Film Snail

7.3

Labyrinth

PG·1986·102m

Adventure

Family

Fantasy

Adventure

Family

Fantasy

Summary

When teen Sarah is forced to babysit her half-brother Toby, she summons Jareth the Goblin King to take him away. When he is actually kidnapped, Sarah is given just thirteen hours to solve a labyrinth and rescue him.

Cast

David Bowie

Jareth

Jennifer Connelly

Sarah

Toby Froud

Toby

Shelley Thompson

Stepmother

Christopher Malcolm

Father

Brian Henson

Hoggle / Goblin (voice)

Dave Goelz

Didymus / The Hat / The Four Guards / Left Door Knocker / Firey 3 (voice)

Ron Mueck

Ludo / Firey 2 / Goblin (voice)

Karen Prell

The Worm / The Junk Lady / Firey 2

David Alan Barclay

Didymus / Firey 1

Natalie Finland

Fairy

Shari Weiser

Hoggle

Rob Mills

Ludo / Firey 3

David Shaughnessy

Didymus / The Hat / The Four Guards / Goblin (voice)

Timothy Bateson

The Worm / The Four Guards / Goblin (voice)

Frank Oz

The Wiseman

Michael Hordern

The Wiseman (voice)

Denise Bryer

The Junk Lady (voice)

Steve Whitmire

The Four Guards / Firey 4 / Ambrosius (voice)

Kevin Clash

The Four Guards / Firey 1 / Ambrosius (voice)

Anthony Asbury

The Four Guards / Right Door Knocker / Firey 5

Anthony Jackson

The Four Guards / Goblin (voice)

Douglas Blackwell

The Four Guards / Goblin (voice)

David Healy

Right Door Knocker (voice)

Robert Beatty

Left Door Knocker (voice)

Toby Philpott

Firey 1

Ian Thom

Firey 2

Charles Augins

Firey 2 (voice)

Sherry Amott

Firey 3

Danny John-Jules

Firey 3 / Firey 4 (voice)

Cheryl Henson

Firey 4

Kaefan Shaw

Firey 4

Alistair Fullarton

Firey 5

Rollie Krewson

Firey 5

Richard Bodkin

Firey 5 (voice)

Percy Edwards

Ambrosius (voice)

Michael Attwell

Goblin (voice)

Sean Barrett

Goblin (voice)

John Bluthal

Goblin (voice)

Peter Marinker

Goblin (voice)

Kerry Shale

Goblin (voice)

Marc Antona

Goblin Corps

Kenny Baker

Goblin Corps

Danny Blackner

Goblin Corps

Peter Burroughs

Goblin Corps

Toby Denver Clark

Goblin Corps

Tessa Crockett

Goblin Corps

Warwick Davis

Goblin Corps

Malcolm Dixon

Goblin Corps

Anthony Georghiou

Goblin Corps

Paul Grant

Goblin Corps

John Key

Goblin Corps

Andrew Herd

Goblin Corps

Richard Jones

Goblin Corps

Jack Purvis

Goblin Corps

Mark Lisle

Goblin Corps

Peter Mandell

Goblin Corps

Linda Spriggs

Goblin Corps

Katie Purvis

Goblin Corps

Nicholas Read

Goblin Corps

Albert Wilkinson

Goblin Corps

Penny Stead

Goblin Corps

Michael Henbury Ballan

Goblin Corps

Elfrida Ashworth

Ballroom Dancer

Margaret Foyer

Ballroom Dancer

Elizabeth A. Gilbert

Ballroom Dancer

Louise Gold

Ballroom Dancer

Moira Grant

Ballroom Dancer

San Lee

Ballroom Dancer

Janis Mackintosh

Ballroom Dancer

Penny Marsden

Ballroom Dancer

Kim Mendez

Ballroom Dancer

Wendy Millward

Ballroom Dancer

Leonie Palette

Ballroom Dancer

Caroline Pope

Ballroom Dancer

Sharon White

Ballroom Dancer

John Aron

Ballroom Dancer

Terry Dane

Ballroom Dancer

Derek Hartley

Ballroom Dancer

Douglas Howes

Ballroom Dancer

Christopher Preston

Ballroom Dancer

Peter Salmon

Ballroom Dancer

Peter Sim

Ballroom Dancer

Graeme Sneddon

Ballroom Dancer

Graham Tudor-Phillips

Ballroom Dancer

David Turner

Ballroom Dancer

Barrie J. Wilkinson

Ballroom Dancer

Jim Henson

Goblins (uncredited)

Crew

Director, Story

Jim Henson

Screenplay

Terry Jones

Story

Dennis Lee

Reviews

Geronimo1967

June 28, 2024

"Sarah" (Jennifer Connelly) is having to babysit her baby brother "Toby" and she's not best pleased. Indeed, as he won't stop wailing, she implores the "Goblin King" of lore (David Bowie) to take him forever! As good as his word, the child is gone and "Jareth" expects some gratitude from the girl. Of course, she realises that she can't be without the little brat and so implores him to return him. Well maybe, but only if she can find the way through the labyrinth that guards his castle - and she has only twenty-four hours! Luckily (or not) she encounters the goblin "Hoggle" whom she bribes to take her through - but he's not exactly trustworthy and that's what leads to an enjoyable series of adventures as they both have to face the perils of a maze that is full of weird and wonderful creatures - some friendly, some not so - as she races the clock to find the boy. Jim Henson has had a field day here with multiple beasties of all shapes and sizes coming alive on the big screen and coupling with a storyline that shouts "Monty Python" at us on more than one occasion - especially with the derring knight "Sir Didymus" and his cowardly (or just intelligent) steed "Ambosius" - who's really just a sheepdog! Luckily, they also encounter the mighty "Ludo" who is on good terms with boulders large and small - especially useful as they find themselves uncomfortably close to the 'Bog of Eternal Stench" which bubbles and festers so you can almost smell it in the cinema. All the while, the manipulative "Jareth" is putting obstacles in her way as well as offering a couple of decent songs along the way. Bowie doesn't actually feature that often, here, but when he does he brings a mischievous charm to the proceedings (even if he doesn't look that comfortable in his hoes!). The visuals are great fun, mixing the costumed with the manufactured skilfully and energetically and though I don't suppose there's really any jeopardy at all, the film has something akin to the "Wizard of Oz" in it's storytelling. If you can see it on a big screen, then do - it looks so much better than on the telly, and is a good watch.