Goblins, mazes, fairies, ballrooms, bogs of eternal stench; all portrayed with the joy, enthusiasm and ability only found in a team like Jim Henson and George Lucas. This musical, comedic-fantasy is one of my all time favorite movies. The music is true 80s David Bowie, full of synthesisors and echoes and the special effects are "old school" but effective. I will be clear in stating that I am bias, I love this movie and can find few faults with it. Goblins are done by the same puppeteers that created some of the best loved characters of all time. Costumes are wonderful (who could take their eyes of Bowie's codpiece?) expecially in the ballroom scene. That scene "when the world falls down" has fueled costume ball fantasies in my brain for years. In fact, many of this movie's elements have fuled my fantasies.
David Bowie and Jennifer Connely shine. Bowie plays the Goblin King, who is somewhat creepy and not human, but finds himself in love with a human girl. The girl, Sarah, is played by Connelly (I believe this is her first big role) with just the right amount of innocence and adolescence to create a sixteen-year-old with a preoccupation for fantasy and fairytales. Perhaps some of my love for this movie comes from the fact that, growing up, I related very well with the character of Sarah (even though my life had nothing in common with her).
All told, the puppetry, acting, special effects, attention to detail and wonderful story create a magical movie that shouldn't be missed. However, if you didn't see it as a child, some of the wonder will probably be missing.
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I'll have to agree with Lunanshee; I am too biased to review this movie with a hope of objectivity. To me, it is another classic. Even though I could skip some of the sequences (freaky orange things tossing their heads around, anyone?), the sheer brilliance of Jim Henson's puppetry is astonishing. My best movie buddy will probably say that The Dark Crystal (another Henson film) is right up there with this one, but to me, there is no comparison.
In fact, I find it difficult to compare this film with anything before or since. Don't even mention Pan's Labyrinth to me; I don't want to hear it, and would probably put my hands over my ears and hum loudly at the suggestion.
I used to like to make "mix tapes" of movies with my VCR, using it to put like-themed movies together. I don't think I have this one on a tape (other than the kind that we bought at the store), and other than The Princess Bride (for it's child-hood classic-qualities), I don't even know what I would pair Labyrinth with. Legend doesn't cut it either (although my fellow blogger would probably argue that point).
I love it. My friends love it. I may have only heard one person EVER say that they didn't like it. That was because they saw it for the first time as an adult. I don't believe that I am friends with that person anymore. Maybe if I could let go of my feelings, I would be interested in listening to a person who felt that way explain how they could come to such a conclusion. Maybe; give it a try.
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