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“T’was
a long time ago, longer now than it seems,
in a place that perhaps you’ve seen
in your dreams. For the story you are
about to be told took place in the holiday
worlds of old. Now, you’ve probably
wondered where holidays come from, if
you haven’t I’d say it’s
time you begun.”
And
so begins Tim Burton’s fanciful
tale of Pumpkin Kings, Oogie Boogies,
and Sandy Claws, “The Nightmare
Before Christmas.” Filled with terrifyingly
beautiful sights and one hell of a catchy
soundtrack, “The Nightmare Before
Christmas” tells the simple story
of Halloween Town’s most famous
citizen, Jack Skellington, and his desire
to bring the colorful joy of Christmas
Town to the German-expressionistic gloom
of his community of ghouls through some
of the most remarkable stop-motion animation
ever seen.
Told in the same style of the animated
holiday musicals Burton was essentially
thumbing his nose at when he first conceived
of the project during his time at Disney,
such as the Rankin-Bass productions “Frosty
the Snowman,” and “Rudolph
the Red Nosed Reindeer,” this unique
fairy tale has become a revered holiday
classic all its own and rightfully so.
The film’s bone thin hero, Jack,
is a classic Burton character in every
way. Like many of Burton’s misfits
and outcasts, Jack’s actions, such
as kidnapping Santa Claus and hijacking
his gift-giving route, may be questionable,
his intentions are always sincere. And
just like the characters in the films
of holidays’ past, Jack’s
plight is one that just about everyone
can relate to and connect with.
Although the film was not directed by Burton,
the film screams with his unique vision
in every single frame with the truly imaginative
character designs and locales, which were
yanked from off the pages of Burton’s
original sketches and drawings. The images
in this film are alive with a vibrancy and
enthusiasm rarely seen in films, animated
or live action, all complemented by some
of Danny Elfman’s best work as a film
composer ever. “The Nightmare Before
Christmas” is an absolute masterwork
of animation, songwriting, and above all
else, storytelling.
To discuss the magic of Nightmare Before
Christmas with fellow Burton and NMBC fans,
visit our Nightmare
Before Christmas forum, without a doubt
the best place on the internet to talk about
the movie and everything related to it.
Here
is a page with lyrics for all the songs
on the NMBC soundtrack.
Here
is a page with the original NMBC poem
Burton based the movie on
A
page for the game Kingdom Hearts, which
had a level based on NMBC
The CAST of Nightmare Before Christmas:
Chris Sarandon: Jack
Skellington (talking voice)
Danny Elfman: Jack (singing
voice) , Barrell, Clown with the Tearaway
Face
Catherine O' Hara: Sally,
Shock
William Hickey: Dr Finklestein
Glenn Shadix: The Mayor
of Halloween Town
Paul Reubens: Lock
Ken Page: Oogie Boogie
Ed Ivory: Santa
Susan McBride: Big Witch
Debi Durst: Corpse Kid,
Corpse Mother, Small Witch
Greg Proops: Harlequin
Demon, Devil, Sax Player
Links:
Nightmare Before Christmas related merchandise:
The Nightmare Before Christmas (Special
Edition)
The
Nightmare Before Christmas: Original Motion
Picture Soundtrack
Tim
Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas: A
Pop-Up Book
Nightmare
Before Christmas Action Figure: Dr. Finklestein
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