THE ART, THE MAGIC, THE IMAGINATION. Labyrinth Chapter (cont)
(Christopher Finch, published in 1993 by Random House, New York)
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Jim Henson and executive producer George Lucus stare intently at a monitor as one of Labyrinth's scenes unfolds (left). In addition to his ability to produce fabulous special effects, Lucus brought his knowledge of story structure to the project.
Labyrinth was chosen as the occasion for a Royal Command Performance, and before te screening the Princess of Wales was given the opportunity to meet Ludo, one of the movie's most sympathetic characters (right).
With George Lucus as executive producer and Jim Henson as director, it could almost be taken for granted that Labyrinth would feature amazing creatures and astonishing effects. Lucus's Industrial Light and Magic effects shop was responsible for the many optical effects - camera tricks - such as the matte paintings that were used to extend the mazes built as sets (far left) so that they seemed to extend to the horizon (artist's study, left).
Meanwhile craftspeople at Jim Henson's Creature Shop (left) built on the experiences that had been gained creating the protagonists of The Dark Crystal. Among other fantastic beings, the new novie called for the construction of a knightly terrier, his sheepdog steed, a host of vicious goblins, a talking junk pile, articulate door knockers, and a monstrous mechanical foe. "It was at the time of Labyrinth," says Brian Henson, "that the idea of the Creature Shop became settled in my father's mind. During the making of The Dark Crystal, he began to realise that he had put a remarkable group of people together and he wanted to hold it together somehow. With Lyle Conway running it, the Downshire Hill shop had stayed in business by doing work for Dreamchild. [Dreamchild is director Gavin's Miller about Lewis Carroll's Alice's adventures in Wonderland.] But it was with Labyrinth, I think, that the Creature Shop really developed into a self-contained entity that would be able to go out and generate its own business."
"The creatures in Labyrinth are the most sophisticated characters we've ever built," Jim said at the time. "We use a lot of remote-controlled radio techniques and teams of puppeteers, who each operate various parts of the characters. I think that some effects we've achieved look so real that people's won't even realise we've done anything special."
Two younger members of the Henson family made significant contributions to Labyrinth, both as performers and behind the scenes. Along with Shari Weiser, who inhabited the costume, and a number of other assistants, Brain Henson (seen far left with Jim) performed Hoggle, one of the film's major puppet characters, and also served as the production's puppet co-ordinator. Cheryl Henson was one of the puppet-builders who helped design and develop the characters known as Alph and Ralph, and was also a member of the the team that performed one of the "fierys" - aggressively hyperactive creatures who were capable of literally losing their heads.
The feathery, bright red fireys (left) - who perform an extraordinary dance to a musical number by David Bowie - are just one example of the kinds of astonishing creatures to be found in Labyrinth.
Among others shown on this spread are the goblins seen here surrounded by Toby, who seems to enjoy his captivity in Jareth's castle...
Humongous, an amored, axe-wielding monster who comes alive when two huge metal gates are slammed shut ....
The Wiseman, a doddering oracle with a bird on his head, performed by Frank Oz with his usual brilliance...
And Hoggle, a denizen of the maze who at first wants nothing to do with Sarah (Jennifer Connelly), the story's human heroine.
Hoggle eventually helps Sarah reach Jareth's castle, where she finally confronts Toby captor, played by David Bowie, who has previously romanced her in a glittering ballroom scene.
Although the creatures in this production relied heavily on modern technology to bring them to life, the world evoked is one of fairy tale and traditional fantasy. "Puppetry is an ancient tradition that draws heavily on myth and legend," Jim explained at the time, "but I enjoy converting [that tradition] to the worlds of film and television."
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