Episode 47: Labyrinth (1986)
- Published: Sunday, 14 May 2017 06:00
- Hits: 82
In episode 47, the second episode of our look at movies from Jim Henson, we talk about one of the most difficult kinds of puppet-based movies: Integrating puppetry with live action and actors! In 1986's "Labyrinth," the true genius of Jim Henson is put on display for all to see! Directed by Jim Henson, and written by Dennis Lee, Jim Henson, and Terry Jones (of Monty Python fame), this story follow Sarah, a young girl stuck in the throes of her early teen years, and that hesitation to put aside childhood in favor of adulthood. She is forced by her parents to babysit her infant half-brother Toby, and calls upon the mythical Goblin King to take him away. After accidentally saying the right words to summon the Goblin King, her brother vanishes, and she must negotiated the trap- and monster-filled labyrinth to rescue him from the King's castle at its center! Starring a young Jennifer Connelly as Sarah, and David Bowie as Jareth, the Goblin King, this film also features the voices of Brian Henson, Ron Mueck, Dave Goelz, Michael Hordern, and Denise Bryer! Truly one of the best Henson films of all times, even if it didn't do well when it was initially released! Finally, the trio reveal the genre and films they'll be reviewing in Episodes 48 and 49!
Post-modern horror comedies (which are WAY more fun than they sound) are our targets for these episodes of the podcast. Jeff and Chad welcome guest geek Annette (sitting in for Buddy) as they look at 2004's slackers-meet-zombies classic, Shaun of the Dead! This is a bit like a combination of Clerks with George Romero's "Dawn of the Dead," if it were set in England. It's also something of a romantic comedy wrapped in horror paper. Written by Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg, and directed by Wright, the film stars Pegg, alongside his partner-in-crime, Nick Frost. They're joined by Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Dylan Moran, Bill Nighy, and Penelope Wilton, along with a brief cameo by none other than Martin Freeman!
The last episode warmed you up for presidential romantic comedy, but in this episode, Buddy, Jeff, and Chad bring you the best of the genre yet put on film, as they discuss 1995's "The American President!" Directed by the amazing Rob Reiner, and written by the person Jeff refers to as "The Master," the unparalleled Aaron Sorkin, this film stars Michael Douglas, Annette Benning, Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox, Anna Deavere Smith, Samantha Mathis, David Paymer, Richard Dreyfuss, Wendie Malick, Joshua Malina, , and John Mahoney in a tour de force of exactly what a presidential romantic comedy, really ANY romantic comedy in fact, can be when it's done by people who fully understand the structure and possibilities of the genre! It's a rare three-way top-score rating from the trio for this film, so listen in and find out why! And at the end, find out what chillingly funny films are coming up in episodes 44 and 45!
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