Netflix Quietly Removing 1986 Cult-Classic Fantasy Film

As it does every month, Netflix is going to be tinkering with its streaming library throughout August. Dozens of movie and television titles will be coming and going.

Among the films reportedly being dropped by the platform is a 1980s cult classic that didn't impress at the box office or with critics upon release but has gained considerable appreciation over the last several decades.

Labyrinth is leaving Netflix

According to What's on Netflix's Kasey Moore, the 1986 musical fantasy starring David Bowie and Jennifer Connolly will leave Netflixon Saturday, Aug. 8.

Directed by Jim Henson and written by Terry Jones, Labyrinth did not fare well at the box office in America, though it did perform better overseas. Critical reviews were mixed at best, much to the chagrin of Henson.

“Jim was deeply disappointed by the response,” puppeteer Dave Goelz told The Guardian. “I had lunch with him in L.A. after the release of Labyrinth. I could see that he was not his usual self.”

“He was shaken because he had always followed his beacon, and it had always been true. He was shocked that he wasn’t in sync with his audience,” Goelz added. “He said: ‘You know what my favorite part of this whole thing was? When we laughed.’”

Time has been kind to Labyrinth though

Due to its success on home video and rebroadcasts, Labyrinth gained a cult following over the years. Subsequent retrospective reviews have also been kinder.

Empire ranks the movie No. 72 on its list of the top 80 movies of the 1980s, while Time Out has it 26th on its ranking of the top 50 fantasy films.

"For people of a certain age who weren't up to the mammoth tome of Tolkien, this was their first real introduction to fantasy," Empire wrote. "A relatable tale of a frustrated older sister (Jennifer Connolly) who must rescue the baby brother she nearly wished away from the well-coiffed clutches of goblin king Jareth (David Bowie), this is director Jim Henson pouring his love of magic and muppetry on to the screen. And of course Bowie, playing a character who sounds like he should be the stuffy manager of a fast food restaurant, delivers the cunningly charming goods."

Labyrinth also has a 64% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.3/10 mark on IMDb. It is currently available on virtually every major streaming platform, though you have less than three weeks to continue enjoying it on Netflix.