Whit AlexanderChildhood Nostalgia Revisited: The Labyrinth
August 27th 2008 16:34
The very first review I did to for Orble was to talk about one of my favorite movies ever, The Princess Bride. Since then, I've been meaning to hit up a few other movies that I watched as a kid. I watched the Princess Bride often enough that I have it memorized. The same goes for another childhood favorite, Labyrinth.
Directed by Jim Henson, Labyrinth is a coming-of-age tale set around Sarah, a spoiled teenager who lives with her mother, step-father, and half-brother. The movie opens in the park, where Sarah is reciting lines from a favorite play- until she gets to the one that she always forgets. Sarah is played by a young Jennifer Connelly.
She returns to her home when she realizes she's running late, her parents are going out and she is supposed to watch her baby brother. She has an obvious resentment for her step-mother and her infant half-brother, probably stemming from her parent's divorce. Later that evening, while telling her screaming brother a story, she wishes the Goblin King would take him away.
The Goblin King, played by the extravagant David Bowie, does just that. Sarah knows she must get her brother back, and has 13 hours before the infant becomes a permanent member of the Kingdom.
While trying to complete the Labyrinth, Sara runs into magical creatures of all kinds, including a grumpy if somewhat useful gnome named Hoggle (who hates fairies), a gentle giant named Ludo, and a feisty dog-like character called Sir Didymus with his faithful steed Ambrosius.
There are also enemies that are strange and weird, like the Fierey creatures (interchangeable parts included) and the strange trash collecting monster. Of course, the real enemy is Jareth, the King himself. He pops in and out, doing his best to make Sarah give up her quest to get her brother back. There are definitely strings of a strange romance, which is VERY creepy if you think about it (she's FIFTEEN after all) but doesn't seem too strange within the context of the story. I suppose because it's a fairy tale, and age of consent laws don't count.
When I watched this as a kid, I had nothing but sympathy for Sarah, and was excited about her adventure (I also wanted that rockin' shirt and vest combo). Interesting how your perspective on things like that change as you age, as I got older I realized how much of a brat Sarah was and how she changes. I know, literal definition of a coming-of-age tale, but I probably first watched this movie when my little brother was still in diapers, nearly 20 years ago, so give me a break.
Nostalgia tinges much of my opinion of this movie, but I love the music numbers (especially the one in the Escher room, where the stairs and gravity go all ker-flukey). I love the muppets, and the characters. I suppose it's a matter of one's opinion, and it probably doesn't hold the impact today that it once did, but Jim Henson's Labyrinth holds a place near to my heart.
Directed by Jim Henson, Labyrinth is a coming-of-age tale set around Sarah, a spoiled teenager who lives with her mother, step-father, and half-brother. The movie opens in the park, where Sarah is reciting lines from a favorite play- until she gets to the one that she always forgets. Sarah is played by a young Jennifer Connelly.
She returns to her home when she realizes she's running late, her parents are going out and she is supposed to watch her baby brother. She has an obvious resentment for her step-mother and her infant half-brother, probably stemming from her parent's divorce. Later that evening, while telling her screaming brother a story, she wishes the Goblin King would take him away.
The Goblin King, played by the extravagant David Bowie, does just that. Sarah knows she must get her brother back, and has 13 hours before the infant becomes a permanent member of the Kingdom.
While trying to complete the Labyrinth, Sara runs into magical creatures of all kinds, including a grumpy if somewhat useful gnome named Hoggle (who hates fairies), a gentle giant named Ludo, and a feisty dog-like character called Sir Didymus with his faithful steed Ambrosius.
There are also enemies that are strange and weird, like the Fierey creatures (interchangeable parts included) and the strange trash collecting monster. Of course, the real enemy is Jareth, the King himself. He pops in and out, doing his best to make Sarah give up her quest to get her brother back. There are definitely strings of a strange romance, which is VERY creepy if you think about it (she's FIFTEEN after all) but doesn't seem too strange within the context of the story. I suppose because it's a fairy tale, and age of consent laws don't count.
When I watched this as a kid, I had nothing but sympathy for Sarah, and was excited about her adventure (I also wanted that rockin' shirt and vest combo). Interesting how your perspective on things like that change as you age, as I got older I realized how much of a brat Sarah was and how she changes. I know, literal definition of a coming-of-age tale, but I probably first watched this movie when my little brother was still in diapers, nearly 20 years ago, so give me a break.
Nostalgia tinges much of my opinion of this movie, but I love the music numbers (especially the one in the Escher room, where the stairs and gravity go all ker-flukey). I love the muppets, and the characters. I suppose it's a matter of one's opinion, and it probably doesn't hold the impact today that it once did, but Jim Henson's Labyrinth holds a place near to my heart.
| 70 |
| Vote |
