Watching Labyrinth on TV the other day, after years of having not seen it, I'm reminded in general how I see Jim Henson's work, via the usual Muppets (in the 'Muppet' movies) or in the non-traditional ones (the spectacular film 'the Dark Crystal'), just a smidgen different than as a kid. For one thing, there's the nostalgia factor, of having loved the muppets as a kid and seeing how the entertainment value is still there, if on a slightly different wavelength then as a kid- some jokes more received and understood and some moments not as freakish as when back in the day. But with Labyrinth I just thought, despite all of the talent and marvelous special effects, "this hasn't really changed much for me since I was a kid, it's still just, well, good."
The story itself- of young Jennifer Connelly going after her baby brother kidnapped by the Goblin King (David Bowie, in full-on regalia) while navigating through the tangential directions of the Labyrinth with help (or not) from creatures- is just a fairy tale for kids. That it's got some clever direction from Henson is not without its merits and some scenes get the fantasy feeling right, even for its time and visual FX limitations. But if there are limitations anywhere noticeable it's in the script by Terry Jones, from the story by Henson and Dennis Lin, where chances to reach to a larger audience (like with the Dark Crystal, which works for adults just as well as for kids) are missed. The humor in the film does work here and there, but there are also the Bowie songs to contend with which are, more or less, rather disappointing and, well, 80's in retrospect. I still liked the inventive uses with the supporting Muppet-type characters, the little troupe of sorts that follows Connelly's character till the end (almost). However, having seen it again, I'm not sure when I would want to watch it again, unless I had some kids around.
In short, one of the lesser Henson films (ironically the only one produced by George Lucas) which means that it still has enough visual prowess and imagination to top the current films reaching for its target audience.
The story itself- of young Jennifer Connelly going after her baby brother kidnapped by the Goblin King (David Bowie, in full-on regalia) while navigating through the tangential directions of the Labyrinth with help (or not) from creatures- is just a fairy tale for kids. That it's got some clever direction from Henson is not without its merits and some scenes get the fantasy feeling right, even for its time and visual FX limitations. But if there are limitations anywhere noticeable it's in the script by Terry Jones, from the story by Henson and Dennis Lin, where chances to reach to a larger audience (like with the Dark Crystal, which works for adults just as well as for kids) are missed. The humor in the film does work here and there, but there are also the Bowie songs to contend with which are, more or less, rather disappointing and, well, 80's in retrospect. I still liked the inventive uses with the supporting Muppet-type characters, the little troupe of sorts that follows Connelly's character till the end (almost). However, having seen it again, I'm not sure when I would want to watch it again, unless I had some kids around.
In short, one of the lesser Henson films (ironically the only one produced by George Lucas) which means that it still has enough visual prowess and imagination to top the current films reaching for its target audience.