All Regions
Number of discs: 1
Studio: TriStar Pictures / Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: ‘LABYRINTH’ [1986] is about a teenage girl named Sarah [Jennifer Connelly] whose baby brother is kidnapped by Goblin King, Jareth [David Bowie]. Sarah has to rescue her baby brother from the goblins’ castle at the centre of a curiously populated maze before midnight, or the baby brother will be turned into a goblin. Why then has ‘LABYRINTH’ 101 minutes of David Bowie rock opera and Jim Henson’s spectacle become so beloved that it’s now a mainstream cult favourite, and what keeps people watching since it was released in 1986? For all its flaws and superficial delights, ‘LABYRINTH’ reacquainted audiences with an old fashioned idea that Hollywood had long neglected: Childhood is a scary and dangerous place; an inherently strange time filled with dead-ends, wrong turns, lies, and traps. In other words: It’s not the Muppets. Jim Henson’s 1986 film understands at its core that youth is full of mystery, tricks, and danger, and where ‘LABYRINTH’ looks into the “Dark Heart of Childhood.” The result, a fabulous film about a young girl's journey into womanhood that uses futuristic technology to illuminate a mythic-style tale, is in many ways a remarkable achievement.
When we see the Goblins eyes snap open, it is the audience’s first glimpse of them, especially in the dimly lit shot crowded with teeth, white-rolling eyes, green flesh, and horns. It’s a strange moment, juxtaposed with Sarah in her baby brother’s bedroom, trying to get the screaming toddler to sleep. Then the wall-to-wall goblins come out of nowhere. Are they in Sarah’s head, the audience wonders? Have goblins always been there, waiting in the corners, holding their breath, or sleeping until we say the magic words? The technique makes animation seem dull and old-fashioned by comparison, and, in fact, the more exciting fantasy sequences in recent films have been created through special effects and advanced puppetry rather than animation. Mr. Jim Henson's creations have put him in the forefront of a development that expands the possibilities of imaginative fantasy that can be transferred to the screen.
It’s significant that Jim Henson’s goblins arrive in the “Land of Labyrinth” exactly when Sarah is attempting to do just that: put the baby to bed. When she flicks off the light and the baby goes silent, she knows instantly, instinctively, that something is wrong. Goblin King, Jareth enters Sarah’s brother’s bedroom in a flurry of boots and cape, snowy owl wings bating, and French doors thrown open wide. Goblin King, Jareth’s stolen her baby, but if Sarah can find her brother in the Labyrinth before 13 hours are up, she can have him back. Under a blood-red sky, Jareth shows Sarah his maze, with the Goblin Castle at the centre. Sarah’s backyard has seemingly peeled away to reveal the Goblin Kingdom. But have goblins always been there, waiting in the corners, holding their breath, or sleeping until we say the magic words?
The puppets in ‘LABYRINTH’ are very inventive created puppets from the drawings of the conceptual designer Brian Froud, are a long way from Jim Henson's original Muppets, which used the traditional puppet box. Now they are complicated, highly technical creatures, each requiring about five people to operate, with many of the movements done by remote control. But one of Jim Henson's special gifts is producing puppets that are wonderfully human, eccentric and individualistic. As a result his new creations are not cold, automated electronic marvels, but fantastic humanoid creatures inhabiting a newly created world that mirror our own foibles, and so can move us and make us laugh.
The story of the film is a variation on a classic theme from children's literature. Fifteen-year-old Sarah, in that twilight time when a girl begins to change into a woman, is staying home to care for her baby brother, whom she resents. A girl with an active imagination and her bookshelves are filled with the works of Lewis Carroll, Maurice Sendak and the Brothers Grimm and she wishes her brother weren't her responsibility. ''I wish the goblins would take you away right now,'' she says aloud. And they do. The rest of the film is her journey to get him back through the labyrinth of mazes, puzzles, magic and topsy-turvy twists of logic that must lead her to the centre, where the goblin king is holding her brother. David Bowie is perfectly cast as the teasing, tempting seducer whom Sarah must both want and reject in order to learn the Labyrinth's lessons, and his songs add a driving, sensual appeal.
Most of the people who appear in the film work in teams of ''performers'' who operate the puppets and a lessening in the need for actors that might interest the Screen Actors Guild. Some of these puppets create memorable characters, such as Hoggle, the ugly gnome who is a coward but conquers his worse nature for love of his friend Sarah. Others are Ludo, a huge, hairy oaf who becomes Sarah's loyal friend, and Sir Didymus, a tiny hand puppet with the face of a dignified fox terrier who has a touch of Don Quixote in him. He's a gallant little knight who says lines like ''Don't worry, we've got them surrounded'' when the goblins are closing in on him. The script, by Terry Jones, co-creator of ''Monty Python's Flying Circus,'' is witty and slightly zany and a good combination to entertain both children and adults.
Once old enough, the mature nature of the film begins to show more and more. It is clear ‘LABYRINTH’ is Jim Henson’s version of a coming of age story, a story of how a young girl puts her childish ways behind her, but makes sure not to forget them as she steps into womanhood. Jennifer Connelly was chosen for the role of Sarah because she herself was so easily able to convey the female mind-set and transformation from childhood to womanhood. David Bowie was casted for his allure. David Bowie was perfect for the portrayal of Sarah’s ideal rock star crush. Jim Henson and Brian Froud easily cemented these ideas in the Jareth character with David Bowie playing the role along with the character’s charisma/attitude and costuming/appearance. Upon a first viewing the coming of age element isn’t exactly clear. However, when watched multiple times, background elements, costuming and the choice of David Bowie as the main villain/love interest make the underlying message Jim Henson was conveying very clear.
LABYRINTH MUSIC TRACK LIST
STAY (Written by Dannic) [Performed by Levi Cameron]
CHILLY DOWN (Written by David Bowie) [Performed by David Alan Barclay, Karen Prell and Rob Mills]
AS THE WORLD FALLS DOWN (Written by David Bowie) [Performed by David Bowie]
WITHIN YOU (Written by David Bowie) [Performed by David Bowie]
UNDERGROUND (Written by David Bowie) [Performed by David Bowie]
MAGIC DANCE (Written by David Bowie) [Performed by David Bowie]
Blu-ray Image Quality – TriStar Pictures and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment have come together to bring you this 1986 film bang up to date with a stunning and surprisingly clean transfer encoded 1080p image, which for the most part is free from dirt, scratches, and other flaws from the original source. Specks and dirt do pop up from time to time, but much less than I expected they would. Detail and textures are the big winners here. The scene at the beginning with the group of goblins waiting for Sarah to say the magic words is a richly detailed scene that captures the true spirit of this HD transfer that can at times things can be a little too detailed and a case in point, is David Bowie's form fitting pants in HD are quite prominent. Strings for the puppets and a harness for Connelly are also, at times, visible with this kind of resolution. There's a wide variety of lush colours presented here, and all of them are given a chance to show off in a spectacular way. Blacks are even, and indeed exceed expectations. So much so the awesome brilliant transfer will make both serious fans and casual film watchers very happy indeed.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – TriStar Pictures and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment have come together to bring you this 1986 film bang up-to-date with a stunning and surprisingly awesome audio track for this brilliant fantastic fantasy film. Sound effects and ambiance are presented very clearly throughout the side and rear channels. The film's synthesized 1980s soundtrack harbours a great deal of life still for today’s modern audiences, and comes through quite well through all of the speakers channels. Dialogue is presented very clearly through the front channels, and comes through very fine. The audio track plays very crisp, clean, and clear as soon as it gets started; and the music that plays over the opening credits effortlessly spills into the back channels, though the bulk of the material is heard across the three speakers in the front half of the soundstage. The track also does well to place sound effects all about the listening area; it creates a very nice and realistic sense of atmosphere throughout. Thunder gently rolls in the background early in the film, and croaking frogs invade the listening area in another scene midway through. Action scenes come alive with, again, a strong use of the surround speakers as well as a hearty amount of bass when the scene calls for it. Rounded out by faultless dialogue reproduction, this 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Blu-ray release of ‘LABYRINTH’ delivers a very good and terrific sonic audio experience.
Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Audio Commentary by Conceptual Designer Brian Froud: Brian Froud, the film's Conceptual Designer, gives a similar commentary track here as he did with the 'THE DARK CRYSTAL' Blu-ray disc. Here we are introduced to Brian Froud, and informs us that he was the Conceptual Designer for the film #LABYRINTH,’ and also informs us that the owl you see flying around while the credits appear, is in fact a computer generated image, and it was the first time a digital creature was presented to cinema audiences, and although Brian felt the images presented were crude, compared to what audiences view today, it was very ground-breaking for the film’s release in 1986, which was produced by the ILM [Industrial Light & Magic]. Brian also mentions the fact that he also worked on ’THE DARK CRYSTAL’ film, which kept him employed by Jim Henson for five years, but with the film ‘LABYRINTH,’ it was only a three year project, but with both films he did not feel it was a hard graft, it was more like a holiday, as it was totally fun working on both films. Brian Froud talks especially about some of the individual puppets, making the sets, and the digital artistry they used during the beginning credits with the owl flying in and out of the frame. By the way, we hear from Brian that the baby boy is Toby is actually Brian Froud's son and mentions the red and white horizontal stripped pyjamas Toby is wearing and says that this was a reference to “Alice in Wonderland,” and also wanted the clothing to stand out against the dark colours of the goblins, but one interesting fact Brian points out that when Brian was doing the conceptual designs with the goblins, and drew a baby boy sitting amongst the goblins which we view, well when Toby was born the likeness of the child in the conceptual design was very spookily the spitting image of Toby and now Brian Froud tells us that Toby now works in the industry that makes puppets for films and the theatre. At the beginning of the film you see Jennifer Connelly in England, but when it rains you then see Jennifer is now in America, but of course 99% of the film was shot at Elstree Studios in England. Brian Froud feels that the Goblin King has to reflect some of Sarah’s young adolescence thoughts, so in a sense the Goblin King is the adversary and also keen to also be a hero, as well as making him a romantic figure, but made in part like Heathcliff in “Wuthering Heights” or Rochester in “Jayne Ayres,” but also wanted the Goblin King to have Japanese influences, combined with a Knight or aspects of Grimm Fairy Tales, but most important he has to reflect the style of a Pop Artist, and felt David Bowie was perfect for the part in the film, but also felt David Bowie is a very charismatic. When you see Sarah enter the Labyrinth, Brian comments on the brick walls, which he felt reminded of his time he spent in Venice, especially walking around the streets and found them mysterious and of course the Ballroom scene was indicative hint of Venice, especially as all the dancers wore weird and wonderful masks. Each time we see Hoggle, Brian Froud mentions that he designed his clothes and if you look very careful, you will see an image of a face on the clothing. Brian also comments on the fact that Jim Henson gave him complete freedom to be very adventurous and that is why Brian Froud felt it was such a joy to work with Jim Henson. Brian Froud also comments on the amazing hedge maze and felt again it reminded him of “Alice in Wonderland.” As we get near to the end of the film where Sarah is back home and Toby is in his cot asleep, Brian Froud says that it was a great film to be involved in, and also a great privilege working with Jim Henson, who was an extraordinary man, who encourage talent and creativity and allowed Brian Froud to do some extraordinary things, and helped him to fulfil his personal vision and also Jim Henson and Brian Froud also felt there was huge group of talented people working on the film ‘LABYRINTH,’ and says that everyone rose to the challenge to work with Jim Henson, and again it was a great privilege all round, and finally Brian Froud wanted to say, “Thanks Jim.” And so ends a really wonderful magical and very interesting audio commentary as Brian Froud is so very informative and interesting hearing his comments and is a definite must hear while watching the brilliant awesome magical fantasy film that was ‘LABYRINTH.’
Special Feature: Reordering Time: Looking Back at ‘LABYRINTH’ [2016] [1080p] [1.78:1] [9:31] This is a brand new, but all-too-short special feature with “talking heads” memories of working on the film. Here we also have a fantastic look behind-the-scenes at the making of the film ‘LABYRINTH’ and featuring brand new interviews, and much more and also features a lot of fascinating rare vintage clips of Jim Henson from the 1980s making-of documentary of footage shot on film set. There is a fascinating mention about the hands sequence in the film, that was suggested by Terry Jones to be included in the film and we hear about the difficult logistics getting it right and Jim Henson’s problem directing the scene, which again you see some rare behind-the-scene footage seeing how it was done. Contributors include: David Bowie (Jareth), Jennifer Connelly (Sarah), Brian Henson (Puppeteer Co-Ordinator), Cheryl Henson (Daughter of Jim Henson), Jim Henson (Director) and Lisa Henson (Producer).
Special Feature: Remembering The Goblin King [2016] [1080p] [1.78:1] [4:48] Once again this is a brand new special feature paying homage to the genius that was David Bowie and with others looking back at working with the legendary music genius of the very sadly departed that was the amazing David Bowie and especially reflecting on working with David Bowie on the film ‘LABYRINTH.’ The special feature looks at casting of David Bowie, and especially David Bowie's contributions to the film as a whole, his presence and persona on set, and his performance and all praise him highly and say what a joy it was working with this legendary music genius. Contributors include: David Bowie (Jareth), Jennifer Connelly (Sarah), Brian Henson (Puppeteer Co-Ordinator), Cheryl Henson (Daughter of Jim Henson) and Jim Henson (Director).
Special Feature: The Henson Legacy [2016] [1080p] [1.78:1] [11:00] Once again this is a brand new special feature and pays tribute to the genius that is the legendary fantasy man Jim Henson and has the Jim Henson family reflecting on their father’s incredible career and paying homage to a creative genius. Also included is a brief tour of the Center for Puppetry Arts that is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and h houses many of the original puppets of Jim Henson, including those used in the film ‘LABYRINTH.’ There is also some archival interview footage of Jim Henson himself in this special feature as well. Contributors include: Brian Henson (Puppeteer Co-Ordinator), Cheryl Henson (Daughter of Jim Henson) and Lisa Henson (Producer).
Special Feature: LABYRINTH 25th Anniversary Q & A [2016] [1080p] [1.78:1] [41:24] Here we have a very interesting, as well as a brilliant Question and Answer session with some of the puppeteers and vocal performers and the moderator Adam Savage asks some very interesting questions and was after the 25th Anniversary screening of the film ‘LABYRINTH’ and was a totally fascinating session. We see some very rare behind-the-scenes filming of a very young Brian Henson in action with other puppeteers. After the initial introduction to everyone and the moderator Adam Savage asks some very interesting questions about all aspect of the film ‘LABYRINTH’ and what it was like to work on the film, it was then the turn of the audiences to ask questions to people up on the stage, which were as follows:
“What was the process to become Hoggle?”
“As puppeteers, was there anything you wanted to do but were unable to accomplish and how would you handle it now?”
“Do you remember when Sir Didymus was on the dog? Because that was awesome”
“LABYRINTH had a big impact on all of us here tonight, what legacy has it left with you?”
“Was there ever a time you thought it might not come out well?”
“What were your ambitions when you were a kid? Did working on LBYRINTH fulfil that?”
“Did you interact with David Bowie on the set and what was it like working with him?”
All in all this is a really brilliant and very intelligent Question and Answer session to celebrate the 25th Anniversary release of the film ‘LABYRINTH.’ We also get to view clips from the film and especially rare behind-the-scenes view on the film set and director Jim Henson having a lot of fun with cast and crew and this special feature is not to be missed. Contributors include: Adam Savage (Moderator), Brian Henson (Puppeteer Co-Ordinator), Dave Goelz (Sir Didymus), Shari Weiser (Hoggle) and Karen Prell (The Worm).
Special Feature: Inside the LABYRINTH: Making of Documentary [1986] [480i] [1.33:1] [56:28] Here we delve into the mysterious world of the making of the film ‘LABYRINTH’ and especially at the Elstree Studios in England and is the most compelling extra on this Blu-ray disc. This all-encompassing making of 1986 documentary, has a great deal of information of hidden gems about the production of the project in great detail. It would take forever to go into great detail of the comments about the documentary. I will say that this is exactly the type of documentary that fans of the film want to know about the filming of ‘LABYRINTH.’ The pacing is admittedly very relaxed, but that just means there is more time to marvel at the genius that is Jim Henson and his brilliant and talented cast and crew we see at work. Jennifer Connelly and Terry Jones who are lavished with plenty of screen time here and how marvellous they were to be involved with the film, and we're also given much more of a detailed look at Brian Froud's sketchbook and even a peek at David Bowie in the recording studio, which is also very fascinating. We also get to see the fantastic juggler Michael Moschen blindly doing his crystal ball trick behind David Bowie while filming and making lots of funny mistakes, there is also lingering looks at the many sets at Elstree Studios and astonishingly detailed miniatures, and especially Jim Henson struggling to direct both a baby and a bunch of chickens. Most of the time Jim Henson gives a very informative running commentary on what he wanted his fantasy film to go from initial concept, screenplay and what Jim Henson wanted the audience to see his amazing concept appearing on the silver screen and he achieved his main goal to give the audiences a wonderful entertaining 101 minutes of fantasy magic on a grand scale. This is definitely a must watch. Contributors include: Jim Henson (Director), David Bowie (Jareth), Charles Augins (Firey 2), Brian Henson (Puppeteer Co-Ordinator), Brian Froud (Conceptual Designer), Terry Jones (Writer), Michael McCormick (Goblin Armor Designer), Ross Hill (Lichen Puppeteer), Jennifer Connelly (Sarah), Shari Weiser (Hoggle), Michael Moschen (Juggler), Rob Mills (Ludo), Ron Mueck (Ludo), Toby Froud (Baby Toby), Cheryl McFadden (Daughter of Jim Henson), Elliot Scott (Production Designer), George Gibbs (Special Effects Supervisor) and Kenny Baker (Goblin Corps).
Special Feature: Journey Through the LABYRINTH: Kingdom of Characters [2007] [1080p] [1.78:1] [27:57] Here we get to be more focusing on the characters and individual puppets of the film, this feature takes us through every facet of putting a fantasy film like this together. Puppeteers take centre stage here. How they control some of these puppets is as inventive as the puppets themselves. It also includes rediscovered footage from the Jim Henson archives and newly-recorded interviews with the people who created the structure of the actual Labyrinth set. What's interesting about how this documentary is structured is all of the film clips and topics and presented in chronological order, giving off a vague sense of a visual commentary and is especially highlighted by the fact that there is several film clip footage of the film being played while we hear an audio commentary. While there is a lot of the technical wizardry being discussed and a lot of insights about puppet performance, and a lot of behind-the-scenes footage informs us about all that it spells out the logistic challenges that went on during filming certain scenes and we discover more than enough useful facts with the making of ‘LABYRINTH.’ We also get to view lots of rare ‘LABYRINTH’ Test Footage, but unfortunately the quality is really bad and always out of focus. Contributors include: George Lucas (Director), Brian Henson (Puppeteer Co-Ordinator), Brian Froud (Artist and Designer), Karen Prell (Puppeteer), Dave Goelz (Puppeteer), Mira Velimirovic (Creative Assistant), Jane Gootnick (Puppet Designer/Builder), Gates McFadden (Director of Choreography) and Toby Froud (Baby Toby).
Special Feature: Journey Through the LABYRINTH: The Quest for the Goblin City [2007] [1080p] [1.78:1] [30:03] From the beginning of the project to the finished product and this special feature follows the same structure as the previous documentary, this time dealing mainly with the human characters and the deeper meaning of the actual physical Labyrinth. They all give great praise about Terry Jones and how wacky and creative he was with his input towards the film ‘LABYRINTH.’ We again get to view lots of rare ‘LABYRINTH’ Test Footage, as well as lots of rare behind-the-scenes on the film set, but unfortunately the quality again is really bad and always out of focus. We also again get to see David Bowie in the recording studio in New York recording songs for the film ‘LABYRINTH,’ which Jim Henson was totally knocked out, as he thought they were going to be just rough recordings of David Bowie singing to an accompaniment with a piano, but was bowled over by professional David Bowie was and a true musical genius. Contributors include: George Lucas (Director), Brian Henson (Puppeteer Co-Ordinator), Brian Froud (Artist and Designer), Karen Prell (Puppeteer), Dave Goelz (Puppeteer), Mira Velimirovic (Creative Assistant), Jane Gootnick (Puppet Designer/Builder), Gates McFadden (Director of Choreography) and Toby Froud (Baby Toby).
Special Feature: The Storytellers: Picture-in-Picture: While watching the film ‘LABYRINTH’ you will get information on most everything about the film from a small picture-in-picture window. Puppeteers, puppet makers, actors and artists are all included and you can still watch the film in DOLBY ATMOS [7.1 Dolby TrueHD Compatible] and the little pop up screen at the bottom left hand corner is fascinating as you get to hear lots of extra information and hidden facts about the film you do not get elsewhere and a very nice bonus extra from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Contributors include: George Lucas (Director), Brian Henson (Puppeteer Co-Ordinator), Brian Froud (Artist and Designer), Karen Prell (Puppeteer), Dave Goelz (Puppeteer), Mira Velimirovic (Creative Assistant), Jane Gootnick (Puppet Designer/Builder), Gates McFadden (Director of Choreography) and Toby Froud (Baby Toby).
Theatrical Trailers [1986] [1080i/1080p/480i] [1.78:1/2.35:1/1.37:1] [4:08] Here we get to view three Original Theatrical Trailers, and despite two of the theatrical trailers are of very poor quality, overall the presentations are totally brilliant. One bonus aspect of the first Theatrical Trailer is that most of it features the brilliant and talented David Bowie singing his own composed song “Underground.” One thing I do not understand is why the first and third Theatrical Trailers were not in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio, but again despite this, all three Theatrical Trailers were totally brilliant presentations.
BONUS: Beautiful designed 24 page DigiBook package that includes rare photos and a look behind the scenes. Plus special exclusive articles entitled “Jim Henson’s Labyrinth from the Archives;” “Life is a Labyrinth Director Jim Henson;” “The Story of Labyrinth,” “Jennifer Connelly [Original 1986 Bio];” “David Bowie Talks About Labyrinth [Archival 1986 Q&A];” “Hoggle;” “Ludo;” “Sir Didymus” and other Supplement Behind-the-Scene information.
Finally, even after 30 years, ‘LABYRINTH,’ remains a fantasy classic film, utilizing its beloved characters, unique creature and set designs, and a charming performance from David Bowie to deliver a memorable film filled with magical elements. I highly recommend watching the film ‘LABYRINTH,’ especially if you are a massive David Bowie fan or not, and especially like me, you are also a massive Jim Henson fan, as well as a fantasy fan, and especially a cult classic cinema fan, then if you do intend on watching the film, and you would like to see some of the most apparent elements that convey Sarah’s coming of age; so pay close attention to: the items in Sarah’s bedroom, the pictures on her vanity mirror, Goblin King, Jareth’s sexual/adult aspects in costuming and relationship with Sarah, the ballroom scene and its adult atmosphere, the realisation Sarah makes in Junk City, the ending battle between Sarah and Goblin King, Jareth and the end scene of Sarah in her bedroom. The result is a fabulous fantasy film about a young girl's journey into womanhood that uses futuristic technology to illuminate a mythic-style tale, is in many ways a remarkable achievement. One of the more imaginative films of the past several decades, Labyrinth holds up incredibly well despite it looking slightly dated on look and sound and is a Blu-ray disc breathes new life into this fan favourite and definitely necessary addition to any fan's Blu-ray collection. May you rest in peace David Bowie and Jim Henson and may all your memories be forever eternally golden. Very Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
