Jeri Jacquin

Coming in 4K Ultra HD and Bluray pack from director Jim Henson and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is a celebration of the 1986 musical film LABYRINTH.

Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) is sitting in the park with dog Merlin and the book The Labyrinth. Going home in the rain, stepmother Irene (Shelley Thompson) and father Robert (Christopher Malcolm) leave her with little baby brother Toby (Toby Froud).

Not keeping a sharp eye, Sarah is enraged when she discovers that Toby has her bear Lancelot. Angry, the young girl wishes that goblins would take Toby away. What she does not know is that the goblins are waiting in anticipation for her to say the words.

Jareth (David Bowie), the Goblin King, takes Toby and tries to make a deal with Sarah but she wants her brother back. She has thirteen hours to get through a labyrinth or else Toby belongs to the Goblin King. Along the way she meets Hoggle a grumpy dwarf and asks for help in getting through the labyrinth and also meets the beast Ludo.

Being watched along the way by Jareth who does his best to keep Sarah from completing the Labyrinth. The guard of the swamp Sir Didymus and dog Ambrosius joins in the group that is helping Sarah. But Jareth is not done with his traps when he invades her dreams, but the young girl is stronger than she could have possibly imagined!

Connelly as the young Sarah is adorable, sweet and everything you would expect from teenager who is unhappy babysitting a crying toddler. She plays so convincingly to the Henson puppets that have been created for the film.

Bowie as Jareth is absolutely stunning and adding his musical talent to the film is equally awesome. Personally, I have always adored this film before the loss of Bowie, but seeing the film again makes me nostalgic for his creative talent and ability to adapt his look and sound through the years we were fortunate to have him.

Henson’s puppets are stunning, delightful and a tad scary at times. LABYRINTH was an amazing opportunity to go beyond Sesame Street and show the endless possibilities. The ‘hand’ puppets are so very cool, and Henson made that scene very memorable, especially for a kid!

Shout out to Toby Froud who got to be a baby in this musical fantasy!

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment encompasses motion picture production for television, digital content and theater releases. The studios include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films and Sony Picture Classics. To see what is coming to theaters and to home entertainment please visit www.sonypictures.com.

The Special Features of the 4K Ultra HD Disc includes The Feature Presentation in 4K resolution and Dolby Vision, Deleted & Alternate Scene Oubliette – Over twenty-five minutes of never-before-seen lost and alternate scenes, with all-new commentary from Brian Henson, and Sarah’s Screen Test – A collection of rare, original screen tests for the role of Sarah featuring Molly Ringwald, Trini Alvarado, Tracey Gold, Claudia Wells, Jill Schoelen, Maddie Corman and Danielle von Zernick.

The Bluray Disc includes Feature Presentation, “The Henson Legacy” Featurette, Labyrinth Anniversary Q&A, Remembering the Goblin King Featurette, The Storytellers, Commentary by Conceptual Design Brian Froud, Original Making-of Documentary “Inside the Labyrinth”, “Journey Through the Labyrinth: Kingdom of Characters” Documentary, “Journey Through the Labyrinth: The Quest for Goblin City” Documentary and Theatrical Trailers.

LABYRINTH is still as brilliant today as it was thirty-five years ago when it was released. The fantasy, puppetry and musical film is a tad dark, but I was twenty-five when this film was released, and I loved every minute of it.

Re-watching it today on a big television with a sound bar reminded me easily of being in the theatre all those years ago. The film is the story of friendship, being a teenager, regret, learning, growing, understanding and being true to what is right in the face of adversity. Those are a lot of lessons wonderfully wrapped up in LABYRINTH.

The set designs and puppets have their own story to tell with their fantastical laughs, loving looks, comical attitudes, and ease in which we love them all. Henson brought his best and brightest to make this story come to life and I, for one, am grateful.

George Lucas was the executive producer; Terry Jones wrote the first script draft in the early 80’s and the concept design came from Brian Froud. Along with Henson, LABYRINTH has become a cult classic and that is a fine place to be.

In the end – it is where everything seems possible, and nothing is what it seems!

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About the Author

Jeri Jacquin

Jeri Jacquin covers film, television, DVD/Bluray releases, celebrity interviews, festivals and all things entertainment.