Film

Inside the Labyrinth

Name: Inside the Labyrinth
Genre: Documentary
Released: 1986
Cast: Jim Henson, David Bowie, Charles Augins, Brian Henson, Brian Froud

A 1986 documentary capturing the making of Labyrinth, with Jim Henson, David Bowie, and the creative team discussing puppetry, production design, and the film's singular vision. It's a masterclass in practical effects artistry and creative problem-solving, essential viewing for anyone who loves how fantasy films actually get made.

TMDb rating

3.8

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you already love the fussy, handmade side of fantasy, the puppet workshops, sketchbook designs and practical craft that made a 1980s film feel like a living storybook.

Skip it if you want a plot-driven making-of with tidy interviews and brisk pacing; this is loose, chatty and meandering, and it leans on affection more than analysis.

What it asks of you: Fifty-six minutes of soft-paced, conversational footage, so it suits an easygoing evening and a loose sort of attention more than close, demanding focus.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance2019

A spiritual successor that applies everything Henson learned: jaw-dropping puppet work, epic world-building, and narrative ambition. Each episode reveals new facets of the craft demonstrated in Labyrinth's making.

But The original Dark Crystal is famously bleak and slow; this prequel series shares that deliberate pacing and won't appeal if you want instant gratification.

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance poster

Becoming Cousteau2021

Another intimate portrait of an visionary artist at work, revealing how obsession, technical innovation, and sheer will create something nobody's seen before. The same reverential tone toward artistic genius.

But It's a documentary about a real person's life rather than a film production, so the narrative is less focused on one specific creative act.

Jodorowsky's Dune2013

Another doc about a visionary's impossible dream project, featuring Moebius and surrealist artwork. Captures that bittersweet quality of ambition meeting reality.

But The film never actually got made, so there's melancholy rather than triumph; some find that frustrating rather than moving.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Inside the Labyrinth

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Spectacular Now2013

Both are ultimately about watching two charismatic people (one real, one fictional) create magic through presence and chemistry rather than spectacle.

Miles Teller and Saoirse Ronan's intimate chemistry mirrors that peculiar electric dynamic between Bowie and the film itself. Both explore how two powerful presences can create something that transcends their individual components. You're watching the real magic of collaboration.

But It's a teen romance, not a fantasy epic—completely different genre. The documentary about making fantasy won't prepare you for a small-scale realistic drama.

The Toys That Made Us2017

A snappier, more accessible look at the film's creation with excellent production design breakdowns and archival material. Great if you want the highlights without the depth.

But Only 50 minutes and heavily streamlined; feels light compared to Inside the Labyrinth's intimacy.

Puppetmaster1989

If you're fascinated by puppet animation itself, this horror film proves the medium's versatility and shows what happens when puppetry ventures into genuinely unsettling territory.

But It's a low-budget horror film with more cheese than craft; a significant tonal shift from Henson's elegant artistry.

Tales from the Neverending Story2001

Both show how practical puppetry and effects created elaborate fantasy worlds; Inside shows you the thinking, this shows you the result applied to television's constraints.

A live-action fantasy series made when practical effects still dominated. Watching how they solved impossible set pieces and creature effects on a TV budget shows the Henson approach to resourcefulness playing out in real time on screen.

But It's a 2000s TV show, so the production values feel dated in a less charming way than 1986. The pacing is episodic and sometimes sluggish.