Labyrinth (1986) ***1/2 [Henson UHD Double Feature Pt. 2]
I've always maintained that Labyrinth (1986) is the sillier, lighter version of The Dark Crystal (1982) (my review here). And to a certain extent, that was Jim Henson's intention. A lot of it doesn't work for me, but I think if I'd discovered it at a younger age, I'd probably be more enamored with it. I don't really remember seeing it until I was in my teens and I feel like I was past the prime demographic at that point (preferring much darker art at that period in my life).
I think part of the problem I have with Labyrinth is that it plays out more like an amusement park ride or a video game than a movie. The characters literally need to overcome obstacles in order to continue their journey. The action is merely a series of set pieces, which makes for less of an interesting story for me.
I also find the score pretty cheesy, which is a shame because Trevor Jones delivered a memorable and lush orchestral score for Henson in The Dark Crystal. The David Bowie songs are fun and his performance, along with Jennifer Connelly's, is earnest and quotable. I'm a very big Bowie fan, but I didn't really delve deeply into his catalog until I was in my early twenties, having only known the big hits prior to that (and not associating him so much with this film).
The puppets in Labyrinth also have a goofy quality, which I suppose is charming to a degree, but I much prefer the odd, otherworldly, and even beautifully ugly character designs of The Dark Crystal. Yet, I can't deny the creativity and ingenuity involved in this film and it's a breezy way to spend 101 minutes, so I return to it fairly frequently.
I think part of the problem I have with Labyrinth is that it plays out more like an amusement park ride or a video game than a movie. The characters literally need to overcome obstacles in order to continue their journey. The action is merely a series of set pieces, which makes for less of an interesting story for me.
I also find the score pretty cheesy, which is a shame because Trevor Jones delivered a memorable and lush orchestral score for Henson in The Dark Crystal. The David Bowie songs are fun and his performance, along with Jennifer Connelly's, is earnest and quotable. I'm a very big Bowie fan, but I didn't really delve deeply into his catalog until I was in my early twenties, having only known the big hits prior to that (and not associating him so much with this film).
The puppets in Labyrinth also have a goofy quality, which I suppose is charming to a degree, but I much prefer the odd, otherworldly, and even beautifully ugly character designs of The Dark Crystal. Yet, I can't deny the creativity and ingenuity involved in this film and it's a breezy way to spend 101 minutes, so I return to it fairly frequently.
Comments
Post a Comment