Synopsis of Movie

Masterminded by Muppeteer Jim Henson and Star Wars creator George Lucas, Labyrinth combined live actors, puppetry and special effects in an elaborate fantasy. While not officially a sequel to Henson's The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth had the same look and feel, and it stirred up the same kind of religious fan fervor.

The film begins as a teenage girl named Sarah babysits her younger brother Toby. A naïve girl who indulges herself in fantasies and daydreams, Sarah dislikes always having to be responsible for her kid brother. In a moment of annoyance, she wishes the Goblin King would steal him away forever. She is horrified when her terrible wish actually comes true, and she plunges into the labyrinth in order to save poor Toby.

Jareth, the Goblin King, watches Sarah with great interest as she navigates her way through the treacherous, complicated maze. She is assisted in her quest by many strange characters, including the gruff dwarf Hoggle, the miniature but brave Sir Didymus and the gentle giant Ludo. Sarah's adventures in the labyrinth cause her to become a wiser and more compassionate person, as she matures from a self-indulgent child to a young, intelligent woman.

The film provided many memorable moments of stunning images, including a dark tunnel crowded with thousands of white Helping Hands, the odious Bog of Eternal Stench, Jareth's staircase kingdom (based on the drawings of M.C. Escher) and of course, the mysterious labyrinth itself.

David Bowie's performance as Jareth also made a striking impression. His Goblin King had a truly magnetic presence that made one understand why Sarah would find herself unwillingly attracted to him. The former Ziggy Stardust also wrote and performed five original songs for the film's soundtrack.

It's very easy to fall under the spell of a movie like Labyrinth, because it taps into our ideas about dreams and illusions. The film also boasted innovative puppetry creations for the numerous creatures that populated its fantasy world, making it an even more mesmerizing and unique moviegoing experience.

Movie Release History

1986 - Labyrinth

Movie Sub Categories

live-action
sci-fi/fantasy

Movie Studio

Delphi V, Henson, Lucasfilm, TriStar

Cast

Jareth  David Bowie
Sarah  Jennifer Connelly
Toby Toby Froud
Stepmother  Shelley Thompson
Father Christopher Malcolm
Fairy Natalie Finland
Hoggle Shari Weiser
Hoggle/Goblin voice  Brian Henson
Ludo/Ludo's Voice/Firey 2/Goblin Voice  Ron Mueck
Ludo/Firey 3  Rob Mills
Didymus/The Hat/The Four Guards/Left Door/Knocker  Dave Goelz
Didymus/Firey 1  David Alan Barclay
Didymus/The Hat/The Four Guards/Goblin David Shaughnessy
The Worm/The Junk Lady/Firey 2  Karen Prell
The Worm/The Four Guards/Goblin  Timothy Bateson
The Wiseman  Frank Oz
The Wiseman  Michael Hordern
The Junk Lady  Denise Bryer
The Four Guards/Firey 4/Ambrosius  Steve Whitmire
The Four Guards/Firey 1/Ambrosius  Kevin Clash
The Four Guards/Right Door Knocker/Firey 5  Anthony Asbury
The Four Guards' Voice/Goblin Voice Anthony Jackson
The Four Guards/Goblin  Douglas Blackwell
Right Door Knocker  David Healy
Left Door Knocker  Robert Beatty
Firey 1  Toby Philpott
Firey 2  Ian Thom
Firey 2  Charles Augins
Firey 3  Sherry Amott
Firey 3/Firey 4  Danny John-Jules
Firey 4  Cheryl Henson
Firey 4   Kevin Bradshaw
Firey 5  Alistair Fullarton
Firey 5  Rollin Krewson
Firey 5  Richard Bodkin
Ambrosius  Percy Edwards
Goblin Corps  Marc Antona
Ballroom Dancer  John Aron
Ballroom Dancer  Elfrida Ashworth
Goblin  Michael Attwell
Goblin Corps  Kenny Baker
Goblin Corps  Michael Henbury Ballan
Goblin  Sean Barrett
Goblin Corps  Danny Blackner
Goblin  John Bluthal
Goblin Corps  Peter Burroughs
Goblin Corps  Toby Clark
Goblin Corps  Tessa Crockett
Ballroom Dancer  Terry Dane
Goblin Corps  Warwick Davis
Goblin Corps  Malcolm Dixon
Ballroom Dancer  Margaret Foyer
Goblin Corps  Anthony Georghiou
Ballroom Dancer  Elizabeth A. Gilbert
Ballroom Dancer  Louise Gold
Ballroom Dancer  Moira Grant
Goblin Corps  Paul Grant
Ballroom Dancer  Derek Hartley
Goblin Corps  Andrew Herd
Ballroom Dancer  Douglas Howes
Goblin Corps  Richard Jones
Goblin Corps  John Key
Ballroom Dancer  San Lee
Goblin Corps  Mark Lisle
Ballroom Dancer  Janis Mackintosh
Goblin Corps  Peter Mandell
Goblin Voice  Peter Marinker
Ballroom Dancer  Penny Marsden
Ballroom Dancer  Kim Mendez
Ballroom Dancer  Wendy Millward
Ballroom Dancer  Leonie Palette
Ballroom Dancer  Caroline Pope
Ballroom Dancer  Christopher Preston
Goblin Corps  Jack Purvis
Goblin Corps  Katie Purvis
Goblin Corps  Nicholas Read
Ballroom Dancer  Peter Salmon
Goblin Voice  Kerry Shale
Ballroom Dancer  Peter Sim
Ballroom Dancer  Graeme Sneddon
Goblin Corps  Linda Spriggs
Goblin Corps  Penny Stead
Ballroom Dancer  Graham Tudor-Phillips
Ballroom Dancer  David Turner
Ballroom Dancer  Sharon White
Goblin Corps  Albert Wilkinson
Ballroom Dancer  Barrie J. Wilkinson

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