“A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase, an elaborate subculture that engage in repeated viewings, quoting dialogue, and audience participation. Inclusive definitions allow for major studio productions, especially box office bombs, while exclusive definitions focus more on obscure, transgressive films shunned by the mainstream.”
-Wikipedia Definition, “Cult Films.”
Fifteen
year-old Sarah Williams has the same problems any teenager of the 80s has; her
stepmother is incapable of affection, her father is henpecked, and her
step-brother is pulling all the attention away from her. Fed up with her
perceived problems, the childish teen wistfully wishes that Goblins would take
her baby brother away. A sparkly, leather-clad Goblin King answers her call and
tells the distraught girl that she can have her brother back if she solves a
labyrinth that acts like the lovechild of The
Phantom Tollbooth and Alice’s
Adventures in Wonderland. Along the way, she’ll run into all kinds of
interesting creatures while the audience is treated to some 80’s-tastic music.
It’s cheesy, predictable, and one of my all time favorite movies.
Now,
the story isn’t anything too special, and lacks any sense of complexity. What
it does bring to the table is this strange mix of ”totally serious fantasy
movie” and “tongue-in-cheek humor” that has a hit-or-miss streak to it. There
is also an overflux of content at a breakneck speed, not allowing for anything
to be really flushed out. The ideas are interesting but in sore need of some
pruning shears.
One could
almost argue that the story is here simply to allow our main characters to
shine. Sarah Williams, played by then-newcomer Jennifer Connelly, connects
nicely with the teenage audience while also being just mature enough that I
don’t want to yank my hair out in frustration. Jareth, portrayed by the ever
eccentric David Bowie, has some very
obvious glam rock influences while coming across as the juvenile leader of some
street gang. It’s quirky, but he makes it work in a way he only could.
But
it’s impossible to talk about a Jim Henson film without talking about the
puppets. This is some of the most creative use of puppets and animatronics I
have ever seen from Henson studios; Hoggle, the cranky dwarf that aids Sarah,
gets to have very expressive facial features thanks to some heavy work in
animatronics; The giant robot that protects the Goblin City, the biggest puppet
they ever made, absolutely towers over our human actors; and the fact that
someone can actually wear and move in Ludo’s costume is insane. People and
puppet blend well in this film, creating a very visually interesting space to
move about it.
Speaking
of being visually interesting, this film isn’t afraid of getting creative with
it’s camera. While a few close-ups and
POV shots have a tendency to be disorienting and/or claustrophobic, most of the
shots are actually quite nice. Wide angles to make our labyrinth look
expansive, flipping the camera to make Jareth defy the laws of gravity, and
many others. While not extraordinary in
its cinematography (that’s fancy film talk for actual use of the camera), the
movie does get a gold star for effort.
Lastly,
I cannot, CANNOT, talk about this movie without bringing up the music . You
could argue that the entire cult around this movie came from Bowie’s soundtrack
considering most of us will eagerly parrot out the lyrics when cued (“You
remind me of the babe”). I admit with complete honesty that the music usually
doesn’t move the plot forward in any way. In fact,the music utterly stops the
plot in its tracks most of the time. But can you really get angry at stopping
for a dance break?The music is diabolically catchy, and very easy to sing back
to fellow admirers. Whether it’s Bowie belting out a love song or a group of
dancing fire demons having a good time, you’ll enjoy yourself.
So,
in summary, I believe you should see this movie because it’s easy to watch and
enjoy. It’s a fun little 80s fantasy movie with good music, a good setting and
fairly decent story. While lacking in complexity, and probably needing an
editor for the overflow of content, none of that detracts from having a good
time with it.
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