My Twitter header picture is a bunch of goblins, from a movie I love, yet a movie I don’t expect a lot of people to know. When a few people commented on it, saying they love that movie too, my little heart leapt with joy.
People DO know this movie, but what of my other childhood favorites? So I tweeted pictures from those.
Lo and behold, people not only know them, they love them. So I want to share three movies that forever changed my life in a blog series. Three movies that I owned on VHS and now own on DVD. Three movies that I discovered have touched others’ lives as well.
Movie magic, people. Magic.
Today, I want to share…
Labyrinth (Jim Henson and George Lucas… 1986)
Fifteen-year-old Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) wants to live in a fairytale, where no one can tell her what to do, where to go, or who she has to be.
She desires adventure, but the only excitement her life holds is babysitting her little brother, who won’t stop crying. So she makes a wish, that’s all it takes. The goblins scamper into the room and take Toby.
But Sarah isn’t exactly happy. I mean, who really thinks the Goblin King’s minions will actually grant a wish? Jareth, the Goblin King, (the fabulous David Bowie) comes to her… expecting gratitude, he saved her after all, but she demands her brother back.
Okay, sure. No problem. All she has to do is solve a labyrinth by a certain time… and she can have her brother back. *gulp*
So Sarah journeys into the maze to get her brother, solving riddles and meeting friends. Jim Henson’s genius shines in this movie. The puppets. The characters.
Sir Didymus on his trusty steed Ambrosius, Sarah, Ludo, and Hoggle. Aren’t they great?
Well, there is a bit of creepy weirdness. The Fireys… well, scare me.
As Sarah battles her way to the center of the labyrinth, Toby is having a grand time with Jareth and the Goblins.
And, of course, there is music… hello, David Bowie. I own the soundtrack. *hums*
But Jareth worries… what if Sarah can solve the riddles and make it to the center of the maze? So he tries to throw her off, trapping her in an oubliette, making her think she is home, and luring her into a ball.
But, in the end…
She finds herself at the center, facing Jareth, finally deciding what her life will be, what is important. To get her brother back. To save her family. Even though the Goblin King tried to help her, to give her what she desired, she won’t give up her brother’s life, his choices, for her own selfish wish.
Sarah takes control of her life, stops blaming the outside world for all her troubles. Something we all do now and then.
If only the Universe would stop being cruel…
If only so-and-so would get their act together…
If only…
There are things in life we can’t control. But one HUGE thing we can… ourselves, how we react, how we push forward.
Life isn’t easy. Life is work. You don’t get to live a fairytale because you want to, and we can’t blame others if our lives aren’t turning out exactly how we imagined. The life we have is ours… no one else’s.
So look at the world and all the problems it throws you and say…
Until next time, when I will share my love of The Dark Crystal…
May you conquer the labyrinth that is life.
