Title: "Labyrinth"
Director: Jim Henson (RIP)
Producer: George Lucas
Editing: John Grover
Composers: David Bowie and Trevor Jones
Starring:
- Jennifer Connelly as Sarah Williams
- David Bowie as Jareth, The Goblin King
Plot and Critical Review: Sarah Williams is a 15-year-old girl who loves reading and acting out fairy tales. The movie opens with a scene of Sarah rehearsing lines from a book called Labyrinth in a park. While trying to remember her final line in the book, a bell rings and she realizes that she has lost track of time. She runs home to find her stepmother, Irene, waiting for her. They quarrel, and Irene leaves with Sarah's father on a date. Sarah is left home to babysit her baby brother, Toby. Sarah realizes that her treasured teddy bear, Lancelot, is missing from her room. Storming into Toby's room, she finds Lancelot and yells at Toby, who then begins to cry. Sarah begins rehearsing more lines from Labyrinth, telling the story of a maiden granted special powers by the King of Goblins. According to the story, the girl could no longer stand the baby's cries and wishes for goblins to take away her screaming baby brother. As she ends the story and turns off the light, she remarks, "I wish the goblins would come and take you away. Right now." Toby suddenly stops crying. Worried, Sarah enters his room to find that Toby has vanished.
A barn owl flies through the open bedroom window and transforms into Jareth, the King of Goblins. He tells her that he has taken the baby as she wished. Realizing what she has done, Sarah begs for the return of her brother. Jareth tells her that if she can solve his Labyrinth within thirteen hours, she can have Toby back. If she cannot, he will turn Toby into a goblin and keep him forever. But the Labyrinth is not a simple maze; the pathways and openings in the walls change at random intervals and are riddled with logic puzzles and tests.
At its entrance, Sarah finds Hoggle, a curmudgeonly dwarf, killing fairies. She bribes him with plastic jewelry to lead her through the maze. Although he helps Sarah, it is later revealed that he works for Jareth. Sarah's also befriends Sir Didymus, a chivalrous, fox-like knight who rides a sheepdog called Ambrosius. She also rescues and befriends Ludo, a giant, furry, gentle beast, who has the unique ability to summon boulders by howling.
Sarah and her friends experience a variety of adventures, including a stop at the Four Guards where she must solve a Raymond Smullyan-inspired logic puzzle to avoid certain death; an encounter with detachable-limbed revelers known as "The Fire Gang" who try to remove Sarah's head; a detour through the Bog of Eternal Stench; a junkyard-like recreation of her own bedroom; and a hallucinogen-induced masquerade ball. There, Jareth attempts to keep her until the thirteenth hour by dancing with her. She wakes from this illusion and continues into his castle beyond the goblin city with barely enough time to spare.
The film climaxes in Jareth's multi-dimensional castle wherein he makes a final appeal for Sarah to abandon her quest and stay with him. She defeats him by reciting her monologue from the beginning of the movie, including the final line that she couldn't seem to remember: "You have no power over me!" The room crumbles away and Sarah finds herself in the front hall of her home as the clock strikes midnight. Sarah gives Toby her beloved Lancelot, then returns to her room.
As Sarah clears her dressing table Hoggle appears, along with Ludo and Sir Didymus, but only as images in the mirror. They seem to be bidding her goodbye as she leaves behind the fantasies of childhood, but remind her that they will still be available for her. Sarah insists she will need them every now and then throughout her life. At that all of her friends appear in her bedroom and The film closes as Sarah and the creatures celebrate in her room. Outside, Jareth (in owl form) watches the party and then flies away into the night.
Director: Jim Henson (RIP)
Producer: George Lucas
Editing: John Grover
Composers: David Bowie and Trevor Jones
Starring:
- Jennifer Connelly as Sarah Williams
- David Bowie as Jareth, The Goblin King
Plot and Critical Review: Sarah Williams is a 15-year-old girl who loves reading and acting out fairy tales. The movie opens with a scene of Sarah rehearsing lines from a book called Labyrinth in a park. While trying to remember her final line in the book, a bell rings and she realizes that she has lost track of time. She runs home to find her stepmother, Irene, waiting for her. They quarrel, and Irene leaves with Sarah's father on a date. Sarah is left home to babysit her baby brother, Toby. Sarah realizes that her treasured teddy bear, Lancelot, is missing from her room. Storming into Toby's room, she finds Lancelot and yells at Toby, who then begins to cry. Sarah begins rehearsing more lines from Labyrinth, telling the story of a maiden granted special powers by the King of Goblins. According to the story, the girl could no longer stand the baby's cries and wishes for goblins to take away her screaming baby brother. As she ends the story and turns off the light, she remarks, "I wish the goblins would come and take you away. Right now." Toby suddenly stops crying. Worried, Sarah enters his room to find that Toby has vanished.
A barn owl flies through the open bedroom window and transforms into Jareth, the King of Goblins. He tells her that he has taken the baby as she wished. Realizing what she has done, Sarah begs for the return of her brother. Jareth tells her that if she can solve his Labyrinth within thirteen hours, she can have Toby back. If she cannot, he will turn Toby into a goblin and keep him forever. But the Labyrinth is not a simple maze; the pathways and openings in the walls change at random intervals and are riddled with logic puzzles and tests.
At its entrance, Sarah finds Hoggle, a curmudgeonly dwarf, killing fairies. She bribes him with plastic jewelry to lead her through the maze. Although he helps Sarah, it is later revealed that he works for Jareth. Sarah's also befriends Sir Didymus, a chivalrous, fox-like knight who rides a sheepdog called Ambrosius. She also rescues and befriends Ludo, a giant, furry, gentle beast, who has the unique ability to summon boulders by howling.
Sarah and her friends experience a variety of adventures, including a stop at the Four Guards where she must solve a Raymond Smullyan-inspired logic puzzle to avoid certain death; an encounter with detachable-limbed revelers known as "The Fire Gang" who try to remove Sarah's head; a detour through the Bog of Eternal Stench; a junkyard-like recreation of her own bedroom; and a hallucinogen-induced masquerade ball. There, Jareth attempts to keep her until the thirteenth hour by dancing with her. She wakes from this illusion and continues into his castle beyond the goblin city with barely enough time to spare.
The film climaxes in Jareth's multi-dimensional castle wherein he makes a final appeal for Sarah to abandon her quest and stay with him. She defeats him by reciting her monologue from the beginning of the movie, including the final line that she couldn't seem to remember: "You have no power over me!" The room crumbles away and Sarah finds herself in the front hall of her home as the clock strikes midnight. Sarah gives Toby her beloved Lancelot, then returns to her room.
As Sarah clears her dressing table Hoggle appears, along with Ludo and Sir Didymus, but only as images in the mirror. They seem to be bidding her goodbye as she leaves behind the fantasies of childhood, but remind her that they will still be available for her. Sarah insists she will need them every now and then throughout her life. At that all of her friends appear in her bedroom and The film closes as Sarah and the creatures celebrate in her room. Outside, Jareth (in owl form) watches the party and then flies away into the night.
In spite of its creativity and originality, "Labyrinth" bombed at the box office, failing to make even half of its original production budget. It has since gone on, however, to achieve status as a cult film and is beloved by many generations of viewers. It's also an important film in the legacy of Jim Henson, who departed from this world in 1990. Alongside other fantasy films like "The Neverending Story", "Labyrinth" was one of the films that
My Rating: 8/10
Content to Caution:
V-2.5 - Some fantasy violence, but it is almost all comical and without any discernible gore.
L-1 - No comment.
DU-0 - No comment.
RT-1 - No comment.
H/S-2 - Toby is put in some harrowing situations, and Sarah's pitfalls in the Labyrinth can generate a bit of suspense.
CH-1 - No comment.
S/N-0 - No comment.
The "Reel Revelation": "Creating the Conditions"
Have you ever wanted something, but knew there was no way you could simply reach out and get it? That is, have you ever wanted something you knew you'd have to work to achieve? It's sort of like wanting something for Christmas and figuring our elaborate ways of dropping hints to your parents about what you'd like to see under the tree with your name on it. But sometimes we can't wait for Christmas and want what we desire now! In our impatience, we create the appropriate or necessary conditions within our own lives so that we can have whatever we want, even if that means creating a state of reality that conflicts with the natural order of things. That seems a far-off and obscure concept, but it's plainly illustrated in "Labyrinth" as Jareth goes to extreme lengths to capture Sarah and bind her to himself, as he creates the right conditions to "help" her fall in love with him. Here are some revealing lyrics from the song Jareth sings in a moment of longing for Sarah:
"Everything i've done, i've done for you.
I move the stars for no one.
You've run so long, you've run so far.
Your eyes can be so cruel, just as I can be so cruel.
Though I do believe in you! Yes, I do!
Live without the sunlight, love without your heartbeat...
I can't live within you..."
These are passionate words offered by a man so deeply enamored with his prize that he'll do anything to achieve her, even "move the stars". But as tender and passionate as these words are, they also contain a terrible warning; "...I can be so cruel." What place do those words have alongside such loving poetry?! Can you think back to a time when you didn't get something you really wanted? Have any memories of disappointing Christmas mornings when the gift you expected wasn't under the tree? When we commit so much energy, hope, and expectation to receiving (or achieving) a certain goal or prize, a seemingly equal amount of disappointment, sadness, and hurt almost always accompany unfulfilled longing.
How does this contribute to a reflection on why we create the necessary conditions to get what we want? It's of paramount importance when we realize and humbly admit that we have all behaved like Jareth. Controlled by our lusts and longings, we've created ways of living that ignore everything else except what will get us what we want, and as quickly as possible. Sometimes it happens without our knowing; connections of desire are made far below the levels of conscious thought and we're subtly drawn toward things in an unexplainable manner. Other times we intentionally break our ethical and moral boundaries out of sheer desire to have what we want, and to have it at any cost. This has been one of the perils of the human condition from the beginning, and it will go on until the flesh is no more.
But we are not altogether lost to our impulses and desires, for we have a God who sympathizes with us and understands our weaknesses and struggles (Hebrews 4:15). Because Jesus came into the flesh and experienced the very same lusts and longings that you and I wrestle with each and every day, we know that God will assist us where we are most in need of His grace and gracious help. Jesus also preached about the things we should long for, that our hearts and minds might always be turned and focused in the right and righteous direction; toward God and His Kingdom.
"But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things (see verses 25-32) will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33)
You don't have to create any condition to seek after God's Kingdom and righteousness; you stand before Him in this very moment! Pray that God will free you from the passions which drive you to seek after things which are not in God's plan for your life. Lift up your heart and drink deeply of the living water Jesus offers; those who drink from that Well will never thirst again.
See you tomorrow - E.T.
GREAT post, Eric. This is an excellent theme to draw out of that movie.
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