click to enlarge
The Belcourt’s midnight movie series offers up another healthy dose of ‘80s nostalgia this weekend with Jim Henson’s Labyrinth. This 1986 Gothic fantasy follows young Sarah Williams (16-year-old Jennifer Connelly) as she races through a giant, M.C. Escher-inspired maze to rescue her baby brother from Jareth the Goblin King (David Bowie). She encounters a plethora of memorable puppet companions as she traverses the wonderland-like environments, solving logic-based brainteasers and avoiding Jareth’s deceptive optical illusions (including the sometimes questionable bulge in his tights) along the way. The gaping plot holes (in a script concocted by Monty Python’s Terry Jones, Henson and an uncredited Elaine May) are easily forgiven thanks to Bowie’s original soundtrack, fantastic set design, Michael Moschen’s skilled contact juggling and that warm feeling you get from watching Henson’s creations come to life. Labyrinth not only provides a great cult film experience for all ages, but also a unique glimpse into the darker side of Henson’s brilliant imagination.
Sat., March 6, midnight; Sun., March 7, midnight, 2010
Sat., March 6, midnight; Sun., March 7, midnight, 2010
