Labyrinth: One classic film, fifty-five sonnets

by Anne Corrigan

 One classic film, fifty-five sonnets retells the cult classic film in the form of Shakespearean sonnets. It was inspired by A Corrigan’s love of the film and the fact that she wished the novelisation had been more poetic, and physically resembled the book in the film more closely. She started writing the book late last year, intending it to be a celebration of the film’s thirtieth anniversary, but it has now also become a tribute to its star, David Bowie. Many of the poems were composed at Bowie shrines; titles of various Bowie songs also found their way into the text.  One classic film, fifty-five sonnets is written in the form of Shakespearean sonnets, to reflect the fact that several of the lines Sarah quotes from her book in the film resemble iambic pentameter, but the language is intended to be more accessible. The book is aimed at Labyrinth aficionados, as well as fans of David Bowie and people who like sonnets and/or traditional rhyming poetry. A Corrigan takes inspiration from the works of Tolkien, Tanith Lee, and Neil Gaiman, and was specifically influenced by Christina Rossetti’s ‘Goblin Market’ and Lewis Carroll’s ‘The Hunting of the Snark’.

Genres: Poetry, Fantasy

65 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 3, 2016

Reviews

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Labyrinth: One classic film, fifty-five sonnets' by Anne Corrigan was something I almost passed on. The idea has cheesiness all over it, but it is actually quite good and seemingly a true labor of love.

The film and dedication are told in 55 sonnets. I'm no expert on sonnets, so I don't know if these held true to a form of juxtaposing, but the basic form, rhyme and meter felt right.

I wish more of the story of how this came to be were in a preface to this book. The author is a huge fan of the film and felt like the adaptation novel lacked the more poetic feel of the movie. It was written for the film's thirtieth anniversary, but also became a tribute to David Bowie. There are references to Bowie songs woven in and the book is dedicated to him.

If you have a Labyrinth fan in your life, this was a loving tribute and I thought it was executed very well. Bravo!

I received a review copy of this ebook from Troubador Publishing, Matador, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

[Natalya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I mean...it’s Labyrinth and Shakespeare inspired. It was always gonna be a 5 stars.

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this about an hour ago as part of an Instagram raok. I absolutely adore the film Labyrinth & this did not dissapoint whatsoever. Beautifully written & covering every aspect of the film, this is a book that I will treasure. It was also dedicated to David Bowie who of course was the most awesome Goblin King ever! 👑

[mad mags · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Nostalgia is Strong with This One

(Full disclosure: I received a free ebook for review through Netgalley.)

Perhaps, in childhood, you a movie saw;
the title of said film, ‘twas Labyrinth.
It told of maiden and companions four,
and featured a beguiling goblin king.
Now thirty years have passed since its release –
in stature has its reputation grown;
so much, that this enchanting fantasy
is to another generation known.
This tale (the most-beloved of my life)
I ventured to encapsulate in verse,
a true love’s labour; sonnets fifty-five,
which now you, gentle reader, may rehearse,
commemorating film in poetry –
humbly, ‘tis dedicated to Bowie.

-- 4.5 stars --

So apparently the '80s are making a comeback? As a child of the '80s, this mostly boggles my mind; between the aesthetics (leg warmers, snap bracelets, hair bands) and the politics (Reagan; Wall Street), there isn't a whole lot to wax nostalgic about. But while Aquanet and Hammer pants were indeed awful, there is one beacon shining through the gaudy geometric patterns: 80s movies.



Ferris Bueller's Day Off. The Breakfast Club. The Goonies. E.T. Back to the Future. Pretty in Pink. Adventures in Babysitting. Gremlins. Heathers. The Last Unicorn. The Princess Bride. And, of course, Labyrinth.

I watched that movie on a loop. David Bowie. Jareth, the Goblin King. I couldn't decide if I wanted to dance with him,* or be him. Probably a little bit of both? I dressed up as Jareth one Halloween, though thankfully there is no photographic record of this. My makeup game has never exactly been what you'd call on point. Anyway.



I nearly fell out of my seat when I saw that someone had written a sonnet - a whole book of them! - inspired by Labyrinth. I figured it could either be really freaking great, or a total disaster. I was leaning toward the latter, actually, since poetry isn't normally my thing. I want to like it but, more often than not, I come away with the distinct impression that it mostly just went over my head. Happily, this is not that type of poetry.

Anne Corrigan had me at the prologue. I think the exact moment she captured my heart was with the last line, wherein she dedicates the book to the late David Bowie (hallowed be thy name). And it only gets better from there.



Corrigan's is a faithful retelling of Labyrinth in a Shakespeare-lite sonnet form. I say "lite" because it's much more accessible than Shakespeare - and dare I say more fun, too? Though it's been years since I watched the film (note to self: must rectify this immediately), her sonnets instantly transported me back there: to the Bog of Eternal Stench; the tunnels underneath the labyrinth; and the castle at its heart. I remembered how much I loved Ludo and his bossy little dog-friend, Sir Didymus, keeper of the bridge. Toby, I'm still undecided on. (Crying babies aren't any more my bag than they were thirty years ago.)



Is this Good Poetry? I have no idea. But it's fun, heartfelt, and guaranteed to tickle the fangirl in you. It's the bee's knees, the owl's howl, Hoggle's goggle.

Bundle it with: the 30th Anniversary edition of Labyrinth; a Jareth, Hoggle, Sarah with Worm & Ludo Funko! Pop set; and the David Bowie Retrospective and Coloring Book to make a pretty rad gift pack for yourself or a Bowieligious friend.

* I was eight, okay. Give me a break!

http://www.easyvegan.info/2016/11/23/...

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant concept and cleverly written
But to love this, the film should have you smitten
Although the sonnets are quite good,
Be aware of the misquotes, you should
Disappointed that 'Allo' has no mention
But thoroughly enjoyed Corrigan's intention.
"Of aardvark parentage" my favourite line
I do adore this beautiful book of mine.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this novel. The characters are very creative and interesting to read about, which keeps the reader captivated. I have loved the movie for years and this novel does not disappoint! A definite must-read!

[Kelly-Marie Pollock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful!
A must read for fans of Labyrinth and of course David Bowie.
Stunning prose and if you close your eyes you almost feel like you're there, running beside Sarah, arguing with Hoggle or dancing with Jareth.
Each verse is perfectly written, transporting you to the exact scene in the moviebwith perfect clarity.
A very worthy 5 star read.

[Alexia Polasky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ideal for fan of the movie and sonnets that read (and sound) like a fairy tale. Just beautiful.

Thanks to Netgalley and Troubador Publishing Ltd (Matador) for provinding me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Dawnie Temple · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything exactly like the film. It's like watching the film without actually watching it.
Loved every minute of the book. Brilliant.

[M.L.D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very charming!

[Isa Byrum · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️3.5 - the poetry style felt amateur and clunky. Could have used a little more attention on sentence structures and formatting to help with the lack of flow.

[Sjoukje Kemper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun quick read, it's really cool how she managed to fit some pretty long scenes in a short sonnet.

[Emma Russon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affects my opinion of the book. Quotes below may differ in the final published version of the book.

I love me a bit of Labyrinth, so when I saw this book was available for immediate download, obviously I had to give it a go.

The book follows the story of the Jim Henson film, with each ‘chapter’ in the form of a sonnet (14 lines with an ABAB rhyme scheme, including a rhyming couplet at the end). If you’ve read a lot of traditional poetry, this may be a bit unsophisticated for you, but if it’s your first foray into poetry you might find it a fun read.

Corrigan relies on iambic pentameter a little too much, assuming the correct number of syllables will automatically make the poems work. Yes, iambic pentameter is a big part of sonnet-writing and can’t be sacrificed, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the lines will flow. The rhythm is off in many places:

"Sunrise; its pale light illuminating
the maze, and other features of the land –
also an uncouth dwarf, urinating,
relieving himself, in a handy pond."

Even reading in my head, I stumbled over these lines because they didn’t flow properly.

The rhyming is also inconsistent, which was frustrating. If you’re going to use rhyme, it needs to flow really well and be extremely polished. There were several ‘half-rhymes’ that did not work at all:

"(…)despite being in a place of chains and bones.
She sought his help to solve the maze again.
He said that he was there to lead her home,
that it would get much worse from here on in.
But Sarah saw his fondness for trinkets,
and bought his help, with her plastic bracelet."

If you are into poetry but are interested in something less traditional, or if you’re a massive fan of the film, I would definitely recommend this as I had lots of fun reading it. The poet does a fantastic job of condensing the film into not very many sonnets, and shoehorns in a few quotes from the film that made me smile:

"Outside, a white owl watched; away he flew.
Yet as under the moon he made his way
methinks he was reminded of the babe…"

Unfortunately, it doesn’t have much substance as a book, and fan works do often fall short because they can never be the original beloved thing. However, this isn’t claiming to be as good as, or better than, the film: it’s fanfiction and clearly a lot of love has gone into it. I loved Corrigan’s portrayal of Jareth and found several lines very funny. I think if you go in not expecting much, you might enjoy this more than you thought.

If you haven’t seen the film, definitely watch that first. It’s about a spoiled teenager who, frustrated with the attention lavished on baby brother, accidentally banishes him to an enormous labyrinth, presided over by Jareth the Goblin King (fabulously played by David Bowie). He gives her 13 hours to solve the Labyrinth, after which her brother will be turned into a goblin. She embarks on the quest and meets weird and wonderful creatures along the way.

My Rating: 3/5

[Lisa Eiff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

When I first selected this book, I saw the title and had to check it out. I grew up loving this movie, and had to see what this entry was about. It's well written, though I'm not sure I'd be ready to put the dedication into translating it from film to sonnet form, written in iambic pentameter. It makes for a fun read and sounds wonderful when read aloud. I strongly recommend reading this book aloud to your children, whether they've seen the movie already or not. It is a truly magical experience. :)

[Paul Franco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shelley wrote one famous sonnet—Ozymondius—about one subject, a narrow focus that allowed him to perfect it. Shakespeare—or whoever really wrote him—was a freak. With fifty-five examples here, it’s such a giant task it would seem impossible. Obviously they won’t all have the same quality. Some rhymes are too forced, or not rhyming at all. Others use unnecessary words in order to make the rhyme. Often the ending couplet is the best part, but it definitely helps to read them out loud.
The best are the ones with such imagery that they instantly remind you of the scene in the movie, even with something as simple as “along which Sarah lightly skipped across.” One of my faves was, “The cleaners clattered past, and so revealed goblins, pedalling frantically on wheels.”
This is one of the best:
“Hoggle told the girl that there he’d leave her –
Their deal was done, or so he clearly felt.
Angry, Sarah called him a deceiver,
And snatched his pouch of jewels from his belt.”
But then there’s others like:
“They dropped her in a cell, an oubliette
(That’s from the French – oublier, to forget).”
A little too cutesy, but it works.
For fans of the movie it’s definitely worth it, and the mind boggles—Hoggles?—at such effort, but it’s not what I’d call great.
3.5 pushed up to 4/5

[Louise White · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was initially intrigued by the concept of this book. Based on the well loved film Labyrinth, this is the whole film broken down into Shakespearean style sonnets.

Unfortunately it just didn't work for me. Its a great run through of the film and highlights key factors but I couldn't follow it, reading it a loud helped at times. I was unable to find the flow of the sonnet's and you and myself skipping through some to get to my favorite sections of the film. I was able to get through the whole thing in under twenty minutes.

Whilst the concept is a novel one, unfortunately it didn't work for me.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a die hard fan of the Labyrinth film like myself this book of sonnets based on the movie was a no brainier and I downloaded it from Netgalley with alacrity and enthusiasm! The sonnets follow the cinematic tale exactly and I smiled the whole way through, seeing the scenes in my head as I read the rhymes. The poetry is well written and beautifully descriptive, picturing Bowie's face as described brought tears to my eyes. Nostalgic, quick to read but possibly only for existing fans, but what a great Christmas present it would be for them!

[OwlWing · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought the physical hardcover version of this book, and it is so gorgeous. It looks almost like a replica of Sarah's book in the film (it's the same red colour, not maroon as it appears on the internet. Same gold lettering, and there's even a gold owl on the back cover!). Labyrinth cosplayers and collectors will love it. Corrigan's poetry isn't outstanding or anything, but more than a few lines made me smile. Her sonnets are very true to the film and this book is a loving tribute. I'd take this over the official novelisation any day. 4 Stars.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a lovely idea, but perhaps I'm not super-fan enough of the movie to feel that every scene deserved a sonnet, and as such some of them felt a bit forced and clunky.

Full review on my blog.