Sources: Wikidata · OpenAlex. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Labyrinth arrived in 1986 through TriStar Pictures, a joint venture between Jim Henson and George Lucas that paired Henson's puppetry with a fantasy quest narrative, Bowie's songwriting, and Brian Froud's creature designs. It underperformed on release but grew into a beloved cult favorite over decades, prized for its practical effects and dense goblin-populated world. That legacy of hands-on creature craft is central to why collectors seek out physical pieces of the production.
This cell holds Firey, one of the memorably strange creatures Sarah encounters in the forest, known for detachable limbs and an oddball musical number that stands apart from the film's more menacing figures. Firey represents the film's willingness to mix genuine whimsy into its darker labyrinth, making the character a favorite among fans drawn to Henson's inventive puppet work. A 35mm cell of this kind preserves a single frame from that theatrical print, a tangible artifact from the physical film reel itself.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm colour positive optical-track release print of Labyrinth (1986)
Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three complete frames
Perforations
Four per frame on each edge, evenly spaced, cleanly punched with no torn or deformed holes visible
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along one edge beside the picture area
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Base shows a warm cream-yellow tint; the dye image reads as a colour positive with no obvious fading or red shift
Projection history
Two thin horizontal white lines cross the full width of the strip in the inter-frame area, consistent with surface scratches on a projected print
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be the same shot, consecutive frames of a single scene, consistent with a mid-1980s live-action fantasy feature
Era check
The variable-area optical soundtrack, warm polyester-base tint, and colour positive stock are all consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print from the mid-1980s era of Labyrinth (1986)
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 000063047
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
