1 hour 21 minutes, USA 1993
Director: Henry Selick; Producers: Tim Burton, Denise Di Novi and Kathleen Gavin; Screenplay: Caroline Thompson and Malcom McDowell; Cinematography: Pete Kozachik; Editing: Stan Webb; Music: Danny Elfman.
Stars: Chris Sarandon (Jack Skellington [speaking]), Catherine O'Hara (Sally/Lock), Danny Elfman (Jack Skellington [singing]/Barrel), Ken Page (Oogie Boogie), William Hickey (Dr Finkelstein), Glenn Shadix (Mayor), Paul Ruebens (Shock), Ed Ivory (Santa Claus), Susan McBride (Big Witch), Debi Durst (Corpse Kid/Corpse Mom/Small Witch).
If ever a film warranted the description 'magical', The Nightmare Before Christmas does. Designed by the multi-talented Tim Burton, creator of Batman, Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands, and directed by animation whizz Henry Selick, this film is a stop-motion masterpiece.
The film is based on the premise that all the holidays on the calendar are coordinated from particular towns (i.e. Eastertown, Valentinetown, St Patrickstown etc.), we meet Jack Skellington, The Pumpkin King and ruler of Halloweentown. Halloween has come and gone for another year, and Jack is disillusioned. He wishes for something more than bats, snakes and pumpkin pie, and one day whilst out walking with his ghostly dog Zero, stumbles across an enchanted copse with doorways to each of the holiday towns. Curious, Jack ventures through the nearest door, which leads to Christmastown. Jack is spellbound by what he sees in Christmastown, but believes that he can make Christmas even better. He rushes back to Halloweentown and describes what he has seen, and of his plans to make Christmas an even better holiday than it already is. But his ideas are misconstrued by the townsfolk, who begin dreaming up all sorts of macabre ideas for their new ghoulish yuletide. Jack is carried along by it all, and sends three nasty trick-or-treaters, Lock, Shock and Barrel, to kidnap 'Sandy Claws' so that he can take his place on Christmas Eve. However, a rag doll named Sally, who secretly loves Jack, fears that Jack's plans may go horribly wrong. Meanwhile, the evil Oogie-Boogie has found out about Jack's plans and decides to use it as an opportunity to take Halloweentown for himself...
The Nightmare Before Christmas is a lovingly crafted feature, full of spooky creatures, more gothic imagery and architecture, and containing wonderful songs by master musician Danny Elfman. A strong cast provide the voices for Burton's characters: Chris Sarandon (Fright Night, The Princess Bride) is Jack 's normal voice, while Danny Elfman sings for Jack. Catherine O'Hara (Home Alone, Wyatt Earp) is Sally, and William Hickey is Sally's nasty stepfather. Ken Page, the American Broadway star provides the voice for Oogie-Boogie, while Elfman, O'Hara and Paul Ruebens (aka Pee-Wee Herman) do the voices of Lock, Shock and Barrel. Glenn Shadix (Demolition Man, Beetlejuice) is the literally two-faced Mayor of Halloweentown, and other voices include Ed Ivory as Santa.
Whilst other Disney pictures are simply sickly-sweet and sentimental, Nightmare goes much deeper than that. Whilst kids will love the animation and songs, adults will realise that it is also a cautionary tale of not getting involved in something you don't fully understand. Jack is so caught up in the magic of the moment he does not stop to think about the pain he could cause through his actions. I actually found myself almost crying at the ending, where Jack and Sally embrace atop a hill, in a scene reminiscent of E.T. with the figures silhouetted against the moon. The attractive script by Michael McDowell and Caroline Thompson add to the Tim Burton/Denise DiNovi produced classic. Also, a quirky little snippet entitled Vincent was shown before the movie, another Tim Burton creation, with Vincent Price narrating a stop-motion animation about a nice little boy who has day dreams of being a mad scientist with a zombie dog named Abercrombie!
