I've had the biggest craving for the movie 'Labyrinth' the last week or so. I bought the soundtrack on ITunes and listened to it every night as I fell asleep, I bored my companions about wanting to watch it and I tried to recreate the movie in my head. This weekend Pinky kindly bought the DVD for me and I watched a fantasy movie trilogy Labyrinth, Legend and The Princess Bride. It was interesting watching all three movies one after the other. I like them all, but watching them in that fashion really highlighted their strengths and weaknesses, as well as their similarities.
So, what is the point of this post?
The first thing I want to say is that I think I'm going to leave aside writing dark horror for a while and get back to writing fantasy. Maybe even some lighter fantasy than normal. It's scary for me to admit it. I love horror, I'm not setting it aside, I'm just going to concentrate on fantasy for a while.
The second thing is that while I was watching Labyrinth I couldn't help from thinking about what a lovely place Jim Henson's brain must have been to live in. There is so much creativity in that movie. David Bowie's songs and acting, Jim Henson and his workshop, Brian Froud's artwork. It reminded me why I love cinema so much. The writer sets the initial note ringing by writing the script. No matter how fantastical, someone is found to act or make real what the writer has created from their imagination. Then come all the other players, each one as important as the next in their own way - the actors, set dressers, location finders, casting agents, directors of photography, cameramen, editors, composers, Foley artists, etc (I'm sorry for not mentioning them all, there are so many) and at the helm, like the master conductor, is the director, making sure that the combined vision of the entire crew is realised.
So, tell me, what movies are your guilty pleasures and why do you love them?
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7 comments:
Of course the ultimate fantasy trilogy is the Lord of the Rings. I read the book somewhere in 1993 and wished it was made into a movie. And the world was happy when it did.
I am so into medieval-fantasy movies but unfortunately, they are none to satisfy my really high standards. :( Oh there was one, ALMOST, the Ring of Nebelung.
I've heard of Labyrinth, but unfortunately I cannot find the film here. :(
I too have high standards, Shadowthorne. I know it is terrible to admit this, but TLOTR movies didn't live up to the movies in my head. It is one of my favourite books after all, and I don't know how many times I've read it. Labyrinth has its flaws, of course, but it a good movie over all. Perhaps I like it so much because I saw it when I was very young. I love the idea of a world of goblins and wacky monsters. I still want to be taken away by the goblin king. If I had your address I would send you a copy (and I don't mean that in a stalker way) :)
I own Labyrinth! In fact, I own it on VHS because I've had it since I was a child. It's definitely one of the key movies that has defined my childhood, along with The Dark Crystal, The Black Cauldron, The Princess Bride, Legend, and The Nightmare Before Christmas. My favorite song of all time is "As The World Falls Down" from Labyrinth, and I actually have it on my blog playlist.
Mmmm. Bowie. *happiness*
Reading this post made my day, I think!
Hmm... LOTR was an ok trilogy, but I have to say I was not nearly as impressed by the last two!
My guilty pleasure film would be... STARDUST!!!
I love Neil Gaiman and I love this film- even though they made something completely different out of his novella, I found it still worked really well, and I admit that I preferred the film's ending!
Oh, Iseult, three of my very favorites right there.
'ello.
Did you just say hello?
No, I said 'ello, but that's close enough.
A good quad would be Willow. Or maybe The Dark Crystal if you would like more Hensen.
Can't wait to read your fantasy jig.
Oh, and Shadowthorne, she does mean it in a stalker way. And you don't have to have low standards to enjoy these flicks. Unless you require hard fantasy to be stimulated, all three are terrific creations. Princess Bride is quite possibly one of the most quotable movies of all time.
"Anybody want a peanut?" LOLOLOL!
Does animation get included in this category? I love Princess Mononoke and many other awesome Japanese anime. They got a lot more soul and the tales are usually gritty.
Animated features from Pixar, Disney etc are pretty to look at and often funny.
Fire and Ice - 1983... Great Fantasy Animation!
Oh, and Heavy Metal... hello...
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