While browsing this week’s new DVD releases, I was quite surprised to see a 20th Anniversary release of The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Terry Guilliam’s take on the classic chronicle of tall tales. It doesn’t surprise me that the film is getting a much deserved rerelease (and Blue Ray Edition!), but that “20th Anniversary” bit made me do a double take. Yet another reminder that I’m getting old.
I distinctly remember when the movie came out as that weekend I was hanging out with my Uncle Wes and he offered to take us to the movies and I got to pick the film. The only two movies that were appropriate for 10 year old me on that April weekend were Munchausen and the Jim Belushi/dog love story K-9. As half my family is involved with breeding/training/supplying dogs, it seemed best to honor that tradition through moviegoing, so I ended up going to the later. And that was the film that changed my life and turned me towards a life of law enforcement and… Oh, wait, it’s the 80’s fantasy stuff that forever shaped my sensibilities. Maybe I should have gone with law inforcement…? I bet it pays better.
Anyway, I didn’t get a chance to see Munchausen in the theater, as it completely tanked and disappeared after 1 week, but I did not forget it. When the film finally came out on VHS (how quaint!) I absolutely loved it. In fact, this was the first time I remember actually wishing I’d seen a movie in the theater first. After one viewing, Munchausen became part of my video store standby movies — one of the short list of films that I’d rent a third, fourth or twentieth time, when the new releases didn’t excite me. It earned its place right next to Labyrinth, Excalibur (mom didn’t know about the sex), Great Muppet Caper, Star Wars, and a handful of others that I never tired of watching.
Munchausen is far from a perfect film — it drags at times, and a lot of jokes fall flat — but it has some absolutely inspired moments (like the execution scene), and some gorgeous fantasy images that will haunt me all my life. Things like the Baron’s ship sailing over the sands of the moon or the terrifying angel of death (it ranks somewhere between the depictions of death in Watership Down and Seventh Seal for causing childhood trauama). It’s been a few years since I’ve watched Munchausen, so maybe when I finally break down and get a PS3 with BlueRay, I’ll get this disc to break it in.
In the meantime, if you’ve never seen it, or need a refresher, here’s the trailer:
While scanning the latest LEGO models on my favorite building sites, I came upon a video which should be required viewing for anyone working for a company with ties to fandom. This talk from Jake McKee, a former LEGO employee who helped the company dig itself out of a financial and creative hole by truly embracing fandom, has relevance well beyond the niche of plastic building blocks. It’s long, and nerdy to the extreme, but if you if you read stuff like WIRED or work with in an industry with a vocal and affluent minority of fans, it’s definitely worth the time investment.
Just got home from work to find this in my inbox. I honestly don’t know what to say…
Los Angeles, CA – April 1, 2008
Lucasfilm Ltd. and the Jim Henson Company announced today that they will be reteaming for a return to the Labyrinth. The seminal film, a collaboration between visionaries Jim Henson, George Lucas and David Bowie, will be receiving a “Special Edition” updating in 2009.
“When Jim first told me about the Labyrinth, he described a world filled with strange creatures and fabulous settings. At the time, the best we could do to bring the Labyrinth to life was use puppets and prosthetics,” Producer George Lucas explained. “Now, thanks to breakthroughs in computer technology, we can remove the crude puppet goblins and replace them with lifelike digital creations. Finally we can bring audiences Jim’s vision as he always meant for it to be experienced.”
In addition to new and improved creature effects, viewers of Labyrinth: Special Edition can also look forward to an “enhanced” star. “When we first cast Jenny for the role,” Lucas said, in reference to star Jennifer Connelly, “no one had any idea how hot she would grow up to be.” Connelly, just 14 at the time of filming, has gone one to inspire countless “fan fics” with explicit content that many would find unethical. Using footage from 1991’s The Rocketeer, the digital artists at ILM will ensure that the new Sarah is squarely within the age of consent. “We’ve used CGI to digitally age characters before, but never anything as subtle as turning a 14 year old into an 18-year-old,” Lucas added. “This is groundbreaking stuff.”
Lucas is quick to reassure fans who are worried about a “softening” of the film’s more taboo appeal. “Let’s just say that there’s a ‘Darth Vader’ revelation about Jareth and Sarah that will change the way you view these characters,” Lucas said. “And I’m not talking about Midichlorians.”
Not even Jareth, the “Goblin King” played by pop superstar David Bowie, will remain untouched. Michael Moschen’s contact juggling techniques, which Lucas describes as “cheesy at best,” will be replaced with digital conjuring effects. Said Lucas, “It’s what Jim would have wanted.”
There’s been no update for two weeks, and for that I am sorry. Life has gotten busy with a new day job and freelance projects still incomplete. I haven’t even begun building my new LEGO sets! Once I get caught up, meaty new updates will follow. I’m looking forward to teasing you all with bits from Chapter 3 — the longest chapter in RTL vol. 3, and then after that looms the previously mentioned “Jareth Chapter.” In the meantime, enjoy this thumbnail sketch of a trio of new Goblins - Pangol, Biclops and Pood (from right to left).
Also, Jason Thompson continues his wonderful travel log of our trip to Egypt, this time covering Luxor and the Valley of the Kings. (pictures of me riding my donkey, “Tiny Dancer,” included.).
Last May my friend Jason and I went on an amazing 3 week trip to Egypt. 9 months later, Jason has begun birthing a wonderfully detailed account of our journey. One of these days I need to transcribe my own observations, but for now, Jason does a better job than I ever could. Click here for the first part of his ongoing and entertaining travel log.
By the time I’d finished the script for the first volume of Return to Labyrinth, some of the characters had fleshed out backstories and multi-volume arcs, while other characters were, admittedly, sketchy. Moppet, for example, is developed to the point where I could tell a series about her even without Toby and crew. Mizumi had her motivations that, while not really apparent in volume 1, played out in volume 2 as planned. Skub, however, left the gate more or less without a purpose. My take on this “original” character was, in a nutshell, “like Gollum, only cuter, and try not to make him TOO Dobby-ish.” He was born without a heart. Thanks to the freedom of serialized storytelling, this once bland (if always cute) side-character found his voice in volume 2, and in Volume 3, he gets his soul.
I know it sounds like sloppy storytelling to introduce a half-baked character into a pivotal position, but in this instance, I think it was the best way to do it. No, really! Return to Labyrinth is released as a finite series of “graphic novels,” which implies a certain rigidness of structure, but I’ve tried to write the series as a serial. A novel in 4 acts, this is NOT. Even though there is a full year between volumes thus far, I try to write each chapter as if it is a monthly installment or “episode,” the way manga is published in Japan. Or to use another medium, Return to Labyrinth is more like a TV series than a movie.
What I love about serials (be they manga, TV or old pulp novels) is that they feel alive. Any character, no matter how small, can go on to star in his or her own adventure. Villains can be defeated, then return as unlikely allies. Every object and location has a history that may or may not get told. There’s always another cliffhanger, another downfall and another redemption. It’s why people are still telling stories about Star Wars and why Naruto can go on for over 40 volumes without losing steam.
Going back to Skub, In volume 1 he existed merely to advance Toby’s narrative. He was the Goblin that Toby followed to get to the Labyrinth in the first place. Aspects of his personality – cowardice and servility in particular—were there, but he was pretty 2-dimensional. It wasn’t until I’d spent time with Skub on the printed page that he finally clicked, and it happened in a way I never could have predicted. In volume 2, Skub becomes the head chef at the Goblin Castle. Is that a crucial development in telling the story of Toby, Jareth and Moppet – the “A” story? Not at all, but it makes the world a richer place. It even inspired this Return to Labyrinth “minigame.” Consider it emergent character design.
In the second chapter of volume 3, entitled “Skub’s Tale,” we finally learn what made this diminutive pig-nosed goblin who he is. Back in volume 1, the de-winged Fairy, Hana, has her backstory introduced in the format of a “fractured fairy tale” – a riff on the classic Elves and the Shoemaker. Skub’s Tale is also inspired by a fairy tale, although a more obscure one. It sets up a long-term story arc that will carry into the next volume… and beyond? I hope, that once Return to Labyrinth is over, Skub will be every bit as rich a character as Hoggle or Didymus and a member of the Labyrinth family that fans will want to revisit again someday.
One last note about serials. On Monday I start my new day job as a Game Designer at Telltale Games. They are the developers of Sam & Max and other PC adventure games that are pioneering the Serialized model for narrative games. It’s an exciting opportunity and I look forward to learning from some of the best storytellers in the gaming industry. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll be able to bring Labyrinth to the video game medium. (I know I’d play that game!)
My friend Jason Thompson, author of Manga: The Complete Guide, recently invited me over for a unique (to say the least) evening of manga smelling, tasting and snobbish silliness. The event is captured in his article for OtakuUSA. Check it out for a rare glimpse at at the madness that goes into reviewing manga (and an even rarer glimpse of bescarfed and Beard-Type me). A sample set of reviews of Rin! (a yaoi title):
JASON: This sweet nectar-like 2002 exhibits a pleasantly yeasty and honey- and raisin-scented nose. A pretty, elegant, feminine effort, it possesses excellent focus as well as depth of fruit. In short, extremely fruity. JAKE: As someone who’s new to this variety, I find it surprisingly tame and a very mild flavor. I was expecting a bold taste explosion in my mouth, but it goes down surprisingly easy. RYAN: A lean body, but not yet a mature and balanced finish.
With a new job starting in two weeks, I’m going to spend my last days of self-employment in sunny Costa Rica. While I’m gone, I’m sorry to say there won’t be any updates to gobblin.net. I will definitely get back to the writing once I return on March 12th — hope to see you again then!
Coraline Trailer Debuts!Wow, this looks amazing. Very Mirrormask-esque — appropriate as both are Neil Gaiman.
Terry Brooks goes “manga.” Labyrinth isn’t the only 80’s fantasy world to get the manga treatment. I read the first Shannara trilogy back in the 5th grade. One time we had this book fair at school where you dress as characters from your favorite book - I wanted to dress as “Alannon.” I don’t think my teacher understood that he was a wizard and not a 12 step program…
Apparently there’s a band named Ludo and they have a new album out today that features a certain hairy namesake on the cover. After sampling on itunes, however, I don’t think I’ll be purchasing their CD (I do kinda want the T-shirt though…).
Someone was asking about an animated Return to Labyrinth, which made me nostalgic for classic animated fantasy. You remember the usual suspects — Flight of Dragons, The Last Unicorn, Wizards… and then there was this nearly-forgotten gem. This is a clip from Faeries, a half hour animated adaptation of Brian Froud’s seminal fantasy art book. Looking at it for the first time in 20+ years, it’s funny how the adaptation of Froud’s work yielded creature designs not unlike the Goblins of Return to Labyrinth. Pretty cool! Kind of reminds me of the darker episodes of the Smurfs (that’s not a bad thing). I hope someone releases this on DVD.
and other PC adventure games that are pioneering the Serialized model for narrative games. It’s an exciting opportunity and I look forward to learning from some of the best storytellers in the gaming industry. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll be able to bring Labyrinth to the video game medium. (I know I’d play that game!)
, recently invited me over for a unique (to say the least) evening of manga smelling, tasting and snobbish silliness. The event is captured in his article for OtakuUSA. Check it out for a rare glimpse at at the madness that goes into reviewing manga (and an even rarer glimpse of bescarfed and Beard-Type me). A sample set of reviews of Rin! (a yaoi title):
Terry Brooks goes “manga.”
,