That Time David Bowie Worked With George Lucas

Remember that time pop singer David Bowie worked with George Lucas?

While the world mourns the passing of the unforgettable and irrepressible David Bowie, we at Dork Side want to take a moment to remember the time Bowie worked with the maker of Star Wars himself, George Lucas.

No, he didn’t make an obscure cameo in any of George’s six Star Wars films (though that would have been epic), but George did produce a picture in which Bowie was, well, king. It was a little film by Jim Henson called Labyrinth.

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In this 1986 flick, Bowie plays the Goblin King opposite Jennifer Connelly as Sarah Williams, a normal teenager who makes a wish with extraordinary consequences. Directed by Jim Henson, the master of puppetry, the film naturally included many puppets, a few of whom were played by another Star Wars alum, Frank Oz. Lucas lent his expertise to the shooting script alongside Henson, Laura Phillips, and Elaine May.

Bowie was known for his creativity and penchant for the weird and wonderful, and Labyrinth beautifully showcases those aspects of his personality. From the musical numbers to his fantastic hairdo, he lit up the set of Labyrinth with his sheer presence.

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Though the film did not do well at the box office, after its release onto home video it became a classic, much like Bowie himself. Bowie was a singer and songwriter at heart, but his effervescence made him not just the king of the Goblins, but the king of entertainment, as well. It’s fitting, then, he worked with the giants of cinema and special  effects, Lucas and Henson.

Rest in peace, David Bowie.