Second series of articles

"Labyrinth's" Young Lady Lost

Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) takes a trip from boring suburbia to exotic Labyrinth-land.
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Connelly loses her grip in the Shaft of Hands.

� � � While most teenagers enjoy a life of high adventure only in their daydreams, 15-year-old Jennifer Connelly enjoys one whenever she shows up for work. Originally a model, she made her screen debut in Once Upon a Time in America and then took on other roles, including that of a girl who could communicate with insects in Creepers (known abroad as Phenomena). Currently on view in Seven Minutes in Heaven, she soon stars as Sarah, a suburban teenager who enters the fantasy world of Labyrinth.
� � � Guiding her through the maze were master fantasists George Lucas, as executive producer, and director Jim Henson. "I did meet George, but I didn't get to know him very well. He came every so often, but he was quite shy, I thought," she comments.
� � � On the other hand, Connelly found Henson more accessible. "Jim is wonderful to work with," she remarks. "I really trusted him and everything he was doing. As a person, he's very gentle; he'll never raise his voice. He's very under control, calm and easy going. I don't think anyone could really dislike him."
� � � And while Henson was guiding her in front of the camera, others were leading her on new paths behind it." All the people there were so open to teaching me what they did - about the cameras, about the special FX, how they were done. They even let me help them sometimes," she reveals. "If there was an FX scene where they had to have explosives, they let me help rig things - not anything too important but little things."
� � � Strangely enough, Connelly spent a great deal of time in front of the camera just hanging around. "I did many scenes in harness, very high up - for example, the Shaft of Hands sequence.
� � � "I was about 40 feet up and I had to be dropped very quickly - it was a bit frightening. Because there were so many hands, you would think there would be a lot to hold onto. But, at the top, there were all the fake ones, and if you held onto them, they would break off; the real ones were down a bit lower. I couldn't touch the walls, so I couldn't get any support that way. I couldn't touch the back because it had all these hinges, and they said, 'Don't you dare touch the back or you won't have any more fingers.' And I said, 'Oh, that's nice.'
� � � "It's a very strange feeling when it's up to the special FX guys. You're supported up there, looking down, and you can't hold onto anything, which is kind of scary.
� � � "I don't know. People think I'm crazy," Jennifer Connelly admits, "but I love doing these kinds of movies. I love heights and doing daring things."

by Daniel Dickholtz

STARLOG / June 1986 � 1986 by O'QUINN STUDIOS, INC.
All Labyrinth photos: copyright 1986 TRI-STAR PICTURES.

Jennifer Connelly "I LOVE DOING DARING THINGS!''

"I don't get to go to the dances," says Jennifer Connelly, "but I get to make a movie!"

Jennifer Connelly steps out from
behind the scenes of Labyrinth.

� � � Although sixteen-year-old Jennifer Connelly admits that she missed out on some of the more typical aspects of growing up, she finds she just can't keep away from the excitement of movie making. "It's a nice balance, though," she says. "I don't get to go to the dances, but I get to make a movie."
� � � Recently, Jennifer spoke to TEEN IDOLS MANIA about her adventures during the filming of Labyrinth, a fantasy tale in which she co-stars with David Bowie and hundreds of Muppets.

TEEN IDOLS MANIA: How was it working with David Bowie?

JENNIFER CONNELLY: He was very fun to watch, very creative. As a person, he was warm, friendly. He wanted to be a part of everything. Dave would stay around and talk to the guys in the crew, and talk to me, which he didn't have to do. I thought he was really nice. He made everyone feel important. He's very smart and funny, too. Dave was always telling jokes on the set.

TIM: What was it like, meeting him for the first time?

JC: I felt a bit intimidated, also curious, but then shy, and all .those things that come with meeting someone famous that you respect. But he has this way about him that as soon as I met him, I felt so comfortable, and all the barriers just disappeared. I was just able to be myself and very comfortable with him.

Jennifer found that she really didn't
have too much trouble dealing with all
the strange creatures in the film.

TIM: You two are the only two human beings in the entire cast, right?

JC: Yes, and it was a bit strange, but I think both Dave and I got over that and just took it as a challenge to work with these puppets. And by the end of the film, It wasn't a challenge anymore. They were there, and they, were their characters. Just as an actor's character becomes real, the puppet's character becomes real. Actually, I had a great time working with them. It was something new.

Although she never gets to go to a dance at
school, Jennifer turns up at one in Labyrinth
and finds that it's another obstacle in her quest.

TIM: What was the most difficult scene to film?

JC: The Shaft of Hands! I was on a harness about forty feet up, and I had to be dropped very quickly. It was a bit frightening because there were so many hands. You'd think there'd be a lot to hold on to. But at the top, there were all the fake ones and if you held onto them, they would break off; the real ones were down a bit lower. I couldn't touch the walls, so I couldn't get support that way. I couldn't touch the back because it had all these hinges. They said, "Don't you dare touch the back or you won't have any more fingers." And I said, "Oh, that's nice."
� � � It's a very strange feeling knowing it's all up to the special effects guys. You're up there and you can't hold onto anything. It's kind of scary. But, I like heights, so I got used to it. It was really fun for me. People think I'm crazy, but I love doing these kinds of things. I love heights and I love doing daring things.

As she wanders around the Labyrinth Sarah
(Jennifer Connelly) finds that knock-knock
jokes take on a whole new meaning.

by Daniel Dickholtz

David Bowie HE DOESN'T PLAY IT SAFE

� � � David Bowie has never played it safe. His music runs the gamut from hard rock to synthesized disco. In his film performances he has appeared as a lonely creature from outer space, a British P.O.W. in World War II, and a contemporary vampire. Now, in Labyrinth, his new film, he stars as the romantic, power crazed ruler of a fantasy world populated by bizarre goblins and other incredible creatures.
� � � For years Bowie has been one of pop music's biggest and most influential stars. His first hit single was "Space Oddity" in 1969. Since then he has dominated album sales and the Top-40 charts in a way few other performers have been able to equal. He has never been afraid to strike out in new directions - in the way he sounds and the way he looks and has been extensively copied by other groups and performers.
� � � But Bowie's film appearances have been especially striking. The Man Who Fell to Earth, which starred Bowie as a sensitive alien from another world, is regarded by many as a cult classic. In Labyrinth, he once again strikes out in a new direction. The film was conceived by Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets, and stars Bowie with 15-year-old Jennifer Connelly. There is also a host of fantastic fairytale "creatures" created by Henson.
� � � In Labyrinth, Connelly enters a magical world to rescue her infant brother, who has been spirited away. There she encounters Jareth, the egocentric ruler of that world, who offers her the chance to remain with him forever. Bowie plays Jareth, and has written 5 original songs for the film.
� � � Will Labyrinth be successful? Expectations are running high in Hollywood. As Bowie's fans have come to know, it will certainly be different. He doesn't play it safe.

David Bowie's not afraid of being different!

Teen Idols Mania

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This page was last updated or modified on December 10, 1997 by [email protected].