Labyrinth

1986

Directed By: Jim Henson

Screenplay By: Terry Jones

Starring: David Bowie; Jennifer Connelly

Labyrinth is a 1986 British-American adventure musical fantasy film directed by Jim Henson, executive produced by George Lucas, and based upon conceptual designs by Brian Froud. The film revolves around sixteen-year-old Sarah’s (Jennifer Connelly) quest to reach the center of an enormous otherworldly maze to rescue her infant brother Toby, kidnapped by Jareth, the Goblin King (David Bowie). With the exception of Bowie and Connelly, most of the significant characters in the film are played by puppets produced by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.

The film started as a collaboration between Henson and Froud with ideas for the film first discussed following a screening of their previous collaboration, The Dark Crystal. Terry Jones of Monty Python wrote the first draft of the film’s script early in 1984, drawing on Froud’s sketches for inspiration. Various other script-writers, including Laura Phillips (who previously wrote several episodes of Fraggle Rock), Lucas, Dennis Lee, and Elaine May, subsequently re-wrote and made additions to the screenplay, although Jones received the film’s sole screen-writing credit. Labyrinth was shot on location in Upper Nyack, Piermont and Haverstraw in New York, and at Elstree Studios and West Wycombe Park in the United Kingdom.

The New York Times reported Labyrinth had a budget of $25 million. The film was a box office disappointment and only grossed $12.7 million during its United States theatrical run. The commercial failure of the film demoralized Henson to the extent his son Brian remembered the time of the film’s release as one of the most difficult periods of his father’s career. It would be the last feature film directed by Henson before his death in 1990.

Although it was met with a mixed critical response upon its original release, Labyrinth has since gained a large cult following. A four-volume Manga sequel to the film, Return to Labyrinth, was published by Tokyopop between 2006-2010. In 2012 Archaia Studios Press announced they were developing a graphic novel prequel to the film. In January 2016 it was announced a reboot was in development, later denied by screenwriter Nicole Perlman.