“Cult favorite,” when it comes to movie descriptions, is often a polite or revisionist substitution for “just plain weird.” Meaning the only kind of people who would get anything out of it are the types who would memorize lyrics, dress up like wizards and hit the midnight sing-along at their decaying urban movie house.
In the case of “Labyrinth,” however, “cult favorite” serves the intended purpose of the phrase by encouraging people to give this overlooked family movie a try. Weird certainly does apply in some spots of this uneven 1986 film, but not run-away weird. Just odd, and occasionally a bit amateurish, while periodically hitting true notes about adolescence and the usefulness of whimsy.
“Labyrinth” has a classic teen setup: A young (and already beautiful)Jennifer Connelly plays dreamy 15- year-old Sarah, a loner who reads deeply and escapes to fantasy worlds inside her head. Her (evil?) stepmother is angry when she’s late to babysit infant half-brother Toby. In a huff, Sarah turns her back on Toby, and he’s kidnapped by goblins.
There’s the key to “Labyrinth,” the goblins and the sensibility of Muppets. Jim Henson is the director, and he mixes live-action adults with his Muppet creations as if it were the most normal thing in the world. And it works. Each new Muppet, from nasty to kind, tiny to massive, is an enchanted creation that builds the plot.
David Bowie as the Goblin King is another matter. Wearing the ugliest of shag wigs, he is alternately fey or menacing. It’s true to the fairy-tale tradition, though, as the adolescent girl is always supposed to be threatened or enticed by adulthood.
Sarah must work her way through the goblins’ labyrinth to save Toby. Connelly’s glinting eyes and native intelligence carry the film, and “Labyrinth” does indeed earn its cult status.
“Labyrinth”
Rated: PG, potentially frightening images for children 6 or younger.
Best suited for: 7- to 10-year-old boys, 7- to 11-year-old girls; parents who loved the Muppets.
