Hub - Issue 23 by Dave Hoing / Alasdair Stuart / Paul Kane / Marie O'Regan / Lee Harris

Author:Dave Hoing / Alasdair Stuart / Paul Kane / Marie O'Regan / Lee Harris
Format: epub

Reviews

Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal reviewed by Paul Kane

The Servants reviewed by Marie O’Regan

Dead Men’s Boots reviewed by Lee Harris

Labyrinth: 21st Anniversary Edition

Starring: Jennifer Connolly, David Bowie, Toby Froud

Directed by: Jim Henson

Sony DVD (2 disc) £10.99

After finishing the mammoth task of working on The Dark Crystal, and after saying they would never do anything like it again, director Jim Henson and conceptual designer Brian Froud promptly began work on yet another big puppet production. The difference was this time they’d be mixing actors with the puppets and adding more humour and music to the mix. The key idea would be goblins, and they would be ruled over by a goblin king. Although others were considered for the part (as hard as it is to believe, Michael Jackson was in the running!) that particular role went to David Bowie and the rest, as they say, is movie history. Incredibly, Labyrinth is now celebrating its 21st birthday – how time flies – so what better way to get all nostalgic and introduce a new generation to the magic than with a brand new two-disc DVD set?

We begin the film with teenager Sarah (Connelly, fresh from mucking around with creepy crawlies in Dario Argento’s Phenomenon) trying to learn lines from her favourite book, Labyrinth. Realising she’s late to look after her baby brother, Toby (Froud’s real son, Toby), she runs back home in the rain only to get a chewing out from her step mother (well, there had to be one – it’s a fairy tale, after all) before she leaves with Sarah’s father for the night. In a mood, and annoyed by Toby’s crying Sarah wishes that the goblins would take him away, just like in her book. Little does she know that the goblins are listening in, and do exactly that.

Jareth the Goblin King (Bowie) appears to her and says that Toby is now in his castle. If she wants him back she has only 13 hours to make it through the labyrinth. It’s not as easy as it sounds. This particular puzzle makes Hampton Court Maze look easy by comparison. Sarah has to contend with not only shifting walls, talking doorknockers and trap doors, but peaches that make her forget when she eats them and the dreaded Bog of Eternal Stench. Luckily she picks up a few friends along the way, beginning with the dwarf Hoggle – who is being manipulated by Jareth, but comes good in the end – the gigantic furry orange creature called Ludo with the power to control rocks, and a swashbuckling dog creature called Sir Didymus. With time running out and the goblin army still to face, will Sarah make it to the castle on time, or will Toby remain with the goblins forever.

In one of the documentaries for this release Jim Henson’s son, Brian, comments: ‘As much as dad loved The Dark Crystal, I think he needed a bit of the absurd back.’ And let’s face it, creatures called The Fireys who dance around

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