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A review by dtaylorbooks
Labyrinth: The Ultimate Visual History by Paula M. Block, Terry J. Erdmann
5.0
OMG talk about an excellent find at Changing Hands. And I was totally meant to find it too. I was in a section of the store I NEVER go in (the TV/movies section, it’s just never on my radar) and this beautiful book is just sitting there, all wrapped in plastic and waiting for me to grab it. At first I’m all like, wait, what? Labyrinth? THAT Labyrinth? I grab it, see what I’m holding, and don’t put it down until I’ve paid for it. I vaguely knew the book existed, but I certainly didn’t expect to find it on the shelf at my local bookstore. Surprise! Early birthday present for me!
And it’s glorious. Just absolutely glorious. All the drawings and the photos and the behind-the-scenes information. I love seeing everything it took to create Labyrinth, the sheer amount of time it took just to get the story together. There’s this one sketch of the Sarah character lying on a bed and the caption indicates that it’s in Jareth’s room in his castle. MIND BLOWN. I always know that David Bowie’s codpiece and the tight pants and the “is it sexual/is it not” vibe going on in the movie was very much intended. I just didn’t realize HOW intended. (very, very intended) Jim Henson took great pains to delicately approach this because he knew that it wouldn’t take much to push it over the edge into inappropriate.
And the number of people who auditioned for Sarah. Marissa Tomei, Alley Sheedy, Sarah Jessica Parker, Laura Dern, and then some. Can you imagine??? And the men who were considered for Jareth? Mick Jagger, David Lee Roth, Ted Nugent, among others. I can’t even. I really can’t.
Plus the fact that the Creature Shop worked on the puppets for literally YEARS before the movie even went into principle photography. They basically had ideas and started putting things together and melded those creations with the movie practically seamlessly. It’s amazing. And watching the story itself evolve from this high fantasy epic to what it is today. The number of incarnations it went through is mind-blowing.
LABYRINTH: THE ULTIMATE VISUAL HISTORY is a must-have for any Labyrinth fan. If Jim Henson was as big of a part of your life growing up as he was mine, you’ll adore his behind-the-scenes notes, you’ll smile when you read about what he was like on set, and how much he believed in Labyrinth and how sad it was that he didn’t live to see it grow into the beloved film it is today. Luckily there are plenty of people still left to keep the love alive.
5
And it’s glorious. Just absolutely glorious. All the drawings and the photos and the behind-the-scenes information. I love seeing everything it took to create Labyrinth, the sheer amount of time it took just to get the story together. There’s this one sketch of the Sarah character lying on a bed and the caption indicates that it’s in Jareth’s room in his castle. MIND BLOWN. I always know that David Bowie’s codpiece and the tight pants and the “is it sexual/is it not” vibe going on in the movie was very much intended. I just didn’t realize HOW intended. (very, very intended) Jim Henson took great pains to delicately approach this because he knew that it wouldn’t take much to push it over the edge into inappropriate.
And the number of people who auditioned for Sarah. Marissa Tomei, Alley Sheedy, Sarah Jessica Parker, Laura Dern, and then some. Can you imagine??? And the men who were considered for Jareth? Mick Jagger, David Lee Roth, Ted Nugent, among others. I can’t even. I really can’t.
Plus the fact that the Creature Shop worked on the puppets for literally YEARS before the movie even went into principle photography. They basically had ideas and started putting things together and melded those creations with the movie practically seamlessly. It’s amazing. And watching the story itself evolve from this high fantasy epic to what it is today. The number of incarnations it went through is mind-blowing.
LABYRINTH: THE ULTIMATE VISUAL HISTORY is a must-have for any Labyrinth fan. If Jim Henson was as big of a part of your life growing up as he was mine, you’ll adore his behind-the-scenes notes, you’ll smile when you read about what he was like on set, and how much he believed in Labyrinth and how sad it was that he didn’t live to see it grow into the beloved film it is today. Luckily there are plenty of people still left to keep the love alive.
5