27 Labyrinth Facts That Everyone Should Definitely Know!
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'Labyrinth' is a musical dark fantasy feature film with Jim Henson as the director, a well-known American puppeteer, cartoonist, screenwriter, director, and actor, and George Lucas as the executive producer.
Although the movie was a big flop, it gained recognition for the profound use of radio-controlled puppets. Today, the movie is recognized as a cult classic and one of the best puppet movies of all time.
A lot of work was put into making this movie, especially while creating the puppets, and not to be forgotten, Jennifer Connelly was only 16 years old while filming. The movie was able to gain fandom in later years, especially when released on VHS and DVD, and now it is there is talk of a spinoff sequel being filmed.
Storyline Of 'Labyrinth'
The storyline is one of the most important parts of a film because it is the storyline that reaches the heart of the viewers.
The story is about Sarah, a teenage girl who has to find and save Toby, her half-brother, by midnight.
Sarah is told to babysit Toby while her parents are out and is frustrated about having to do this.
She wishes that baby Toby is taken away by goblins.
Sarah's wish is granted by the Goblin King, Jareth, as goblins take Toby away. She later regrets that decision and asks Jareth to give Toby back.
Sarah is given until midnight before Toby is turned into a goblin.
A dwarf named Hoggle directs Sarah into a labyrinth where she needs to find her way to Toby.
She is put to the test and needs to face several challenges and traps.
She successfully faces all the challenges but Sarah falls for one of the traps set by Jareth.
Ultimately, Sarah escapes from the trap and then has to confront Jareth.
She faces Jareth with courage, defeats him, and they are sent home safely.
Sarah finally understands that Toby is important in her life.
Casting And Screenplay
Any movie is deemed to be as good as the actors in it. So casting is always of great importance and the casting of this movie is pretty interesting.
The script of this movie was first written by Terry Jones and then rewritten by multiple other writers including George Lucas.
Jim Henson was also considering Michael Jackson for the role of the Goblin King Jareth but Henson ended up giving the role to David Bowie.
Many celebrated actresses like Ally Sheedy and Marisa Tomei attended the auditions for the lead role, but after auditioning Jennifer Connelly, Henson knew he wanted her in the role of Sarah.
The role of the baby, Toby, was given to Toby Froud, son of Brian Froud.
Brian Froud was given the job of conceptual designing by Henson and he was behind most of the paintings and sketches that made the look of the movie.
The tricks using crystal balls in the movie were actually done by Michael Moschen but were shown as if they were David Bowie's hands.
One of the main puppet characters, Hoggle, was played by two people, Shari Weiser in a bodysuit and Brian Henson (Jim Henson's son) as the voice.
The creature character of The Wiseman was performed by the Puppeteer Frank Oz and the voice was given by Michael Hordern.
Cultural Impact
The movie was initially a failure but in later years it regained its popularity and became a well-known cult film.
Even after numerous years, many children used to know David Bowie as the character from the movie.
Labyrinth of Jareth Masquerade ball is an event based on the movie that has been celebrated every year since 1997.
The movie-inspired event takes place in San Diego, Hollywood, and Los Angeles, and people attend the event dressed as characters from the movie.
The movie has multiple internet fan pages and there are a few pages that have a dedicated section with thousands of stories.
A book with Brian Froud's movie art was published in 1986 and later a deluxe edition was also published in 2006.
The movie was adapted into a picture book with detailed illustrations.
The movie was also adapted into a computer game in 1986, and later a Japanese version was also released of the game.
In recent years, multiple adapted books have been released by top publishers like Macmillan, and Boom Studios.
A musical stage show based on the movie was reportedly being worked on in 2018, so fans could expect that in the future.
In 2018 and 2019, a comic series was published portraying the story of the Goblin King.
FAQs
How many puppets are in the 'Labyrinth'?
Multiple puppets have been used throughout the movie but the 'Dance Magic' scene of this movie is known to have used over 48 puppets which were controlled by over 52 puppeteers.
What is the meaning behind the 'Labyrinth'?
The movie tells that self-empowerment is important. Life is never easy and fair with anyone, you should be strong and just go along with the flow, and if required it is important that you ask for help.
Who played Hoggle in 'Labyrinth'?
There were two people involved in making the character complete. Shari Weiser was the person in the bodysuit but the voice of Hoggle was given by Brian Henson, Jim Henson's son.
Who directed the movie?
The director of the movie 'Labyrinth' is Jim Henson, and Henson was a puppeteer himself.
Why is the movie so famous?
The movie is most known for the phenomenal usage of radio-controlled puppets, and today this movie has become a part of the greatest puppet movies of all time.
How old was David Bowie in 'Labyrinth'?
David Bowie was 38 years old when he played the character of the Goblin King in the movie 'Labyrinth'.
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