← Back to Reviews
in
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Though technically not in the director's chair, ghoul master Tim Burton was definitely the creative force and passion behind the 1993 animated musical masterpiece The Nightmare Before Christmas, a creepy and funny animated fantasy that looks at one holiday through the eyes of another.
Jack Skellington is the leading citizen of Halloween Town, who is in charge of producing Halloween every year. Getting bored with Halloween, Jack is looking for something different to do and while wandering through the forest, he discovers a place called Christmas Town and is so enchanted by it, that he decides to bring it back to Halloween Town and make it his own. His plan includes asking a trio of trick or treaters named Lock, Stock, and Barrel to kidnap Santa Claus and asking the local mad scientist to create reindeer for his sleigh. Though the citizens of Halloween Town have difficulty grasping and executing the meaning of Christmas, Jack plans to make Christmas his own, despite warnings from girlfriend Sally that what he's doing is a terrible mistake.
Burton scores a direct bullseye here, creating his own twisted version of a holiday so steeped in their own traditions that they innocently destroy Christmas without intention or any true malice, bringing an unexpected fright to Christmas that no one can explain, including Jack, whose intentions are actually absent of any malice, except for a desire to make Christmas his holiday because he yearns for something different after being the master of fright for so long.
Director Henry Selick (James and the Giant Peach) has mounted this tale of comic horror on a perfect animated canvas, with the aid of a crack animation team that applies meticulous detail to every single thing that appears on the screen here. The tiniest details are given exquisite attention, from the looks of the characters to the outrageous set pieces that serve the story perfectly.
Danny Elfman's brilliant musical score seems influenced by Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Kurt Weill, and Rodgers and Hammerstein. Highlights include "This is Halloween", "Kidnap the Sandy Claus", "Oogy Boogie Song", "Making Christmas", and the incredible "What's This?" Elfman also provides a perfect singing voice for Jack Skellington that makes these songs come vividly to life.
There is also strong voice work by Chris Sarandon as Jack's speaking voice, Catherine O'Hara as Sally, William Hickey as Dr. Finklestein, Glenn Shadix as the Mayor, and Ken Page as Oogie Boogie. What can I say? Everything works here, simply a triumph. If you loved Beetlejuice...
Though technically not in the director's chair, ghoul master Tim Burton was definitely the creative force and passion behind the 1993 animated musical masterpiece The Nightmare Before Christmas, a creepy and funny animated fantasy that looks at one holiday through the eyes of another.
Jack Skellington is the leading citizen of Halloween Town, who is in charge of producing Halloween every year. Getting bored with Halloween, Jack is looking for something different to do and while wandering through the forest, he discovers a place called Christmas Town and is so enchanted by it, that he decides to bring it back to Halloween Town and make it his own. His plan includes asking a trio of trick or treaters named Lock, Stock, and Barrel to kidnap Santa Claus and asking the local mad scientist to create reindeer for his sleigh. Though the citizens of Halloween Town have difficulty grasping and executing the meaning of Christmas, Jack plans to make Christmas his own, despite warnings from girlfriend Sally that what he's doing is a terrible mistake.
Burton scores a direct bullseye here, creating his own twisted version of a holiday so steeped in their own traditions that they innocently destroy Christmas without intention or any true malice, bringing an unexpected fright to Christmas that no one can explain, including Jack, whose intentions are actually absent of any malice, except for a desire to make Christmas his holiday because he yearns for something different after being the master of fright for so long.
Director Henry Selick (James and the Giant Peach) has mounted this tale of comic horror on a perfect animated canvas, with the aid of a crack animation team that applies meticulous detail to every single thing that appears on the screen here. The tiniest details are given exquisite attention, from the looks of the characters to the outrageous set pieces that serve the story perfectly.
Danny Elfman's brilliant musical score seems influenced by Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Kurt Weill, and Rodgers and Hammerstein. Highlights include "This is Halloween", "Kidnap the Sandy Claus", "Oogy Boogie Song", "Making Christmas", and the incredible "What's This?" Elfman also provides a perfect singing voice for Jack Skellington that makes these songs come vividly to life.
There is also strong voice work by Chris Sarandon as Jack's speaking voice, Catherine O'Hara as Sally, William Hickey as Dr. Finklestein, Glenn Shadix as the Mayor, and Ken Page as Oogie Boogie. What can I say? Everything works here, simply a triumph. If you loved Beetlejuice...