The Nightmare Before Christmas

You knew this was coming, now we shall review it. I doubt it will be news to anyone that this is actually one of my favorite films of all time, my favorite animated films and my favorite Tim Burton film (yes I know Henry Selick directed it, but Burton wrote the story and produced it). But I do believe that this is fairly underrated in terms of animated films and I believe so many more should see it.

The reason Burton was unable to direct was due to his involvement with the directing of Batman Returns. Instead he hired his friend Henry Selick to direct, while he produced. The story came from Burton while he was still working in Disney and was heavily inspired by How the Grinch stole Christmas, Rudolf the Rednose Reindeer and by his own upbringing as a very solitary child. Intending to have it made into a TV special and have narration by Vincent Price, he pitched the idea, but was rejected. He returned with Danny Elfman writing the songs and score and Selick directing. 

The story is of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween, who brings Halloween to children all over the world. He and the population of Halloween Town celebrate each year in the same manner and now poor Jack has become depressed and bored by these old traditions. He yearns for new adventures and so searches for these new methods. In a sub-plot, a rag doll creation of the towns local mad scientist (wonder if he knows my towns local mad scientist), named Sally, also yearns for adventure and seeks it out by any means necessary. She is in love with Jack, but is much too shy to speak to him. Meanwhile, Jack discovers a route to the holiday world and finds Christmas Town. Inspired, he seeks methods of recreating Christmas in his image, but still capture the joy he felt in finding something new.

I have two reasons that there should be a larger audience for The nightmare before Christmas.

Point One: It's scary. I personally don't find it in the least bit unsettling or scary, but surprisingly many still do years after. This is important for children growing up as it teaches them fear and helps them overcome fear. But this is a more subtle fear. It's not in your face gore and blood, it's not a monster tearing people apart like in, say, Piranha or Paranormal Activity. No, these are just for shock value and aren't particularly memorable. These are fears about broken dreams and unhappiness. True it throws creepy imagery at you, but it also builds up an environment where the main characters are disappointed or miserable about their lives turn of events. Really think about this when you watch it next time. Ask yourself have I ever felt that way. The answer is, we all have. We dream of great accomplishments and amazing feats. This film not only teaches about these fears, but sub-consciously about overcoming them. But It's Christmas, let's not discuss the gravity of fear at such a peaceful time, instead our next point is,
Joy: while scares are there, the joy is most definitely there as well. We sense Jack's joy by his admiration of the Christmas spirit. This helps the Scrooges and Grinch's who are caught in a rut. By searching for new alternatives in places we never thought we would find them also introduces the subject of change. Change is hard and we need to accept that fact. But just like the namesake it can change as well. By trying something new we find something new about ourselves in the process: Potential. We can do anything when we set our minds to it and this film is the prime example of such. Heck, change can remind us of what we have or had and teaches us to be more grateful for these gifts. So at the end, when Jack has returned to his old ways, he grateful for the experience and has learned to love what he does.

But I just love the film. I watch it every Christmas and I think it's somewhere very high on my top 20 favorite films. But why do I like it. The morbid themes among the heart-warming story. They capture the worlds of joy and of creepiness with such accuracy, the type of worlds we think of when we say Halloween and Christmas. I also love the moral as I have explained above. But what really sets it apart is the music. This has one of the best soundtracks ever composed in a movie by Tim Burton or Henry Selick. My favorites would have to be "This is Halloween", "Jacks Lament" and "Poor Jack". The first is mainly because of how catchy it is, but the other two are because of how they voice the emotions of the character, like most musicals should. And the creativity of the locations and the story reaches Miyazaki levels of genius. Jack is such a relatable and entertaining lead and we join him for the ride for one of the BEST CHRISTMAS EVER! I will admit some of the side characters are a bit forgettable, but the main focus is on Jack, where it should be. The villain Oogie Boogie has probably one of the best villain songs in cinema, it's lively and also swimming with evil. At first I didn't really buy the romance between Jack and Sally, until I realized it was developing behind the scenes and that jack was searching for love and happiness and finds in the last place he would look. This leads to one of the more heartfelt songs and the more beautiful images in the film. This hammers in the message of Christmas that extends to all of us.

Be with whom you love and cherish, take pity on those who done you wrong (unless they treat your friends shamefully) and accept change as it comes, with an open mind and a open heart.

Video by Fill10000, all credit to him.