No Matter How Bad Things Got
Hollywood seems determined to turn a profit from remakes and sequels that movie makers take no business writing, producing or releasing. Rather than working difficult to generate new films — ones with novel plot devices, leads and stories from underrepresented communities and compelling cinematic visions, for example — the bigwigs of the American film industry are on a mission to quickly ruin whatever remnant of millennial childhood nostalgia.
And so, it is with a heavy heart — and in recognition that Jan 10, 2021, marks five years since the passing of the absolutely legendary and incomparable David Bowie — that I am forced to address the announcement of a Labyrinth sequel. Now, does the original film require, necessitate or even hint at a sequel? Is the lead actor from the original flick prepared to make an advent? Is the original manager all the same available? The answer to these questions is a single, resounding "NO." And yet, here nosotros are. Sigh.
Permit me to take a brief moment to discuss why a Labyrinth sequel is an awful, terrible, no-good idea.
A Bowie-Less Labyrinth Sequel Volition Be a Travesty
The upcoming Labyrinth sequel faces some tough challenges. For starters, information technology'southward going to be missing its eternal, androgynous Jareth the Goblin King — a.k.a. the unequalled David Bowie. In 2016, the iconic genre- and gender-bending rock star lost a long battle with liver cancer. His failing health was a well-kept secret, and fans and admirers from all over the earth mourned his untimely passing.
If you believe that Bowie's absence from a Labyrinth sequel is more than a casting claiming than a reason to cancel the unabridged project, I'd recommend that yous go dorsum and lookout the original 1986 picture show. Bowie's presence extends beyond his insanely flustered hairdo, gigantic codpiece and cool charismatic demeanor — the human being also wrote and performed more than than half of the movie'south soundtrack.
Seeing Bowie perform as Jareth is much similar watching him every bit Ziggy Stardust. It tin be challenging to split up the truth from the fiction of these performances, as Bowie becomes so engrossed in his label that he merely ceases to be himself. Even as an adult, it'southward hard to watch Jareth the Goblin Rex prance, dance and sing without occasionally stopping to recollect, "Wow. That really is David Bowie. And, aye, I volition 'Dance the Magic Dance' down my hallway."
I'chiliad pitiful, just it's incommunicable for a casting director to observe a multitalented actor/musician to fill Bowie'southward shoes in an upcoming sequel. Information technology'south also a claiming to imagine whatsoever viable reason why the original — seemingly immortal — Goblin King would have of a sudden inverse grade. This type of confusion only deepens when because what might become of the Labyrinth's creatures.
Jim Henson, the mastermind behind the Muppets, directed the original Labyrinth film. His masterful puppetry showed a depth of skill unmatched past rival puppeteers, and in a fourth dimension without impressive CGI graphics, he was one of the go-to guys for applied special effects. Sadly, Henson passed abroad in 1990. Since that fourth dimension, there have been no less than five theatrical releases with his charming Muppet characters — and they've all been awful.
Some might accept those movies as a sign that Henson's absenteeism is no large deal when attempting to make a sequel. They would be incredibly wrong. A Labyrinth sequel without Bowie AND Jim Henson would be like a Mrs. Doubtfire sequel without Robin Williams. (Don't you lot dare, 20th Century Fox!) Just stop thinking almost information technology and capeesh this magic for what it is!
Making a sequel to the Labyrinth film without using Henson'southward puppets would exist like George Lucas abandoning applied puppetry from his Star Wars franchise in favor of poorly-generated computer graphics. Oh…that's already happened, and the response has been less-than-stellar. Fans who accept grown up watching a specific film are bound to feel slighted, misunderstood or merely patently cheated when that motion picture ends up lost in technological translation.
Non convinced that fans don't want a CGI-heavy Labyrinth remake? Take a wait at how The King of beasts King fanbase (and critics) reacted to the CGI "live-action"' Disney remake. Hither's a spoiler: They didn't like it.
A Project Fueled past Profits, Not Passions
All of this begs the question, "Why are these executives dark-green-lighting so many '80s remakes and sequels correct now?" Unfortunately, the answer lies in nostalgia-based turn a profit. Academics have long studied consumer behavior, and it seems that contempo studies have non fallen on deaf ears.
In 2014, the Journal of Consumer Enquiry published findings on the connection between nostalgia and money-spending habits. They discovered that people are more willing to spend money when they're feeling sentimental or nostalgic. Advertisement executives and film producers have taken this tidbit of information and run with it.
That's why our current moving-picture show industry is flooded with remakes and unasked-for sequels, peculiarly to icons from the 1980s and 1990s. Children from that era are now full-fledged adults with existential dread about the future as climate change, pandemics and political chaos go out generations clamoring for familiar, comforting nostalgia.
Only rather than re-releasing original footage on updated media (think Blu-ray and 4K downloads), the film industry would rather accept existing intellectual holding and rebrand it for the younger generation. In near cases, the result is an alienated original audience and a disinterested youth. This is all done in the name of and for the sake of profit.
And then Please, Leave This Gem of a Picture Alone
A flick shouldn't exist pre-judged as skillful or bad, of course, merely should instead be judged by its merit, reception and lasting affect. Still, even the virtually avant-garde hologram technology could non revive Bowie'southward onscreen presence (NOR SHOULD IT). And no amount of CGI could replace the authenticity and wonder of Henson's creations.
The only affair that could remain consistent between the original Labyrinth picture and its proposed sequel is its main screenwriter, Terry Jones (of Monty Python fame and glory). But as of this moment, there's no word from the aging Brit every bit to his possible involvement in writing a sequel.
As a result, in that location'south little promise that a Labyrinth 2 would be annihilation more than a shameless, soulless greenbacks take hold of aimed at adults who long for the simpler, stranger world that lay before them during the '80s. Any projection based on profit, not passion, is doomed to fail, and that's why I'm not looking forward to the mess of a sequel that undoubtedly lies ahead.
Source: https://www.ask.com/entertainment/labyrinth-sequel-bad-idea?utm_content=params%3Ao%3D740004%26ad%3DdirN%26qo%3DserpIndex
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