Labyrinth

The fantasy film Labyrinth, made in 1986, continues to be one of my all time favorite movies.

Labyrinth stars David Bowie as the Goblin King who kidnaps the brother of costar of Sarah Williams (Jennifer Connelly). Fairies, psychedelic dreams, crystal balls, and mystical creatures makes this rank high on the hippie list.

There are some great characters in this movie, very diverse, and very Jim Hensen.

• Ludo, a tall, big, and furry brute with horns on his head that talks cuter than he looks. He can yell for rocks to come to his help when he needs them.
• Hoggle, a cowardly little mix between a dwarf and a troll with the personality of Oscar the Grouch. Mostly harmless except for an inhumane prejudice against fairies
• Sir Didymus, a small fox-terrier knight that rides on the back of his faithful steed, another dog named Ambrosius. He lives in the Bog of Eternal Stench, a place with flatulence geysers, mud, and the nastiest scents in the Labyrinth. It is a place vaguely reminiscent of an occupied public bathroom stall, complete with the fact that touching anything makes you smell forever.

As far as David Bowie goes, he plays the ultimate antagonist that is easy to fall for. With wild hair, diabolic schemes, and toxic apples, he has the ability to capture his audience’s heart as the watcher realizes he has fallen in love with Jennifer Connelly’s character. Except for the overly excessive bulge, he’s a pretty stylish character.

This is a great movie for all ages. Only mild cussing, no sexual content, and very little violence (except for the Fun Gang trying to rip off Sarah’s head) makes this movie a wonderful choice for the whole family. And if you like Labyrinth, I’d also recommend The Dark Crystal, another Jim Hensen favorite with a bit more dark side and a lot less Bowie.