The whole point of the movie is that Jereth is symbolic of the desire to retreat into fantasy, drop responsibility and be childish because growing up and life in general can suck pretty hard. However, the scene at the end where Hoggle tells her that they'll still be there when she needs them is acknowledging that fantasy is sometimes still needed even in the adult world. Life can get so dark sometimes that fantasy is the only thing helping you to survive.
That's an absolutely spot on interpretation! I'm going to be That Guy and think the fact that the ending shows her room happily filled to the brim with the childish fantasy creatures defeats the purpose of the moral... To me gives the idea that it's more fun to Not grow up, and being mature is act you can put as a strategy to get what you want. But then again, it's interesting to see how different viewpoints can help up learn about our own individual views of life!
True. And these theme really vibes with INFP personality. Sarajh as a character is an INFP, Jim Henson was an INFP and David Bowie was an INFP. While Jared as an ENTP is one type INFPs can desire.
Jareth represents a teen burgeoning into womanhood's fantasy of what a romantic relationship is, but she learns it's more adult than she bargained for (contrast the Jareth in her book she recites from in the beginning with his dangerous and contradictory behavior, exemplified by the song lyrics "Don't tell me truth hurts, little girl 'Cause it hurts like hell.") The other lyrics point to the inner, deeper sense of actualization to be found within oneself in the unconscious/the imagination of self-perception, instead of via a romantic relationship "Down in the underground You'll find someone true Down in the underground A land serene A crystal moon."
My favorite part of Labyrinth is the line at the end where she tells her new, impossible, fantastical, friends that from time to time in her life, for no reason at all, she will still need them, and they all suddenly show up to party in her room, breaking the trope of the child who just had the fantastic magical coming of age adventure and now returns to the mundane world to be a "grown up" , and leaving the "childish" things behind. I'm 45 now and I find it's seldom the "grown up" things that bring me joy and I hope to be able to continue to call up my inner child from time to time for years yet to come.
Erich Käster, is one of my favorite authors ( probably in the states people have seen mostly movie adaptations of his work das doppelte Lottchen, about twin sisters who’s parents got divorced shortly after they were born and each parent goes and is living with one daughter until they meet as older kids in camp and switch ). He has a famous quote: only who becomes an adult but remains part child is truly human.
80s were the peak of film and coincidentally Disney was mostly in a slump at the time. All the breakthrough autor directors from the 70s finally got budgets and the market was booming.
@@jtjames79When he was dancing my six year old says “I can see his wiener!” To which I was only able to grumble, shake my head, and say “yes son, and that's why we don't wear pants like that”
I loved his hair in that movie. I wanted that hairstyle so bad. Didn’t know until years later that he had extensions attached to his own short hair. LOL. Then I wanted Debbie Gibson’s hair. 😂
Somewhere close to the beginning, Sarah states that "The Goblin King had fallen in love with the girl." Then she asked him to take Toby away, and he did. He did everything she wanted him to do, and became the villain she needed, because he loved her. It actually hurt him that she didn't appreciate any of it. Go look up the lyrics to "Within You".
"Whithin You" really sums up all the things Jared did for her in order for her to forget about the baby, and would only be ruled by him, so that he could make her happy and fulfill all her dreams. He, as THE Golblin King, did not expect her to defy him, let alone defeat him. But Sarah needed him in order to grow up. And somewhere he knew that. And by playing a part in her dreams and fantasies, he sacrificed himself so that she could mature. but still needing her fantasy friends from time to time. Thank you Jared!
What a wonderful film. I’ve always seen it as Sarah transitioning to adulthood, Jareth representing her sexual awakening……accepting Toby is an acceptance and recognition of all aspects of her adult femininity…..and rejecting Jareth is accepting herself as a woman and not a girl. Sarah’s room is a goldmine of Easter eggs and backstory. This film will always be there….when we need it.
Labyrinth has been my favorite movie ever since I first saw it as a little kid. I have it on vhs, dvd, and 4K. I honestly never get tired of it. I hate that Jim Henson didn’t get to see how beloved it became.
@erikrousu the chilly down song superimposition of the puppets and Sarah together was very obvious in the version we watched a few years ago, the clip Minty showed here was much enhanced. The puppets had off-color rectangles around them that 1980s audiences probably didn’t notice because they were so impressed by the impossibility of the characters together, but a more cynical modern audience picks out easily
It has been a long time since I've seen this. But it feels like the effects of the abandonment take much more CenterStage than the details of it affair and whatever else.
I don't think she did, it's more likely to be the other way around. Sarah is petulant at the start and blames others for inflicting 'harm' on her life, so it's against character that she'd have a scrapbook and photos up and pretend to be an actress. Looks more like she idolizes her mother; I'd say the father kicked her out but Sarah's too immature to see the truth, all she sees is her mother's gone and dad marries again. She dreams of 'running away' like her mother did and having romance instead of misery. The film is a classic coming of age that teaches her she's not ready for ballrooms and bulging tights LOL
One of my favorite movies. I've long felt that Jareth was an unfriendly guide and not a true villain. The stakes were real, and if she'd failed, bad things would've happened to her and to Toby. But that goal was to set her up to resist him, to find her strength, and recognize and accept her responsibility to Toby. The fact that, in the end, she's able to keep her friends while growing up as well, and that Jareth, in the form of the Owl, is looking in and then flies away are all evidence of this. I don't see him as looking in jealously or whatever. I think he's approving, letting her keep some of the magic of childhood (her friends) while she embraces maturity, and he flies away because she doesn't need him anymore.
Where else have you ever seen a dog riding another dog over farting rocks in a fart swamp? There are so many things that have never been done before or since in this movie.
@@NicolasJRedfox I have never seen something so juvenile being done so intelligently and creatively before, nor since for that matter. It literally is the King of all "fart jokes".
There’s lots of info in the novelisation I love the fan theory that there have been lots of ‘Sarahs’ through time and all the goblins started off as babies. - this comes from some dialogue when Sarah first meets Hoggle and she says I’m Sarah’ and he replies ‘that’s what I thought’ like he has been here before.
I don't think Disney could actually do any type of continuation or reboot without botching it up because there really isn't anyone who could do what David Bowie did.
Brian Frouds work is amazing, and like most artists gets nowhere near enough credit. Most people don't even know who he is.. and without him neither Labyrinth or Dark Crystal would exist. Froud+Henson= magic, and it's something that has since been attempted to be recreated and failed because neither of them can be replaced. Froud gave birth to the characters, but Henson brought them to life.
I saw Labyrinth for the first time since childhood a few years ago while recovering from an operation. I thought, 'Wow, this is the most profound movie I've ever seen. I hadn’t seen all these themes in it when I was a kid.' Then I saw it again a few months later and it turned out, no, I'd just been off my face on morphine. But I still love Labyrinth, even without drugs.
@tardisrider25 Ha! I don't take drugs and I was totally unprepared for watching something like Labyrinth while taking something like morphine. But the movie's still good sober. But if you happen ever to be recovering from an op and taking morphine, I'm sure there's a few movies you could have lined up.
I saw Labyrinth in the cinema back then; my older sister had just died, and I was at a complete loss as to how anything could add up to anything worthwhile; films like Labyrinth gave me some way of reflecting on my own life. This Minty video had a lot of new information, despite me having seen the film many times. Jolly good show!
I like to think that Sarah blames Jeremy for taking her mother from her, and that emotion sits in her head. So telling jareth, the avatar of Jeremy, “you have no power over me “ is her releasing that feeling. Jeremy, and consequently her mother’s actions will no longer dictate her future, allowing her to accept her brother
My all-time funfact is that Dr Crusher (Star Trek Next Generation) was the choreographer. I get a giggle when I surprise ST fans with that fact as the Venn Diagram of ST and Labrynth fans is almost just one circle. 😂 Kevin Clash and Danny John-Jules worked on the Fire Dance scene as well. Could you imagine meeting them and Gates McFadden all in the same place? Whoah...
This was my favorite childhood movie. Bowie was my man crush till adulthood. My daughter watched this with me and it actually still makes sense now it's not very dated. The style and clothing in the movie is its own. I can watch it a million times even now and not be bored.
My favorite movie. I love the dreaminess of it. Jareth comes off as very sad and lonely throughout the movie. He and Sarah both have a sort of childishness to them
I remember asking Terry Jones about the early scripts way, way back on the old PythOnline forums, and he very kindly explained that not much of his original drafts ended up in the final film, but that's just how the screenwriting process goes.
He is actually a praised actor but I think he only did special movies. I'm sure he got offered far more than he did. I'm so glad he took this one as without him and his music it wouldn't be the same at all. Great creative geniuses giving eachother space, that would never happen these days with big companies getting involved.
I was 14 when I saw this in theaters. I have been "in love" with Jennifer Connelly since then. Absolutely love this movie. All 3 of my children were raised on this movie. I miss quality movies like this
Minty, thank you for this one. This is my absolute favorite childhood film. My mom was married to a man in the 80s who was in the US Navy and stationed in San Diego, on the opposite side of the country where I lived with my grandparents with only a few local television stations. About once a month she'd mail me VHS tapes of movies she recorded off HBO, Cinemax, etc. and it was the highlight of each month for me as a 5/6/7 year old. Labyrinth was on one of those tapes and not only became my favorite film but also showed me my first childhood crush in Jennifer Connelly. 😍
She went on to do so many iconic roles after this, Dark City, A Beautiful Mind and Requiem for a Dream where she does some very pornographic things. She still looks good as any other famous actress her age or better, in fact she ages like fine wine. She somehow got even prettier the older she got, how does that happen? Best body in Hollywood in my opinion, you know you've seen the times she has shown it all. She's one of the best actresses around besides all of that, she has it all and she can sing well too. Her talent and natural beauty are beyond compare really.
@@ZacHawkins42 Yeah she still got it going on don't she? It's a shame she wasn't also in the movie "Legend" because she is one, though that Mia Sarah isn't bad herself.
At 36 years old, I can say that I've probably watched this film over 200 times. I used to watch it over and over again for hours on end as a child. Good old VHS! I can now confidently say that I know every single word spoken in this film by every single character. As a child, Jareth Mesmerized me and lured me into the magical world of the Goblins! 🥰 If Disney ever gets the stupid idea to touch this film....I swear to God that I'm leading the petition army! The mouse does not need to touch this masterpiece!
I was 12 when I got to see it in theaters & my love for art started around that time & the stair sequence was like an MC Escher come to life! This movie really captivated you like a maze, you didn't know what to expect from minute to minute the uncertainty of what path it was going to lead you to. Also puppets are timeless when done right, unlike CGi. Even if CGi is done right all you have to do is go back & watch it again 10 years later & it will disappoint you. This is not the case for this movie, as Labyrinth doesn't disappoint.
There's an MC Escher on the wall behind the bed in Sarah's room - you can see it in the bedroom scene with the junk lady in the middle of the labryinth.
Imagine if Jim Henson was alive today, him and Tim Burton would've made a great collaboration. Together they could have produced a dark, and scary retelling The Wizard of Oz.
@@MasseurDavis Not disputing that, but there were already a number of dark versions of Wizard of Oz, or at least of the Oz series. One was the 1985 Disney movie *Return to Oz,* which was also based on a couple of the original Oz books but taking a much darker and creepier tone than the 1939 classic ever did. Though I do agree that Burton and Henson could have made a much better movie than this one was.
@@Jimmy94411Im high functioning and very literal about following rules and procedures so holding a job isnt a problem. And I literally clock in at the exact same time to the second every day. But I have been single for most of my adult life so connecting with people is harder for sure.
My friend and I, as young mums, managed to get a night out of the house to see this film. After being totally entranced by Jareth we were happily stood up shouting ' Leave the baby!' at the end. It's the first time we'd got raucous since we left school.... Never be another David...🏴
"Everything I've done, I've done for you I move the stars for no one You've run so long You've run so far Your eyes can be so cruel Just as I can be so cruel Though I do believe in you..."
I always thought that Jareth was trying to teach Sarah a lesson so I'm pleased to hear that was one of the explanations that was actually considered. 😁
I’m amazed at the symbolism with Jereth being a pop star. It’s such a small but deep detail. It adds a lot more to the storyline. Thanks for this one, Minty
when I have seen Jennifer Connelly in this movie in 87 - I thought I have seen an angel. The most beautiful human being ever walked on this earth (I was 13 back then) and she still is a breathtaking women.
Holy crap! I didnt know the family backstory was that deep and Ive seen this film a dozen times. Jerith is definitely a representation, whether its the owls default appearance or just tailored to her. I always knew it was a film about not being selfish and taking responsibility and become a young adult but the obsession with her moms media coverage I totally missed.
*Thank You Minty!!* Those closing words of yours was on my mind the ENTIRE time I watched this! This is a masterpiece that never can be better - Thusly: Every attempt or new version of it will be _less._ *LEAVE IT BE!!* ☝️❤️🔥
Totally agree! 👏 I have many favorite movies, from blockbusters and cult favorites alike, and they can make as many sequels or prequels as they want of those, that's fine. BUT. Labyrinth needs to be left alone, forever!!! Not even a Netflix movie or series like the Dark Crystal.
I'm glad you brought up these little known facts about Labyrinth's back story, that never made its way into the final film we know today. I was always under the impression that Sarah's mom died and that was a big reason behind her contempt for her baby brother Toby. However as you pointed out, its left sort of up to interpretation and ambiguity, as it is assumed that Sarah's mother in fact continued her affair with Jeremy. I discover more interesting and cool facts about this film as time goes on and I'm glad newer audiences get to see this film and why we loved it as kids and hope they do as well.
This movie is a cherished part of my childhood. On the idea that Jareth is actually tryimg to Help Sarah…. There is an almost throwaway scene which supports this. Note at the end during the party, he is looking from outside the window and turns into an owl (a symbol of wisdom). Like he is almost taking a satisfied “my job is done here” attitude.
This is my most favorite movie of all time. It is so dear to my heart. I am 41 now and still watch it from time to time especially when I feel I need to get things in perspective. The world is a better place now for having had Jim Henson and David Bowie in it. Both were such a huge part of my childhood.❤
I’d never noticed that stuff with Sarah’s mother before and the affair with a man that looks like Jareth. Shows the movie is a wizard of oz re-imagining, cause I’m pretty sure all her quest friends are toys or referenced throughout her room
I grew up with this movie in the 80s. It was one of my favorites! I'm not sure there was a single child I associated with at the time who hadn't seen Labyrinth.
*Minty: **_"And if you want to feel old, this is what he looks like now."_* My daughter was born in October of 1985. Later this month {October of 2023} she turns *_38._* I got the FEELING OLD thing down to a science...🤭
I'd always seen Jareth as an analog for a young teen Sarah's budding sexuality and her misconceptions of "adulthood", as he is both tempting and terrifying, and confuses the hell out of her. And, in the end, she realizes not only has she always been the one in control, but she needs to take responsibility and actually exert that control. But, even as she's growing up, she still needs the friends and lessons of her childhood, so she has a dance party with Hoggle and the others, while Jareth watches over.
This episode is so great! I never knew any of the backstory of Sarah, her mom, potentially who Jerith represents , and it makes the story so much more rich and incredible! Thanks again for diving in deep!
I've been a fan of this channel for years. Not gonna lie, this was maybe the best episode so far. Not sure if it is because of my nostalgia for this movie or what, but great job sir.
The last time I saw Labyrinth was when it was in theaters. I enjoyed the film, and remember saying that David Bowie was so good that I thought being a rockstar has been a waste of his talent and that he would have done even _better_ as an actor instead.
Labyrinth is such a beautiful staple of childhood. It seems like one always finds something new whenever it is rewatched. The Goblin King is forever in our hearts! 🌙✨💗
I love Labyrinth. And I still watch it very often. Simple a reason; Jim Henson is one of my top 5 creators. Another very favorite of his for me is Dark Crystal. I just love him. So Labyrinth is great. He's like a new version of Alice in Wonderland. My childhood, along with "The Storyteller".
This was too much of a kids movie for me when it came out. I was 15 at the time, and I wasn't expecting the musical scenes. I was definitely interested in Jennifer Connolly though.
Yes, saw this at the cinema in 1986 as a 16 y/o, and was very impressed by Jennifer Connolly; as she had the whole innocent girl next door thing down pat.
Everytime I scroll across the Labyrinth, I have to watch it! I haven't seen the actual full length movie in quite a while. Maybe 3 or 4 years unfortunately.
Just keep in mind that Jim Henson had many instances of very dark story-telling. Dark Crystal and The StoryTeller, for example. His stuff wasn't all the Muppet Show or Sesame Street. That makes the potential dark storylines for Labyrinth pretty plausible.
Yeah and a lot of dark things happened on the Muppet Show too... one of my favorites then and now was Sweetums singing "I've got you under my skin". He was my favorite muppet monster
Sarah's bedroom is a big hint to most things in the labyrinth. Other than that final scene where her friends from the labyrinth show up in her bedroom, it's basically a dream instead of a real world thing. Sort of like "The Wizard of Oz" movie where they made it into a dream. It would be better without the final scene tbh. It's an Alice in Wonderland story. I'm guessing that's why you showed The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland books near the beginning.
I've never paid attention to the scrapbook and her mother with a man who is Bowie, after all these years; so interesting. I also had never noticed until this video of the statue of Jareth right next to her mirror there at the end. Wish we could have seen her seeing herself become the old garbage lady. Good vid.
I love this movie... I first saw it in the theater when I was about 12 (and MANY more times on video). I'm glad it turned out the way it did. There are so many little fun details and lessons. Like, that "stuff" can become a burden if it is more important to you than people. I will still listen to the soundtrack now and then, especially because Bowie's songs are just so good!
The Labyrinth is a piece of art, that highly influenced and inspired me. I still play Roleplaying games, paint miniatures etc. which I started with, partly because of The Labyrinth, I simply wanted more! And I still hold the artistic style of The Labyrinth is still my favourite fantasy world look. I don't think I'm alone in this.
Some tiny details I'd like to share with other fans who may not have noticed them yet: ° The subtle real world nods to the labyrinth aren't just limited to the toys in Sarah's room. The corners of the headboard on her parents' bed match the corners of the shields held by the riddle guards. The architecture of the park in the opening scene is also reminiscent. There are stone monoliths and a bridge that I take to be a reflection of Sir Didymus's bridge. ° During the goblin city battle you can briefly see a strange bug that looks like a ball covered in legs roll down the side of a house in the foreground. This is one of the things that the Skeksis were eating at their banquet in The Dark Crystal. ° During the scene where Jareth gives Hoggle the peach, there are some crows in a tree behind him. If you watch carefully, the crows go from being real, to clearly fake animatronic ones, and back to real again in the different shots. ° I the scene near the beginning where Jareth and Sarah stand on a hill overlooking the labyrinth, you can clearly see Hoggle already peeing in the pond even from this distance. He must've really needed to go. ° Sarah always goes right when presented with a branching path. When first entering the labyrinth, she starts left and the worm tells her to go right. She then picks the right door after solving the guards riddle and later enters the right door after talking to the knockers. Incidentally, in the novelisation the left knocker door opens into a wood where all the trees and plants are laughing uncontrollably, causing Sarah to fall down laughing where she would evidently remain until she died laughing. Ludo saves her and they then take the right door into the Firey woods.
Your channel is right up my alley, as I am a movie buff and trivia nut! Your in depth research brings to light things of which I was not previously aware and that I am thrilled to know! You are providing me with endless trivia with which to annoy my wife 😄 I LOVE the channel! Keep up the fantastic work! Can't wait for the next one!
I've never even heard of Helena until Fight Club and to see that she existed before that is crazy... Obviously she existed, I mean in film world. Anyways... No one could have fitted the role better than Jennifer...
Amen to that. That opening scene when Bronson gets off the train is an incredible piece of cinema. Such a wonderful setup and Ennios score is spectacular.
