Amazon.co.uk Review
Sarah (a teenage Jennifer Connelly) rehearses the role of a fairy-tale queen, performing for her stuffed animals. She is about to discover that the time has come to leave her childhood behind. In real life she has to baby-sit her brother and contend with parents who don't understand her at all. Her petulance leads her to call the goblins to take the baby away, but when they actually do, she realises her responsibility to rescue him. Sarah negotiates the Labyrinth to reach the City of the Goblins and the castle of their king. The king is the only other human in the film and is played by a glam-rocking David Bowie, who performs five of his songs. The rest of the cast are puppets, a wonderful array of Jim Henson's imaginative masterpieces. Henson gives credit to children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, and the creatures in the movie will remind Sendak fans of his drawings. The castle of the king is a living MC Escher set that adults will enjoy. The film combines the highest standards of art, costume, and set decoration. Like executive producer George Lucas's other fantasies, Labyrinth mixes adventure with lessons about growing up. --Lloyd Chesley
Amazon.co.uk Review
There are only two human actors in Jim Henson's Labyrinth: a teenage Jennifer Connelly and glam-rocker David Bowie (who performs five of his songs). The rest of the cast are puppets, a wonderful array of Henson's imaginative masterpieces set within a film combining the highest standards of art, costume and set decoration. Henson gives credit to children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, and the creatures in the movie will remind Sendak fans of his drawings, while the castle of the Goblin King (Bowie) is a living MC Escher set that adults will enjoy. Like executive producer George Lucas's other fantasies, Labyrinth mixes adventure with lessons about growing up. --Lloyd Chesley
Customer Reviews:
David Bowie- enough of the tights!!!!!!!!.......2008-01-04
This is brilliant for young and old. when i was 5 i used to watch it over and over again at my Grandma's house . And when i was 6 my Grandma lost the flippin' tape! But this christmas (4 years later) I finally get my paws on it again.
Excellent.......2007-06-20
This film holds all the elements of a fantastic film. Excellent, imaginative characters you can't help but fll in love with. A story that enchants and delights , along with some simply awesome effects. You can't help but fall in love with this film.
Then you have bowie who not only adds some brilliant songs to this feature, but also acts pretty well. Which in itself is delightful.
The only thing that may irritate the older audiance is the lead actress is a pretty poor actress, but all in all this ranks as one of my favourite childhood films which I still delight in watching to this day.
A True Masterpiece.......2007-04-02
I always loved this film as a child and I still to this day do. This is a film that should not be missed, especially if you're a Bowie fan, for he stars in this film as the evil goblin king. The only negative thing I have to say is the appearance of Bowie; his trousers were clearly too tight and his bulge showed in every scene he appeared in. A bit crude. That's why this film would be better as a PG and not a U.
Still all the same it's a great film, with some great characters such as the main character Sarah, the coward Hoggle, the friendly beast Ludo and the annoying Sir Didimus (he can be funny in ways). This is a great film made in 1986, not just featuring Bowie, but some soundtracks of his (soundtracks for the film anyway, but he sings them).
Labyrinth is a great story, where Sarah leaves her world and enters a fantasy world of magic. It starts with her babysitting her baby brother Tobey, who does her head in with his constant screaming. She begs for the goblin king to take Tobey away from her; only that she was unaware that the goblin king actually existed, and it's straight away when Tobey is snatched.
Sarah begs for the goblin king to reconsider and return him, that she didn't really mean what she asked, but the goblin king refuses. However he says she can have him back if she journeys to the goblin castle, located in the goblin city, where Tobey is located. There is one catch however; she has 13 hours to do so, or Tobey will become one of the goblins forever, and to make things worse she must solve the large, complicated labyrinth to reach the goblin city, for it's located in the centre of the labyrinth.
In the labyrinth Sarah learns that things are not always as they seem, and she can no longer take things for granted. Brilliant film worth watching. Watching this film is something you won't regret.
Magical.......2007-02-24
This is a magical film. It has incredible puppetry, great music and a fun storyline. This film captivated me as a child and still does so now as an adult. It is one that can be truly described as timeless. The characters are fantastic to watch and the additional disc (make sure you buy this version and not the single disc version) with making of documentary is interesting to watch. Buy it and enter the world of The labyrinth and become spellbound.
Features David Bowie with a cucumber stuffed down his pants.......2007-02-05
I bought this film because I like David Bowie and because I had fond memories of it as a kid, but I really don't think it's a very good film, especially considering the team of luminaries who made it. It features great puppet work and a charsimatic, cocksure performance from Bowie. I imagine that it's still enjoyable, and possibly a little scary, for kids. The music is some of Bowie's worst, but is better than that off of the two albums that bracket it - Tonight (1984) and Never Let Me Down (1987)
Customer Reviews:
Fantasy and Humour.......2007-12-05
I grew up with this film, first rented on grainy video. I now own two copies on DVD (one collectors edition). A great film for young and old, I have come to appreciate it more every time I watch it. It is a great film to escape to another world with. All the intricacies of the set and characters thoughout are bound to delight and amaze any fantasy lover. I would definately highly recommend this film to anyone who is considering it, you will not be disappointed. And if you like this one then try out Dark Crystal too, another wonderful movie.
Amazon.co.uk Review
Sarah (a teenage Jennifer Connelly) rehearses the role of a fairy-tale queen, performing for her stuffed animals. She is about to discover that the time has come to leave her childhood behind. In real life she has to baby-sit her brother and contend with parents who don't understand her at all. Her petulance leads her to call the goblins to take the baby away, but when they actually do, she realises her responsibility to rescue him. Sarah negotiates the Labyrinth to reach the City of the Goblins and the castle of their king. The king is the only other human in the film and is played by a glam-rocking David Bowie, who performs five of his songs. The rest of the cast are puppets, a wonderful array of Jim Henson's imaginative masterpieces. Henson gives credit to children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, and the creatures in the movie will remind Sendak fans of his drawings. The castle of the king is a living MC Escher set that adults will enjoy. The film combines the highest standards of art, costume, and set decoration. Like executive producer George Lucas's other fantasies, Labyrinth mixes adventure with lessons about growing up. --Lloyd Chesley
Amazon.co.uk Review
There are only two human actors in Jim Henson's Labyrinth: a teenage Jennifer Connelly and glam-rocker David Bowie (who performs five of his songs). The rest of the cast are puppets, a wonderful array of Henson's imaginative masterpieces set within a film combining the highest standards of art, costume and set decoration. Henson gives credit to children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, and the creatures in the movie will remind Sendak fans of his drawings, while the castle of the Goblin King (Bowie) is a living MC Escher set that adults will enjoy. Like executive producer George Lucas's other fantasies, Labyrinth mixes adventure with lessons about growing up. --Lloyd Chesley
Customer Reviews:
David Bowie- enough of the tights!!!!!!!!.......2008-01-04
This is brilliant for young and old. when i was 5 i used to watch it over and over again at my Grandma's house . And when i was 6 my Grandma lost the flippin' tape! But this christmas (4 years later) I finally get my paws on it again.
Excellent.......2007-06-20
This film holds all the elements of a fantastic film. Excellent, imaginative characters you can't help but fll in love with. A story that enchants and delights , along with some simply awesome effects. You can't help but fall in love with this film.
Then you have bowie who not only adds some brilliant songs to this feature, but also acts pretty well. Which in itself is delightful.
The only thing that may irritate the older audiance is the lead actress is a pretty poor actress, but all in all this ranks as one of my favourite childhood films which I still delight in watching to this day.
A True Masterpiece.......2007-04-02
I always loved this film as a child and I still to this day do. This is a film that should not be missed, especially if you're a Bowie fan, for he stars in this film as the evil goblin king. The only negative thing I have to say is the appearance of Bowie; his trousers were clearly too tight and his bulge showed in every scene he appeared in. A bit crude. That's why this film would be better as a PG and not a U.
Still all the same it's a great film, with some great characters such as the main character Sarah, the coward Hoggle, the friendly beast Ludo and the annoying Sir Didimus (he can be funny in ways). This is a great film made in 1986, not just featuring Bowie, but some soundtracks of his (soundtracks for the film anyway, but he sings them).
Labyrinth is a great story, where Sarah leaves her world and enters a fantasy world of magic. It starts with her babysitting her baby brother Tobey, who does her head in with his constant screaming. She begs for the goblin king to take Tobey away from her; only that she was unaware that the goblin king actually existed, and it's straight away when Tobey is snatched.
Sarah begs for the goblin king to reconsider and return him, that she didn't really mean what she asked, but the goblin king refuses. However he says she can have him back if she journeys to the goblin castle, located in the goblin city, where Tobey is located. There is one catch however; she has 13 hours to do so, or Tobey will become one of the goblins forever, and to make things worse she must solve the large, complicated labyrinth to reach the goblin city, for it's located in the centre of the labyrinth.
In the labyrinth Sarah learns that things are not always as they seem, and she can no longer take things for granted. Brilliant film worth watching. Watching this film is something you won't regret.
Magical.......2007-02-24
This is a magical film. It has incredible puppetry, great music and a fun storyline. This film captivated me as a child and still does so now as an adult. It is one that can be truly described as timeless. The characters are fantastic to watch and the additional disc (make sure you buy this version and not the single disc version) with making of documentary is interesting to watch. Buy it and enter the world of The labyrinth and become spellbound.
Features David Bowie with a cucumber stuffed down his pants.......2007-02-05
I bought this film because I like David Bowie and because I had fond memories of it as a kid, but I really don't think it's a very good film, especially considering the team of luminaries who made it. It features great puppet work and a charsimatic, cocksure performance from Bowie. I imagine that it's still enjoyable, and possibly a little scary, for kids. The music is some of Bowie's worst, but is better than that off of the two albums that bracket it - Tonight (1984) and Never Let Me Down (1987)
Amazon.co.uk Review
Opinion is mixed as to whether Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is a worthy successor to Tobe Hooper's seminal slasher flick. The story picks up 14 years after the events of the first film, which have long since passed into local legend. On a relentless search for the maniacs who murdered his wheelchair-bound nephew Franklin, Lieutenant "Lefty" Enright (Dennis Hopper) is drawn to the scene of a brutal roadside killing in Red River, Texas. He soon forms an alliance with Stretch (Caroline Williams), a feisty female radio DJ who inadvertently broadcasts the chainsaw murder of two drunken frat boys live on her late-night phone-in request show. At Lefty's request she replays the tape on air and soon after receives a terrifying visit from two deranged fans, Leatherface and Chop Top, who are intent on killing her. Stretch escapes, and together with Lefty follows the trail of the gruesome twosome into the bowels of the deserted San Jacinto historical theme park, which hides a Leatherface house of horrors.
In contrast to the chilling, snuff movie scenario of the original, Hooper whoops it up with this 1986 sequel brimming with gruesome humour, without welching on the thrills. Writer LM Kit Carson (Paris, Texas) reworks Leatherface into a tragic, almost naïve figure trapped beneath a horrific façade and fleshes out his thoroughly dysfunctional family with the introduction of baby brother ChopTop--a steel-plated Vietnam vet. Leatherface's old man (now called Drayton Sawyer) and Grandpa are carried over from the first film. Dennis Hopper is clean cut but dead-eyed in a typically manic performance as the cowboy detective driven by revenge--think of an embryonic Frank Booth from Blue Velvet with a fetish for power tools. TCM2 is a wildly imaginative experiment in terror that stays true to its trashy exploitation roots.
On the DVD: The lack of extra features on this disc (apart from the standard theatrical trailer) is a major oversight given that TCM2 has had no previous theatrical or video release in the UK. A director's commentary would have been especially welcome, as well as the addition of the deleted scenes featured on the US laserdisc and special edition VHS versions of this film. Static menus provide options to watch the film with English, Spanish or Italian dialogue and subtitles in Danish, Norweigian and Swedish. The main feature is of more than adequate picture quality and presented in 16:9 anamorphic format. --Chris Campion
Customer Reviews:
DIFFERENT EDITION.......2008-02-23
These reviews and the description (which even bemoans "the lack of extra features on this disc") all seem to refer to the standard edition of TCM2, when in fact this listing and illustration is for "The Gruesome Edition" which has various excellent extras, including 2 commentaries (one with director Tobe Hooper, and another featuring various cast members plus Tom Savini), a selection of deleted scenes (which more than earn this edition it's "Gruesome" tag), stills galleries and an extensive documentary - so this is the edition you want if it's the extras you're after...
As for the film, it's not a patch on the original, but then what is, but it's still enjoyable in it's own right and getting "the gruesome edition" will certainly enhance that enjoyment.
What A Disappointment.......2008-01-08
If you're expecting a film similar in quality to the excellent original, then you are going to be very let down by this woefully bad sequel. Dennis Hopper hams it up as the uncle of two of the original's victims - Sally and Franklin - who is out for revenge on the cannibal family from the first film, who are now living in an abandoned amusement park in rural Texas. When a plucky radio DJ overhears the murder of a pair of teenagers during her broadcast, the family is out to get rid of her and remain unknown. This film is much gorier than the first and features a new member of the famous family in the repulsive Chop Top, who was apparently fighting in the war during the first film. The film appears to be a parody of the original, but is simply not funny. Unless you find the thought of a woman being forced to wear the cut-off face of her boyfriend amusing, then it's safe to say that you won't be laughing. There is also a lot of noise - whether it is necessary for the plot or not - which may force you to turn down the volume or turn it off completely out of utter irritation. Tobe Hooper - who did so well with the original and also his brilliant Poltergeist - should have known better.
A CLASSIC.......2007-10-27
After a series of accidents on the highways, Lieutenant 'Lefty' Enright, (Dennis Hopper) fears a repeat of before, and DJ Stretch, (Caroline Williams) and her producer L.G. McPeters, (Lou Perryman) come forward with evidence in the case. Trusting his instincts, he gets her to play a tape of one incident over the radio which attracts the attention of Chop-Top, (Bill Moseley) and Leatherface, (Bill Johnson) to the station. Stumbling upon their hiding place with leader Cook, (Jim Siedow) she is held captive in a massive underground lair until Lefty mounts a rescue effort to get her back. Deciding to also settle an old vengeance against the family, he fights to both set her free and settle his score.
The Good News: This really surprised me with how good it really was. One of the greatest things about it is that it has a fun atmosphere present. From the simple storyline to the amount of action to the sick displays around at the ending, this movie simply screams good time. Right from the opening chase scene, where the family chases and chainsaws a car and the passengers traveling along a highway bridge, it sets an incredibly ominous tone that is equally spread throughout the rest of the movie. The attack in the radio station is one of the highlights, due to the fact that practically everything happens in there that could possibly happen. There's a great chase through the library stacks, great gore with a kill involving a hammer to the head, one of the best jumps possible where Leatherface comes roaring out the darkness with chainsaw blaring and one of the greatest and most suspenseful scenes in the genre. Trapped in a room with a large ice-chest, the attacker stops when he realizes the victim is covered in ice water. What happens afterward is incredibly sexual and very tense, but the fact that a chainsaw is present there makes it all the better and all the more memorable. There is another fantastically sick scene later on, where Leatherface, using an electric knife, slices off the face of one of his victims, takes it still dripping wet with blood, and places it over a characters face and proceeds to dance with them. It's great in it's concept and comes across as really disturbing and quite memorable. The gore in here is quite over-the-top and comes from so many great deaths. There's a guy bashed repeatedly in the head with a hammer, a guy who is still able to walk even though the skin of his face and other parts of his body have been peeled off, a throat slashing with a straight razor, a head chopped in half, and a chainsaw wound through the gut and out the back. There's piles of skinned corpses and body parts laying around on the floor, and with intestines stored inside a giant barrel, there's so much additional blood and guts on display in here. There is also a really spectacular underground labyrinth, which looks like the ruins of a hotel turned into a slaughterhouse with bizarrely placed corpses sitting under sun-lamps, at dinner tables, suspended on wires, all amid a bewildering maze of chandeliers and Christmas lights. Whenever the film is set there, it's impossible not to like it, and becomes another great factor about the film. What needs to be said about the chainsaw sword-fight at the end, which is really spectacular and brings a special extra to this. All in all, there is a large amount to like about this one.
The Bad News: I really have a hard time finding stuff to dislike in here. This was a really enjoyable film that had tons going for it and really nothing I could find wrong. The one thing that even remotely bugged me was that the black comedy may not always be funny. It's such a change from the original that it's distracting to those expecting an all-out creep-fest. Other than this, there isn't anything in the film that's wrong.
The Final Verdict: It was surprising how good this one actually was, and with so little against that's also very easily overlooked, this is one of the very best entries in the series and one of the better sequels made. Fans of the first one will love this one, and general horror fans will want to check it out as well.
Leatherfarce!.......2007-07-11
Okay this made me laugh, maybe because Tobe Hooper intended this to be funny? Well yes...Leatherface is just funny, you wont help find his performance OTT more so than the original, especially when it comes to his love interest...seriously watch this one its funny and scary and just insane. Dennis Hoppers part may as well be non existent as he is just crap and the movie could have done without him, the leading lady is the one the camera loves and her hardcore performance at the end is just cool.
The weakest in the series........2005-10-07
The Chainsaw massacre original, 3, Next Generation and the Remake are better than this. The 2nd one might be quite gory but it's not that good. Leatherface is pratically a wimp in it. Every 10 seconds I was shouting at the screen 'kill her! What are you doing Leatherface? What are you waiting for? Kill her! But instead he danced with the girl instead of tormenting her like he does in the other ones.
TCM 2 really isnt that good. Its not the worst horror film I've ever seen and would probably give it a 1.5 out of 5 if I could but its not quite a 2 star. Its the weakest chainsaw massacre with the most boring cover out of the series but the boring cowboy cover is not the main reason the movie gets a bad mark. Watch the movie and you'll understand better to what I'm saying.
Amazon.co.uk Review
Sarah (a teenage Jennifer Connelly) rehearses the role of a fairy-tale queen, performing for her stuffed animals. She is about to discover that the time has come to leave her childhood behind. In real life she has to baby-sit her brother and contend with parents who don't understand her at all. Her petulance leads her to call the goblins to take the baby away, but when they actually do, she realises her responsibility to rescue him. Sarah negotiates the Labyrinth to reach the City of the Goblins and the castle of their king. The king is the only other human in the film and is played by a glam-rocking David Bowie, who performs five of his songs. The rest of the cast are puppets, a wonderful array of Jim Henson's imaginative masterpieces. Henson gives credit to children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, and the creatures in the movie will remind Sendak fans of his drawings. The castle of the king is a living MC Escher set that adults will enjoy. The film combines the highest standards of art, costume, and set decoration. Like executive producer George Lucas's other fantasies, Labyrinth mixes adventure with lessons about growing up. --Lloyd Chesley
Amazon.co.uk Review
There are only two human actors in Jim Henson's Labyrinth: a teenage Jennifer Connelly and glam-rocker David Bowie (who performs five of his songs). The rest of the cast are puppets, a wonderful array of Henson's imaginative masterpieces set within a film combining the highest standards of art, costume and set decoration. Henson gives credit to children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, and the creatures in the movie will remind Sendak fans of his drawings, while the castle of the Goblin King (Bowie) is a living MC Escher set that adults will enjoy. Like executive producer George Lucas's other fantasies, Labyrinth mixes adventure with lessons about growing up. --Lloyd Chesley
Customer Reviews:
David Bowie- enough of the tights!!!!!!!!.......2008-01-04
This is brilliant for young and old. when i was 5 i used to watch it over and over again at my Grandma's house . And when i was 6 my Grandma lost the flippin' tape! But this christmas (4 years later) I finally get my paws on it again.
Excellent.......2007-06-20
This film holds all the elements of a fantastic film. Excellent, imaginative characters you can't help but fll in love with. A story that enchants and delights , along with some simply awesome effects. You can't help but fall in love with this film.
Then you have bowie who not only adds some brilliant songs to this feature, but also acts pretty well. Which in itself is delightful.
The only thing that may irritate the older audiance is the lead actress is a pretty poor actress, but all in all this ranks as one of my favourite childhood films which I still delight in watching to this day.
A True Masterpiece.......2007-04-02
I always loved this film as a child and I still to this day do. This is a film that should not be missed, especially if you're a Bowie fan, for he stars in this film as the evil goblin king. The only negative thing I have to say is the appearance of Bowie; his trousers were clearly too tight and his bulge showed in every scene he appeared in. A bit crude. That's why this film would be better as a PG and not a U.
Still all the same it's a great film, with some great characters such as the main character Sarah, the coward Hoggle, the friendly beast Ludo and the annoying Sir Didimus (he can be funny in ways). This is a great film made in 1986, not just featuring Bowie, but some soundtracks of his (soundtracks for the film anyway, but he sings them).
Labyrinth is a great story, where Sarah leaves her world and enters a fantasy world of magic. It starts with her babysitting her baby brother Tobey, who does her head in with his constant screaming. She begs for the goblin king to take Tobey away from her; only that she was unaware that the goblin king actually existed, and it's straight away when Tobey is snatched.
Sarah begs for the goblin king to reconsider and return him, that she didn't really mean what she asked, but the goblin king refuses. However he says she can have him back if she journeys to the goblin castle, located in the goblin city, where Tobey is located. There is one catch however; she has 13 hours to do so, or Tobey will become one of the goblins forever, and to make things worse she must solve the large, complicated labyrinth to reach the goblin city, for it's located in the centre of the labyrinth.
In the labyrinth Sarah learns that things are not always as they seem, and she can no longer take things for granted. Brilliant film worth watching. Watching this film is something you won't regret.
Magical.......2007-02-24
This is a magical film. It has incredible puppetry, great music and a fun storyline. This film captivated me as a child and still does so now as an adult. It is one that can be truly described as timeless. The characters are fantastic to watch and the additional disc (make sure you buy this version and not the single disc version) with making of documentary is interesting to watch. Buy it and enter the world of The labyrinth and become spellbound.
Features David Bowie with a cucumber stuffed down his pants.......2007-02-05
I bought this film because I like David Bowie and because I had fond memories of it as a kid, but I really don't think it's a very good film, especially considering the team of luminaries who made it. It features great puppet work and a charsimatic, cocksure performance from Bowie. I imagine that it's still enjoyable, and possibly a little scary, for kids. The music is some of Bowie's worst, but is better than that off of the two albums that bracket it - Tonight (1984) and Never Let Me Down (1987)
Amazon.co.uk Review
Sarah (a teenage Jennifer Connelly) rehearses the role of a fairy-tale queen, performing for her stuffed animals. She is about to discover that the time has come to leave her childhood behind. In real life she has to baby-sit her brother and contend with parents who don't understand her at all. Her petulance leads her to call the goblins to take the baby away, but when they actually do, she realises her responsibility to rescue him. Sarah negotiates the Labyrinth to reach the City of the Goblins and the castle of their king. The king is the only other human in the film and is played by a glam-rocking David Bowie, who performs five of his songs. The rest of the cast are puppets, a wonderful array of Jim Henson's imaginative masterpieces. Henson gives credit to children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, and the creatures in the movie will remind Sendak fans of his drawings. The castle of the king is a living MC Escher set that adults will enjoy. The film combines the highest standards of art, costume, and set decoration. Like executive producer George Lucas's other fantasies, Labyrinth mixes adventure with lessons about growing up. --Lloyd Chesley
Amazon.co.uk Review
There are only two human actors in Jim Henson's Labyrinth: a teenage Jennifer Connelly and glam-rocker David Bowie (who performs five of his songs). The rest of the cast are puppets, a wonderful array of Henson's imaginative masterpieces set within a film combining the highest standards of art, costume and set decoration. Henson gives credit to children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, and the creatures in the movie will remind Sendak fans of his drawings, while the castle of the Goblin King (Bowie) is a living MC Escher set that adults will enjoy. Like executive producer George Lucas's other fantasies, Labyrinth mixes adventure with lessons about growing up. --Lloyd Chesley
Customer Reviews:
David Bowie- enough of the tights!!!!!!!!.......2008-01-04
This is brilliant for young and old. when i was 5 i used to watch it over and over again at my Grandma's house . And when i was 6 my Grandma lost the flippin' tape! But this christmas (4 years later) I finally get my paws on it again.
Excellent.......2007-06-20
This film holds all the elements of a fantastic film. Excellent, imaginative characters you can't help but fll in love with. A story that enchants and delights , along with some simply awesome effects. You can't help but fall in love with this film.
Then you have bowie who not only adds some brilliant songs to this feature, but also acts pretty well. Which in itself is delightful.
The only thing that may irritate the older audiance is the lead actress is a pretty poor actress, but all in all this ranks as one of my favourite childhood films which I still delight in watching to this day.
A True Masterpiece.......2007-04-02
I always loved this film as a child and I still to this day do. This is a film that should not be missed, especially if you're a Bowie fan, for he stars in this film as the evil goblin king. The only negative thing I have to say is the appearance of Bowie; his trousers were clearly too tight and his bulge showed in every scene he appeared in. A bit crude. That's why this film would be better as a PG and not a U.
Still all the same it's a great film, with some great characters such as the main character Sarah, the coward Hoggle, the friendly beast Ludo and the annoying Sir Didimus (he can be funny in ways). This is a great film made in 1986, not just featuring Bowie, but some soundtracks of his (soundtracks for the film anyway, but he sings them).
Labyrinth is a great story, where Sarah leaves her world and enters a fantasy world of magic. It starts with her babysitting her baby brother Tobey, who does her head in with his constant screaming. She begs for the goblin king to take Tobey away from her; only that she was unaware that the goblin king actually existed, and it's straight away when Tobey is snatched.
Sarah begs for the goblin king to reconsider and return him, that she didn't really mean what she asked, but the goblin king refuses. However he says she can have him back if she journeys to the goblin castle, located in the goblin city, where Tobey is located. There is one catch however; she has 13 hours to do so, or Tobey will become one of the goblins forever, and to make things worse she must solve the large, complicated labyrinth to reach the goblin city, for it's located in the centre of the labyrinth.
In the labyrinth Sarah learns that things are not always as they seem, and she can no longer take things for granted. Brilliant film worth watching. Watching this film is something you won't regret.
Magical.......2007-02-24
This is a magical film. It has incredible puppetry, great music and a fun storyline. This film captivated me as a child and still does so now as an adult. It is one that can be truly described as timeless. The characters are fantastic to watch and the additional disc (make sure you buy this version and not the single disc version) with making of documentary is interesting to watch. Buy it and enter the world of The labyrinth and become spellbound.
Features David Bowie with a cucumber stuffed down his pants.......2007-02-05
I bought this film because I like David Bowie and because I had fond memories of it as a kid, but I really don't think it's a very good film, especially considering the team of luminaries who made it. It features great puppet work and a charsimatic, cocksure performance from Bowie. I imagine that it's still enjoyable, and possibly a little scary, for kids. The music is some of Bowie's worst, but is better than that off of the two albums that bracket it - Tonight (1984) and Never Let Me Down (1987)
Amazon.co.uk Review
Opinion is mixed as to whether Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is a worthy successor to Tobe Hooper's seminal slasher flick. The story picks up 14 years after the events of the first film, which have long since passed into local legend. On a relentless search for the maniacs who murdered his wheelchair-bound nephew Franklin, Lieutenant "Lefty" Enright (Dennis Hopper) is drawn to the scene of a brutal roadside killing in Red River, Texas. He soon forms an alliance with Stretch (Caroline Williams), a feisty female radio DJ who inadvertently broadcasts the chainsaw murder of two drunken frat boys live on her late-night phone-in request show. At Lefty's request she replays the tape on air and soon after receives a terrifying visit from two deranged fans, Leatherface and Chop Top, who are intent on killing her. Stretch escapes, and together with Lefty follows the trail of the gruesome twosome into the bowels of the deserted San Jacinto historical theme park, which hides a Leatherface house of horrors.
In contrast to the chilling, snuff movie scenario of the original, Hooper whoops it up with this 1986 sequel brimming with gruesome humour, without welching on the thrills. Writer LM Kit Carson (Paris, Texas) reworks Leatherface into a tragic, almost naïve figure trapped beneath a horrific façade and fleshes out his thoroughly dysfunctional family with the introduction of baby brother ChopTop--a steel-plated Vietnam vet. Leatherface's old man (now called Drayton Sawyer) and Grandpa are carried over from the first film. Dennis Hopper is clean cut but dead-eyed in a typically manic performance as the cowboy detective driven by revenge--think of an embryonic Frank Booth from Blue Velvet with a fetish for power tools. TCM2 is a wildly imaginative experiment in terror that stays true to its trashy exploitation roots.
On the DVD: The lack of extra features on this disc (apart from the standard theatrical trailer) is a major oversight given that TCM2 has had no previous theatrical or video release in the UK. A director's commentary would have been especially welcome, as well as the addition of the deleted scenes featured on the US laserdisc and special edition VHS versions of this film. Static menus provide options to watch the film with English, Spanish or Italian dialogue and subtitles in Danish, Norweigian and Swedish. The main feature is of more than adequate picture quality and presented in 16:9 anamorphic format. --Chris Campion
Customer Reviews:
DIFFERENT EDITION.......2008-02-23
These reviews and the description (which even bemoans "the lack of extra features on this disc") all seem to refer to the standard edition of TCM2, when in fact this listing and illustration is for "The Gruesome Edition" which has various excellent extras, including 2 commentaries (one with director Tobe Hooper, and another featuring various cast members plus Tom Savini), a selection of deleted scenes (which more than earn this edition it's "Gruesome" tag), stills galleries and an extensive documentary - so this is the edition you want if it's the extras you're after...
As for the film, it's not a patch on the original, but then what is, but it's still enjoyable in it's own right and getting "the gruesome edition" will certainly enhance that enjoyment.
What A Disappointment.......2008-01-08
If you're expecting a film similar in quality to the excellent original, then you are going to be very let down by this woefully bad sequel. Dennis Hopper hams it up as the uncle of two of the original's victims - Sally and Franklin - who is out for revenge on the cannibal family from the first film, who are now living in an abandoned amusement park in rural Texas. When a plucky radio DJ overhears the murder of a pair of teenagers during her broadcast, the family is out to get rid of her and remain unknown. This film is much gorier than the first and features a new member of the famous family in the repulsive Chop Top, who was apparently fighting in the war during the first film. The film appears to be a parody of the original, but is simply not funny. Unless you find the thought of a woman being forced to wear the cut-off face of her boyfriend amusing, then it's safe to say that you won't be laughing. There is also a lot of noise - whether it is necessary for the plot or not - which may force you to turn down the volume or turn it off completely out of utter irritation. Tobe Hooper - who did so well with the original and also his brilliant Poltergeist - should have known better.
A CLASSIC.......2007-10-27
After a series of accidents on the highways, Lieutenant 'Lefty' Enright, (Dennis Hopper) fears a repeat of before, and DJ Stretch, (Caroline Williams) and her producer L.G. McPeters, (Lou Perryman) come forward with evidence in the case. Trusting his instincts, he gets her to play a tape of one incident over the radio which attracts the attention of Chop-Top, (Bill Moseley) and Leatherface, (Bill Johnson) to the station. Stumbling upon their hiding place with leader Cook, (Jim Siedow) she is held captive in a massive underground lair until Lefty mounts a rescue effort to get her back. Deciding to also settle an old vengeance against the family, he fights to both set her free and settle his score.
The Good News: This really surprised me with how good it really was. One of the greatest things about it is that it has a fun atmosphere present. From the simple storyline to the amount of action to the sick displays around at the ending, this movie simply screams good time. Right from the opening chase scene, where the family chases and chainsaws a car and the passengers traveling along a highway bridge, it sets an incredibly ominous tone that is equally spread throughout the rest of the movie. The attack in the radio station is one of the highlights, due to the fact that practically everything happens in there that could possibly happen. There's a great chase through the library stacks, great gore with a kill involving a hammer to the head, one of the best jumps possible where Leatherface comes roaring out the darkness with chainsaw blaring and one of the greatest and most suspenseful scenes in the genre. Trapped in a room with a large ice-chest, the attacker stops when he realizes the victim is covered in ice water. What happens afterward is incredibly sexual and very tense, but the fact that a chainsaw is present there makes it all the better and all the more memorable. There is another fantastically sick scene later on, where Leatherface, using an electric knife, slices off the face of one of his victims, takes it still dripping wet with blood, and places it over a characters face and proceeds to dance with them. It's great in it's concept and comes across as really disturbing and quite memorable. The gore in here is quite over-the-top and comes from so many great deaths. There's a guy bashed repeatedly in the head with a hammer, a guy who is still able to walk even though the skin of his face and other parts of his body have been peeled off, a throat slashing with a straight razor, a head chopped in half, and a chainsaw wound through the gut and out the back. There's piles of skinned corpses and body parts laying around on the floor, and with intestines stored inside a giant barrel, there's so much additional blood and guts on display in here. There is also a really spectacular underground labyrinth, which looks like the ruins of a hotel turned into a slaughterhouse with bizarrely placed corpses sitting under sun-lamps, at dinner tables, suspended on wires, all amid a bewildering maze of chandeliers and Christmas lights. Whenever the film is set there, it's impossible not to like it, and becomes another great factor about the film. What needs to be said about the chainsaw sword-fight at the end, which is really spectacular and brings a special extra to this. All in all, there is a large amount to like about this one.
The Bad News: I really have a hard time finding stuff to dislike in here. This was a really enjoyable film that had tons going for it and really nothing I could find wrong. The one thing that even remotely bugged me was that the black comedy may not always be funny. It's such a change from the original that it's distracting to those expecting an all-out creep-fest. Other than this, there isn't anything in the film that's wrong.
The Final Verdict: It was surprising how good this one actually was, and with so little against that's also very easily overlooked, this is one of the very best entries in the series and one of the better sequels made. Fans of the first one will love this one, and general horror fans will want to check it out as well.
Leatherfarce!.......2007-07-11
Okay this made me laugh, maybe because Tobe Hooper intended this to be funny? Well yes...Leatherface is just funny, you wont help find his performance OTT more so than the original, especially when it comes to his love interest...seriously watch this one its funny and scary and just insane. Dennis Hoppers part may as well be non existent as he is just crap and the movie could have done without him, the leading lady is the one the camera loves and her hardcore performance at the end is just cool.
The weakest in the series........2005-10-07
The Chainsaw massacre original, 3, Next Generation and the Remake are better than this. The 2nd one might be quite gory but it's not that good. Leatherface is pratically a wimp in it. Every 10 seconds I was shouting at the screen 'kill her! What are you doing Leatherface? What are you waiting for? Kill her! But instead he danced with the girl instead of tormenting her like he does in the other ones.
TCM 2 really isnt that good. Its not the worst horror film I've ever seen and would probably give it a 1.5 out of 5 if I could but its not quite a 2 star. Its the weakest chainsaw massacre with the most boring cover out of the series but the boring cowboy cover is not the main reason the movie gets a bad mark. Watch the movie and you'll understand better to what I'm saying.
Amazon.co.uk Review
Sarah (a teenage Jennifer Connelly) rehearses the role of a fairy-tale queen, performing for her stuffed animals. She is about to discover that the time has come to leave her childhood behind. In real life she has to baby-sit her brother and contend with parents who don't understand her at all. Her petulance leads her to call the goblins to take the baby away, but when they actually do, she realises her responsibility to rescue him. Sarah negotiates the Labyrinth to reach the City of the Goblins and the castle of their king. The king is the only other human in the film and is played by a glam-rocking David Bowie, who performs five of his songs. The rest of the cast are puppets, a wonderful array of Jim Henson's imaginative masterpieces. Henson gives credit to children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, and the creatures in the movie will remind Sendak fans of his drawings. The castle of the king is a living MC Escher set that adults will enjoy. The film combines the highest standards of art, costume, and set decoration. Like executive producer George Lucas's other fantasies, Labyrinth mixes adventure with lessons about growing up. --Lloyd Chesley
Amazon.co.uk Review
There are only two human actors in Jim Henson's Labyrinth: a teenage Jennifer Connelly and glam-rocker David Bowie (who performs five of his songs). The rest of the cast are puppets, a wonderful array of Henson's imaginative masterpieces set within a film combining the highest standards of art, costume and set decoration. Henson gives credit to children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, and the creatures in the movie will remind Sendak fans of his drawings, while the castle of the Goblin King (Bowie) is a living MC Escher set that adults will enjoy. Like executive producer George Lucas's other fantasies, Labyrinth mixes adventure with lessons about growing up. --Lloyd Chesley
DVD:
- Life Size [2000]
- Little Princess Vol.2
- Looney Tunes All Stars Collection 1
- Looney Tunes All Stars Collection 2
- Make Mine Music [1946] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- Miffy - Vol. 1
- Move Over, Darling [1963] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- Mr Men - The Complete Original Series 1 And 2 [2003]
- Mulan 2 [2004]
- "Muppet Movie, The (50th Anniversary Special Edition) (DVD) " [1979]
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