Fun fact about the baby, he was actually the child one of the puppeteers (her husband was the lead stoty board artist), so he had been around the puppets his whole life and wasn't scared of them (he parents also met while they both were working on The Dark Crystal)
Also his name is Toby Froud and a ** puppeteer** my b I thought he did story board art too. He worked on Boxtrolls and a bunch of other cool stuff. Like Paranorman :)
I think the idea with Jareth is that he's playing a role, and he's stuck in it. It's never really stated whether the Labyrinth is one of those 'different for everyone who goes through it' sort of things or not, but clearly Jareth, at least, is playing out the role she placed him in at the beginning. She made up a petulant fantasy about someone who'd take away her brother because of his love for her, and that is what he did. She doesn't love HIM - that was all just part of the fantasy - but he loves her, because that's what she wanted. What makes their subsequent relationship interesting is that he IS stuck in this role, and she's not. She doesn't stay in 'whiny brat' mode after he appears, because there's more to her than that - but there isn't to him, which is why he keeps getting frustrated at her. 'I'm doing exactly what you wanted! I took the baby when you told me to take the baby! You wanted someone to love you; well, I love you - which is why I'm keeping the damn baby! You turned me into a villain; fine, I'll be REAL villainous - thereby giving you exactly what you wanted, like I've done from the beginning! A SIMPLE THANK YOU WOULD BE NICE!'
Agreed! I've always had the same sort of impression, though for me I always thought Jareth is doing what he 'thought' Sarah wanted (and what she thought she wanted, being sixteen and not really knowing the world) only for her to learn that she doesn't really want that! Alex cut the line but the next thing that Jareth says after that big speech is "I'm exhausted from living up to your expectations of me." which is honestly one of my favorite lines from the whole movie XD
As a kid, I remember thinking that Jareth was essentially acting as part of the Labyrinth, giving different people different things according to their fantasy to maybe try and stall them on their way, and to truly beat the Labyrinth, they have to also "beat" the idea that made them make the wish in the first place. If you can change and do it, congrats, you win. If not, well... there's always room for one more goblin at the labyrinth.
That is true. I never thought of that way. I was maybe 4 when I saw the Labyrinth for the first time. All I could think was why was so mean to her mom? Why is she screaming at her baby brother? Why does she not want to stay with Jareth he is so pretty? Oh he is singing to her and dressed like a queen. Then, when I got older, I thought that was kinda fucked that he is a much much older man and he basically ruffuee a 15 year old with a wormy peach 🍑 Now I get where he was coming from, he was a 2 dimensional character from her book and she essentially brought him to life.
I've always found it fascinating that the creatures Sarah meets in the Labyrinth are actually toys she has in her room, the song & the dress she wears in the ballroom scene is the same as her music box, and that Jareth closely resembles Jeremy, her mother's co-star & alleged lover
It is amazing how much detail is there from the very beginning hey? . All of the answers to the movie pretty much before the adventure begins, very clever.
as someone who used to be a teenage girl, i never really questioned sarah's behaviour. sometimes you just dress up as a princess and prance around and then sacrifice your brother to the goblin king (accidentally) because you were mad about your teddy bear. yk, girl stuff.❤
So the Labyrinth is about when you're at the weird age of not quite a kid and not quite an adult. Where you want to play with toys and play pretend but also you have romantic adult feelings. It's Sara's journey to maturity.
The "I don't want to talk but I want you to try harder to talk to me because I actually want to talk" is a really teen felling, I used to be just like this and still am at 23, but it only lasts 5 min now
@stmsinexactly that ☺ and I love the ending now that I'm an adult and finally get it. When I was little it was just yay they're having a party in her room 😂
Fun fact: Look up the story of how the Hoggle puppet/animatronic was lost for like 30 years. It was in a suitcase that got lost by the airline and turned up only 18 years ago. There's a youtube video on it but when they opened the case the puppet's rubber and latex had rotted considerably. Damn stuff of nightmares.
What is even cooler is that the store that got it paid to restore the puppet and it's now in the Unclaimed Baggage museum. You can literally visit Hoggle if you want to.
In case noone else mentioned it already. The reason the baby playing Toby was so awesome around the goblin puppets was because his mom was one of the puppet makers.
His Mom was a one of the puppeteers, but his dad designed the puppets (also designed the critters in the "The Dark Crystal) His dad is Brian Froud (LEGEND!!!!)
My moms favorite artist is Brian Froud, she had books of his art and I always looked through them she also made me watch this movie with her pretty often and I ended up really loving it. I’m so surprised I didn’t know this information.
I first met Brian, Wendy and Toby in 2011, and I have followed Toby's career ever since, and he's still on my FB friends list. In 2019, about a week before the release of Age of Resistance, I got to introduce him to my wife and discuss his experience working on the sequel to the film where his parents met and fell in love. He told us that it was a way of continuing his parents legacy and paying tribute to the world that literally brought him into existence. . A cool experience.
No, your absolutely right. Those movies had a “magic” that movies today seem to lack. It’s hard to put my finger on but it’s like a fear of not knowing what the movie may do or show you plus a sense of wonder and adventure into something wonderful and frightening. Like you said, “dark fantasy” but the 80’s had a certain type of charm that just adds. Ya know?
Because these 80s movies tried to show us genuine fairy tales of old. People today like to say how it's "dark" and can frighten younger kids, but I always saw it as just "honesty". Because real life can and will be scary and confusing at times. But there will also be some truly wonerous moments. And that's what those movies did, they showed those fantasy worlds as both dark or unsettling and also charming and silly, just like real life.
@@poochyenajones1362for the record "real" fairytales are just two edgy guys who wrote down spoken tales and made them edgier for their own purpose. Because no matter what century it is parents don't like to be waken at 4am because their kid got nightmares about molten metal shoes or casually tell stories about sexual assault to their kids.
Dragonslayer... Ladyhawke... The Black Cauldron... The Black Hole... The Last Starfighter... Cloak & Dagger... Flight of the Intruder... Explorers... all kid's movies that respected the intelligence and maturity-levels of their viewers... And then came the Mac 'n Me's to f*ck it all up...
I was 2 when I first watched it and became instantly obsessed. I watched it almost every week for years. Weirdly it was the first movie my mother saw at the cinema when she was pregnant with me and I’ve always been told I look like Jennifer Connolly.
I always loved the message of this film (as well as just loving it for the effect and music). Sarah is growing up, but still clings to her childhood fantasies. Her parents want her to take responsibility and "grow up". At the beginning of the film, you see that the characters of the Labyrinth are toys in her bedroom. She is taken on this hero's journey to save her baby brother (responsibility) but her childhood fantasy figure, the Goblin King, keeps trying to pull her back into her fantasy world - to totally dominate and control her. By the end she realises her childhood fantasies have no power over her, and she can be her own independent person, BUT "every now and then in my life, I need you". She isn't willing to completely let go of the magic and imagination of her youth. And neither should we. :)
I think the reason the Goblin King is so interested in Sarah is because the entire movie is her fantasy. Its more or less a dream, a figment of imagination. And as her fantasy he is enraptured by her.
As someone who was once a 16 year-old girl, I can confirm: fantasizing about a powerful immortal hot man being obsessed with me was on my daily to do list.
In the beginning of the iconic "Magic Dance" scene, Toby is seen crying while surrounded by numerous goblins. In reality, the baby Toby Froud wasn't the least bit scared by any of the puppets used, and seemed to have fun with the scene. The shot of one of the goblins making silly noises and faces to make Toby laugh was a genuine reaction, and was inspired by many instances where they needed him to be silent and actually used some puppets off-camera to lull him. They had to wait until he was tired and wanted to nap after filming the musical number to get him to cry.
@@queenzebra8219 IMDB for the exact wording, but Toby, the baby, is Toby Froud, son of Brian Froud, the conceptual designer for the movie. There is a special 'Inside the Labyrinth' that goes into details of the movie.
Nah, she had a good reason to be angry. Edited: Who they hell of a parent think that's okay, their child will babysit their baby without telling them, or going to their room without permission and taking their stuff, or complaining that they don't dating at young age, like mother she 15 years old like come on !.
Honestly probably the only realistic thing, 16 year old me at the start when the baby stopped crying would've said finally and probably take a nap or something😂
Me pasó lo mismo. Yo solo quedé embobada como Sarah mirando lo bello que era. No me fijé ni me acordaba de sus pantalones. Es algo que noté mirando la peli ya de adulta. Y eso es algo que si no hacemos ruido del asunto, un niño no tiene por qué prestarle atención.
11:18 Don't worry, Alex. That baby actor turned out to be just fine! In fact, he went on to become a filmmaker and a puppeteer himself and even worked on The Dark Crystal series on Netflix. 😉If anything, this movie probably *inspired* him instead of traumatized him.
I have to say as someone who watched this, the dark crystal, and many other amazing dark family movies Not every kid is so easily traumatized. And having a parent there to help explain stuff while it's happening also helps.
@@GlitterF-CK I was *very* easily traumatized. Ghostbusters scared the shit out of me, and Superman III and Star Wars gave me nightmares. All the 80s stuff discussed in this vid though? Utterly *obsessed* with it! I watched and rewatched Secret of NIHM, Last Unicorn, Labyrinth and Dark Crystal every time I could (this was in the dark ages, young'uns - before streaming we had bluray, and before bluray we had DVD, and before DVD we had VHS, and before VHS we had rental stores full of betamax videos because betamax was The Future and VHS was going nowhere so there were like maybe 5 given VHS titles at any given time, and our family was too poor for Betamax so we fought with everyone else in town for access to anything even remotely new for the VHS, and as to actually owning titles to keep in our very own home? HAH!). The only thing that freaked me out was the fire gang. I'm middle aged and I STILL just skip that song because UGH, something in me just cannot stand their movements, and the minute they started talking about tearing Sarah's head off... if it was recorded I fast forwarded, if it was on TV and wasn't skippable, I just disassociated the whole time they were on screen. 😂
Watching the movie as an adult, the plot is admittedly pretty basic and Jennifer Connelly still has a long way to go before she would be delivering Oscar worthy performances, but Jim Henson's creature work is incredible (some iffy green screen aside), David Bowie is clearly having a blast, Dance Magic Dance is a bop and the blend of dark but whimsical fantasy truly makes it unique. Alex is right, you really don't see these kinds of films anymore.
Watched a deep dive into labrynth the other day. In a blink and you'll miss it subplot, her scrapbook shows her mother being big in the local play scene, which is why she is into acting as well. It also shows her mother meeting another actor who looks a lot like Bowie, and they eventually run off together. Which is why the Goblin King looks the way he does.
In the novelization Sarah is clearly starstruck with her mother's life and wants to be part of it. She also kinda has a crush on Jeremy which, I guess, kinda explains why the Goblin King looks like him.
That and also the fact that nearly all the characters she meets in the Labyrinth actually ARE the Dolls/plushies she has on her Wall. The whole ting is actually a Fever dream projecting her insecurities due to her fertile imagination, love of Theatrics and Drama and Teenager Hormonal imbalance.
Also, I love how Jareth is the villain but is the likable one who put Sarah in her place. She was purposefully insufferable as a teenaged drama queen, and a fully unlikable protagonist. My favorite line is in the tunnels and after she tells Jareth “It’s not fair!”, he goes, “You say that so often. I wonder what your basis for comparison is.” And just continues about his business. 😂
Also, I love how Jareth is the villain but is the likable one who put Sarah in her place. She was purposefully insufferable as a teenaged drama queen, and a fully unlikable protagonist. My favorite line is in the tunnels and after she tells Jareth “It’s not fair!”, he goes, “You say that so often. I wonder what your basis for comparison is.” And just continues about his business.
Nah, she had good reason to be upset, lol. Edited: Who they hell of a parent think that's okay, their child will babysit their baby without telling them, or going to their room without permission and taking their stuff, or complaining that they don't dating at young age, like mother she 15 years old like come on !.
@@MiyakoPisces4.0 - I'm not sure if this is a case of you being young or a generation gap thing, but I can confidently tell you that in the 90s and before, it was completely understood that a teenage older sibling would babysit their younger siblings from time to time with or without warning, male or female. Many, many nights I would stay at a friend's house (guys) (btw do kids still do this because my kids seem utterly uninterested in sleepovers or, hell, even going over and hanging because "I can hang out on the phone" or "I play games with them online so why would I?") and his parents would be out with his little sisters at home with us, and this wasn't unusual for us even at 10 or 11, let alone 15. (Didn't happen to me because I was the baby brother, and my sister would be home with me a lot...or I'd be home alone not that uncommonly, definitely a generation gap thing.) And yeah, parents 100% can come into your room at any time. There's an amount of respect and privacy granted to help the kid grow and understand boundaries, but make no mistake, that's the parents' house, and that is their kid. They have every right to come in when they want. I agree that griping about dating at a younger age is a bit icky. Sure, have friends, and it's worrisome if they don't, but some people just aren't ready for dating yet, and that's totally cool, maybe even for the best.
Okay, I love the Labyrinth so I want to clarify something- Sarah is not doing a play, the Labyrinth is her favorite book, and she believes that the Labyrinth will be easy because she's familiar with it through her book.
@phaedrapage4217 Thank you. This guy is so completely clueless, and then he gets to David Bowie and he describes him as this guy 😮 no wonder he doesn't show his face because I would be😬😬😬😬😬 embarrassed to be him🤡
@@donnahanna10565okay so I agree alex often has very little clue of what he's talking about and it can be a bit embarrassing, but you also clearly have no clue about him either since he's shown his face before in videos, he shows it on Twitter along with his girlfriend's (he's a bit overbearing about her being pretty and happy together in fact cause they got together after he divorced, which he also talked about in his channel) and overall is not afraid to talk about / show himself.
@@phaedrapage4217gas is kind of like live action role-playing that's what she was doing was live action role-playing that's what that is and I absolutely love this movie I know every line every word I can recite the whole movie and I think that David Bowie is one of the hottest people
You nailed it. To me, that is precisely what it is, as much for the viewer as for the main character. My 'fan theory' is that it was all a dream and she never even left her room. (which I'm sure others have concluded as well).
It's about disassociation of the mind. Very basically it's a variation of the Wizard Of Oz, Alice In Wonderland and Peter Pan. And some connect this type of story to sinister things.
The whole movie is a metaphor for a girl giving up her childish things and growing into a young woman. Jareth represents her childish desires, but he can only offer her dreams and fantasy. Which is why in the end she declared, "You have no power over me." and starts taking responsibility for her little brother. There were a lot of really great stories in these 80's dark fantasy movies, this and The Neverending Story being my favorites.
I was 16 when I saw this in the theater. This was the theme that hit me profoundly. I have always been a dreamer and an intensely avid reader. I felt inspired to see how it was time to pack away some of the childhood trinkets and embrace the next step of my life’s journey. Loved how the movie portrayed that part of my life at the time so well and in such a fun way too.
My mum took me out of school when I was 6 to see this movie at the cinema because she was too embarrassed to see it as a 30 year old adult on her own. I loved it, she loved it. Still one of my favorite movies.
As an 80s kid, I grew up firmly believing that all children's movies should be scarring in some way. I don't know. There is something great about seeing child targeted horror sequences that stick with you through the decades.
@@Raziel312 Sesame Street did that first, but in a gentler, kinder way. RIP Mr. Hooper (Will Lee). Transformers: The Movie came in and clubbed you over the head repeatedly with Death in the first 15 mins.
I love this movie so freakin much. It's whimsical, it's a bit dark, and the message underlying it all is so perfectly embedded in the story. Bowie absolutely knocked his role out of the park and 90% of the effects hold up so well to repeated watchings. I rewatch this fairly often and it never gets old
Fun fact, a labyrinth by definition is merely winding and twisting with few to no branches and always leads to the same destination. A maze is the distinct puzzle type structure with dead ends that most people think of.
That is indeed very correct. Many people confuse the terms. A labyrinth is just a type of path, while a maze is constructed for deception (although not commonly malicious).
Yeah I think Daedalus was pretty definitive in the design, description, and sole purpose. 🤣 lol I’m currently playing a Skyrim character I named Ariadne, UA-cam had no idea about my secret teen obsession with Jareth. Hahaha
I always interpreted Jareth as a normal faery. Less interested in Sarah herself and more interested in the deal and the game. She was very attracted to him, and he saw an angle to manipulate her, so he took it.
So about Bowie's character Jerith. If real, he did literally do everything for Sarah. He took the kid, made her fantasy world a reality and allowed her to play out all the things she wanted. His evil is more the type that gives what is wanted instead of what is needed. But she figures it out and takes what she needs (which also may have been him setting her up to grow as a person). Overall though I think the movie is all about Sarah learning to play with her little brother to make the chore of watching him not so bad. She is playing out her story and fantasy with her toys and just made her little brother the main objective. She was likely in reality holding her brother and dancing around with him singing "dance magic dance".
It does seem more like he's teaching her a lesson in a trickster way than him being actively evil. Like "Okay you want the Goblin King to fall in love with you, take your brother off your hands, and whisk you off to fantasy land? Let me show you what that would really be like."
@@TetsuDeinonychus that's how i interpreted it too! Especially the scene with "as the world falls down", when she literally would have had no way to wake up but she did anyway after the weird trip/dream... it kind of looks like he was just "testing" her more than trying to stop her fr.
yeah his magic is very much "be careful what you wish for" fae stuff lol, he really did everything she asked and expected of him and all he really asked in return was acknowledgement
All this is my head-cannon now too! Kinda like the idea that Sarah processed growing up through a fantasy while taking care of her baby brother, because it's realistic for most kids to process things and come to terms with feelings they don't know how to address through playing, movies/TV/videogames/books/art, etc.
Got married last week and our dance was to “As The World Falls Down” (the ballroom scene). This is my wife’s favorite movie and she owns lots of merchandise, books, and every media release of the film. I’ve loved it since I was a boy. Darker fantasy films were my lifeblood. Everything is so watered down now.
omg... that is my dream to have someone look at me like Jareth looks at her in this scene. I also haven't found anyone to dress up as this pair for Halloween. your wives (the guy that first responded to this one) are very lucky to have you two as husbears, and got to have this as your wedding song.
Labyrinth was my favorite movie growing up, alongside Ladyhawke. The film was rather deep. Sara was so self- absorbed and had learn that life was more than all her daydreams, which she had to let go of. If you notice, all the things in her bedroom show up in the labyrinth in some form or another... including the goblin king. You also skipped the junkyard part, which actually is rather important--the part where Sara realizes all her stuff is just junk and people matter more.
Sara has a Judge Dredd roleplaying game supplement on her bookshelf at the beginning of the movie. i don't know why it's there, i noticed because it's bright yellow, and is a very weird choice for a prop, since it's IP belonging to another company. but Judge Dredd doesn't show up later in the movie, unlike the other stuff.
I'm so glad you brought up the junkyard scene!! There are so many times in my life I've thought about that scene and it's meaning applied to various situations. Labyrinth is hands down one of my favorite movies of all time..... Also loved Ladyhawke too!! ^_^
Watching as a kid: This looks like fun and I will sing these songs FOREVER! Watching as a teen: Goblin King is hot, how do you juggle like that? Watching as an adult: Package, Worm guy, Package, Package, Hoggle, Package, Package, Yes
Also the line : "...just fear me, love me, do as I say and I shall be your slave..." Yyeaaahh. Jareth's Package was the REAL Goblin King all along. It's about a young person leaving childhood and one's ideas of what life SHOULD be behind, and growing up to see how things really are - yet still keeping a positive attitude. Friendship, family, loyalty, love, helping yourself and others. Labyrinth is, at it's heart, a simple transcendental movie.
It's one of those great coming-of-age stories specifically from a girl's / woman's POV. Dudes love the movie too, but we kind of stopped getting these, outside of those Hunger Games & Twilight era YA books with questionable messaging.
You know, at her age if Jareth showed that sort of obsession with me I 100% would have said 'okay' and never got out of that fantasy. But yeah. Her loyalty and humility and friendship to everyone else shone through where most people would get lost. I'm, sadly, one of those lost girls. I'm a little more found now, but... :)
@@BrokensoulRider- ohhh, I'm right there with you totally on this one. Though if Jareth DID show up at my window even now....I'd probably let him in. 🫠
It's responsible for the entire Don Bluth post-Disney catalog. They literally bet the farm on making that movie. The book is even better, and well worth the read even as an adult (2nd book is fun, but not as deep, the 3rd one just so-so). They really don't make them like this anymore.
The book should have scared you, it’s based on a real experiment involving rats, perceived utopia, and the carnage that follows having all your needs met without effort. It’s a fascinating study of societal behavior and truly terrifying, in its own way.
As someone who did not grow up with these movies, i completely agree with the point you made towards the end. A lot of movies that have been produced recently are just producers trying to make money. Its much more uncommon to see these beautiful works of art that tell stories that never get old. Now we get remakes of movies and every new concept of a movie is under marketed and might turn out good but doesnt turn out good profit. Its just a really sad industry right now. 😢
Re: Sara's self-confidence. She was a teenager in the 80s. That means she's a GenXer. We were the feral generation, the latchkey kids. We had confidence that we knew how to survive because we'd been going home from school to an empty house for 6-7 years by our sixteenth birthdays, making our own dinner, and waiting for our divorced moms to get home from the second job they took to keep a roof over our heads. Oh, and more than one reviewer has suggested that Labyrinth as a whole is basically a metaphor for teenage female puberty, adolescence and burgeoning sexuality. In that light, well, she could do a lot worse than fantasizing about David Bowie playing with his crystal balls.
What’s a genX? Isn’t then “gen” thing a recent thing that was only coined because someone decided “millennials “ and “boomers” were a thing in the mid-2000s, and then they needed a word for the next generation and then the generation after that now that people born in the 2000s are adults with their own children, and so invented GenX GenZ, GenTheNextGeneration Gen2ElecticBugaloo or whatever.
@@Nevyn515 Boomers is short for Baby Boomers and has been used since the 1960's. While GenX is of similar vintage, it didn't come into common use until the late 80's early 90's.
That's the crazy thing about older movies. The idea was that you could scare the bejeezus out of kids and show really weird and disturbing things and have intense adventures, so long as you had the happily ever after, everything worked out in the end it was fine for kids. Nowadays the smallest thing can get a show canceled for being "problematic" and "traumatizing"
I remember watching this as a kid, and then noticing something new every rewatch. Labyrinth is so full of so much dark whimsy and absurdity, I love it. I never realized that the genre itself was something I was nostalgic for until he mentioned the other movies like Secret of Nimh, Neverending Story, Willow, and Dark Crystal.
noticing something new every time you rewatch it is because these sets were hand made every detail was done by a person which is why you'll have the same experience with movies like coraline dark crystal ect it's why i'll always prefer practical effects it's real it's detailed and one look won't satisfy i have to look a thousand times to feel i've seen every detail whereas cgi while its convenient it's surface level it doesn't have the depth of detail bc it's not physically there someone didn't spend hours in uncomfortable positions to get the perfect paint job with cgi
@@surbert Lol, nope, not what I meant at all, though I do appreciate the practical effects, effort, and endless details. What I meant is I was a literal child when I first watched it, and grew up with the movie seeing and noticing something new, or catching a detail or line that went over my 6-year-old head. I missed just as many details in Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse on the first watch, because people likewise spent so many hours working on their art, and there are so many wonderful details. I suggest and highly recommend the channel Corridor Crew to better appreciate computer graphics and and the hard work that goes into animation.
I think one of the coolest and easily unnoticed bits from this movie is that all of the "creatures" and setting in the labyrinth world are all toys etc in her room. So hypothetically this whole movie was just a emo fever dream.... Close-ups of Bowie's junk and all 😂 Bowie also blatantly makes a "snorting cocaine" reference during Dance Magic Dance when he asks what kind of magic spell to use, then closes a nostril and snorts a invisible line 😂
For the last time: SARAH GOT THE LOGIC PUZZLE RIGHT. SHE FALLS BECAUSE SHE SAYS “That was easy!” Every time she does that in this movie Jared moves the goalposts in spite. First he shortens her time, then he drops her into the oubliette, and finally sends the cleaners machine to kill her and hoggle. If she could’ve just kept her mouth shut, she’d could’ve skipped like half of the extra challenges!
10:45 sorry, but ten years of watching a cat get mutilated by a mouse, a coyote do unspeakable things to himself trying to catch his dinner, and a bald bloke shoot get outsmarted by a rabbit and shoot himself in the face, pretty much prepared me for anything this movie could throw at me. Except maybe the sing.
Bit of a trivia piece I learned from the behind the scenes documentary a while back: There were a few scenes in the movie that were a lot more perilous than Jim Henson initially thought they would be, and when he asked Jennifer Connelly afterwards if she was okay, evidently her response was always along the lines of "oh yup, doing fine!" and he cites her as an absolute trooper. This attitude actually makes a ton of sense when taking into account that the movie she was in literally a year beforehand was an 80s Italian horror film which, for those uninitiated with the b-movie scene, means practically nonexistent safety regulations and she even got sent to the hospital after being attacked by the chimpanzee they were using in the movie. By comparison, any of the action scenes Labyrinth threw out would feel pretty tame and good on Jim Henson for being concerned about his cast when things weren't going quite to plan. (Phenomena is a fantastic film but sheesh the production sounded awful)
Good lord, I could talk about this movie for hours AND I HAVE. It's visually stunning and it's visually disturbing, and the characters are fun and the characters are weird, and Jareth is a creep and Jareth is a fae, and it is deeply problematic and it is the best film ever made. Anyway, thank you for this video! I had so much fun watching it! I love how self-aware the humor is, and the audio editing is honestly really cool.
I first saw this movie in preschool. Yes, they sat a group of 4 and 5 year olds down and played this for us. I loved it, still do. They also played the garbage pail kids, which terrified me, still does. The 80’s was a good time, lol.
Sounds like my family and Gremlins.😩 To this day I still don't understand why that movie was EVER placed in the family section of movie rental stores, but thanks to that, my Dad and his friend rented it for all of us to watch when I was around 3 or 4. Needless to say, I was scarred for life. 🫣
As a 16 year old boy when this came out, I was only focused on Jennifer Connelly’s beauty, but seeing these clips again decades later I’m struck by how amazing David Bowie’s speaking voice was. Right up there with James Earl Jones in terms of cool sounding male voices. 👍
Look up Bowie and Bing Crosby video Peace on Earth. It was shot wen Bing was already living with dementia. But Bowies speaking vioce in that video is so soothing. Also Bowie knew Bing was struggling with dementia during filming and frequently had to be reminded about what was going on arround him. Apperantly Bowie would just talk to him very calmly to make sure that Bing was doing ok.
True but everytime I see him I cringe and feel very sorry comfortable lol! And he probably always was just a cool and genuine and good person. He just looks like a creepy evil villain lol! He’s teeth! I have terrible teeth from years of drinking, but they aren’t like… CORN yellow… they aren’t just OUT THERE like his lol. I was always annoyed when people said “you look like a David Bowie!” Or “are you a fan of Bowie?” Like NO shut up. I have red long hair and I’m thin… so what. Anyways, maybe I should get into him more. I never liked his music but my taste is always expanding. And FAST, especially at 27 years old now.
My friends showed me this movie saying that if I were a character in the Labyrinth I’d have the mental confliction of the 4 playing card guards, but the personality, energy and style of that little fox guard with the colorful clothes/feather and rides that white little dog. That “fight” scene with the big orangutan cracked me the fuck up. I’ll take the fox and card guard comparison to myself with pride, but DONT call me David Bowie lol!
Crap, I missed all that because I am still captivated by her beauty and even more so now that I know how she matured. She is tinier in real life than I would have thought. I hate Paul Bethany.
I love Secret of Nimh. I was obsessed when I was a child. To the point where my mom wrote in her journal about it. I drew a picture of Justin, and when my mom asked me why, my four-year-old self answered, "Because I need him."
@DPWFG The Secrets of Nimh was actually based on a real experiment conducted on rats. The intent was to study societal changes due to outside pressures. They created a rat utopia in a barn where the rats were house in a huge, self contained work perfectly temp controlled, with unlimited food, water, and other resources. In less than a generation, with no need to focus on survival and everything provided for them, the rats descended into anarchy. The male rats stopped mating with females, formed gangs and raped weaker males, females started eating their young, and the rays entered into a cycle that was coined as the “behavioral sink”. Basically, if rats (and it was inferred humans) had all their needs provided for and had nothing to work for, their society would collapse. Considering our current society, I think the researchers were on to something. Anyway, that was the experiment that gave birth to the Rats of Nimh 😂
YES. We need more 80s dark fantasy inspired movies. They were my favorite genre of movie as a child and for some reason they never scared me (also they had the best soundtracks)
It's cliche to say it, but they can't make movies like that anymore. Labyrinth would get focus tested into safe blandness, and Jareth and Sarah would have to be rewritten to either appeal to the left or the far right. Kid's horror like The Gate would be too traumatic. And let's not even consider Return to Oz or Watership Down. Heck, it made news last year when the British film board re-rated Watership Down, changing it from all-ages to PG. A *45 year old* movie bothered people of today so much that it was re-rated....
@@xenialafleur Predictably, ironically, Disney is only remaking stuff that was wildly popular the first time. So we are unlikely to see stuff like Black Cauldron, or the Rescuers, or Robin Hood, or even Basil of Baker Street, since they "underperformed" at the time.
@@BainesMkII Well they did remake Watership Down, as some kind of uncanny-valley 3d version on Netflix, I believe. Maybe it appeals more to today's generation of kids - they don't seem to respond well to 2d animation, regardless of content.
Actually, she got the question right. The thing is, she immediately said something along the lines of “This’ll be easy.” And every time she gets overconfident like that, something bad happens
Jared is the kind of fantasy boyfriend you want when you're 16. Mysterious, androgynous, has magic powers. And he's also the type of first boyfriend you get - petulant, demanding, dramatic. I mean, if David Bowie offered me that deal I'd probably take it, but Sara recognises a toxic relationship when she sees one. She's giving up childish ideas of her 'ideal man'.
9:20 actually she doesn't get the answer wrong. she gets the door riddle correct, if you rewatch the movie and pay attention to whenever the phrase "it's a piece of cake" is said it's like rolling a Nat1 in D&D. So as she entered the correct door she says the cursed phrase and sets off the trap. She loses time when she says it to the Goblin King's face shortly after. Every time the phrase is said.
Fun fact about the baby: Toby is the son of Brian Froud, the creature and prop designer of Labyrinth and the Dark Crystal. His real name is also Toby. He followed in his father's footsteps and became a puppeteer and special effects designer. He worked on Netflix's The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance alongside his parents. Safe to say he wasn't traumatized in the slightest by the creepy goblin puppets xD
I love this movie so freaking much, Bowie is at his eightiesest, the fantasy is delightfully dark, the pants are perfectly tight, and the puppetry is top notch.
The Labyrinth is based on a book where the Goblin King (Jareth) falls in love with a girl named Sarah, but she leaves him or dies (I can't remember which). Since then, he's gone after girls named Sarah to bring into his labyrinth. That's why when Sarah tells Hoggle her name he says "of course." She's reading from the book at the beginning of the movie, repeating the original Sarah's words.
This is actually headcanon as Kadaue said it was based off Brian Frouds art (who worked on the movie as well) as for the play in the movie itself there's nothing really connecting it to Sarah's story (beyond her referencing it to defy Jareth which she could've easily come to the way on her own)
Couldn't been worse. Sara in the books is 14 and Jareth during the ballroom scene legit tries to force her to kiss him. He also has a thought bubble that's like "too old to turn into a goblin, too young to keep". Crazy shit
I was born in 1983. This is one of the first films I remember watching. The part I remember being most scared of was right at the beginning when Toby was first taken. Not only was it executed in a creepy way, but looking back at it now I realise how it plays on a combination of fantastical and instinctual fears. I always found the abrupt shift from the mundanity of being safe at home to having not only your home, but reality invaded by mysterious creatures from somewhere unknown and being totally powerless deeply unsettling. In my late teens, my friends and I went through a patch of sharing/re-watching films we'd watched as kids. I remember being shocked by how little Mr Bowie's outfit left to the imagination. I'd been totally oblivious as a kid. I'm not too knowledgeable about what kids watch nowadays (though I am aware of the utter garbage Disney has been crapping out in the form of remakes for "modern audiences"), but I know it wasn't uncommon for kids entertainment to be disturbing when I was growing up. A few that leap to mind are the Elephants on Parade scene in Dumbo, the part in Pinocchio where the kid starts turning into a donkey, the story about the painting in The Witches (1990) and pretty much the whole of Watership Down (1978). I suspect it's probably more healthy to be exposed to things that scare you or make you feel uncomfortable at a young age than to be wrapped in cotton wool figuratively speaking.
@@lee3171 It was a cartoon about rabbits with a BBFC U rating (though it's been changed to PG). A lot of parents didn't give a second thought about showing it to their kids. Attitudes have changed over the years regarding what is considered age appropriate. As far as I'm aware there are a lot of movies which have had their ratings increased (U to PG, PG to 12A etc). My mother is no longer alive for me to ask her, but I'm pretty sure she'd read the book. Not sure if she just thought we (my brother and I) could handle it or if she assumed the cartoon adaption would be toned down a little.
You missed that part where like she is sent home and everything falls apart with old women collecting her belongings and tries turning the girl into a hoarder
I first watched Labyrinth when I was about 5 years old. It was a rainy night, I was alone with my mom and we had rented it in VHS. It blew my mind, even though we only watched it once before returning it. The scenes with the helping hands, the crystal spheres, the ballroom gown and those incredible stairs were unforgettable. The music was great and Jennifer Connelly was so, so beautiful. The day I discovered Escher's work as a teen, I fell in love with it too, but didn't realise it was partly because of that movie, deep in my brain. A few months ago, I was telling my husband about this movie I was obsessed with, but I couldn't find it anywhere to watch it again. He dug around the internet and got me a DVD version of Labyrinth. Not a single member of my family wanted to see it, so I finally rewatched it, on my own. It is still fascinating. Alex, you're right. They don't make unique stuff like that anymore.
I loved this movie and watched it in middle school and high school over and over. I can’t wait to watch it now as an empty nester. I’m a huge Jennifer Connelly and Bowie fan.
Yep, I watched it as a little kid too and was obsessed with Bowie and fantasy movies after that. I watched this movie so many times when I was young and still watch it at least once a year. Sometimes, I'll play it while I'm busy and just listen to it even though I know all the words. Because I've continued to watch it, it has been interesting to me how my perspective on it has evolved over the years.
We used to watch this movie often when growing up. I used to watch it at finals or exam periods while studying, along with Dirty Dancing, Flash Dance and Last Unicorn. I would watch those movies to get me into studying mood and they worked. Legend was dark, we would watch that. We loved Willow too. Dark Crystal was creepy and not so much watched. One summer I watched Aliens everyday when 15 and every single day I would end up with people sitting watching it with me. We watched Star Trek Next Generation together too. What did you actually do together? Play chess or checkers?
I was born in 2002 and I used to watch this movie all the time thinking it was a totally normal kids movie. My parents are a bit hippy and old school that way I suppose. Regardless I didn’t question any of it, mostly went over my head. I have to agree with Alex about how much the film industry lacks any of this ingenuity and creativity these days. I really wish and hope we get back to the dark fantasy again as it’s absolutely one of my favourites
Your parents are probably Gen X. That whole generation is a bit nutty. I was born at the very end (1980) so I'm a "generation Oregon Trail" kid but I remember the teenagers in the 80's. They were WILD.
Its the same with 80's/90's cartoons and the cartoons we have now. The crucial ingredient that is now lacking compared to before, COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF COCAINE. Back then at the Board meeting, this was NOT sugar that was put in the coffee...
If you want more dark fantasy stuff, there’s a hell of a lot of Labyrinth fanfic that gets even darker and/or leans into various mythological systems (there’s a really good one with the Celtic deities/folklore).
My mom watched this movie so much, I've got all the lines and songs memorized. Also, pretty sure the Labyrinth only goes wrong for you if you say it's a piece of cake, or otherwise say it's easy. It takes it personally.
"Goblin king Goblin king take this child far away from me right now." My siblings and I used to chat that to our younger brother. Then he'd start crying and we would get in so much trouble. Hahahahaha, good times. This is a great movie ❤
Y'see, Parents had balls back in the '80s and '90s, they assumed their kids had some grasp of reality vs. Fiction. Labyrinth is wonderful and kids are missing out if they avoid it.
I agree kids are missing out and that all young ppl need to be let loose more to get a mentally tougher but... Our parents (the real Boomers) did not have balls they were just to focused on themselves to give a rats hieny about their children. They were off making money to spend on their own trips to "find themselves " and no one really had any patience or care for the kids. We weren't "let free to grow and learn" we were abandoned for our parents self wants. And I'm glad for it, but I would be remiss as a GenXer to not set you straight regarding our parents complete lack of parenting as their form of parenting.
@@hdw237 well, that may be truer in America, my parents were hugely supportive and fonts of information about the World right when I needed it. They never left me unattended while they went off to find themselves.
@warlockofwordschannel7901 yeah that was definitely NOT the American boomer parent. If you had both, which most didn't by age 11, they worked all day, left at 7 came home at 7. And then they were out again for clubs and meet ups and dates and etc. We were expected to get ourselves to and from school. Fed, washed, and homework done with dinner heating in oven or crockpot when they got home. On weekends, we watched morning cartoons on Saturday and was out of the house by noon, not to return until 7 if young by midnight if teens. No one asked after us, they may show up to a game or recital- may be, and once we started working and driving, they basically didn't see us until we gave them info on our graduation ceremony. Some, like my husband, was latchkey from the start. Starting in kindergarten he had is house key on a shoestring tied around his neck. He would let himself in after school, and Starting in 2nd grade begin boiling water for pasta or heating the oven for casserole. That saved his single mother mom time when she got in from work in the evening.
@@hdw237 You speak for yourself, or perhaps the majority, but not everyone had parents that abandoned them. Not everyone had your life, and I am sorry that yours was not as good as mine, but I think Warlock is spot on with his analysis. Sounds like you were raised by 1st generation Boomers (Silent Generation), whereas I, and I would bet Warlock, were raised by 2nd generation boomers (Actual Boomers). Either way, don't discount the childhood experience of others just because yours doesn't match. I hope you understand I mean no malice by my words, and hope your life has only gotten better throughout your years. From the way you describe being raised, I would say you grew up tough compared to the coddled generations (Millennial/Gen Z), and have a good grasp on reality vs fiction, right?
I can't tell you how influential and inspiring this film was for me as a kid. It draws upon a lot of themes from classical myth, like the kidnapping of Persephone. So, it's a kind of mystical retelling of a coming-of-age fable. As for the infamous “Bowie bulge”...that was a Henson thing, Henson went through a codpiece period.
Look for a pic of DB with his wife, Iman, in (matching) swimwear. That Labyrinth bulge was Bowie. The costume dept probably gave him a rudimentary codpiece simply as a modesty cover. 😆
I absolutely love the Last Unicorn. I get teased for it being my favorite movie when I was a kid, but it is still an underrated classic. If Hollywood made the story into a live action film, I would be very happy
BTW, In the beginning in her room, you can see little clues about everything that happens in the movie. David Bowie is the man in the photo that her mother ran off with. The music box is her ball gown dress. The MC Esher painting is on the wall. A Fire Gang and Sir Didymus plushies are somewhere. There are Hoggle Book Ends, etc etc. Oh, and Didymus's dog's name is Ambrosius which is another name for Merlin, which is Sarah's dog.
Exactly - the entire film is a metaphor for growing up. It's probably the most inventive and creative coming of age story I've seen. I wish I had ideas this good.
@PrincessGamer out of all the franchise movies and shows they keep making, I wish they would do a TV show on the labyrinth. There's so much more discovering to do with the labyrinth itself, there's seasons worth of material there. Then again, they would probably screw it up. Maybe it's better left perfect as it is. I have my doubts about the sequel they are supposedly making :( It's probably in my top 3 movies of all time and has been since I first watched it as a kid.
Lol compared to some of Ziggy Stardust’s outfits Jareth is actually dressed quite modestly. I love this movie, thank you so much for making this video even though Corpse Bride won the poll. ❤ I agree with you that dark children’s 80s nostalgia should make a comeback, too many PG movies nowadays are basically G rated films. At least Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio and Laika Studio movies are a step into modern dark kids films.
My parents didn't let me watch it, it was just on TV one day and I started watching it. Little did I know it would lead to a life long love of David Bowie and the entire soundtrack seared into my brain for eternity.
@@goldenfiberwheat238nope, that scene has very emo fantasy music over it lol. All of the music in the video is changed. The vocals are still David Bowie and the goblin actors in Dance Magic Dance and Danny John Jules (The Cat from Red Dwarf) as the Fiery that took his eyes out but the music is either taken out completely or replaced entirely like with the music at the end.
The reason i watched Labyrinth was to see Jennifer Connelly. I fell in love with Jennifer Connelly & always thought she was the most beautiful being in this universe. I decided to watch her all movies & i did. I watched her all movies including Labyrinth, Requiem For A Dream, A Beautiful Mind, Once Upon A Time In America & so on.
The baby actor (Toby Froud) is actually a friend of a friend. His parents both worked for the Jim Henson company. He worked on the Netflix Dark Crystal show, along with Kubo, Paranorman and Narnia.
i am here for the Mr Worm appreciation! best character of the entire movie & he didnt even get an invite to the dance party at the end 😭 when i was a kid, i was always mad at Sara for not wanting to go inside to meet The Mrs & have a nice cup of tea.
I watched this as a child wasn’t scared by it (other than the headless birds) however... David Bowie's character was my sexual awakening. So uh... Still love the movie. As an adult despite being terrified of the birds as a kid, I've come to adore that scene. Everything about the film is magical and watching it as an adult its a small taste of that magic I felt as a child. Not a lot of films do that for me. I could watch this movie everyday and be happy. And Alex is right. Movies today have lost their magic. As an adult I havent found movies or TV shows that I would want to show my children, other than ones from my early childhood or my parents childhood because it feels like modern movies have lost their magic, picking cgi over practical effects or no longer doing hand animation (I know it isnt cost effective to do hand animation but every once in a while would be nice). I miss it. Miss the magic of old movies
Hmm, for me, I guess that awakening you speak of was either Carolyn Jones as Morticia (Addams Family reruns on Saturday morning. Or that certain Princess Leia outfit from Return of the Jedi.
The 80s were a great time to be a kid when it came to things like movies and cartoons. When my sister started having kids, I would crack out the movies I loved as a kid when they would come to stay for a few weeks in summer. The Goonies, The Princess Bride, Willow, Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, The Neverending Story, Back to the Future, Beetlejuice, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, Flight of the Navigator, The Last Starfighter, so many more. I loved sharing those with them and they held up really well.
Come on! "You have no power over me" is such a powerful quote. I know one woman who kept getting into abusive relationships and had an epiphany because of it. As a kid who grew up on this, I was never bothered by the Fiery (those you call red birds). I actually liked the singing a lot. The eye scene was pretty tame compared to Beetlejuice's face transformation of the Maitlands. And Beetlejuice was pretty tame compared to The Exorcist. Man, parents back then were more lenient. Just mine? Okay... **dials therapist number** And as much as we adults like to create a fuss over stuff like this (I know, I cringe too now that I'm older), the kiddos never notice the sexy parts. If they do, actually, I'd be very concerned and have a talk with them. If Sarah had been an adult, would it be alright or still creepy? What is the okay dating pool age-range for an immortal being? o_O OH. And The Secret of NIHM rules! (I can't believe NIHM really exists, I thought it was a made up name!)
I agree 100%!! Sarah is an awesome character. The whole music at the end is about the Goblin King trying to gaslight her. “Everything Ive done I’ve done for you, I move stars for noone” Like his abusive behavior should be something she should be happy to be in. Finishing with a “You have no power over me” is such a strong sentence for a teenager to say. Love it.
I mean this movie didn't bother me, but around the same time, JAWS did a real number on me for months! or weeks. I don't think I had a great concept of time back then. The Fiery were my favorite part of the whole movie. ^_^ Can I have your therapist's number? (just kidding)
@@nephicus339 that makes sense because its actually a thriller - which is v close to horror and it *could potentially happen*. I believe horror/gore generally isn't good to show kids at all!! Many other movies contain elements that could be scary but if the characters in the movie handle it ok, the fear may not be transferred to the kid watching nearly as much as watching terrifying things happen to absolutely terrified people.
@@kaisersoymilk6912 I've actually never watched it, or if I did, I don't remember and maybe it's a good thing! D: Another one is Poltergeist II, made me afraid of mirrors at night for almost 2 decades. A weird thing happened one night. It just had an epiphany that I was a afraid of seeing something I shouldn't see (which is weird because it's such a "duh" statement) and for some reason I felt really calm and haven't been afraid of ghosts since.
I totally agree, dark fantasy as a genre is soooo amazing and way too under utilized! And the practical effects and puppets in Labyrinth were top tier incredible! Also, I Love Secret of NIMH! 🤩
The Secret of Nimh shaped my childhood! So glad there’s someone else in the universe who not only knows what the movie is, but can also appreciate it! ❤
@@erical8437 Another Secrets of NIMH fan! Funnily enough, I work on animal research ethics now as an adult. 😂 (The in my late teens when I learned NIMH is a true place… knocked my socks off, it did. 😂)
If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend the book, 'Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH'. It delves deeper into the backstory of Jonathan and the rats, and is superbly written. ❤
I loved all the dark fiction stories you mentioned. Labyrinth was marvelous, and Bowie was wonderful as the Goblin King. Mr. Bowie was devilishly handsome and seductive (which of course was the point) but it was obvious from his performance that he was having a blast playing the part. What I liked too, was the very ending. Of course, the movie can be looked at a a fantasy adventure, or as a metaphor for young Sarah moving from childhood to adulthood. But the ending is filled with hope and happiness. Even though Sarah knows she can now put aside childish things, her imaginary friends, her fantastic allies, are still there for her, whenever she wants them to be. Which includes Jarith. Jarith was not killed or destroyed, as was shown by him showing up in his white owl form. Sarah had learned that he had no more power over her than she herself gave him. That is a powerful lesson. But Jarith is still there, and will still be part of her soul, just like the others. As to why parents let young children watch movies like this, which were obviously NOT designed for young children. Because many, many supposed adults are stupid, that's why. Look at the way so many people let very young children watch "Watership Down", because they thought it was a cartoon story about bunnies. And then those same people blamed the makers of the movie when their kids saw scenes of blood, death and terror. How is it the fault of the movie makers that grown adults failed to be aware of the subject matter of the book or the movie? I have long since gotten over being surprised that so many people are morons. All of these movies were fantastic, with good stories and original ideas and great visuals. Something that movie makers today could do with more of.
For parents letting children watch these movies look at how 80s movies were dark in general. We had the slasher flicks, Dark Fantasy, Adult Animation, Grity Disney. Many things were rated for that age. Look at Transformers the Movie. PG and the first 5 minutes half the Autobots are blown away. The Optimus dies in the most heart wrenching scene ever. We watch Starscream crumble to dust. These were different times. A different culture and idea of what was to Children. If you look at the posters of these movies, they were still marketed to younger audiences. If you ever read an OZ book, you would find Return to Oz is closer to the books then the color Wizard of Oz. The books are for children, so are the movies. What I should have not seen as a child was Vampire Hunter D and Barefoot Gen. Again different times, my Mother did keep my Father from showing us Akira though.
Also tbh little monsters is way worse than labyrinth mostly on the humor side as it has jokes more aimed towards the parents than kids and ratings were wild back then it was a pg movie but slipped in a masturbation joke 💀 howie mandel said he would totally be canceled if the movie was made today
Meeeeeee TUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!! PLEEEZZZZEEEE PPPPLLLLEEEEZZZEEEE GIFLING!!!! TO THE LEEE OF THE STONE. GURGY LOVES MUNCHING AND CRUNCHINGS YOU FOR GOT WIZARDS!!!!
I recommend Watership Down. Even for early tween children, as long as you're watching it with them and talk with them after viewing. I've loved Labyrinth from the first viewing, same as Dark Crystal, Neverending Story, and many other dark fantasy stories. Grew up in the 80's. Mom even watched Dark Crystal and Neverending Story with me in the theaters, along with Plague Dogs (very depressing ending of two lab-experimented on dogs breaking free, but they don't have long left to live even if the world outside doesn't kill them, don't recommend for children AT ALL). I don't really remember talking with her about those movies before or after, and certainly not during. She also took me to things like Where the Red Fern Grows, another sad story (very good, but sad) about a boy and his dogs. Probably the worst part of this was mom not talking with me about these stories, not checking that I was okay with them (they were nothing on some I'd watched with neighbors when MUCH younger, horror movies like I Spit On Your Grave, a r*pe and revenge story), but what can you say? I knew they were stories, and other than one of the horror movies that neighbor took me to (a dismembered hand that could move on its own? Yeah, I only opened my bedroom door after dark just enough to switch on the lights before entering. Kept imagining that hand BURSTING through the door into my face. Horrible...), I didn't get scared by them. As for the "all cartoons/animated movies are for kids" mindset, that's an American thought process that needs to change, since not even American film creators are abiding by such thoughts. Watership Down is one of the least objectionable ones, as sex at least is not involved, and humans are only a very, very small part of the tale. If you're an adult, the subtext for forced coupling is there, but it's not shown on screen. The way people can learn to turn their backs on other people suffering because "at least it's not me!" is a thing kids should be aware of early on, and make the choice of how they want to handle that in their own lives. Do we really need more concentration camps to learn that lesson again in the real world? I'd far rather learn it from a movie making me think. The way some people will try to control all others around them is also an important lesson to learn in a safer environment than being thrown into it, if one can manage. There was a LOT of that in Watership Down, with our core group of rabbits looking for a new, safe place to set up their warren, then needing to find females to join them. This led to showing some situations when it's a good thing to stand up for yourself and others and FIGHT for what's right.
Fun fact about the baby, he was actually the child one of the puppeteers (her husband was the lead stoty board artist), so he had been around the puppets his whole life and wasn't scared of them (he parents also met while they both were working on The Dark Crystal)
That’s cool thank god that child isn’t traumatised ☠️
We watched this recently and found out that he became a notable puppeteer within the Hensen company.
Also his name is Toby Froud and a ** puppeteer** my b I thought he did story board art too.
He worked on Boxtrolls and a bunch of other cool stuff. Like Paranorman :)
@@whimai412 glad he had a successful career
No, Brian Froud, his father was the art director, not a puppeteer.
I think the idea with Jareth is that he's playing a role, and he's stuck in it. It's never really stated whether the Labyrinth is one of those 'different for everyone who goes through it' sort of things or not, but clearly Jareth, at least, is playing out the role she placed him in at the beginning. She made up a petulant fantasy about someone who'd take away her brother because of his love for her, and that is what he did. She doesn't love HIM - that was all just part of the fantasy - but he loves her, because that's what she wanted.
What makes their subsequent relationship interesting is that he IS stuck in this role, and she's not. She doesn't stay in 'whiny brat' mode after he appears, because there's more to her than that - but there isn't to him, which is why he keeps getting frustrated at her. 'I'm doing exactly what you wanted! I took the baby when you told me to take the baby! You wanted someone to love you; well, I love you - which is why I'm keeping the damn baby! You turned me into a villain; fine, I'll be REAL villainous - thereby giving you exactly what you wanted, like I've done from the beginning! A SIMPLE THANK YOU WOULD BE NICE!'
That is an awesome take
Excellent explanation. That’s exactly what it always was. Love this!!!
Agreed! I've always had the same sort of impression, though for me I always thought Jareth is doing what he 'thought' Sarah wanted (and what she thought she wanted, being sixteen and not really knowing the world) only for her to learn that she doesn't really want that!
Alex cut the line but the next thing that Jareth says after that big speech is "I'm exhausted from living up to your expectations of me." which is honestly one of my favorite lines from the whole movie XD
As a kid, I remember thinking that Jareth was essentially acting as part of the Labyrinth, giving different people different things according to their fantasy to maybe try and stall them on their way, and to truly beat the Labyrinth, they have to also "beat" the idea that made them make the wish in the first place. If you can change and do it, congrats, you win. If not, well... there's always room for one more goblin at the labyrinth.
That is true. I never thought of that way. I was maybe 4 when I saw the Labyrinth for the first time. All I could think was why was so mean to her mom? Why is she screaming at her baby brother? Why does she not want to stay with Jareth he is so pretty? Oh he is singing to her and dressed like a queen. Then, when I got older, I thought that was kinda fucked that he is a much much older man and he basically ruffuee a 15 year old with a wormy peach 🍑
Now I get where he was coming from, he was a 2 dimensional character from her book and she essentially brought him to life.
I've always found it fascinating that the creatures Sarah meets in the Labyrinth are actually toys she has in her room, the song & the dress she wears in the ballroom scene is the same as her music box, and that Jareth closely resembles Jeremy, her mother's co-star & alleged lover
Her bedroom is fun to analyze frame by frame in HD. 😊
Just looked Jeremy up in the fandom wiki as I’d never heard of him. Fascinating stuff, thanks!
@@tiedyedowl8367 :O First time I've heard of him too.
She is just tripping balls while her parents are out? 😂
It is amazing how much detail is there from the very beginning hey? . All of the answers to the movie pretty much before the adventure begins, very clever.
as someone who used to be a teenage girl, i never really questioned sarah's behaviour. sometimes you just dress up as a princess and prance around and then sacrifice your brother to the goblin king (accidentally) because you were mad about your teddy bear. yk, girl stuff.❤
“Woopsies I just accidentally opened up a gateway to literal hell, my bad guys!!!”
@@glitchingbee The Goblin realm was neither literally nor figuratively hell.
Always a princess or queen in charge of her world! Sometimes it good to get rid of something annoying!
@@glitchingbeemy sister would unironically do that lol
Don’t you just hate it when that happens?
So the Labyrinth is about when you're at the weird age of not quite a kid and not quite an adult. Where you want to play with toys and play pretend but also you have romantic adult feelings. It's Sara's journey to maturity.
I'm a teen and it's so true
And so is its sequel Mirrormask
@stmsinit's coming of age before coming of age was created
The "I don't want to talk but I want you to try harder to talk to me because I actually want to talk" is a really teen felling, I used to be just like this and still am at 23, but it only lasts 5 min now
@stmsinexactly that ☺ and I love the ending now that I'm an adult and finally get it. When I was little it was just yay they're having a party in her room 😂
Fun fact: Look up the story of how the Hoggle puppet/animatronic was lost for like 30 years. It was in a suitcase that got lost by the airline and turned up only 18 years ago. There's a youtube video on it but when they opened the case the puppet's rubber and latex had rotted considerably. Damn stuff of nightmares.
What is even cooler is that the store that got it paid to restore the puppet and it's now in the Unclaimed Baggage museum. You can literally visit Hoggle if you want to.
That timeline makes no sense lol!
The images are literally censored on Google Images I’m crying. If I saw that as a child, I’d never sleep again.
OK, my mistake. I looked it up. It's possibly the most horrific thing I've ever seen.
@@gray_mara
I saw it just now and I laughed XD
In case noone else mentioned it already. The reason the baby playing Toby was so awesome around the goblin puppets was because his mom was one of the puppet makers.
And he was the Creature director of The Dark Crystal Age of Resistance
His Mom was a one of the puppeteers, but his dad designed the puppets
(also designed the critters in the "The Dark Crystal)
His dad is Brian Froud (LEGEND!!!!)
@@Bluebelle51♡Fave Fairy Artist
My moms favorite artist is Brian Froud, she had books of his art and I always looked through them she also made me watch this movie with her pretty often and I ended up really loving it. I’m so surprised I didn’t know this information.
I first met Brian, Wendy and Toby in 2011, and I have followed Toby's career ever since, and he's still on my FB friends list. In 2019, about a week before the release of Age of Resistance, I got to introduce him to my wife and discuss his experience working on the sequel to the film where his parents met and fell in love. He told us that it was a way of continuing his parents legacy and paying tribute to the world that literally brought him into existence.
.
A cool experience.
This traumatized me as a child, but it also was probably the first time I can recall being wayyy too into a villain.
That man is responsible for my leather fetish....
So as an adult, the beginning seems really silly, but as a teenage girl.....that is pretty much the exact amount of drama that situation could cause
POV, your adult and a teenage at the same time:
@Gregory_12 POV you don't understand that adult women were once teenage girls and can reference their past...🙄
@@Gregory_12 * you're * teenager
Same here, and I was an emo kid. 😂😂
No, your absolutely right. Those movies had a “magic” that movies today seem to lack. It’s hard to put my finger on but it’s like a fear of not knowing what the movie may do or show you plus a sense of wonder and adventure into something wonderful and frightening. Like you said, “dark fantasy” but the 80’s had a certain type of charm that just adds. Ya know?
Because these 80s movies tried to show us genuine fairy tales of old. People today like to say how it's "dark" and can frighten younger kids, but I always saw it as just "honesty". Because real life can and will be scary and confusing at times. But there will also be some truly wonerous moments. And that's what those movies did, they showed those fantasy worlds as both dark or unsettling and also charming and silly, just like real life.
@@poochyenajones1362for the record "real" fairytales are just two edgy guys who wrote down spoken tales and made them edgier for their own purpose. Because no matter what century it is parents don't like to be waken at 4am because their kid got nightmares about molten metal shoes or casually tell stories about sexual assault to their kids.
*you’re
Dragonslayer... Ladyhawke... The Black Cauldron... The Black Hole... The Last Starfighter... Cloak & Dagger... Flight of the Intruder... Explorers... all kid's movies that respected the intelligence and maturity-levels of their viewers...
And then came the Mac 'n Me's to f*ck it all up...
yes I do know, your absolutly right.
I remember watching Labyrinth first at age 4. Started a life long love for David Bowie music and its still one of my favorite movies 30 years later.
Same. After watching labyrinth for the first time as a child David Bowie and labyrinth took over my life
When I was like 5 me and my dad watched the labyrinth and from then on like once a month I just have the most vivid dream about it
Same
I was 2 when I first watched it and became instantly obsessed. I watched it almost every week for years. Weirdly it was the first movie my mother saw at the cinema when she was pregnant with me and I’ve always been told I look like Jennifer Connolly.
i also watched it that young and adore bowie now!
I always loved the message of this film (as well as just loving it for the effect and music). Sarah is growing up, but still clings to her childhood fantasies. Her parents want her to take responsibility and "grow up". At the beginning of the film, you see that the characters of the Labyrinth are toys in her bedroom. She is taken on this hero's journey to save her baby brother (responsibility) but her childhood fantasy figure, the Goblin King, keeps trying to pull her back into her fantasy world - to totally dominate and control her. By the end she realises her childhood fantasies have no power over her, and she can be her own independent person, BUT "every now and then in my life, I need you". She isn't willing to completely let go of the magic and imagination of her youth. And neither should we. :)
I think the reason the Goblin King is so interested in Sarah is because the entire movie is her fantasy. Its more or less a dream, a figment of imagination. And as her fantasy he is enraptured by her.
As someone who was once a 16 year-old girl, I can confirm: fantasizing about a powerful immortal hot man being obsessed with me was on my daily to do list.
@@mateleacloveraetalking bout me huh🤭
Nah of course it was me
Saaaaaaaaaaaame❤
When I was that age I was enamored with the books by L.J. Smith.
In the beginning of the iconic "Magic Dance" scene, Toby is seen crying while surrounded by numerous goblins. In reality, the baby Toby Froud wasn't the least bit scared by any of the puppets used, and seemed to have fun with the scene. The shot of one of the goblins making silly noises and faces to make Toby laugh was a genuine reaction, and was inspired by many instances where they needed him to be silent and actually used some puppets off-camera to lull him. They had to wait until he was tired and wanted to nap after filming the musical number to get him to cry.
Where did you find all of this out? I never knew this!
@@queenzebra8219 IMDB for the exact wording, but Toby, the baby, is Toby Froud, son of Brian Froud, the conceptual designer for the movie. There is a special 'Inside the Labyrinth' that goes into details of the movie.
@@LaaryeYep. That particular baby almost certainly found the goblins familiar and friendly ;)
@@Eet_Mia he worked as a puppeter on Netflix's Dark Crystal series.
According to Brian Froud, he cried because the music was loud.
the 16 year old kid getting irrationally angry at her parents over nothing is probably the most realistic part of this movie
Based LOL
Nah, she had a good reason to be angry.
Edited: Who they hell of a parent think that's okay, their child will babysit their baby without telling them, or going to their room without permission and taking their stuff, or complaining that they don't dating at young age, like mother she 15 years old like come on !.
Honestly probably the only realistic thing, 16 year old me at the start when the baby stopped crying would've said finally and probably take a nap or something😂
@@MiyakoPisces4.0like?
i watched it recently the dad literally knocked and shes like YOU DAMN NEAR BROKE DOWN MY DOOR!!!! and its like grl
As a child, I never once noticed Bowie’s pants. I feel like that’s something you only notice once you’re an adult.
I don’t think anyone did until it was pointed out.
Me pasó lo mismo. Yo solo quedé embobada como Sarah mirando lo bello que era. No me fijé ni me acordaba de sus pantalones. Es algo que noté mirando la peli ya de adulta. Y eso es algo que si no hacemos ruido del asunto, un niño no tiene por qué prestarle atención.
Same! Didn't know til someone told me as an adult.
First time I saw this was in sixth grade and that was THE FIRST thing I noticed 🫣
as some one one who watched it when i was like 11-12 i deffs did, i asked my parents what was wrong with his pants xD deffs an awkward conversation xD
11:18 Don't worry, Alex. That baby actor turned out to be just fine! In fact, he went on to become a filmmaker and a puppeteer himself and even worked on The Dark Crystal series on Netflix. 😉If anything, this movie probably *inspired* him instead of traumatized him.
Lol I just read his parents meet on a production of The Dark Crystal 😂 things going full circle
I will never forgive Netflix for canceling Dark Crystal AoR.
I have to say as someone who watched this, the dark crystal, and many other amazing dark family movies
Not every kid is so easily traumatized. And having a parent there to help explain stuff while it's happening also helps.
Thats so cool!!!
@@GlitterF-CK I was *very* easily traumatized. Ghostbusters scared the shit out of me, and Superman III and Star Wars gave me nightmares. All the 80s stuff discussed in this vid though? Utterly *obsessed* with it! I watched and rewatched Secret of NIHM, Last Unicorn, Labyrinth and Dark Crystal every time I could (this was in the dark ages, young'uns - before streaming we had bluray, and before bluray we had DVD, and before DVD we had VHS, and before VHS we had rental stores full of betamax videos because betamax was The Future and VHS was going nowhere so there were like maybe 5 given VHS titles at any given time, and our family was too poor for Betamax so we fought with everyone else in town for access to anything even remotely new for the VHS, and as to actually owning titles to keep in our very own home? HAH!). The only thing that freaked me out was the fire gang. I'm middle aged and I STILL just skip that song because UGH, something in me just cannot stand their movements, and the minute they started talking about tearing Sarah's head off... if it was recorded I fast forwarded, if it was on TV and wasn't skippable, I just disassociated the whole time they were on screen. 😂
Watching the movie as an adult, the plot is admittedly pretty basic and Jennifer Connelly still has a long way to go before she would be delivering Oscar worthy performances, but Jim Henson's creature work is incredible (some iffy green screen aside), David Bowie is clearly having a blast, Dance Magic Dance is a bop and the blend of dark but whimsical fantasy truly makes it unique. Alex is right, you really don't see these kinds of films anymore.
This movie is better than anything, pal. Stop bullying your betters!
I mean this was the first movie to my knowledge to use "green screen" but it was black velvet backdrop
It’s because imagination has been lost. Remakes are taking over (as we know) and there are no new fleshed out ideas for the fantasy genre.
Jennifer Connelly still looks absolutely amazing nearly 40 years later. Good Lord 😅
As a Bowie fan... Damn that man is fine....
Watched a deep dive into labrynth the other day. In a blink and you'll miss it subplot, her scrapbook shows her mother being big in the local play scene, which is why she is into acting as well. It also shows her mother meeting another actor who looks a lot like Bowie, and they eventually run off together. Which is why the Goblin King looks the way he does.
In the novelization Sarah is clearly starstruck with her mother's life and wants to be part of it. She also kinda has a crush on Jeremy which, I guess, kinda explains why the Goblin King looks like him.
@@myrarefolly
It also explains why Jareth is overly dramatic too, which considering he started as an owl is quite a feat.
could you tell me the name of the deep dive video it sounds intresting
What and where is this deep dive video?
That and also the fact that nearly all the characters she meets in the Labyrinth actually ARE the Dolls/plushies she has on her Wall.
The whole ting is actually a Fever dream projecting her insecurities due to her fertile imagination, love of Theatrics and Drama and Teenager Hormonal imbalance.
11:46 "I'm not one for slut shaming" OK BUT WHY DID DAVID BOWIE LOOK SO HOT ANYWAY?!?!?! IT WAS SO UNECASSARY
Omg fr, David Bowie as Jareth was my first celebrity crush
Also, I love how Jareth is the villain but is the likable one who put Sarah in her place. She was purposefully insufferable as a teenaged drama queen, and a fully unlikable protagonist. My favorite line is in the tunnels and after she tells Jareth “It’s not fair!”, he goes, “You say that so often. I wonder what your basis for comparison is.” And just continues about his business. 😂
I love his line there!
Also, I love how Jareth is the villain but is the likable one who put Sarah in her place. She was purposefully insufferable as a teenaged drama queen, and a fully unlikable protagonist. My favorite line is in the tunnels and after she tells Jareth “It’s not fair!”, he goes, “You say that so often. I wonder what your basis for comparison is.” And just continues about his business.
Nah, she had good reason to be upset, lol.
Edited: Who they hell of a parent think that's okay, their child will babysit their baby without telling them, or going to their room without permission and taking their stuff, or complaining that they don't dating at young age, like mother she 15 years old like come on !.
@@MiyakoPisces4.0you have copy pasted this comment twice broski. No one cares
@@MiyakoPisces4.0 - I'm not sure if this is a case of you being young or a generation gap thing, but I can confidently tell you that in the 90s and before, it was completely understood that a teenage older sibling would babysit their younger siblings from time to time with or without warning, male or female. Many, many nights I would stay at a friend's house (guys) (btw do kids still do this because my kids seem utterly uninterested in sleepovers or, hell, even going over and hanging because "I can hang out on the phone" or "I play games with them online so why would I?") and his parents would be out with his little sisters at home with us, and this wasn't unusual for us even at 10 or 11, let alone 15. (Didn't happen to me because I was the baby brother, and my sister would be home with me a lot...or I'd be home alone not that uncommonly, definitely a generation gap thing.)
And yeah, parents 100% can come into your room at any time. There's an amount of respect and privacy granted to help the kid grow and understand boundaries, but make no mistake, that's the parents' house, and that is their kid. They have every right to come in when they want.
I agree that griping about dating at a younger age is a bit icky. Sure, have friends, and it's worrisome if they don't, but some people just aren't ready for dating yet, and that's totally cool, maybe even for the best.
Okay, I love the Labyrinth so I want to clarify something- Sarah is not doing a play, the Labyrinth is her favorite book, and she believes that the Labyrinth will be easy because she's familiar with it through her book.
While it’s not a play, she’s still acting it out.
She's acting it out because that's what kids did in the 80s. We played outside, we got creative, used our imagination. And we read books.
@phaedrapage4217 Thank you. This guy is so completely clueless, and then he gets to David Bowie and he describes him as this guy 😮 no wonder he doesn't show his face because I would be😬😬😬😬😬 embarrassed to be him🤡
@@donnahanna10565okay so I agree alex often has very little clue of what he's talking about and it can be a bit embarrassing, but you also clearly have no clue about him either since he's shown his face before in videos, he shows it on Twitter along with his girlfriend's (he's a bit overbearing about her being pretty and happy together in fact cause they got together after he divorced, which he also talked about in his channel) and overall is not afraid to talk about / show himself.
@@phaedrapage4217gas is kind of like live action role-playing that's what she was doing was live action role-playing that's what that is and I absolutely love this movie I know every line every word I can recite the whole movie and I think that David Bowie is one of the hottest people
This movie is chaotically beautiful and terrifying simultaneously. It is a fever dream.
You nailed it. To me, that is precisely what it is, as much for the viewer as for the main character. My 'fan theory' is that it was all a dream and she never even left her room. (which I'm sure others have concluded as well).
that crotch area is a fever dream more than anything 😅😂
It's about disassociation of the mind. Very basically it's a variation of the Wizard Of Oz, Alice In Wonderland and Peter Pan. And some connect this type of story to sinister things.
@@saymyname2417 Like Ketamine.
Chaotically beautiful and terrifying IS the 80s summed up lol
"Magic Dance" without the background music is so cursed lmao
Every musical number in anything is.
@@thirdcoinedge yeah
The whole movie is a metaphor for a girl giving up her childish things and growing into a young woman. Jareth represents her childish desires, but he can only offer her dreams and fantasy. Which is why in the end she declared, "You have no power over me." and starts taking responsibility for her little brother.
There were a lot of really great stories in these 80's dark fantasy movies, this and The Neverending Story being my favorites.
I was 16 when I saw this in the theater. This was the theme that hit me profoundly. I have always been a dreamer and an intensely avid reader. I felt inspired to see how it was time to pack away some of the childhood trinkets and embrace the next step of my life’s journey. Loved how the movie portrayed that part of my life at the time so well and in such a fun way too.
That's definitely a valid opinion but I don't think the writers went that deep with it.
@@zerolegacy7821you’d be wrong, this is quite literally exactly what they were going for… google it
@@zerolegacy7821well, you are wrong
Yeah, they were great. The Dark Crystal was a favourite of mine.
My mum took me out of school when I was 6 to see this movie at the cinema because she was too embarrassed to see it as a 30 year old adult on her own. I loved it, she loved it. Still one of my favorite movies.
Aw, what a nice memory!
Your mom did an awesome job!
As an 80s kid, I grew up firmly believing that all children's movies should be scarring in some way. I don't know. There is something great about seeing child targeted horror sequences that stick with you through the decades.
Transformers: The Movie taught a whole generation of kids the concept of mortality.
90s kid here with multiple brothers born in the 80s so I got the second hand experience.
I recently showed my daughter “Spirited Away” and there are some moments of pure terror/disgust
She was frighten but I loved it
Man, i grew up with German Fairy Tales, and i can tell you, disney really made them look good
@@Raziel312 Sesame Street did that first, but in a gentler, kinder way. RIP Mr. Hooper (Will Lee).
Transformers: The Movie came in and clubbed you over the head repeatedly with Death in the first 15 mins.
The animation with Sarah’s hair being filled with a cheese grater and a dead cat and Chris Hanson popping up! Then the “Mr Bowey, David if I may” 😂😂😂
I love this movie so freakin much. It's whimsical, it's a bit dark, and the message underlying it all is so perfectly embedded in the story. Bowie absolutely knocked his role out of the park and 90% of the effects hold up so well to repeated watchings. I rewatch this fairly often and it never gets old
Fun fact, a labyrinth by definition is merely winding and twisting with few to no branches and always leads to the same destination. A maze is the distinct puzzle type structure with dead ends that most people think of.
a maze's entrance and exit are on the perimeter of it, but a labyrinth's entrance is on the outer edge and the goal is in the center
@@mr.bryteseid3189 well said
That is indeed very correct. Many people confuse the terms. A labyrinth is just a type of path, while a maze is constructed for deception (although not commonly malicious).
Labyrinth sounds better as a movie name than Maze
Yeah I think Daedalus was pretty definitive in the design, description, and sole purpose. 🤣 lol I’m currently playing a Skyrim character I named Ariadne, UA-cam had no idea about my secret teen obsession with Jareth. Hahaha
I always interpreted Jareth as a normal faery. Less interested in Sarah herself and more interested in the deal and the game. She was very attracted to him, and he saw an angle to manipulate her, so he took it.
It's David Bowie of course she was attracted to him. That man could instill gay panic in straight men so hetero females stood no chance. 😂😂😂
@@bhart3321 Yep as a straight man I can confirm this.
@@bhart3321and he was into kids even younger than her very fitting
Alleged. Not backed with evidence.@@FirstnameLastname-gr5kb
@@FirstnameLastname-gr5kbhe denied a kiss scene w her wdym like tf
I always thought the stepmom gave the teddy bear Lancelot to Toby the baby, who dropped it and cried as a result.
That's the interpretation I had even years and years ago when I watched it as a kid so I'm pretty sure that was the implication.
So about Bowie's character Jerith. If real, he did literally do everything for Sarah. He took the kid, made her fantasy world a reality and allowed her to play out all the things she wanted. His evil is more the type that gives what is wanted instead of what is needed. But she figures it out and takes what she needs (which also may have been him setting her up to grow as a person). Overall though I think the movie is all about Sarah learning to play with her little brother to make the chore of watching him not so bad. She is playing out her story and fantasy with her toys and just made her little brother the main objective. She was likely in reality holding her brother and dancing around with him singing "dance magic dance".
Absolutely the best comment. :)
It does seem more like he's teaching her a lesson in a trickster way than him being actively evil. Like "Okay you want the Goblin King to fall in love with you, take your brother off your hands, and whisk you off to fantasy land? Let me show you what that would really be like."
@@TetsuDeinonychus that's how i interpreted it too! Especially the scene with "as the world falls down", when she literally would have had no way to wake up but she did anyway after the weird trip/dream... it kind of looks like he was just "testing" her more than trying to stop her fr.
yeah his magic is very much "be careful what you wish for" fae stuff lol, he really did everything she asked and expected of him and all he really asked in return was acknowledgement
All this is my head-cannon now too! Kinda like the idea that Sarah processed growing up through a fantasy while taking care of her baby brother, because it's realistic for most kids to process things and come to terms with feelings they don't know how to address through playing, movies/TV/videogames/books/art, etc.
Got married last week and our dance was to “As The World Falls Down” (the ballroom scene). This is my wife’s favorite movie and she owns lots of merchandise, books, and every media release of the film. I’ve loved it since I was a boy.
Darker fantasy films were my lifeblood. Everything is so watered down now.
Dude, my wife and I got married this summer and we had that song played as we exited the ceremony.
that song is amazing.
omg... that is my dream to have someone look at me like Jareth looks at her in this scene. I also haven't found anyone to dress up as this pair for Halloween. your wives (the guy that first responded to this one) are very lucky to have you two as husbears, and got to have this as your wedding song.
I'm totally stealing that idea
omg no way!! first off congratulations and SECOND I was thinking of that being my wedding song too!! Im glad im not the only one who thinks so.
Labyrinth was my favorite movie growing up, alongside Ladyhawke. The film was rather deep. Sara was so self- absorbed and had learn that life was more than all her daydreams, which she had to let go of. If you notice, all the things in her bedroom show up in the labyrinth in some form or another... including the goblin king. You also skipped the junkyard part, which actually is rather important--the part where Sara realizes all her stuff is just junk and people matter more.
Ladyhawke was so good too!
Sara has a Judge Dredd roleplaying game supplement on her bookshelf at the beginning of the movie. i don't know why it's there, i noticed because it's bright yellow, and is a very weird choice for a prop, since it's IP belonging to another company. but Judge Dredd doesn't show up later in the movie, unlike the other stuff.
Ladyhawke and princess Bride sadly forgotten in the list!
I'm so glad you brought up the junkyard scene!! There are so many times in my life I've thought about that scene and it's meaning applied to various situations. Labyrinth is hands down one of my favorite movies of all time..... Also loved Ladyhawke too!! ^_^
"Walk on the left side!"
Watching as a kid: This looks like fun and I will sing these songs FOREVER!
Watching as a teen: Goblin King is hot, how do you juggle like that?
Watching as an adult: Package, Worm guy, Package, Package, Hoggle, Package, Package, Yes
It’s so difficult to explain to people who haven’t seen The Secret of Nimh how close to perfect that movie is ♥️
I loved that book in school. It makes it hard for me to love the movie that much but I agree its great!
@emilyrouk1820Its about a mother finding courage to save her children from certain death
I think I randomly saw it on cable when I was younger and fell in love but couldn’t remember or find the name for like… 8 years
I've sent it and it was boring.
That was childhood!
I love the ending to this movie, and the message that we cannot stay kids forever, but that doesn't mean that we can't hold on to our sense of wonder.
Also the line : "...just fear me, love me, do as I say and I shall be your slave..." Yyeaaahh. Jareth's Package was the REAL Goblin King all along.
It's about a young person leaving childhood and one's ideas of what life SHOULD be behind, and growing up to see how things really are - yet still keeping a positive attitude. Friendship, family, loyalty, love, helping yourself and others. Labyrinth is, at it's heart, a simple transcendental movie.
It's one of those great coming-of-age stories specifically from a girl's / woman's POV. Dudes love the movie too, but we kind of stopped getting these, outside of those Hunger Games & Twilight era YA books with questionable messaging.
You know, at her age if Jareth showed that sort of obsession with me I 100% would have said 'okay' and never got out of that fantasy.
But yeah. Her loyalty and humility and friendship to everyone else shone through where most people would get lost. I'm, sadly, one of those lost girls. I'm a little more found now, but... :)
@@BrokensoulRider- ohhh, I'm right there with you totally on this one. Though if Jareth DID show up at my window even now....I'd probably let him in. 🫠
Same. Absolutely same. @@katw.6519
“Gaslit by the Goblin King”
You said this as a joke but actually the jokes on you because I would absolutely UNIRONICALLY read that book
Same. Somebody needs to write a fan fiction.
Labyrinth is like a movie that your brain creates in the dream when you're having a fever dream.
This is just a hilarious comment
I love how Alex never changed one bit. Consistently incredible content for years
he changed a lot. but for the better
To this day, 40 years later, Secret of NIMH is still one of my all time favorite animated films.
YES
It's responsible for the entire Don Bluth post-Disney catalog. They literally bet the farm on making that movie. The book is even better, and well worth the read even as an adult (2nd book is fun, but not as deep, the 3rd one just so-so). They really don't make them like this anymore.
That movie scared the ever loving SH*T outta me as a kid but it was sooooo good. I still have it on VHS from when I was a kid.
I loved the Secret Rats of NIMH book as a teen!
The book should have scared you, it’s based on a real experiment involving rats, perceived utopia, and the carnage that follows having all your needs met without effort. It’s a fascinating study of societal behavior and truly terrifying, in its own way.
15:00 I CAN’T BREATHE 😭🤣
As someone who did not grow up with these movies, i completely agree with the point you made towards the end. A lot of movies that have been produced recently are just producers trying to make money. Its much more uncommon to see these beautiful works of art that tell stories that never get old. Now we get remakes of movies and every new concept of a movie is under marketed and might turn out good but doesnt turn out good profit. Its just a really sad industry right now. 😢
Re: Sara's self-confidence. She was a teenager in the 80s. That means she's a GenXer. We were the feral generation, the latchkey kids. We had confidence that we knew how to survive because we'd been going home from school to an empty house for 6-7 years by our sixteenth birthdays, making our own dinner, and waiting for our divorced moms to get home from the second job they took to keep a roof over our heads.
Oh, and more than one reviewer has suggested that Labyrinth as a whole is basically a metaphor for teenage female puberty, adolescence and burgeoning sexuality. In that light, well, she could do a lot worse than fantasizing about David Bowie playing with his crystal balls.
As a teen girl watching this movie in the late 90’s I was there for it.
During his introduction, Jareth throws a snake at Sara. If that's not a sexual symbol I don't know what is.
What’s a genX? Isn’t then “gen” thing a recent thing that was only coined because someone decided “millennials “ and “boomers” were a thing in the mid-2000s, and then they needed a word for the next generation and then the generation after that now that people born in the 2000s are adults with their own children, and so invented GenX GenZ, GenTheNextGeneration Gen2ElecticBugaloo or whatever.
@@Nevyn515 Boomers is short for Baby Boomers and has been used since the 1960's. While GenX is of similar vintage, it didn't come into common use until the late 80's early 90's.
@@Nevyn515 My guess is that it's a crude system to distinguish between generations for statistics and marketing purposes.
That's the crazy thing about older movies. The idea was that you could scare the bejeezus out of kids and show really weird and disturbing things and have intense adventures, so long as you had the happily ever after, everything worked out in the end it was fine for kids.
Nowadays the smallest thing can get a show canceled for being "problematic" and "traumatizing"
"So the labyrinth's a piece of cake, is it? Well let's see how you deal with this little SLICE." -Goblin King
I remember watching this as a kid, and then noticing something new every rewatch. Labyrinth is so full of so much dark whimsy and absurdity, I love it. I never realized that the genre itself was something I was nostalgic for until he mentioned the other movies like Secret of Nimh, Neverending Story, Willow, and Dark Crystal.
noticing something new every time you rewatch it is because these sets were hand made every detail was done by a person which is why you'll have the same experience with movies like coraline dark crystal ect it's why i'll always prefer practical effects it's real it's detailed and one look won't satisfy i have to look a thousand times to feel i've seen every detail whereas cgi while its convenient it's surface level it doesn't have the depth of detail bc it's not physically there someone didn't spend hours in uncomfortable positions to get the perfect paint job with cgi
@@surbert Lol, nope, not what I meant at all, though I do appreciate the practical effects, effort, and endless details. What I meant is I was a literal child when I first watched it, and grew up with the movie seeing and noticing something new, or catching a detail or line that went over my 6-year-old head. I missed just as many details in Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse on the first watch, because people likewise spent so many hours working on their art, and there are so many wonderful details. I suggest and highly recommend the channel Corridor Crew to better appreciate computer graphics and and the hard work that goes into animation.
14:16 "Now, you see, this is where things start to get kinda weird."
... As if it hasn't been weird BEFORE this point?!
IKR love this movie
“Gaslit by the Goblin King”
Made me wheeze!🤣🤣🤣
15:11 is the best reaction to that line I have ever seen
I think one of the coolest and easily unnoticed bits from this movie is that all of the "creatures" and setting in the labyrinth world are all toys etc in her room. So hypothetically this whole movie was just a emo fever dream.... Close-ups of Bowie's junk and all 😂 Bowie also blatantly makes a "snorting cocaine" reference during Dance Magic Dance when he asks what kind of magic spell to use, then closes a nostril and snorts a invisible line 😂
Never noticed the nose thing🤯
@@Angelika5378 isn't it wild how blatant it is?! Just a insider thing for the adults I guess 🤣
There’s also very overt sexual lyrics
I saw a Firey and Sir Didymus but where’s Ludo and Hoggle
For the last time: SARAH GOT THE LOGIC PUZZLE RIGHT. SHE FALLS BECAUSE SHE SAYS “That was easy!” Every time she does that in this movie Jared moves the goalposts in spite. First he shortens her time, then he drops her into the oubliette, and finally sends the cleaners machine to kill her and hoggle. If she could’ve just kept her mouth shut, she’d could’ve skipped like half of the extra challenges!
If she had just been patient an listened to the worm, she could have skipped the labyrinth altogether and gone straight to the castle.
@@946towguy2 would she have been ready for the castle then?
It was a lesson was to humble her ego, which was problematic from the very start of the movie.
Exactly. It did not lead to certain death.
Ya, but then it would've been an awfully short movie; you need the "Hero's Journey".@@946towguy2
10:45 sorry, but ten years of watching a cat get mutilated by a mouse, a coyote do unspeakable things to himself trying to catch his dinner, and a bald bloke shoot get outsmarted by a rabbit and shoot himself in the face, pretty much prepared me for anything this movie could throw at me. Except maybe the sing.
Bit of a trivia piece I learned from the behind the scenes documentary a while back:
There were a few scenes in the movie that were a lot more perilous than Jim Henson initially thought they would be, and when he asked Jennifer Connelly afterwards if she was okay, evidently her response was always along the lines of "oh yup, doing fine!" and he cites her as an absolute trooper.
This attitude actually makes a ton of sense when taking into account that the movie she was in literally a year beforehand was an 80s Italian horror film which, for those uninitiated with the b-movie scene, means practically nonexistent safety regulations and she even got sent to the hospital after being attacked by the chimpanzee they were using in the movie. By comparison, any of the action scenes Labyrinth threw out would feel pretty tame and good on Jim Henson for being concerned about his cast when things weren't going quite to plan.
(Phenomena is a fantastic film but sheesh the production sounded awful)
Yep.
Dario ARgento represent!
Who the fuck lets a chimp near a child! That sounds illegal. I know Travis was like in the 2000's but like those things were known to be strong.
Good lord, I could talk about this movie for hours AND I HAVE. It's visually stunning and it's visually disturbing, and the characters are fun and the characters are weird, and Jareth is a creep and Jareth is a fae, and it is deeply problematic and it is the best film ever made.
Anyway, thank you for this video! I had so much fun watching it! I love how self-aware the humor is, and the audio editing is honestly really cool.
Love this comment because I relate soo much I love labyrinth! I was super excited to see this because I think everyone should watch it’s sooo good
I first saw this movie in preschool. Yes, they sat a group of 4 and 5 year olds down and played this for us. I loved it, still do. They also played the garbage pail kids, which terrified me, still does. The 80’s was a good time, lol.
yh garbage pail kids still terrifying. >.
@@ejwowiing Very 😩
Sounds like my family and Gremlins.😩 To this day I still don't understand why that movie was EVER placed in the family section of movie rental stores, but thanks to that, my Dad and his friend rented it for all of us to watch when I was around 3 or 4. Needless to say, I was scarred for life. 🫣
I always thought Jareth wasn’t as evil as they made him out to be. He taught her a valuable lesson. One that she wasn’t learning on her own.
As a 16 year old boy when this came out, I was only focused on Jennifer Connelly’s beauty, but seeing these clips again decades later I’m struck by how amazing David Bowie’s speaking voice was. Right up there with James Earl Jones in terms of cool sounding male voices. 👍
Look up Bowie and Bing Crosby video Peace on Earth. It was shot wen Bing was already living with dementia. But Bowies speaking vioce in that video is so soothing. Also Bowie knew Bing was struggling with dementia during filming and frequently had to be reminded about what was going on arround him. Apperantly Bowie would just talk to him very calmly to make sure that Bing was doing ok.
Me too. I had a total crush.
True but everytime I see him I cringe and feel very sorry comfortable lol! And he probably always was just a cool and genuine and good person. He just looks like a creepy evil villain lol! He’s teeth! I have terrible teeth from years of drinking, but they aren’t like… CORN yellow… they aren’t just OUT THERE like his lol.
I was always annoyed when people said “you look like a David Bowie!” Or “are you a fan of Bowie?”
Like NO shut up. I have red long hair and I’m thin… so what.
Anyways, maybe I should get into him more. I never liked his music but my taste is always expanding. And FAST, especially at 27 years old now.
My friends showed me this movie saying that if I were a character in the Labyrinth I’d have the mental confliction of the 4 playing card guards, but the personality, energy and style of that little fox guard with the colorful clothes/feather and rides that white little dog.
That “fight” scene with the big orangutan cracked me the fuck up. I’ll take the fox and card guard comparison to myself with pride, but DONT call me David Bowie lol!
Crap, I missed all that because I am still captivated by her beauty and even more so now that I know how she matured. She is tinier in real life than I would have thought. I hate Paul Bethany.
I love Secret of Nimh. I was obsessed when I was a child. To the point where my mom wrote in her journal about it. I drew a picture of Justin, and when my mom asked me why, my four-year-old self answered, "Because I need him."
@DPWFG The Secrets of Nimh was actually based on a real experiment conducted on rats. The intent was to study societal changes due to outside pressures. They created a rat utopia in a barn where the rats were house in a huge, self contained work perfectly temp controlled, with unlimited food, water, and other resources. In less than a generation, with no need to focus on survival and everything provided for them, the rats descended into anarchy. The male rats stopped mating with females, formed gangs and raped weaker males, females started eating their young, and the rays entered into a cycle that was coined as the “behavioral sink”. Basically, if rats (and it was inferred humans) had all their needs provided for and had nothing to work for, their society would collapse. Considering our current society, I think the researchers were on to something. Anyway, that was the experiment that gave birth to the Rats of Nimh 😂
Aww that’s so cute, a little concerning
@@Terriblenogoodverybadartist yeah, my mom was concerned, too. Hahaha
YES. We need more 80s dark fantasy inspired movies. They were my favorite genre of movie as a child and for some reason they never scared me (also they had the best soundtracks)
We could have a whole video on the decline of soundtracks, especially in family-focused movies
If someone wants to do a remake, why not The Black Cauldron? That movie could have been so much better than it turned out to be.
It's cliche to say it, but they can't make movies like that anymore. Labyrinth would get focus tested into safe blandness, and Jareth and Sarah would have to be rewritten to either appeal to the left or the far right. Kid's horror like The Gate would be too traumatic. And let's not even consider Return to Oz or Watership Down.
Heck, it made news last year when the British film board re-rated Watership Down, changing it from all-ages to PG. A *45 year old* movie bothered people of today so much that it was re-rated....
@@xenialafleur Predictably, ironically, Disney is only remaking stuff that was wildly popular the first time. So we are unlikely to see stuff like Black Cauldron, or the Rescuers, or Robin Hood, or even Basil of Baker Street, since they "underperformed" at the time.
@@BainesMkII Well they did remake Watership Down, as some kind of uncanny-valley 3d version on Netflix, I believe. Maybe it appeals more to today's generation of kids - they don't seem to respond well to 2d animation, regardless of content.
Honestly Sarah is so brave for LARPing alone in a public park
Actually, she got the question right. The thing is, she immediately said something along the lines of “This’ll be easy.” And every time she gets overconfident like that, something bad happens
I think she said that it’ll be a piece of cake
But we all know that the cake is a lie
Jared is the kind of fantasy boyfriend you want when you're 16. Mysterious, androgynous, has magic powers. And he's also the type of first boyfriend you get - petulant, demanding, dramatic. I mean, if David Bowie offered me that deal I'd probably take it, but Sara recognises a toxic relationship when she sees one. She's giving up childish ideas of her 'ideal man'.
Jareth*
Mhh, I bet this movie is popular in Japan. Your description fits the average shoujo manga protagonist pretty well.
Labyrinth had something almost none of todays movies have. A heart. And an actual story, wich also is missing from the most todays movies...
You must only watch Marvel movies or something 🙄
@@kristalgic1534 how many of Marvel movies can you watch twice?!
Theyr ok... But no one will care about them in 10 years...
Also, songs you actually want to listen to.
Keep looking for the bad and you'll find it
9:20 actually she doesn't get the answer wrong. she gets the door riddle correct, if you rewatch the movie and pay attention to whenever the phrase "it's a piece of cake" is said it's like rolling a Nat1 in D&D. So as she entered the correct door she says the cursed phrase and sets off the trap. She loses time when she says it to the Goblin King's face shortly after. Every time the phrase is said.
Fun fact about the baby: Toby is the son of Brian Froud, the creature and prop designer of Labyrinth and the Dark Crystal. His real name is also Toby. He followed in his father's footsteps and became a puppeteer and special effects designer. He worked on Netflix's The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance alongside his parents. Safe to say he wasn't traumatized in the slightest by the creepy goblin puppets xD
They originally had a different name for the baby, but Toby only would respond to his name so they changed it.
I love this movie so freaking much, Bowie is at his eightiesest, the fantasy is delightfully dark, the pants are perfectly tight, and the puppetry is top notch.
The Labyrinth is based on a book where the Goblin King (Jareth) falls in love with a girl named Sarah, but she leaves him or dies (I can't remember which). Since then, he's gone after girls named Sarah to bring into his labyrinth. That's why when Sarah tells Hoggle her name he says "of course." She's reading from the book at the beginning of the movie, repeating the original Sarah's words.
What book would this be, because the wikipedia page says it was based on conceptual designs by Brian Froud
@@KadaueI *think* they meant a book within the movie? I'm not entirely sure though, my Labyrinth lore is not strong lol
This is actually headcanon as Kadaue said it was based off Brian Frouds art (who worked on the movie as well) as for the play in the movie itself there's nothing really connecting it to Sarah's story (beyond her referencing it to defy Jareth which she could've easily come to the way on her own)
@@Kadauethis is one of those tumblr film theories
It sounds like they might be (mis)remembering the mangas that where written a zillion years _later_ as basically fan fiction to the movie.
Couldn't been worse. Sara in the books is 14 and Jareth during the ballroom scene legit tries to force her to kiss him. He also has a thought bubble that's like "too old to turn into a goblin, too young to keep". Crazy shit
I was born in 1983. This is one of the first films I remember watching. The part I remember being most scared of was right at the beginning when Toby was first taken. Not only was it executed in a creepy way, but looking back at it now I realise how it plays on a combination of fantastical and instinctual fears. I always found the abrupt shift from the mundanity of being safe at home to having not only your home, but reality invaded by mysterious creatures from somewhere unknown and being totally powerless deeply unsettling.
In my late teens, my friends and I went through a patch of sharing/re-watching films we'd watched as kids. I remember being shocked by how little Mr Bowie's outfit left to the imagination. I'd been totally oblivious as a kid.
I'm not too knowledgeable about what kids watch nowadays (though I am aware of the utter garbage Disney has been crapping out in the form of remakes for "modern audiences"), but I know it wasn't uncommon for kids entertainment to be disturbing when I was growing up. A few that leap to mind are the Elephants on Parade scene in Dumbo, the part in Pinocchio where the kid starts turning into a donkey, the story about the painting in The Witches (1990) and pretty much the whole of Watership Down (1978). I suspect it's probably more healthy to be exposed to things that scare you or make you feel uncomfortable at a young age than to be wrapped in cotton wool figuratively speaking.
well, Watership Down wasn't really a kids movie, it was based on a book that was for adults
@@lee3171 I saw it as a kid. Bright Eyes still makes me weep when I hear it. Such a moving scene but man did it mess me up.
@@lee3171 It was a cartoon about rabbits with a BBFC U rating (though it's been changed to PG). A lot of parents didn't give a second thought about showing it to their kids.
Attitudes have changed over the years regarding what is considered age appropriate. As far as I'm aware there are a lot of movies which have had their ratings increased (U to PG, PG to 12A etc).
My mother is no longer alive for me to ask her, but I'm pretty sure she'd read the book. Not sure if she just thought we (my brother and I) could handle it or if she assumed the cartoon adaption would be toned down a little.
@@lee3171it was made for kids back then.. Adults didn't watch cartoons then, except porn
@@lee3171really? We read it at school, I always thought it was a cleverly made parable but I can’t remember much now except for rabbits
You missed that part where like she is sent home and everything falls apart with old women collecting her belongings and tries turning the girl into a hoarder
That was the most terrifying part of the movie for me. Besides the Fierys.
I first watched Labyrinth when I was about 5 years old. It was a rainy night, I was alone with my mom and we had rented it in VHS. It blew my mind, even though we only watched it once before returning it. The scenes with the helping hands, the crystal spheres, the ballroom gown and those incredible stairs were unforgettable. The music was great and Jennifer Connelly was so, so beautiful. The day I discovered Escher's work as a teen, I fell in love with it too, but didn't realise it was partly because of that movie, deep in my brain.
A few months ago, I was telling my husband about this movie I was obsessed with, but I couldn't find it anywhere to watch it again. He dug around the internet and got me a DVD version of Labyrinth. Not a single member of my family wanted to see it, so I finally rewatched it, on my own. It is still fascinating.
Alex, you're right. They don't make unique stuff like that anymore.
I loved this movie and watched it in middle school and high school over and over. I can’t wait to watch it now as an empty nester. I’m a huge Jennifer Connelly and Bowie fan.
Is guy is annoying as anything
Yep, I watched it as a little kid too and was obsessed with Bowie and fantasy movies after that. I watched this movie so many times when I was young and still watch it at least once a year. Sometimes, I'll play it while I'm busy and just listen to it even though I know all the words. Because I've continued to watch it, it has been interesting to me how my perspective on it has evolved over the years.
I can't ever imagine passing up an opportunity to watch Labyrinth with others.. Wow
We used to watch this movie often when growing up. I used to watch it at finals or exam periods while studying, along with Dirty Dancing, Flash Dance and Last Unicorn. I would watch those movies to get me into studying mood and they worked. Legend was dark, we would watch that. We loved Willow too. Dark Crystal was creepy and not so much watched. One summer I watched Aliens everyday when 15 and every single day I would end up with people sitting watching it with me. We watched Star Trek Next Generation together too. What did you actually do together? Play chess or checkers?
At 15:01 Alex wat part 🤣🤣🤣 also like the referencing of jrpgs through out the vid😂😂😅
Had this album ep as a kid & I enjoyed this movie.. Thanks Alex
I was born in 2002 and I used to watch this movie all the time thinking it was a totally normal kids movie. My parents are a bit hippy and old school that way I suppose. Regardless I didn’t question any of it, mostly went over my head.
I have to agree with Alex about how much the film industry lacks any of this ingenuity and creativity these days. I really wish and hope we get back to the dark fantasy again as it’s absolutely one of my favourites
Your parents are probably Gen X. That whole generation is a bit nutty. I was born at the very end (1980) so I'm a "generation Oregon Trail" kid but I remember the teenagers in the 80's. They were WILD.
Its the same with 80's/90's cartoons and the cartoons we have now.
The crucial ingredient that is now lacking compared to before, COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF COCAINE.
Back then at the Board meeting, this was NOT sugar that was put in the coffee...
It is a totally normal kids movie lol
Fun fact The David Bowie album “heathen” came out in 2002
If you want more dark fantasy stuff, there’s a hell of a lot of Labyrinth fanfic that gets even darker and/or leans into various mythological systems (there’s a really good one with the Celtic deities/folklore).
Any good recommendations? 👀 I had some headcanons when I was younger haha
Drop some titles!
Can you drop some titles? I loved reading labyrinth fanfics
There's also an official comic mini-series.
The official comic mini series was meh. Fan fiction was better
My mom watched this movie so much, I've got all the lines and songs memorized.
Also, pretty sure the Labyrinth only goes wrong for you if you say it's a piece of cake, or otherwise say it's easy. It takes it personally.
I love this headcanon 😍
"Goblin king Goblin king take this child far away from me right now." My siblings and I used to chat that to our younger brother. Then he'd start crying and we would get in so much trouble. Hahahahaha, good times. This is a great movie ❤
Y'see, Parents had balls back in the '80s and '90s, they assumed their kids had some grasp of reality vs. Fiction. Labyrinth is wonderful and kids are missing out if they avoid it.
probably not as big as Bowie's balls
I agree kids are missing out and that all young ppl need to be let loose more to get a mentally tougher but...
Our parents (the real Boomers) did not have balls they were just to focused on themselves to give a rats hieny about their children. They were off making money to spend on their own trips to "find themselves " and no one really had any patience or care for the kids. We weren't "let free to grow and learn" we were abandoned for our parents self wants. And I'm glad for it, but I would be remiss as a GenXer to not set you straight regarding our parents complete lack of parenting as their form of parenting.
@@hdw237 well, that may be truer in America, my parents were hugely supportive and fonts of information about the World right when I needed it. They never left me unattended while they went off to find themselves.
@warlockofwordschannel7901 yeah that was definitely NOT the American boomer parent. If you had both, which most didn't by age 11, they worked all day, left at 7 came home at 7. And then they were out again for clubs and meet ups and dates and etc. We were expected to get ourselves to and from school. Fed, washed, and homework done with dinner heating in oven or crockpot when they got home. On weekends, we watched morning cartoons on Saturday and was out of the house by noon, not to return until 7 if young by midnight if teens.
No one asked after us, they may show up to a game or recital- may be, and once we started working and driving, they basically didn't see us until we gave them info on our graduation ceremony.
Some, like my husband, was latchkey from the start. Starting in kindergarten he had is house key on a shoestring tied around his neck. He would let himself in after school, and Starting in 2nd grade begin boiling water for pasta or heating the oven for casserole. That saved his single mother mom time when she got in from work in the evening.
@@hdw237 You speak for yourself, or perhaps the majority, but not everyone had parents that abandoned them. Not everyone had your life, and I am sorry that yours was not as good as mine, but I think Warlock is spot on with his analysis. Sounds like you were raised by 1st generation Boomers (Silent Generation), whereas I, and I would bet Warlock, were raised by 2nd generation boomers (Actual Boomers). Either way, don't discount the childhood experience of others just because yours doesn't match. I hope you understand I mean no malice by my words, and hope your life has only gotten better throughout your years. From the way you describe being raised, I would say you grew up tough compared to the coddled generations (Millennial/Gen Z), and have a good grasp on reality vs fiction, right?
15:01 "fear me, love me, do as i say." Also him literally 00.1 seconds later: "and i will be your slave." I agree that deserves a huge "wut?"
I can't tell you how influential and inspiring this film was for me as a kid. It draws upon a lot of themes from classical myth, like the kidnapping of Persephone. So, it's a kind of mystical retelling of a coming-of-age fable. As for the infamous “Bowie bulge”...that was a Henson thing, Henson went through a codpiece period.
Look for a pic of DB with his wife, Iman, in (matching) swimwear. That Labyrinth bulge was Bowie. The costume dept probably gave him a rudimentary codpiece simply as a modesty cover. 😆
Don't we all
0:48 Great...Thanks for triggering my nostalgia Alex... now I have to go and rewatch The Secret of NIMH...
My actual obsession with Jareth is so unhealthy.
Also do The Last Unicorn cause I loved it 😭
Yess!
I was obsessed with this and The Last Unicorn
You want him to do the last unicorn?
Yeah well, the poor lonely creature probably does want to have offspring, I guess...
I absolutely love the Last Unicorn. I get teased for it being my favorite movie when I was a kid, but it is still an underrated classic. If Hollywood made the story into a live action film, I would be very happy
Not like that I think, but also yes. @@MarcelNL
BTW, In the beginning in her room, you can see little clues about everything that happens in the movie. David Bowie is the man in the photo that her mother ran off with. The music box is her ball gown dress. The MC Esher painting is on the wall. A Fire Gang and Sir Didymus plushies are somewhere. There are Hoggle Book Ends, etc etc. Oh, and Didymus's dog's name is Ambrosius which is another name for Merlin, which is Sarah's dog.
Exactly - the entire film is a metaphor for growing up. It's probably the most inventive and creative coming of age story I've seen. I wish I had ideas this good.
@@mikesmithz sad people don't seem to actually get what its about. *sighs*
@@PrincessGamer My sisters immediately understood the movie, but perhaps guys don't initially get it on first viewing.
@@IdgaradLyracant That makes me happy to hear it really is a great great movie I watch it once a year since I was little. lol
@PrincessGamer out of all the franchise movies and shows they keep making, I wish they would do a TV show on the labyrinth. There's so much more discovering to do with the labyrinth itself, there's seasons worth of material there. Then again, they would probably screw it up. Maybe it's better left perfect as it is. I have my doubts about the sequel they are supposedly making :(
It's probably in my top 3 movies of all time and has been since I first watched it as a kid.
I love the fact you gave the worm his proper props! I thought I was the only one.
Everybody loves the worm.
You could just ask the triuth and wrong door "My trousers are the color blue, right?" and if one says yes, which is right then u got it
Lol compared to some of Ziggy Stardust’s outfits Jareth is actually dressed quite modestly.
I love this movie, thank you so much for making this video even though Corpse Bride won the poll. ❤ I agree with you that dark children’s 80s nostalgia should make a comeback, too many PG movies nowadays are basically G rated films. At least Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio and Laika Studio movies are a step into modern dark kids films.
as an NPC, im legally obliged to say "Can we just appreciate the dedication this man has?"
Alex inspires me.. My parents said if i get 60K followers They'd buy me a professional camera for recording..begging u guys , literally
Begging.
@@namantherockstarthis is the npc bro not you
@@namantherockstarI'm surprised you have this many subscribers to begin with
well said.
@@theroyaljules39
My parents didn't let me watch it, it was just on TV one day and I started watching it. Little did I know it would lead to a life long love of David Bowie and the entire soundtrack seared into my brain for eternity.
Is the ost at 13:45 actually in the movie or is that royalty free music because UA-cam?
@@goldenfiberwheat238 youtube would copyright claim it, the song is actually good and kinda catchy for a bizarre film.
@@DarkDylan10 I know
@@goldenfiberwheat238nope, that scene has very emo fantasy music over it lol. All of the music in the video is changed. The vocals are still David Bowie and the goblin actors in Dance Magic Dance and Danny John Jules (The Cat from Red Dwarf) as the Fiery that took his eyes out but the music is either taken out completely or replaced entirely like with the music at the end.
@@contented-winter yeah I figured. He does that for everything he covers
The reason i watched Labyrinth was to see Jennifer Connelly. I fell in love with Jennifer Connelly & always thought she was the most beautiful being in this universe. I decided to watch her all movies & i did. I watched her all movies including Labyrinth, Requiem For A Dream, A Beautiful Mind, Once Upon A Time In America & so on.
The baby actor (Toby Froud) is actually a friend of a friend. His parents both worked for the Jim Henson company. He worked on the Netflix Dark Crystal show, along with Kubo, Paranorman and Narnia.
YESSS, amazing stuff :D
i am here for the Mr Worm appreciation! best character of the entire movie & he didnt even get an invite to the dance party at the end 😭 when i was a kid, i was always mad at Sara for not wanting to go inside to meet The Mrs & have a nice cup of tea.
Me too😊
Neither did the fairy.
I watched this as a child wasn’t scared by it (other than the headless birds) however... David Bowie's character was my sexual awakening. So uh... Still love the movie. As an adult despite being terrified of the birds as a kid, I've come to adore that scene. Everything about the film is magical and watching it as an adult its a small taste of that magic I felt as a child. Not a lot of films do that for me. I could watch this movie everyday and be happy.
And Alex is right. Movies today have lost their magic. As an adult I havent found movies or TV shows that I would want to show my children, other than ones from my early childhood or my parents childhood because it feels like modern movies have lost their magic, picking cgi over practical effects or no longer doing hand animation (I know it isnt cost effective to do hand animation but every once in a while would be nice). I miss it. Miss the magic of old movies
Hmm, for me, I guess that awakening you speak of was either Carolyn Jones as Morticia (Addams Family reruns on Saturday morning. Or that certain Princess Leia outfit from Return of the Jedi.
The 80s were a great time to be a kid when it came to things like movies and cartoons. When my sister started having kids, I would crack out the movies I loved as a kid when they would come to stay for a few weeks in summer. The Goonies, The Princess Bride, Willow, Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, The Neverending Story, Back to the Future, Beetlejuice, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, Flight of the Navigator, The Last Starfighter, so many more. I loved sharing those with them and they held up really well.
Come on! "You have no power over me" is such a powerful quote. I know one woman who kept getting into abusive relationships and had an epiphany because of it.
As a kid who grew up on this, I was never bothered by the Fiery (those you call red birds). I actually liked the singing a lot. The eye scene was pretty tame compared to Beetlejuice's face transformation of the Maitlands. And Beetlejuice was pretty tame compared to The Exorcist. Man, parents back then were more lenient. Just mine? Okay... **dials therapist number**
And as much as we adults like to create a fuss over stuff like this (I know, I cringe too now that I'm older), the kiddos never notice the sexy parts. If they do, actually, I'd be very concerned and have a talk with them.
If Sarah had been an adult, would it be alright or still creepy? What is the okay dating pool age-range for an immortal being? o_O
OH. And The Secret of NIHM rules! (I can't believe NIHM really exists, I thought it was a made up name!)
I agree 100%!!
Sarah is an awesome character.
The whole music at the end is about the Goblin King trying to gaslight her. “Everything Ive done I’ve done for you, I move stars for noone”
Like his abusive behavior should be something she should be happy to be in.
Finishing with a “You have no power over me” is such a strong sentence for a teenager to say.
Love it.
I mean this movie didn't bother me, but around the same time, JAWS did a real number on me for months! or weeks. I don't think I had a great concept of time back then.
The Fiery were my favorite part of the whole movie. ^_^ Can I have your therapist's number? (just kidding)
@@nephicus339 that makes sense because its actually a thriller - which is v close to horror and it *could potentially happen*. I believe horror/gore generally isn't good to show kids at all!! Many other movies contain elements that could be scary but if the characters in the movie handle it ok, the fear may not be transferred to the kid watching nearly as much as watching terrifying things happen to absolutely terrified people.
Talking about movies that mess you up, Aliens "coming out of the wall" sequence gave me PTSD.
@@kaisersoymilk6912 I've actually never watched it, or if I did, I don't remember and maybe it's a good thing! D: Another one is Poltergeist II, made me afraid of mirrors at night for almost 2 decades.
A weird thing happened one night. It just had an epiphany that I was a afraid of seeing something I shouldn't see (which is weird because it's such a "duh" statement) and for some reason I felt really calm and haven't been afraid of ghosts since.
The Labyrinth was absolutely amazing. That’s why parents used to let their kids watch it.
Too bad it's not amazing anymore, colors fade to black.
@@dankyjoker it's still amazing fool, go
back in your dark hole, oubliett is the best part for you!
It is amazing and will always be amazing. Don’t troll
@@dankyjoker you belong in the bog of eternal stench, it will always be the best
I totally agree, dark fantasy as a genre is soooo amazing and way too under utilized! And the practical effects and puppets in Labyrinth were top tier incredible!
Also, I Love Secret of NIMH! 🤩
The Secret of Nimh shaped my childhood! So glad there’s someone else in the universe who not only knows what the movie is, but can also appreciate it! ❤
@@erical8437 Another Secrets of NIMH fan! Funnily enough, I work on animal research ethics now as an adult. 😂 (The in my late teens when I learned NIMH is a true place… knocked my socks off, it did. 😂)
If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend the book, 'Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH'. It delves deeper into the backstory of Jonathan and the rats, and is superbly written. ❤
14:08 that. . . THAT! His well. . . His. . . Uhm . . . His. . . B-. . . Hair yeah. . . Hair looks so nice and big iykwim
I loved all the dark fiction stories you mentioned. Labyrinth was marvelous, and Bowie was wonderful as the Goblin King. Mr. Bowie was devilishly handsome and seductive (which of course was the point) but it was obvious from his performance that he was having a blast playing the part.
What I liked too, was the very ending. Of course, the movie can be looked at a a fantasy adventure, or as a metaphor for young Sarah moving from childhood to adulthood. But the ending is filled with hope and happiness. Even though Sarah knows she can now put aside childish things, her imaginary friends, her fantastic allies, are still there for her, whenever she wants them to be. Which includes Jarith. Jarith was not killed or destroyed, as was shown by him showing up in his white owl form. Sarah had learned that he had no more power over her than she herself gave him. That is a powerful lesson. But Jarith is still there, and will still be part of her soul, just like the others.
As to why parents let young children watch movies like this, which were obviously NOT designed for young children. Because many, many supposed adults are stupid, that's why. Look at the way so many people let very young children watch "Watership Down", because they thought it was a cartoon story about bunnies. And then those same people blamed the makers of the movie when their kids saw scenes of blood, death and terror. How is it the fault of the movie makers that grown adults failed to be aware of the subject matter of the book or the movie? I have long since gotten over being surprised that so many people are morons.
All of these movies were fantastic, with good stories and original ideas and great visuals. Something that movie makers today could do with more of.
For parents letting children watch these movies look at how 80s movies were dark in general. We had the slasher flicks, Dark Fantasy, Adult Animation, Grity Disney. Many things were rated for that age.
Look at Transformers the Movie. PG and the first 5 minutes half the Autobots are blown away. The Optimus dies in the most heart wrenching scene ever. We watch Starscream crumble to dust. These were different times. A different culture and idea of what was to Children.
If you look at the posters of these movies, they were still marketed to younger audiences. If you ever read an OZ book, you would find Return to Oz is closer to the books then the color Wizard of Oz. The books are for children, so are the movies.
What I should have not seen as a child was Vampire Hunter D and Barefoot Gen. Again different times, my Mother did keep my Father from showing us Akira though.
Also tbh little monsters is way worse than labyrinth mostly on the humor side as it has jokes more aimed towards the parents than kids and ratings were wild back then it was a pg movie but slipped in a masturbation joke 💀
howie mandel said he would totally be canceled if the movie was made today
Meeeeeee TUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!! PLEEEZZZZEEEE PPPPLLLLEEEEZZZEEEE GIFLING!!!! TO THE LEEE OF THE STONE. GURGY LOVES MUNCHING AND CRUNCHINGS YOU FOR GOT WIZARDS!!!!
I learned what watership down was YESTERDAY. As an adult, I don't think I could stomach the movie
I recommend Watership Down. Even for early tween children, as long as you're watching it with them and talk with them after viewing.
I've loved Labyrinth from the first viewing, same as Dark Crystal, Neverending Story, and many other dark fantasy stories. Grew up in the 80's. Mom even watched Dark Crystal and Neverending Story with me in the theaters, along with Plague Dogs (very depressing ending of two lab-experimented on dogs breaking free, but they don't have long left to live even if the world outside doesn't kill them, don't recommend for children AT ALL). I don't really remember talking with her about those movies before or after, and certainly not during. She also took me to things like Where the Red Fern Grows, another sad story (very good, but sad) about a boy and his dogs.
Probably the worst part of this was mom not talking with me about these stories, not checking that I was okay with them (they were nothing on some I'd watched with neighbors when MUCH younger, horror movies like I Spit On Your Grave, a r*pe and revenge story), but what can you say? I knew they were stories, and other than one of the horror movies that neighbor took me to (a dismembered hand that could move on its own? Yeah, I only opened my bedroom door after dark just enough to switch on the lights before entering. Kept imagining that hand BURSTING through the door into my face. Horrible...), I didn't get scared by them.
As for the "all cartoons/animated movies are for kids" mindset, that's an American thought process that needs to change, since not even American film creators are abiding by such thoughts. Watership Down is one of the least objectionable ones, as sex at least is not involved, and humans are only a very, very small part of the tale. If you're an adult, the subtext for forced coupling is there, but it's not shown on screen. The way people can learn to turn their backs on other people suffering because "at least it's not me!" is a thing kids should be aware of early on, and make the choice of how they want to handle that in their own lives. Do we really need more concentration camps to learn that lesson again in the real world? I'd far rather learn it from a movie making me think. The way some people will try to control all others around them is also an important lesson to learn in a safer environment than being thrown into it, if one can manage. There was a LOT of that in Watership Down, with our core group of rabbits looking for a new, safe place to set up their warren, then needing to find females to join them. This led to showing some situations when it's a good thing to stand up for yourself and others and FIGHT for what's right.