Labyrinth @tothecastlebeyond - Tumblr Blog

Jim Henson and Jennifer Connelly sharing a laugh on the set of Labyrinth

Illustration of David Bowie as Jareth. Found in an issue of Caliber Presents.

Everyone's all "cottagecore this" and "farmcore that" but where is the representation for the people who want to run away and live in the ballroom dream sequence from Labyrinth (1986)

I want to die an untimely death somewhere in the background of this scene

cuntyarmand

LABYRINTH (1986) DIR. JIM HENSON.

stevienickswelshwitch

Today I was lucky enough to visit the Jim Henson exhibit at The Henry Ford Museum in Michigan. They had the Labyrinth ballroom costumes displayed and I was probably there 20 minutes taking photos of just these two outfits! LOL

Make sure to zoom in so you can see all that detail!

thehumantrampoline

Here's the thing about Jareth from Labyrinth right?

He's made up.

That's not necessarily the same thing as not REAL. But he, just like all her friends who show up in her room before her adventure as toys and figurines, exist in relation to her, in response to what she wanted and needed. She told the story and there he was, there he always had been. But she's a teenage girl who doesn't know what she wants yet, and Jareth kind of pays the price.

"but the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the girl, and had given her certain powers." He's an archetypal oxymoron. He's both the dastardly baby stealing villain and the royal love interest trying to relieve the heroine's suffering, Cinderella style. He's fucked either way by being both. She doesn't know if SHE wants to be the villain or the heroine until he shows up and then she decides on the heroine, so he has to sneer and menace and challenge but it's too late for him!! it's too late, The King Of The Goblins Had Fallen In Love With the Girl, he's Cinderella's prince too and he has to try, he gives her a poofy dress and takes her to fucking goblin prom, sweeps her around the room like a music box with perfect posture and room for Jesus.

But it doesn't work buddy, it can't work. You're just a story for a teen girl to grow up in, and as the villain you have to be defeated. He's so complex because his tropes contradict themselves, and he doesn't understand why he has to lose when he was only doing the job he was given. In his last scene he is pale as death with shadows under his eyes, backing away and begging for his happy ending with nonsense mishmash promises that belong to both halves of him.

"I am exhausted from living up to your expectations of me." I'm sure you are, Jareth. No wonder.

weirdlandtv

Character sketches by Brian Froud for Jim Henson’s LABYRINTH (1986).

dailyflicks

LABYRINTH (1986) dir. Jim Henson

stevienickswelshwitch

Come with me and take an obsessive look at Jareth’s ballroom costume from Labyrinth……

(make sure to enlarge so you can see all the detail)

ofpaintedflowers

as the world falls down

sentrysvoid

Labyrinth dir. Jim Henson | 1986

tomdestry

Through dangers untold. And hardships unnumbered. I have fought my way here to the castle; beyond the goblin city, to take back the child that you have stolen. My will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom as great… LABYRINTH 1986 — dir. Jim Henson

duchessofhastings

Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child that you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom is as great… You have no power over me.

LABYRINTH (1986) dir. Jim Henson