"The Nightmare Before Christmas" - 12/22/02 - 12/28/02

[Morticia]

This is a thread to discuss the technical and/or thematic merits of "The Nightmare Before Christmas".

The purpose being to foster intelligent discussion of films without resorting to "It's a piece of crap." or "It's the greatest film ever." (And so that we all can gain a bit of a film education from everyone.)

We'll discuss a new film each week. Either slade or I will post the film in this forum in advance, and lock the topic until the first day of discussion.

Thanks everyone. We are open to any ideas about running this forum.

****SPOILER WARNING**** of course this entire thread is going to be full of spoilers.

[kimfair]

This film and Brazil were the movies that made me start buying laserdiscs. I was lucky enough to have seen this in the cinema when it first was released, and it blew me away. The technical achievement of making an entire full length feature using stop motion, especially one with sweeping camera moves, and multiple character scenes is truly staggering.

I have always liked Burton, but this is still my favorite of his films, even though he didn't actually direct it. When you break it down, it's a fairly simple stock Christmas/holiday story - but it's really the characters, and the quality of the animation that did it for me. Like Burton, I'm a child of the sixties (late 50's-early 60's for him I guess), and loved the stop motion Christmas specials on TV. If you've ever seen Mad Monster Party, you can really see where Burton got his main inspiration from.

There are so many special moments for me in this film. I love the scene where Sally crawls around a gravestone as Jack approaches, the animation is so good, she looks real for a moment. Dr. Finkelstein opening his skullcap to massage his brain. The vampires playing hockey. The characters, especially the vampires, mummy boy, werewolf, skeleton tree, and other lesser characters were so unusual and unique that they will be remembered and watched forever. If you could see my computer desk, above it is an entire shelf of vintage and new Nightmare collectibles. It is a film I revisit each year at Christmas-time, and will every year for the rest of my days. Hell I even like the songs! I'm glad that the film finally found it's audience on video and DVD, as it really stiffed in the theatres. I remember going to buy the toys, and having to go to many stores to find a full set, not because they were popular, but because the stores barely stocked any. The only reason ANY merchandise was made for the film at all was that Disney made manufacturers make SOMETHING for Nightmare if they wanted a Lion King license. Most companies put out a bare minimum of stuff, so they could jump on the singing lion bandwagon, which everyone knew was going to be big. Anyone trying to buy this vintage Nightmare stuff on eBay knows just how hard (and expensive) much of it is. I know I'm gushing, but I do truly love this film, and though I don't love what it's done to my wallet over the years, I'll still collect what I can from it. (I WAS lucky enough to buy MOST of the original mercahdise at retail when it was first released so I didn't have to spend a small fortune later.)

I know many people have troubles or plain don't like the film, and would be intersted in hearing what it is that bothers them (or hearing from folks who love it as much as I!). And remember "Nothing is more suspicious than frog's breath!"

[SilentBob]

Well i just saw it last night again and for the first time in DTS surround I have sene the movie before on TV and VHS several times but man you really need a Surround Sound System to really enjoy probably one of best Danny Elfman scores. The music is what i really like about the movie. I'm also very impressed by Danny Elfman's singing voice for Jack. I just wish he did more singing on some of his other movie scores. The atmosphere is creepy and scary (perfect Burton movie already) Yet is also has that warmth in it, just a like a normal child's animated movie. The animation is always amazing to watch and the designs of the characters are always interesting and simply meant to be enjoy.


I just hope Burton and Elfman team up for another screwed up stop motion animated world movie again. Cause both seem to have more creativity and seem to enjoy working on it more then certain other movies.

[NotaNumber]

I just hope Burton and Elfman team up for another screwed up stop motion animated world movie again. Cause both seem to have more creativity and seem to enjoy working on it more then certain other movies.

Well, there was "James and the Giant Peach" but that featured music by Randy Newman. With the lack of success of "James and the Giant Peach" I doubt Tim Burton will do another stop-motion feature. Too much effort involved.

[NotaNumber]

For an animation fan as myself "Nightmare Before Christmas" has much to offer: Great musical scoring and songs, meticulous stop-motion animation that would make George Pal envious, wonderfully macabre set and character design as well as sense of humor that would make the master cartoonists of the genre Edward Gorey, Charles Addams and Gahan Wilson proud.

The "Mr. Oogie-Boogie" song sequence is direct homage to George Pal's work and could easily have been by the master himself.

Yet the movie falls flat for me: the Jack Skellington character garners no sympathy at all, there's a distasteful mean-spirited undertone that flavors the movie ever-so-slightly, the "just-be-yourself" solution to Jack's dilemma to trite/overused/ etc.

Mean-spirited you say? Well for example, the gags with the "Christmas" gifts are initially funny but then it appears that these things might actually be lethal and then the gags lose their humor.

This disc is in my collection because of the animation. If the story elements worked better for me it would be in my all-time-favorite category.

If you love stop-motion/puppet animation I recommend "The George Pal Puppetoon Movie". George Pal pioneered and refined the replacement method of stop-motion animation that Tim Burton used.

Unfortunately many of George Pal's Puppetoons are not "politically correct" and stand little chance of seeing the light of day on DVD.

[airjosh]

I'm also very impressed by Danny Elfman's singing voice for Jack.

prior to his career in film, Elfman was the lead singer of one of my all time favorite bands, Oingo Boingo. If you like his voice and music, you should look them up.