80’s Fantasy Classic on music legend Tubi Stars

According to Chris Snellgrove
| Published 28 seconds ago

There’s a strangely persistent online joke that our world has only gotten worse since David Bowie’s death. To use Deadpool and Wolverine he was our anchoring being, and his death in 2016 ultimately unleashed the horrors of 2020 and beyond. The joke isn’t very substantial, but it taps into our collective nostalgia; a need to remember both Bowie and the peaceful bliss of days long gone. And if you’re into this musical legend and scratching your nostalgia itch, here’s great news: his quirky fantasy classic Labyrinth now streaming for free on Tubi.

Labyrinth On Tubi

Those who marry Labyrinth first time on Tubi, you will surely be enchanted by this story of a teenage girl who really loves a space fantasy book called Labyrinth. When her half-brother, who she’s supposed to be watching, gets a little pissed off, she makes the mistake of wishing that the goblins she’s read about would come and take the little tyke away. When the real goblins come and actually escape with the child, their king gives the teenage girl just 13 hours to solve the titular labyrinth or the brother she thought was so monstrous will forever be turned into a terrifying goblin.

Labyrinth has an amazing cast that you don’t normally associate with movies on Tubi, including Shelley Thompson (best known for her role in Trailer Park Boys) as the teenager’s domineering stepmother. The teenager, meanwhile, is played by ’80s icon Jennifer Connelly, an Oscar-winning actor who starred in tough films like Requiem for a Dream and A beautiful mind as well as more populist fare Top Gun: Maverick. But for many it is real the star of the show is musical icon David Bowie, whose performance as Jareth the Goblin King includes live songs written specifically for the film.

Lots of Jim Henson puppets

One of the reasons that Labyrinth it has so few actors on screen that the movie is like a popular TV show Farscape (also currently streaming on the Tubi), filled with colorful creatures designed by Jim Henson. In fact, the film was directed by the Muppet master, with Star Wars guru George Lucas serving as an executive producer. Their combined expertise in the genre helped bring this fantasy world to surprising life, and it’s a special testament to Henson’s skills that all of these creatures and their effects hold up so well decades after the release of this 1986 film.

While Labyrinth impressed audiences on Tubi, it didn’t create quite the same buzz when it was released, especially for its budget. The film ended up grossing $34 million against a $25 million budget, and while it technically did, it was considered a very poor box office take, especially for a film with the weight of Henson and Lucas. Fortunately, the film later found huge success on home video and became a fantasy staple for movie nerds who love sorcery more than swords.

A true cult classic

It may have taken a while for general audiences to warm up Labyrinthbut the film cast its spell on critics right away. On Rotten tomatoesthe film holds a 77 percent critical rating, with critics generally praising the film’s fantastic visuals and director Jim Henson’s unique imagination. The film also has an even more impressive 86 percent audience rating via Popcornmeter, proving that this is one fantasy film that has successfully cast its spell on almost everyone who has seen it.

Can you find? Labyrinth just as charming when you watch it it’s Tubior is this a movie you’d rather see turned into a goblin? You won’t know until you spend an evening under Jareth’s spell. Sure, it won’t be enough to bring Bowie back, but it might do the next best thing: give you a taste of simpler days and the warm nostalgia that only the ’80s can truly offer.