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When it premiered in 1986, the tale of a young girl whose baby brother is taken by a rock star-like Goblin King failed to captivate many. Despite earning only half of its $25 million budget initially, Labyrinth eventually gained a devoted cult following, celebrated for its narrative and groundbreaking technical achievements. Here are some fascinating details about the film that will make you think of the babe with the power.
1. OVER 25 DRAFTS AND SCRIPT VERSIONS WERE CREATED.
The creation of Labyrinth involved numerous contributors. After watching The Dark Crystal, illustrator Brian Froud shared his concept of a baby surrounded by goblins with Jim Henson. Starting with a story by Henson and Dennis Lee, Monty Python's Terry Jones and Fraggle Rock writer Laura Phillips each drafted a script. Renowned comedian and scriptwriter Elaine May made revisions that added depth to the characters. Although Jones is credited as the sole screenwriter, he felt “not very connected” to the final version, as it diverged significantly from his original draft.
2. SEVERAL NOW-RENOWNED ACTRESSES TRIED OUT FOR THE ROLE OF SARAH.
Jane Krakowski, Yasmine Bleeth, Sarah Jessica Parker, Mary Stuart Masterson, Laura Dern, Lili Taylor, Laura San Giacomo, Ally Sheedy, and Mia Sara all auditioned. Krakowski, Sheedy, and Maddie Corman were the finalists, but Jennifer Connelly ultimately impressed Henson and secured the role.
3. MICHAEL JACKSON WAS ALSO IN THE RUNNING TO PORTRAY JARETH.
Initially, the Goblin King was envisioned as a non-human character. Terry Jones wrote a script where Jareth didn’t appear until midway through the film. However, Henson later decided that Michael Jackson or David Bowie would play Jareth, requiring the character to appear throughout the movie and perform songs. Henson collaborated with Bowie, providing updates over two years until Bowie finally accepted the role.
4. MAURICE SENDAK WAS UNHAPPY WITH THE FILM'S RESEMBLANCE TO HIS WORK.
The storyline of Labyrinth bore a striking resemblance to Sendak’s Outside Over There, and some characters were initially planned to be called Wild Things (a nod to Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are). Sendak’s legal team urged Henson to halt production and warned of potential repercussions. In the film’s credits, Henson acknowledged his inspiration from Maurice Sendak’s works. Although Sendak eventually dropped his objections, he reportedly voiced his displeasure for years.
5. THE MOVIE WAS SHOT IN BOTH ENGLAND AND NEW YORK.
The opening sequence was filmed in Memorial Park in Nyack, New York, while the majority of the production occurred at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire, England.
6. DARTH VADER MADE A SURPRISE APPEARANCE ON SET.
Executive producer George Lucas visited on the first day of filming and delighted everyone by arranging for Darth Vader to present Jim Henson with a good luck card.
7. THE FILM WAS A FAMILY PROJECT FOR THE HENSONS.
Brian Henson, Jim’s son, provided the voice for Hoggle, while his daughter Cheryl operated one of the Firey puppets.
8. JARETH’S "MAGIC DANCE" WAS INSPIRED BY A CARY GRANT AND SHIRLEY TEMPLE FILM.
In the 1947 movie The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, a scene features Grant telling Temple, “Hey, you remind me of a man.” When Temple asks, “What man?” Grant replies, “Man with the power.” This exchange inspired Bowie’s “Magic Dance,” where he replaced “man” with “babe” and “hoodoo” with “voodoo” in the song’s introduction.
9. BOWIE PERFORMED HIS OWN BABY GURGLING SOUNDS.
During the recording of “Magic Dance,” the baby in the studio refused to gurgle more than once per take, forcing Bowie to step in and perform the gurgles himself.
10. BOWIE DID NOT HANDLE THE CRYSTAL BALL JUGGLING HIMSELF.
Choreographer Michael Moschen, concealed behind Bowie, expertly juggled the crystal balls without visual cues, extending his arm beneath Bowie’s to create the illusion.
11. TOBY’S FIRST MEETING WITH JARETH WAS MEMORABLE FOR THE WRONG REASONS.
Toby, the baby in the film, was portrayed by Brian Froud’s son, also named Toby. Now a puppeteer, Froud recalled in a 2014 Portland Monthly interview that he remembers little about filming Labyrinth—except that he might have urinated on Bowie during their first encounter.
12. THE GOBLINS’ VOICES DIDN’T COME FROM THEIR MOUTHS.
Bowie found it disorienting because the goblins’ dialogue was projected from behind him or the sides of the set.
13. THE SHAFT OF HANDS SCENE WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING TO SHOOT.
Jennifer Connelly was suspended 40 feet in the air on a harness with no support. She was warned that touching the shaft’s back could result in her fingers being severed by the hinges. Henson recalled coordinating around 100 performers on the rig.
14. GEORGE LUCAS HELPED EDIT THE FILM.
Henson completed the initial edit before Lucas joined the process. After reviewing Lucas’s work, Henson handled post-production and audio. Henson noted that Lucas preferred tight dialogue cuts, while he leaned toward a more expansive approach.
15. HOGGLE NOW RESIDES IN ALABAMA.
A worker at the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama, was startled when he unpacked a large wooden crate and found Hoggle inside. The puppet has been on display at the museum ever since.
16. HENSON WAS CRUSHED BY THE FILM’S POOR BOX OFFICE PERFORMANCE.
Jim Henson | John Gooch/GettyImagesAccording to Henson’s wife Jane, her husband felt as though audiences were rejecting him personally. However, before his death in 1990, Henson became aware of—and deeply gratified by—the growing cult following that had developed around the film.
