Bantha Tracks
Friday, June 16th, 2006 at 9:58 pmI think it’s an established fact that I am a total Star Wars fanatic, yes? And that I’ve been an active member of the Star Wars Fan Club since the 1980s, right?
Well, after Return of the Jedi’s 1983 release the SWFC newsletter Bantha Tracks had very little to do with Star Wars, aside from the two TV Ewok adventures. Articles were focused on SW creator George Lucas’s non-film projects as well as upcoming features like Howard the Duck and the Raiders of the Lost Ark sequel Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
The Fall 1985 issue of Bantha Tracks showcased the fantasy-adventure flick Labyrinth, for which Lucas was the executive producer and Muppets creator Jim Henson directed. (That’s a scan at right of my original Fall 1985 issue of Bantha Tracks!) The film starred David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly along with a cast consisting mostly of creatures created by the Jim Henson Company.
When the issue first arrived I was like — What the hell is this? This ain’t Star Wars, but then I read the article and became excited because Labyrinth was going to have some “muppets”-type creatures in it (yippee, muppets!!!) and David Bowie was to play the villain, which meant a lot to me. Believe it or not, at 13, I was a Bowie fan, and by Bowie fan I mean Ziggy Stardust NOT Let’s Dance, thank you. At that time, if David Bowie said run, I would not run; if he said hide, I would NOT hide!!! Even so, Bowie’s classic rock status had major clout with me.
Plus, my man George Lucas was going to produce Labyrinth so it must be good, I mean, it’s on the damn cover of the Bantha Tracks, right? (How naive a child was I?). My naivete aside, I was right, the movie was great, though hearing its 80’s-style Bowie soundtrack nowadays makes me laugh my butt off every time. (The same way the music in The Neverending Story cracks me up now, too.)
Oh, the 80s really were something, weren’t they?
Tags: Bantha Tracks x Star Wars x Labyrinth x David Bowie x Jim Henson Company
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I kind of liked Labyrinth, and thought that David Bowie was bad-ass in it. Of course, I had a major thing for Jennifer Connely at the time, so watching the film was mandatory for me.
You remind me of the babe. What babe? The babe with the power. What power? The power of voodoo. Who do? You do. Do what? You remind me of the babe.
Dance! Dance magic. Jump! Jump magic. Put that magic spell on me. something something, something free!
Oh, I love that movie. (I also loved Let’s Dance, but that’s neither here nor there - I already loved Ziggy, so it’s okay.)
I was going to do the Babe with the Power bit, but your boy beat me. (The next line, incidentally, is either “Smack the babe and make him free” or “Slap the baby, make him free,” depending on whether you’re listening to my scratchy old vinyl soundtrack or the crystal clear mp3 I just got.)
By that time I was a cynical college dude, so the power of Lucas did not compel me. What I was most upset about was that Bowie followed “Let’s Dance” with the egregious “Tonight” album. However, one of my good college friends was a huge Bowie freak, so we just listened to all of his good stuff.
I never saw Labyrinth, but I will, of course, because my kids will like it. I did of course see The Dark Crystal and loved that, but there was nothing 80’s about the Dark Crystal. Also I saw the Tom Cruise one, but I couldn’t even watch that ever in it’s entirety.
And duh, Eve- like I wasn’t watching Dog Bites Man entirely on your recommendation in the first place!
Dave2: Were you crushing on Jennifer Connelly because of her stellar role in Seven Minutes in Heaven?
David (my love): slap that baby, make him free…
Golf: First off, I’m coming to your house to listen to your scratchy vinyl copy of the Labyrinth soundtrack (and while I’m there, we’ll throw on any other scratchy vinyl you got). Second, umm…did George Lucas do some of his special edition magic to the soundtrack? Because, in the movie the song goes “Slap that baby.” Weird that it would be different on the mp3.
Smed: I think “Blue Jean” was a million times better than “Let’s Dance” (the song). And by this point in time, I was aware that the old Bowie was gone, and that he had gone the way of Big ’80s.
Lap: I loved Dark Crystal as well as Legend (the Tom Cruise one). And I’m flattered you checked out Dog Bites Man because of me! I didn’t even suspect that.
I LOVE Labyrinth and I don’t care if Bowie had big ‘ole 80s hair in it. He was still hot. “It’s only forever, not long at all…” I have the vinyl too, but upgraded to the cd several years ago when I happened upon it in Sounds on St. Marks. I was so excited I almost peed myself like Fergie.
Okay. ANY Jim Henson addition to any film besides the TV shows scare the frickin’ PANTS off of me. I *hated* Dark Crystal, I *hated* NeverEndingStory, and I’m sure I’ll hate Labyrinth,because David Bowie looks like Edward Scissorhands, and I hated him too. (80’s movies scared me. A lot. I suppose it also didn’t help that I was under the age of 5 until 1990.)
EEeeeey what’a goes on!!? ooh mahty gootoo fratygootoo wag wag ey?.. oy..yo, oy,yo, oy,yo, oy..your mather is a fragin ardvark.
yes I know this makes no sense, but that’s what I think that little fella flipping the cement slab that Sara’s marking with her lipstick says LOL!!
I love that Movie..so do my kids :0)
I keep forgetting there are people of my vintage out there that like the same things I loved back in the days!! heh heh
Hey any of you from Brooklyn..Does anybody know if L n B’s on 86th street “Spumoni Gardens” is that place still around?