TODAY IS DAVID Bowie’s 66th birthday, he’s released a new single and announced details of his first album in ten years.
What better time then to celebrate his involvement in Labyrinth, the 1986 film that’s attained cult status and saw him dance around in Spandex?
Here are 13 reasons why Labyrinth is the best thing ever:
1. It was the ultimate nightmare
You wish for a bunch of goblins to come and take your baby brother away, and it happens ! You have to travel through a terrifying forest and grapple with a lanky glam-rock goblin king to get him back.
TERRIFYING!
“I wish the goblins would take you”
“ARGH the goblins took you”
2. A young Jennifer Connolly
She’s 14 in the film and won the part over the likes of Helena Bonham Carter, Sarah Jessica Parker, Marissa Tomei, Laura Dern and Ally Sheedy.
3. David Bowie is in it
4. Hoggle, and how they worked him
Hoggle is one of Jareth’s (Bowie) minions who becomes Sarah’s (Connolly) friend and helps her through the Labyrinth. Check out the complicated system developed by Jim Henson and his crew to operate Hoggle’s puppet:
YouTube/HensonCompany
5. The Bog of Eternal Stench
So many fart noises, so little time…
YouTube/HensonCompany
7. The soundtrack
The Labyrinth album featured songs by David Bowie and the score by composer Trevor Jones. It included the singles Magic Dance and Underground, which Bowie made a music video for:
YouTube/DragonlordRock86
8. Toby the Baby
Toby the baby was the son of Labyrinth’s costume designer Brian Froud. He wore a spectacular striped onesie and David Bowie wanted to eat him:
9. Where Toby the Baby is now
According to Flavorwire Toby followed in his father’s footsteps and became a puppeteer, and even worked at the Muppet Workshop in New York.
10. Ludo meeting Lady Diana…
…while a proud Jim Henson looks on
11. Jim Henson directed it
Henson was reportedly crestfallen when Labyrinth did not perform well at the box office. His son has since said that his father was happy to see it achieve cult status before he died.
Here’s Henson talking about the film in 1986:
YouTube/jt283and1000
12. David Bowie’s dancing
YouTube/JagShrapnel
13. The costumes it spawned
“Some friends and I staged a budget Labyrinth hen do last year” (@McKelvie)
Ok, this ‘Toby’ is a little creepy (CustomCostumeDesign)
Good effort (LaurensWeb.net)
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