Sources: Wikidata · OpenAlex. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Labyrinth arrived in 1986 as a Jim Henson production released through TriStar Pictures, blending Henson's creature workshop artistry with George Lucas's involvement as executive producer. Starring David Bowie as Jareth the Goblin King alongside a young Jennifer Connelly, the film underperformed at the box office on release but grew into a cherished cult classic through home video, prized for its puppetry, practical effects, and Bowie's soundtrack contributions. It remains a touchstone of 1980s fantasy filmmaking and a beloved entry in Henson's legacy.
This cell bears the name Sarah Williams, Connelly's protagonist and the emotional center of the story, a teenager thrust into a fantastical quest to reclaim her baby brother from the Goblin King. Collectors seek frames tied to Sarah because she anchors the narrative's journey from ordinary bedroom to labyrinthine dreamscape, representing the film's coming of age core. A cell carrying her name preserves a fragment of that arc, a physical remnant of animation or live action compositing from the reel used in theatrical presentation.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Labyrinth (1986).
Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on each edge, evenly spaced, cleanly punched with no torn or deformed holes visible.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical soundtrack track is visible running along one edge beside the picture area, appearing as a dual-bilateral (two-track) variable-area stripe.
Edge print
Edge print reads mirrored as 'IMAN 1 1+1', consistent with a Fuji stock key-number sequence when read correctly.
Base & colour
Base shows a warm cream-yellow tint typical of acetate safety stock; the dye image appears neutral with no visible red shift or fading.
Projection history
Light longitudinal scratches are visible running the length of the strip, consistent with a projected print that has passed through a gate.
Picture
Positive colour image; the three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single shot and are consistent with a fantasy-genre theatrical release print matching Labyrinth (1986).
Era check
The dual-bilateral variable-area optical track, warm acetate base, and Fuji stock edge coding are all consistent with a mid-1980s theatrical release print of the period when Labyrinth (1986) was distributed.
Read from the original intake capture shown below. Observations only — film is authenticated, not graded.
This original motion picture film element has been examined and authenticated by Crown Grading in partnership with National Film Vault, and encapsulated for archival preservation.
Why so little survivesRelease prints were leased to theaters, not sold. When the run ended they went back to the distributor to be destroyed, and most were. What collectors hold today came from the prints that escaped that order, and no new 35mm prints of these films are being struck.
CROWN SERIAL 000063035
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
