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“It’s Only Forever, It’s Not Long at All”: Celebrate Labyrinth’s 30th Anniversary

23 Sep

Labyrinth was a favorite of mine as a child and continues to be one for me today.  I have a poster of the French version of the film, and a stuffed toy blue worm living in my basement.  Since the film just celebrated its 30th Anniversary in September now is the perfect time to re-watch it or check out one of these Labyrinth related items.

Labyrinth

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Image via FreeDVDCover.com

In the magical movie Labyrinth, Sarah wishes away her demanding baby brother, Toby, and then must rescue him from the Goblin King.  Jim Henson’s remarkable puppets are amazing and the effects were cutting edge for the time period, however, the film was actually a flop when it premiered before achieving the beloved cult status it holds today.  It is available on DVD and BluRay from BCCLS libraries.  Be sure to check out the making of featurettes for fun behind the scene tidbits.

Jim Henson’s Fantasy Film Collection

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If you can’t get enough of Henson Studio’s work checkout this DVD collection which includes Labyrinth, Dark Crystal, and Mirror Mask. You can read more about Mirror Mask in a previous post about the works of Neil Gaiman.  For those wanting a special Dark Crystal experience you can check out our special movie/music synchronization event with the music of Blue Oyster Cult at Maxwell’s on October 22.

In Their Own Words: Jim Henson

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In this PBS biography you can learn about Jim Henson’s career from his start in puppetry through the creation of Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock and of course Labyrinth.

Faeries, written and illustrated by Brian Froud and Alan Lee

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Much of the look and creatures of Labyrinth were inspired by master fairy artist Brian Froud’s work.  In this bewitching book fairies, elves, and other creatures of legend come alive.  Brian wasn’t the only Froud involved with the film–his son Toby Froud played the baby Toby, and his wife Wendy Froud also was involved with the puppets design (she is best known for creating Yoda for The Empire Strikes Back).

David Bowie’s The Platinum Collection

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One of my favorite parts of the film was David Bowie’s brilliant performance as the Goblin King, Jareth. Each of his songs was a beautiful soundscape for the film, but best of all may have been “Underground”, included in this collection along with other Bowie hits.  Fans of Bowie or the movie probably recognized the lyrics from it in our blog post title.

The Age of Bowie, by Paul Morley

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Want more Bowie? Check out this recently released biography that looks at some of the highlights of Bowie’s life and career.

Outside Over There, by Maurice Sendak

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Although not a direct adaptation, Maurice Sendak’s Outside Over There seems to have been an influence on Labyrinth’s story.  In the picture book a girl must rescue her little sister who is stolen by goblins who plan to make her a goblin bride.  If you watch the end of the film there is note about inspiration of Sendak’s work on Jim Henson.  Plus those with keen eyes might catch a copy of Outside Over There on Sarah’s bookshelf in her bedroom.

Jim Henson’s Return to Labyrinth, written by Jake T. Forbes and illustrated by Chris Lie with cover art by Kouyu Shurei

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In this Manga style graphic novel, a teenage Toby has his own adventures with the Goblin King.  Although not completely capturing the magic of the original, it is still fun to continue the adventures of the classic film.

Jim Henson’s Labyrinth The Novelization, by A.C.H. Smith

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Image via Hoopla Digital

For those looking to read a more true to screen version of Labyrinth, the movie has been adapted by author and playwright A.C.H. Smith as Jim Henson’s Labyrinth The Novelization.  It can be downloaded on Hoopla.

-Written by Aimee Harris, Head of Reference

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For Those Who Hate Shakespeare: A Variety of Works to Change the Mind of the Reluctant Reader about the Bard

6 Jul

Through the years as a librarian and an avid reader, I’ve often encountered others who despite also being fond of the written word confess that they hate Shakespeare (often in hushed tones as if their library card may be revoked due to this fact–it won’t be, I promise). Often their encounter with the Bard began and ended with a high school English class where they struggled to get through Shakespeare’s rich, but antiquated writing.  Some of what keeps people from Shakespeare is the language or the sense of not being able to connect with the time period; these works take away some of those barriers.  Hopefully they will inspire you to take a look at Shakespeare’s work again with new eyes.

The Hogarth Shakespeare Project: The Gap of Time and Vinegar Girl

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The Hogarth Shakespeare Project which debuted in October of 2015 includes works by bestselling authors retelling the works of Shakespeare in novel form.  You can check out one of my favorite authors, Jeanette Winterson’s The Gap of Time, her take on The Winter’s Tale.  I’m looking forward to checking out the newly available Vinegar Girl, Anne Tyler’s spin on my favorite of Shakespeare’s comedies, The Taming of the Shrew in which Kate, a preschool teacher who hates kids, agrees to marry her zany scientist father’s lab assistant so he can get a green card.  Fans of Margaret Atwood have her retelling of The Tempest to look forward to in October.

The Year of Lear: Shakespeare in 1606 by James Shapiro

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If you are fascinated by history, read this recent work by esteemed Shakespeare historian, James Shapiro, where he explores how the events of 1606 influenced Shakespeare to write three of his great tragedies King Lear, Macbeth, and Antony and Cleopatra.  Although there is a timelessness to Shakespeare’s work understanding the political climate and beliefs of the time adds another layer to the material.

Tales from Shakespeare

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Written for teens and kids Tales from Shakespeare includes ten of Shakespeare’s popular works including Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet retold in prose format by Tina Packer.  Each story is stunningly brought to life by a different well known artist including P.J. Lynch and Barbara McClintock.

YOLO Juliet by Brett Wright (and William Shakespeare)

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If your attitude toward Shakespeare is TL;DR (too long; didn’t read) then you may change your mind with this quirky retelling of Romeo and Juliet using text speak and emojis, part of the OMG Shakespeare! series.  The work is recommended for grades 8 and up.

Much Ado About Nothing

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If you are a Joss Whedon fan like me, how can you resist his contemporary retelling of the classic romance starring Angel’s Amy Acker and Alexis Denisof, and Firefly’s Nathan Fillion?

Throne of Blood

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Think Shakespeare is boring?  This retelling of Macbeth set in feudal Japan featuring a samurai lord may change your mind.

Why Shakespeare?
If you still aren’t convinced about Shakespeare check out this documentary that answers the question of Why Shakespeare? Why Shakespeare? includes interviews with actors and celebrities like Christina Applegate along with inner city kids whose lives were transformed by Shakespeare and the world of live theater.

A Theatergoer’s Guide to Shakespeare by Robert Thomas Fallon

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As with all plays the best way to enjoy Shakespeare is as live theater so check out Shakespeare in the Park or if it too hot out borrow a DVD of Macbeth or The Tempest to watch inside with the air conditioner turned up.  Fallon’s A Theatergoer’s Guide to Shakespeare gives you critical, historical, and plot details that will have you prepped to enjoy some of Shakespeare’s most frequently staged works without confusion due to the language or allusions that you are unfamiliar with.

-Written by Aimee Harris, Head of Reference

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