Henson-tastic
Feb. 17th, 2009 08:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alobearPossibly one of the best trips to the cinema ever last night - the Prince Charles was showing a Henson double bill of The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth.
I'd never seen The Dark Crystal before, and it was pretty cool. I loved Fizzgig, the friendly monster (as he was described in the credits), and the tracking shot through the jungle, with all the different plants and creatures, was amazingly well done. It took a little while to get going, and a few moments in the middle were a bit horrible (the Landstriders' fate, in particular) but there were lots of good moments and the climax was both interesting and exciting.
The main event for me, however, was definitely Labyrinth. Dave and I disagreed on the way home over which was the better film of the two, and I think I need to revise my argument. I think The Dark Crystal was probably better, as films go, but Labyrinth was and always will be utterly fabulous, because it's a very precious part of my childhood. Sure, the songs were cheesy and the acting was terrible in places, some scenes went on far too long, and yes, Sarah is really annoying. The Goblin King wasn't as compelling or awe-inspiring as I remembered, either (you could practically see Bowie thinking, "Just remember you're getting paid for this" during the "Dance, Magic, Dance" scene) - but then there's Ludo and Sir Didymus, and Ambrosius, and Lancelot the bear, and they're all wonderful. I was eight when this film came out in the cinema, and I've seen it countless times since then, and I love it every time. Seeing it on the big screen for the first time in 23 year was a truly great experience.
I'd never seen The Dark Crystal before, and it was pretty cool. I loved Fizzgig, the friendly monster (as he was described in the credits), and the tracking shot through the jungle, with all the different plants and creatures, was amazingly well done. It took a little while to get going, and a few moments in the middle were a bit horrible (the Landstriders' fate, in particular) but there were lots of good moments and the climax was both interesting and exciting.
The main event for me, however, was definitely Labyrinth. Dave and I disagreed on the way home over which was the better film of the two, and I think I need to revise my argument. I think The Dark Crystal was probably better, as films go, but Labyrinth was and always will be utterly fabulous, because it's a very precious part of my childhood. Sure, the songs were cheesy and the acting was terrible in places, some scenes went on far too long, and yes, Sarah is really annoying. The Goblin King wasn't as compelling or awe-inspiring as I remembered, either (you could practically see Bowie thinking, "Just remember you're getting paid for this" during the "Dance, Magic, Dance" scene) - but then there's Ludo and Sir Didymus, and Ambrosius, and Lancelot the bear, and they're all wonderful. I was eight when this film came out in the cinema, and I've seen it countless times since then, and I love it every time. Seeing it on the big screen for the first time in 23 year was a truly great experience.
