To Solve the Labyrinth: An Essay Film About a Fantasy Film
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- čas přidán 3. 06. 2024
- In this video essay, I have a go at figuring out the 1986 Jim Henson classic 'Labyrinth'. How did it happen? Why was it made? Why is it so strange? What's the deal with David Bowie's outfit? What is this film really about, anyway?
What's your favorite part of 'Labyrinth'? Did I leave out something you love? Let me know in the comments below!
Follow me on Twitter for more geeky film stuff and Muppety fun - / jd11pc
0:00 Introduction
1:45 The Puzzle of Labyrinth
7:07 The Fantasy Boom
14:14 The Labyrinthian Screenplay
18:09 The First Path: Growing Up
24:01 A Fortress of Fantasy
29:39 Tale as old as Time
35:16 Taking Things for Granted
44:35 Mirror, Mirror
54:10 There's No Place Like Fantasy
What I loved the most about this movie as a child was the ending, even though it is one of the most criticized aspects of the movie. I used to literally rage-cry at the end of every other fantasy film when the main characters had to return back home, forget about the fantasy land, or abandon their new friends and whatever they had discovered there. I just couldn't understand that decision.
"I need you, all of you" "You do? Well, why didn't you say so!" and all of the magical creatures being there throwing a party in her world? Best.Feeling.Ever. Still one of my favorite movies.
really, criticized? it's the perfect ending for Sarah growth: she start a spoiled girl obsessed with fables and little care for her family, during the quest she is forced to face that it's not always fair in life and in the end she beat the fantasy boss, but she admit that life without a bit of fantastic is not good.
so, you must growh, but without forgetting the marvels of childhood
@@mik6299 see i think the same as you but for ages I've seen people saying the opposite, things like the ending makes it "unrealistic" or that it destroys the whole metaphorical message.
I believe it is because that thrope, most commonly used and interpreted as "girl's journey to becoming a woman" aka also "girl's first blood", has mostly famously ended in the ways I described above, with them never returning to or remembering fantasy land/ being unable to see it after the journey/ not needing it anymore, and just returning to the "real" world and becoming an adult letting all that nonsense behind.
It's supposed to be girls loosing their Innocence or finally becoming a woman after a certain event, that as we all know also doesn't suddenly make you an adult but people for many ages have thought so, and that is why you rarely see it in fantasy stories with male protagonists but it plagues the ones with female ones.
And as kid I loved that Jim Henson let Sarah still need her fantasy friends and stories and fun and not just return home to become what her parents wanted from her or deemed normal for her age, she didn't need to rush into the adult world and grow up and let everything behind, because she could still carry it with her and tapper into that side of her whenever she needed it.
It specially impacted me because we are shown how she resists that same fate at the start of the movie and she doesn't just do a 180 after returning from the labyrinth, she's matured but she isn't a fully fledged adult or another person entirely.
And that is what I needed to hear as a kid, that the magic and wonder and the little kid I was wouldn't just disappear but still be inside me when I would eventually start to change and grow up. It made the prospect a lot less scary.
@@exhaustedpunk1477 wellll... they are wrong. because there is no way that Jim Henson, a guy who created a lot of animated, talking puppet and their shows would make a movie against fantasy and childish stuff.
sarah need to undertand that her faery world is not THE most important thing in her life, but still is A important part of it.
in the ballroom scene she is very very uncomfortable. everyone is an adult, dancing and being kinda sexual. and she is uncomportable because she is not an adult. same, in the junk lady scene, she reject the childish stuff, not because she doesn't love them anymore, but she "doesn't need" them. she is not a child anymore too.
she is in a point of turning page in her life. she need to accept change (a new mother, a baby brother, share her stuff) but not to the point of "fuck it no more interested"
from tvtropes "Adults don't have to give up fantasy and childish things, we just have to make sure to keep our priorities straight."
@@mik6299 exactly, I couldn't agree more! It's got a message for the kids AND a message for the adults, it's a story about a middle point between those things and navigating those changes and all the grey areas in between.
I guess it still ruffles some feathers that it subverts the usual outcome of the trope that we are used to seeing so much but I'll always find Labyrinth's ending a lot more realistic and hopeful, both for the kid that I was and the adult that I am now. Plus, it's a lot of fun and amazingly made !
@@exhaustedpunk1477 exactly! an ending with Sarah giving up all her fables would have been far too negative for her character. like "give up your dreams and be adult".
and that is wrong and dumb.
instead, "keep your priorities straight, but never, never forget your childhood wonder." is perfect. and a lot more real!
and the movie is wonderful, yes, maybe even my favorite!
A few years ago I was completely obsessed with this movie (it happens like every three years tbh lmao), and now, “thanks” to the quarantine, I re-watched this movie, and I got obsessed again. This essay is excellent, thank you so much for reminding me why I love this movie so much❤️❤️❤️👏👏👏👏.
Now upgrade to hellraiser 2
A female friend of mine celebrated her 21st birthday with a Labyrinth theme party.
Well, it's all true, isn't it?
3 years later, are you obsessed again?
For my fellow David Bowie lovers. Did you know he auditioned for the role of Lord Elrond in the Lord of the Rings?
He would have nailed that role, I wish it went to him.
@@carmendownery5645 I do too but I also love Hugo Weaving as Elrond as well
I've been watching this movie since i was about 6/7 years old and after living through the experience of being a very young child, a pubescent teen girl (also obsessed w fantasy and escapism as sarah is), and an adult woman-- i'd honestly say one of the biggest things untouched here is the cringey, uncomfortable subject everyone likes to joke about but not often confront: DADDY ISSUES!!!! For me (perhaps being able to understand sarah from a more firsthand perspective) it's very obvious sarah is emotionally hurt that her stepmother and baby brother (whom i've always assumed is her half brother but i may be wrong) are getting a lot more attention from her father that she used to get before. Especially during the sensitive and hard times of puberty (no offense but 14/15 is DEFINITELY not past the brunt of female puberty, the whole thing is the brunt especially if you don't want to grow up 😂😂). Imo she's feeling like her birth mother is not there to teach her about womanhood and how to transition properly into it, and that her father is more involved with upkeeping his new family, and that her birth mother is basically chopped liver (dead or alive but idk i always felt like she was dead???)... therefore sarah, who is a memory of her birth mother, has also fallen to the wayside of her father's priority list. She's seeing how her father no longer openly cares for her birth mother and has replaced both her and sarah with upgraded models, making her feel without value and wondering why. Teen girls VERY. VERY MUCH. I CANNOT reiterate enough from personal experience: NEED A PROPER FATHER FIGURE. else they end up "stepping wrong" and ending up with tricksy, emotionally/physically manipulative, confusing, and often far older men (enter jareth) due to the subconscious desire to fulfill the need to be raised properly and feel if their father won't care for them, they'll find someone who will. In my opinion Jareth and his entire Labyrinth universe is a figment of Sarah's imagination (which obviously leads to the topics already discussed in the video about her confusion w desires/womanhood). Her stepmother I find to be wanting her to go on dates so she can quickly coerce sarah into the role of a full adult woman to get her out of her hair so she can have her new husband and baby to herself rather than have to deal with sarah, who she feels no attachment to as she is not her child and does not have experience raising teens, seeing sarah as a nuisance. Sarah IS very immature and childish but she is doing this bc teens automatically rebel to what their authority figure seeks in them (going on dates with boys, having boyfriends, starting to have sex, which means growing up and procreating and starting her own family elsewhere -- leaving her family to continue their bougie, "keeping up with the jones' " / "American dream" lifestyle). Sorry for ranting lol but just my take from someone who once was a teen girl trapped in her fortress of fantasy.
Also hot take: a big thanks to David Bowie for stepping up to the plate all us teen girl troublemakers' bumass dads left at the table 😂 the weird... Kind of creepy... Glitter encrusted cape and leggings table.... But it's the thought that counts 😂😂😂
I've read or heard plenty of girls admitting being hugely attracted to Jareth and it seemed because of his charisma and androgyny, but I never saw him as a substitute father, or remotely fatherly. He seems to want Sarah rather than the baby, but needs to kidnap it to get Sarah. Sarah definitely gets pushed into a straightjacket by her mother and clearly gets mostly ignored by dad. I thought the Goblin King himself was mostly symbol for Sarah losing herself completely to her own fantasy world (this phenomenon exists as maladaptive daydreaming and the ultimate consequence of ignoring her brother is losing her brother, therefore that sacrifice towards Jareth makes sense to me) and while Sarah is not interested in dates, the daddy issue is an interesting perspective.
You can totally interpret works of art any way you want. I used to think that only the creator's intentions matter, but the eye of the beholder matters too, whether the creator agrees or not.
@@FlorisDVijfde I definitely get what you're saying, I guess I meant more of from my own experience at least teenage girls w daddy issues can end up finding a guy that is much like their father or much opposite. Jareth is definitely not fatherly in any way, but he is strict and has charisma and is old enough to be her father. I totally even forgot i commented on this but I thoroughly enjoyed your reply. And yeah basically what u said thats just my interpretation through my life's lense.
@@sharks9555 I'm a male who has loved this movie since I first saw it as a very young child and have watched it at least yearly ever since. Even shared it w my young nephew & niece who now request it often. My female cousin brought over her new bf who's all tatted up & was showing me all of them and explaining their meanings. I noticed my cousin had gotten a tattoo of the final mirror scene that says, "If you need us, yes if you need us" I pointed out that it's SHOULD you need us as I've probably seen the movie close to 100 times, but the tattoo was still cool. She didn't believe me & refuses to watch the movie again. 🤣 All this rambling to say I believe the movie did touch on, & intended to, on much of what your analogy is regarding her family situation, age, attitude, issues & so on.
Sarah is nostalgic for her biological mother, whose career as an actress are evident in the photo clippings attached to the dresser, just as Sarah desires to be. She is trapped surrounded by her childish fantasies and feels an urge, normal human behaviour to break out of the mould. To move forward she must learn to ask the right question and not take anything (life) for granted. She finally learns maturity when she tells Jareth that his labyrinth is a 'piece of cake'. The wise sage whom I call Birdbrain tells her that 'the way forward is the way back, and the way back is the way forward'. A line I quote often, from the original Photographic Booklet released at the same time as the movie. In the movie he says, 'Sometimes it feels like we're not getting anywhere when in fact ... we are'.
I'd say you are well versed into analyzing yourself, and I see the projection of that knowledge unto other teen girls is spot on. Despite being male myself I can still understand the logic you write about and I saw similar behavior in both of my Sisters. We all had a strong father, however, he was too strong sometimes and often working out of the state.
Consider this film may be a Father's message to his daughter about young men not having power over her and that she needs to keep her girlish sense of wonder and curiosity despite having a world that's not fair. She is an artist / performer and so imagination is necessary
I used this film back in 1991 to distract my 4yo daughter from her parents messy divorce. Over the years we have literally watched it a million times. 18 years later I used it to help her reflect on where she came from and to where she is going because she was a bit messed up. Birdbrain provided the answer, 'Sometimes it might feel like we are not getting anywhere when in fact ... we are'.
Wow, what a fantastic essay. It really illuminated something for me. There is a subtle side of this movie that only a someone who was once or still is a young girl can understand. Dreaming about fairytales, having a deep relationship with your own little world in your bedroom, attaching to dolls and stuffed animals, having adult idols, the admiration of the mother by the daughter, and being expected to become a sexual being; a very complex state that is understood instinctually when you've gone through it. Anyway, I don't expect guys to experience the movie in the same way that I do, and that's what is so beautiful about movies. We're each given something special to take from it, and no solitary essay can "explain" what a movie means in singularity. It was nice to hear an outside look on what it means to be a teenage girl, since it's such an insular, personal experience.
mmk
As a father I appreciated this misadventure very much. There are lessons in here for everybody.
@@musselchee9560 it’s truly a beautiful film
@@BelaCurcio I especially like the last part of your comment...'We're each given ...' My 38yo daughter and I have literally watched Labyrinth a million times, a lot of it together. We still do. As a young child she went through a bad patch with her mother's and my separation. I used Labyrinth to distract her, and again to refocus her angst later in her life.🙏
@@musselchee9560 Aw that’s such a sweet story
This was TERRIFIC! It was really absorbing, and it drilled down on ideas that I sensed but couldn’t always grasp so tightly. Loved it.
I've seen this film over 100 times and never noticed David Bowie was her mums love interest. Lol
This was so good. I think as a kid I gor the message that she was growing up and setting her fantasies aside but didn't realise how deep that ran through the whole movie so thank you. This is literally my favourite movie of all time 😁
Like Beverly Crusher in ST being raped by the ghost that raped generations of women in her family
I never tire of this movie. I enjoy introducing it's themes to others. There are lots of life defining quotes and actions from this movie. I had the original Photographic Booklet that came with the movie. In it, Birdbrain says, 'Young woman, the way forward is the way back, and the way back is the way forward'. A quote I used to help my daughter get over the messy divorce of her parents. For myself it helped me to find my inner child. It took me back to pre-awareness, to my infancy and even back to when I was in my mothers womb. To a time when my innocence was just that, before external influences buried me in their narative. And a female friend celebrated her 21st birthday with a Labyrinth theme some years back.
Brian Henson talking about how he only understood the junk lady scene later, in a room lined wall-to-wall with toys of his dad's old characters, is a bit on-the-nose.
Despite some platitudes about choice it's very insightful and I really appreciate pointing out the symbolism that I tend to overlook. Still, I felt that the important role of Sarah's imagination was ignored a bit too much, how it's juxtaposed with her growing up and gaining responsibility. I identify even the Goblin King himself as the dark side of her imagination (the side that's ignoring responsibility), the one who ultimately wants to capture Sarah herself and keep her for himself entirely (Sarah would become so much of a dreamer that she'd be incapable of sustaining a life on her own). She seems free when she turns her back to those fantasies (they have no power over her so she can put her feet back on the ground). But only when she learns to balance imagination with real life she's ultimately liberated.
i definitely interpreted Jareth as a part of Sarah's mind too, probably because the whole movie reminded me of the video game Celeste (it is also about a girl exploring a place that represents her subconscious) and in that, the main villain was also a part of the protagonist's self. but it absolutely makes sense, because everything the dude has said about only doing what Sarah wanted from him subconsciously is exactly how maladaptive habits and harmful parts of your mind form: they work for you and serve you until they don't and you don't even realise it.
I relate to Sarah from the Labyrinth. despite being more mature than she is at the start, I must admit I'm rather fantasy-obsessed.
I didn't think of the trash lady from the labyrinth as having anything to do with environmentalism. She basically represented something very simple and easy to see. We know Sarah is like a child and holds her toys and personal items very dear...even to a fault. She doesn't have her priorities straight, which is why the trash lady tries to make her forget about her mission, by surrounding her with stuff that was in her room.
I remember seeing this movie as a child and it did two things.. 1. Scare the crap out of me and 2. Spark my own creative ideas
From the day my parents took me to the drive in theater to the days of watching it on Netflix, Labyrinth is my all time favorite movie. Anyone who says it’s not genius is blinded to its greatness.
This is so good -- I rewatch the Labyrinth almost every year, because it's one of my favorites, and this year i'm 29 going on 30, and i'm noticing even more themes like the ones you mentioned.. but there are hardly any analyses on youtube discussing them! I remember being a 15 year old girl with fantasies about how dating and things should be, and then i got in my first and second relationships at a late age--like a late bloomer, because i expected things..which opened me up to like toxic relationships and things... anyway, I'm so glad i came across this video essay! good work! Would love to see more from you! (I'm a fan of screen prism, and lessons from the screenplay, and wisecrack)
I've literally seen it a million times and I also had the original Photographic booklet that came out at the same time. There are quotes in the booklet which are not in the movie. Anywho; I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom as great. You have no power over me - (a great quote for learning individuality and identity). The way forward is the way back and the way back is the way forward - (from the booklet; a search for the inner child). To Jareth she replies that his labyrinth is 'a piece of cake' - (courage and maturity). Birdbrain tells her, 'Sometimes it feels like we're not getting anywhere when in fact ... we are'. There's Hoggle's surprize when Sarah calls him a 'friend' - (connection, inclusion) like the talking cat in the movie Coraline. I have often wondered that if Sarah had accepted the worm's invitation to 'Come in and meet the missus', how she would have fitted into the tiny hole.
What I always thought was strange when her father asks her if she is home which is strange because she was left to take care of the baby
I know, right?
😁😁😁🤡 Sarah also appeared to enter the labyrinth proper by going through the brick wall on the same side Hoggle brought her into the labyrinth. A connumdrum that has stumped me for years.
Not strange because he said "We're home" and she didn't answer so he thought she may have not been there.
58:30 It's intriguing that you mentioned addiction as an example for that scene bc I swear that that scene for me was formative as a child growing up & I attest 100%, it's the reason I never developed addictions to anything later in life, when I easily could have (I experimented with many things).
That simple line: "You have no power over me", is the reason why. Nothing has power over me, unless I allow it, as a child understanding that moment helped me tremendously transitioning into adulthood & then adult choices, even now.
Well done you.
I grew up watching this movie on repeat, and struggled thus far to meet a single person who was willing to consider any of the topics you so beautifully covered in this video. Thank you so much for making this essay.
I was obsessed with this movie as a child. Being named Sara, and exposed to fantasy my whole life by my father, this movie really connected with me. I still watch it a few times every year.
I really enjoyed this analysis. Some of the points you made I had connected like the junk lady loading her down. But her learning to make informed decisions and her actual issue with her step-mother never occurred to me.
We need a character to realize their sexuality: Enter David Bowie. Basically anyone needing to realize their sexuality: Enter David Bowie David Bowie is sex, any kind of sex, any orientation, even asexual, since he's just lovely to look at. He's like any kind of sexuality, and Jareth is his character version of that fact.
personally, I find it disgusting that Sarah is expected to be dating just because she's a teenager.
Right? I love that they highlighted it. It’s like, her stepmother says she should be dating. Then a guy comes along who is interested in her-but he’s older. He’s controlling. And yes, he even loves her. But, just because it’s everything she “should” want. He’s powerful and dripping in sexuality. And still, Sarah questions it and says wait a second…I’m a kid. I *shouldn’t* want this. And that is BRILLIANT.
I don't think the film is saying that she should date; it's just one character, the stepmother, pushing for Sarah to date. The stepmother is not horrible, but she does not know how to deal with a teenager and wants to focus on her child. So getting Sarah to date is an effort to get her to grow up and out the door.
Who cares about your pathetic opinion 🙄
This video had me, right up till it started in on equating dating with being a true woman. I was 16 the year this came out. I saw in the theater and it made a massive impression on me. I *was* Sarah! But when the mother chided Sarah "You should be dating at your age," it hit me right in the stomach because it was exactly what my mother told me--what the world around was telling me. It took this AroAce Old till the age of 50 to ignore the awful messages that I'll never be mature or complete until I'm partnered, and instead accept myself as a grown-ass woman who can play with stuffed toys AND pay taxes.
It's time to dispense with this outdated 20th century interpretation of fairy tales that harm queer kids even in realtime.
@@DianaDeLuna I am so sorry that you had to grow up with such hurtful sentiments! also, I love stuffed toys, and I'm technically a man in his early-to-mid 20s. I'm glad you are finally able to accept and love yourself!
I love this essay so much, it is well thought through and really gets you thinking! Definitely going to re watch a few times :)
I've literally watched Labyrinth a million times. This essay expanded on my ideas and showed me some images I'd missed like the small obelisk at the start in the park.
This movie means a lot to me and I’m very thankful for your thoughtful and in-depth analysis.
Voodoo is a great example of this.. Studies show that just knowing someone has put a "curse" on you actually does interfere with the way you act and reply to things, but you have to believe otherwise its just words.
The best review I saw of the movie and I'm very choosey, I love this Jareth character because he is not in reality bad, he just plays a bad boy. Not being American, I was not aware of that movie until recently, which both actors played very well and I really love this side of David Bowie, RIP.
In the biography Starman of Bowie his band mates said he'd gone off to do 'his little movie'.
Adding to asking the right questions she said I need to solve the labyrinth so the worm sent her to solve it he's not bad if she said I need to get to the castle the worm would have sent her the other way to go right to the castle
Well I think she did need to solve the labyrinth before she got to the castle otherwise she would not have had any help and she did need help.
What I have difficulty reconciling about this scene is that Sarah came running from the right of screen and is sitting with her back to the labyrinth facing the brick wall where she entered. After heading into the wall, the worm missled her and so she runs back to the right, presumably in the direction she came from. So I think it could be a mistake of the story writing.
@@musselchee9560 I don't think it's that I think it's more like there wasn't an entrance where she was leaning on the wall
@@flipbookproductions1407 Yep. And given it is a twisted convoluted film it makes sense of nonsense; fun nonsense. Ah ha. I think I've just got it. She does eventually go back to the start from whence she came.
just finished watching the movie and went straight looking for a deep dive analysis, I wasn't disappointed! This is awesome work!
Wow! This was AMAZING! Great job!!
Thank you!
"A Fortress of Fantasy" God that is an epic name for a chapter if i ever read one.
this video essay has been slept on, i hope it gets the recognition it deserves but i also almost like that it’s my own hidden gem that i can keep coming back to
So glad this popped up in my suggestions! Labyrinth has been my favorite movie since childhood. I've seen it more than 70 times and am still just as fascinated by it as I was as the first time I saw it. It's meanings have changed for me as I have grown as a person. I watch it still, and always get something new out of it. It is the most magical piece of film ever created, to me. Your essay was fascinating and I loved it so much, I will be watching it again, I'm sure, many times. Thank You for your work and insight.
Sometimes you click on a video on CZcams and discover a wonderful gem. Thank you so much for a wonderful and definitive analysis of one of my favourite films.
What a perfect movie! It's so clever and so perfectly layered with symbolism and depth. There's so much rhyme in the story...it's just a perfect film.
I'm having my 8 year old daughter watch this for the first time tonight. I'm pretty excited. It's one of the many eighties films that defined my childhood. I hope she enjoys it as much as I did.
Awesome! I'm sure your daughter loved it. I showed it to my 7 year old nephew & 6 year old niece 2 years ago. I was so glad they enjoyed it. They have requested it every few months ever since & I always oblige. Unfortunately my niece went looking through my DVD set a few months back & she took out the Labyrinth "too look at it". For the life of me I can't find it anywhere. May need to special order it again. Glad I'm not the only 1 to love & share this movie so much. Keep on enjoying!
I introduced Labyrinth to my 4yo daughter back in 1991. She's in her thirties and its still her favourite movie which I am glad about because we both still watch it together even now.
I’ve loved this movie since I was a kid. It holds a very special place in my heart.
Just watched. What a wonderful break down! Made me appreciate this movie even more than I previously did.
This was SUCH a good analysis of this movie!! I get obsessed with this movie at least once a year every year ever since I was 8 (I’m 24 now) and I always find something new or learn something new each time I watch it. Having been a pubescent teenage girl not long ago, that was when I actually started looking at the movie in a different perspective and even now as an adult I find myself having new perspectives with this movie. There are so many little details in this film that really give it so much depth and I’m so sad it wasn’t more appreciated when it was first released. This has always been and will always be my absolute favorite movie. Thank you for this, it was so well done and makes me want to watch Labyrinth again even though I just watched it yesterday 😅
Fabulous. I have been trying to finish this movie for years but kept forgetting. Finally I did, just now, and immediately needed more information - enter this wonderfully-crafted video essay. Well done.
Wow this is really something special. I'm honestly shocked this has so little views, the editing, research and careful thought you put into this essay is astounding. It may seem unlikely now but, if you keep this level of quality up, You will blow up my man great job keep it up! btw you earned a sub
Finished the vid, absolutely amazing piece of analysis! I finally satiated my curiosity about this film yesterday, and it was a fun time. I, probably like many others, came out with the conclusion that fantasy need not be forsaken, just accompany you without taking over. But this was incredibly layered, and in depth and the message of your interpretation is even more powerful IMO. Well done!
I've literally watched this movie a million times since 1991 and still counting. I used it to distract my four yo daughter from the messy divorce her parents were going through. 18 years later, I used it to help her reflect on where she came from and where she is going. There are quotes from the photographic booklet which are not in the movie. One line in particular had her in stitches every time , she would ask me to read it over. As the Goblins wait anxiously for Sarah to say the right words, one asks, 'Did she say it?' Their leader replies, 'Shut up, stupid!'
Oh my god this was so good. Now that I've seen this I think I will actually be able to enjoy the film even more.
I finished watching the "Defunked Land" mini-series of Jim Henson and wanted a more in-depth look at my favorite Henson property "Labyrinth" and you did not disappoint. I love your video on a level I did not expect. Your in-depth look at the film, comparing it to "The Dark Crystal" in ways I hadn't dreamed of and bringing forward nuance to the film that screams truth to me. You are a beautiful person for making this video essay. Love you and your talent!
Labyrinth has been one of my favorite movies for years, but it seems I just started loving it even more after your essay. So many things I didn't understand before make sense now and I love how carefully analized every important detail was. This has become one of my favorite videos on yt. I can see how much you care about the subject and all the studying you did to explain as best as you could the many messages this wonderful movie has to teach and also Sarah's journey. I cannot thank you enought for posting this essay, I wish I had more words to express how much I loved it and how thankful I am that you helped me understand one of my all time favorite movies a lot better. Congratulations on this amazing work!
Really good job in the break down! The only criticism I have to offer is constructive in nature. After doing some studying of Jung’s archetypes recently, namely the anima and animus, I believe this movie is an excellent example of the animus’ role in the female psyche. The fact that it was write by multiple people rather independent of one another makes it’s validity as an authentic archetypical expression quite remarkable. I found it hard to understand the concept of the jung’s animus and was disappointed by how few narrative examples people had to offer as compared to that of the anima. Without writing an essay here I think there are multiple aspects in the film pointing us to the animus role in the female psyche. For example almost all the characters are male or male in nature. Female roles are restricted to stepmother, (absence of mother), old hag, women to complement the men at the ball and Sarah. The animus is often projected as a group of males and not as a single figure as it is in the anima of men. This also explains why David Bowie is unable to exist seemingly independent of Sarah. He is in fact her, or at least part of her psyche. Many of her lines as well his point to this fact. So more specifically then just venturing into Sarah’s subconscious, we are in brought into the “dance of the animus” (the relating factor of the psyche), part of Sarah’s unconscious as it manifests to usher her through puberty. I think taking the narrative of the animus helps resolve some of the issues you pose at the end of your video. All of these characters are part of Sarah‘s psyche and why she is both able and unable at times to disconnect completely from the characters. It is her awareness of self that allows her to overcome the labyrinth and the dilemma spearheaded at puberty which has at its heart a transition in how we relate to ourselves, people of the opposite gender and the world at whole. I strongly encourage everyone interested to look into the archetype of the anima and the animus to fully develop their understanding of this narrative whose reach is far beyond mere fantasy and fairytale.
This was a perfect analysis 👌
I am glad that you understand the ending nor tried to over simplifying the sexual messages or dismiss them as not relevant or 80s "not good views" on sex as well. That is a real thing an older teenager and young adult needs to understand and navigate.
Excellent work 👏
Aahh this was amazing! My favourite film since forever... and here I am 35 years after my first viewing still discovering new layers to it. It's so so much deeper and more profound than people give it credit for honestly
Thank you so much for talking about this movie for over an hour
That was..... fucking insane! What an essay. What a video. What a fan. I tip my hat to you, dear! That just deserves a *chefs kiss 👏👏👏👏
BEST EXPLANATION OF THE MOVIE I'VE EVER SEEN! THANK YOU! This movie is actually genius, in my opinion!!
I'm only half an hour in, but what you're reminding me of Campbell saying that ritual is myth lived out, that the supernormal stimulus presents something that couldn't be put into words, but learned through experience.
Of course, in that cause it would be about fitting into society. Keen to see if you go on to say she's going crazy. The ending and start especially gave me that impression.
As a big Star Wars nut, it's better to think of Star Wars as primarily a Fantasy story set in a high tech setting. It is only Sci-Fi in so far as it takes place in a High Technology environment, and thus inherits many of the genre's traits, but it is altemately no more a Science Fiction story in so much as a gritty pseudo-medieval fantasy story like the Elric is historical fiction.
Sciance Fiction is primarily about two things speculating about the future, and philophising about how scientific and technological advancements will shape human society, while posing the question of how we as humans should choose to interact with technology and different scientific discoveries.
Star Wars is not about these things, it does address some of these topics, but it is primarily a mythological films about the struggle of good verses evil. It is by and large mythic fantasy, set in space. What Science Fiction concepts it does employ it does so in service to it's mythic storytelling. For instance Darth Vader's status as a cyborg, and final scene where his helmet was removed to reveal his face being symbolic of him having given up, and ultimately reclaimed his humanity, and by extension his essential goodness.
When looked at from the lens of Science Fiction Star Wars is a shallow and juvenile affair, from the lens of Fantasy Mythmaking, it is a complex and compelling masterpiece. One should never allow the presence of high technology to make one immediately think a story is Science Fiction, as Artifice has long held a place within the realm of Myth and by extension, Fantasy.
Ahh, Stormbringer! Elric, the only fantasy books I enjoyed reading. Not seen nor heard since the mid nineties.
Well done! An excellent essay, and definitely the most thoughtful and insightful I have yet seen on the internet about this movie.
Excellently done! I’ve always had a genuine attachment to the film and felt it was always more than a children’s film. Thank you the time and effort you put into this - it was very enjoyable to watch!
Love this, it expanded a lot on things I was thinking as well in the ways the Labyrinth can be seen as more than a coming of age film. Gasped at the line at the ending of the video, so I feel like just that warranted enough to leave a comment. Great job!
A line she had difficulty remembering at the start.
This was so informative, not to mention an utterly fascinating take on an absolute classic. Bravo, honestly. 👏 Loved every single minute.
Excellent. I really enjoyed your analysis. A lot of essays on this movie get so lost in the weeds and details. I think you're spot on.
And a note, I've always loved how often Sarah is unlikeable. She is not the damsel, the princess, or the brave hero she always expects herself to be. She's more complicated than that. And that's okay.
This movie is part of my DNA. The step mom is Barb from Trailer Park Boys. My babysitter took me to see it as a child. I fell in love with film and Bowie. I worked in film so I fulfilled my dream. Gorgeous
Bravo. What you’ve done here is very much like seeing the mechanics at the back of the cleaners. The depths of this film are really quite bottomless and you’ve plumbed satisfyingly deep. Thank you.
I have always loved this movie but I never saw it in the theater until last weekend. It was definitely designed to be viewed on the big screen with surround sound. Even tho I have seen it a million times it felt like a new adventure all over again. It was fun to laugh with an audience and get lost in the scenes. It almost seemed 3-D with all the effects and amazing cinematography. I highly recommend it for any fan, next time you can see it in the theater GO !! It's mind blowing!!!
There were a lot of movies from when I was young like The Labyrinth, Maximum Overdrive, The Wraith that just drew you in regardless of how well they were reviewed. I could watch movies from that era over and over again.
This essay is perfect and the first analysis of Labrynth I've seen that is conclusive
i know your going for American tradition on fairy tales, which are based on european tales. However, fairies in folklore are scary AF, to both adults and kids (but mostly adults). being that the frouds were involved, this makes it more involved in traditional folklore rather than the "grimmed" and eventually "disneyed" tales.
a third path i took, that also led to the conclusion that the movie is about being able to make critical choices:
mental health. not just mental illnesses, although that's included as well, but all the other issues and maladaptive habits you inevitably form as you grow up. to me, the Labyrinth very obviously represents Sarah's mind that's full of things like this - the giant heads constantly doubting her even when she was going the right way sounded like she was walking inside of my thoughts that so frequently tell me this.
as an extension of this, Jareth, the king of the whole place also represents the same thing in a personified form. the biggest thing for me that points towards this is the way he explained his motivations, when he said he only acted that way because Sarah expected/wanted that from him. this is how every "malfunction" in your mind forms, be it as small as a tiny bad habit or as big as a mental illness: it works for you and serves you until it suddenly doesn't anymore and you don't even realise it.
i could say so many more things in favour of this interpretation but in the end i don't have to since it made me arrive to the same conclusion. in order to grow up and mature, you need to learn to make choices that are not controlled by some unhealthy part of you, informed choices that are what you *actually* want, not what you *think* you want while thinking purely emotionally. this is also the difference between the two kinds of "fantasy" as you already said: Jareth and his entire kingdom wants to control Sarah, the way she's been engaging with fantasy before that point had been pure maladaptive daydreaming; but afterwards in the mirror she doesn't ask the creatures to join her out of habit or escapism, she does so because she actually enjoys their company and WANTS them to be there.
(also, a random thing this movie reminded me of: the video game Celeste. if you haven't heard of it go play it right now, it's really good! if you have played it, you might have noticed that i based a lot of my interpretation on it lmao. yes, Jareth being the "mentally unhealthy" side of Sarah did cross my mind because of Madeline and Badeline. but seriously, is the Labyrinth not literally Mt. Celeste with the way it manifests your subconscious around you while you try to reach a goal? also the mirrors...)
THIS VIDEO WAS AMAZING I CANT BELIEVE IT DOESNT HAVE MORE VIEWS
That was amazing! Very good analysis of the film. You made me think of aspects I hadn't even considered before. You should do more video essays on films. Subscribing!
Thank you! I have plans for other video essays, but there's no telling how long it might take me to produce them. For now, though, I'm glad you liked this essay, and hopefully I'll be able to do some simpler analyses in the form of shorter, easier videos in the meantime.
Wow! So perfect! Labyrinth is whitin my soul since I was born. I love all that symbolism and it is such an enjoyable movie. Thank you for you enlightenment! 💙🤗
Excellent review,Thank you for posting. This is one of my favorite movies amongst all that you shared.
Your Essay was amazing well structured. Any in-depth all around look. History is important to the moment and i love that you didn't just dive head long into something negative. Keep up making great content like this!
She didn't actually wish the child away. Her being neglected or being told she should date. She was mad and jealous of her brother because he gets all the attention. People who say that's unfair are right but if they don't relate or understand then they never had a sibling.
Thank you for doing this! My favorite movie of all time I've loved it for over 25 yrs and I wish so hard I couldve seen it all happening but I was born that year lol may David Bowie rest in peace.
This is brilliant😍😍😍 Thank you so much!!
The footage you scavanged is a delight. Thank you!
very well thought analytical review, one of the best I have ever seen, thank you!
I'm so happy I somehow stumbled upo this essay, labyrinth is one of my favourite movies and this is such a well done and interesting analysis o fit!!
Keep this up man, was an amazing essay and was overall interesting, good job :)
Thank you for this take. It's by far the most thorough breakdown of my favorite movie. I can say I probably enjoyed this as much as the movie itself :)
wow, what an expertional video...this reminded me of how great and informative the format of the video essay can be. Thank you!
I really liked when David Bowie said "the power of vuuduu you do" to me the baby
Amazig analysis!!! Bravo!
Interesting thought for one of my favorite movies
you did an incredibly thorough job on one of my favorite films of all time. I really thank you. Warm greetings from Italy!
Outstanding work!
the most complet essay of labyrinth i have seen!!
I love that people can have Labyrinth themed birthday parties & Labyrinth weddings. I love the Labyrinth simply because it's magical.
Amazing review of an amazing movie. Thanks.
This was excellent. Thank you. There was one element you didn’t discuss, which I understand why..because it’s just another element to the whole package. It’s the theme song, Underground. When I take in the song by itself, I’m sorry, but to me, it’s a song about suicide and going to the underground; hell. It does play in with the overall theme…. You are responsible for your life, your choices, your decisions. Don’t loose your head. It’s almost like it stretches the whole theme to THAT point as well. The theme song doesn’t seem to match the actual theme of the movie, except maybe in that our choices (the bad ones) can make our life a living hell. A bad choice is like suicide in that way, as in, it can kill off our hopes, entirely.
I adore this video, it’s great.
OMG, I'M SARA!! 😱 thank you for the breakdown, it all makes sense
this was a great watch.
The Dark Crystal is a very powerful concept.........the balance between light (ethics) and dark (power)............that unless they are combined, there is chaos......... That is too much for most people to grasp. It takes a lot of focus on the spiritual crisis of such concepts to appreciate the value of the story. In more recent times, Jordan Petersen helped to lift the lid on the concept of darkness.............we all need it, to have fierce nature, a spine to face down bullies and fight tyrants that come dressed in sheeps clothing lest they over power us with their sickly sweet ethos which is just another disguised form of evil. Darkness or power is not evil, it only has the danger to be used for evil. This video has helped me understand that Sarah is a prisoner of her thoughts..............."with out thoughts we make the world" - Buddha. We are all prisoners to our thoughts.........the problem is that we are driven by our subconscious beliefs that manifest our thoughts without us being aware of our beliefs. That is the challenge in life..........the context of our beliefs shaped by experiences. I agree with the films ending............the problem is balance.............we all of us need innocence, and an inner child.............but we also need to be grounded in a world that is light and dark, that there are dangers and an outer adult to fight battles, to be balanced.
This is great. Thank you x
This is a really amazing video essay, I wish you would do more! Would you be interested in doing one about the Peter Pan (2003) film? I would be so interested to hear your thoughts in a similar format since I think there’s a lot to uncover there (:
Oh, yes please! I love that movie, and there's so much to dig into. It actually reminds me a bit of Labyrinth tonally, although I didn't really realize it until I read your comment.
YES! That would be amazing! That movie is my childhood :)
I'm glad I found this essay, it's great!
This video deserves to be on labyrinth bluray special features
Very thoughtful man. Subscribed!
Outstanding essay.
I think what you said about responsibility becomes more clear in what you say later that she steps up to the challenge as soon as the circumstances become fantastical, she wants otherworldly responsibilities that are so large that they don't feel real or boring or grown up.
I have enjoyed this overview of the film's story.
This was amazing!