Yesterday, "Starman" David Bowie passed away at the age of 69 after an over eighteen-month battle with cancer. I never specifically followed his music, keeping up with his albums or listening to very many of his songs, outside the major hits. However, David Bowie impacted my life at a young age, as many fans may relate, when he starred in the 80's Jim Henson film Labyrinth as the Goblin King Jareth. I may not be a legitimate fan of his music but I am a fan of who he was - charming, clever, funny, and entirely willing to be whoever he wanted to be. In remembrance, I've picked out eight Goblin King moments from Labyrinth:
8. I Ask For So Little.
This is the final 'boss battle' of the film, when Jennifer Connelly's character, Sarah, stands up to the Goblin King. Jareth is an odd villain in many ways because he's so incredibly open with his emotional side, in addition to being a total tyrant. He displays this sort of crippling insecurity that requires, no matter how much he loves her, that she play a certain role. The song just before is one people don't always pay attention to but it's an emotional moment for the character, a moment of intense desperation because she isn't playing the role he expected or wanted her to take on.
7. He's Got My Eyes
It's just an adorable moment. I love David Bowie's smile, it's always so genuine. Case in point, that baby is not frightened at all just mildly confused, probably more by Bowie's hair than anything else. Bowie plays Jareth as a kind of childish man in some ways - he has easy moments, where he smiles and laughs and has fun, and likely confuses the audience's opinion of him. He might not treat some of the characters well, but he clearly knows when and how to use his authority, and when to just chill.
6. Turn Back, Sarah
I mean. He's just majestic. His line, warning Sarah to turn back, always made me laugh. I think it was because I connected it to that Wonka line: "Don't. Stop. Come back." Bowie plays his with slightly less sarcasm but it feels like more of a challenge than a legitimate warning. And I enjoy the wind blowing only part of his hair while the other part is solid magic and hairspray.
5. Impatience
Smiles are gone, for the moment, and we see an anxious Jareth (ignoring the serious distraction of the riding crop). This moment for me was always a sort of awed analysis of his costume: the billowy shirt with lace cuffs, the leather vest, the seriously fabulous shoes, the leather gloves... Not to mention, his throne is pretty rad, too. For me, Jareth's costuming epitomized the 80s, where it seemed like people wore whatever they wanted and nobody really cared.
4. The Orbs
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| I'm avoiding the term 'Gift Balls.' So tempting. |
I know it's not technically Bowie doing the cool "orb" hand tricks, but it warrants its own spot on the list. The entire motif of the magical orbs is done so seamlessly, so smoothly, I had to watch the behind-the-scenes featurette a few times before I actually believed that was someone else's hand. This moment, where the orbs sort of float off like bubbles while he sits on the windowsill, always seemed very dreamy to me, like it was the sort of thing Rapunzel would do out her window. It's a regal and mystical moment featuring Bowie's perfect face.
3. As The World Falls Down
There always seem to be mixed feelings about this scene. I personally liked it - again, the costumes, you guys - and many people love Sarah's dress. I always was fascinated, first, by Jareth's actions in the scene, and secondly by the amount of sparkle Bowie can pull off. The rhinestone coat, the glitter make up, the glitter highlights - I want to be that sparkly every day. As for what Jareth does, it always seemed odd to me that she had to kind of search for him in this sea of people (like searching through the labyrinth) and then he allows her to find him. In letting her in, putting his walls down, the authority immediately slides over to her; this is the moment where she takes higher rank in their relationship, as it is.
2. Dance, Magic Dance
Most people's favorite number, and definitely in my top, is the "Magic Dance" song, with its highly memorable and often repeated opening: "You remind of the babe. What babe? The babe with the power. What power? The power of voo-doo. Who do? You do. Do what? Remind of the babe." It's a classic dance number, featuring many of Henson's puppets and a particularly cooperative baby. While not greatly choreographed, it's awesome watching Bowie just rock out with a bunch of puppets, like an odd sort of music video. Although, for the eighties, it probably wasn't that odd.
1. You're Him, Aren't You? The Goblin King.
Never has entrance been so dramatic and so glittery. Immediately, the audience loves this character. One look, and I knew this was going to be a great. Some fans complain about Connelly's whiny character (where is the arc, though?!) but as soon as I saw Bowie's Goblin King, the film was saved. I knew it wasn't just going to be the whiny kid, it would be a classic fantasy story on par with The Neverending Story or The Pagemaster. One of the best costumes of the film (I want!), and definitely the most dramatic for his character, Bowie makes the greatest villain entrance ever.*
To our Goblin King, Starman, David Bowie, you will be missed.
"[He]'s not dead. He just went home." - Men in Black
*In my personal opinion
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