For many adults, the name Jim Henson is synonymous with a talking frog, a giant bird and a childhood filled with the wonderful puppet creations that were the Muppets and Sesame Street.

But during his illustrious career, Henson did some movies for children that aren't as widely known. One in particular is with Ziggy Stardust himself, David Bowie, in the film the Labyrinth.

Released in 1986, this movie definitely has become a source of nostalgia and '80s trivia but still has quite a cult following today.

The film also features a very young Jennifer Connelly, in her pre-Oscar days. She plays Sarah, a teenager whose favorite fairytale comes to life with unexpected consequences.

After being left home again to baby-sit her stepbrother Toby, Sarah imagines herself a princess and wishes that her annoying sibling would be taken away from her by the Goblin King so she can live with the King while her brother is turned into a goblin.

Sure enough, her wish comes true, and the Goblin King, Jareth, played by a very androgynous Bowie, shows up and tells her she has 13 hours to complete a giant maze, called the Labyrinth, to find her brother and stop the transformation.

Granted, the plot sounds a little silly at first, but the fantasy element works. With the help of Henson, Sarah meets a wide variety of wild characters, including orange bird-like characters called Fireys, which dance around and exchange heads with each other, a gentle giant named Ludo and a troll sidekick named Hoggle.

Oh, and let's not forget Mr. Bowie, who is a stunning vision in black spandex, teased hair and theatrical eye makeup that no one else could pull off.

But Bowie's not just there to sit and look pretty. He also sings a number of songs in the film, making for a great soundtrack of tunes that have the power to stick in your subconscious forever or, at least in my case, for almost 20 years.

As the story moves along, Sarah realizes why it's called the Labyrinth as she continuously gets tricked by the goblins and gets lost, allowing just enough time for a musical sequence.

Despite being at the tender age of just 16, Connelly's performance is very strong, and she proves that she's not just some teen throwaway actress. It's not surprising that she's come so far in her career.

As you're watching the film, you really have to appreciate the skill and imagination that Henson employs when he creates this entire world of princesses and goblins. Before Lord of the Rings, it's hard to imagine films now that so believably have puppets and actors interacting so seamlessly without relying on computer generated graphics.

Minus the fantasy element and silly songs, this film teaches real lessons about friendship and the danger of relying on first impressions. What appear to be monsters and freakish characters end up being Sarah's friends and helping her save her brother.

With the popularity of Harry Potter films, it's refreshing to see that fantasy films with a heart like Labyrinth can still be enjoyed by audiences of all ages.

It makes me sad to see the state of children's entertainment today, with schizophrenic anime and crappy recycled stories from Disney. There's a reason why people love to remember their favorite kids' movies from the '80s; they were actually good.

Whether it's a trip down memory lane or a first time viewing, this film is sure to entertain and allow you to escape into the world of Henson you won't want to leave.