Subject: RETROSPECTIVE: THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1993)

From: [email-masked] (Steve Rhodes)
Date: 9 Dec 1996 21:08:14 GMT

THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS 
                       A film review by Steve Rhodes
                        Copyright 1996 Steve Rhodes

RATING (0 TO ****):  ** 1/2

     When you see the name Tim Burton on the marquee, you know you are
about to enter an unknown world.  Even if you hate his films (including
EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, BATMAN, BETTLEJUICE, ED WOOD, and JAMES AND THE
GIANT PEACH), you have to give him credit for originality.  With the
except of BETTLEJUICE and BATMAN FOREVER, I have liked every film with
which he has been associated.

     Although his 1993 THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS is not one of my
favorites of his, I am fascinated by it.  Since I am taking my son with
me this week to see the press screening of MARS ATTACKS!, we thought it
a good time to rent Burton's dark vision of Christmas.

     Jack Skellington (speaking voice by Chris Sarandon and singing
voice by the film's composer Danny Elfman) is the king of the pumpkins.
His specialty is scaring kids out of their wits on Halloween, but he is
looking to expand his franchise to other holidays.

     One day he comes upon a picture perfect village getting ready for
Christmas.  Overwhelmed by its peacefulness, he sings, "What's this?
They're busy throwing snowballs instead of throwing heads."  So much of
the dialog is sung in this stop-action animated film that it could be
considered a musical.  The production numbers are lively, and the songs
by Steve Bartek are fun.

     The cinematography by Pete Kozachik and the sets by Tim Burton and
Denise DiNovi are the key to the success of the film.  The ghoulish
Halloween based sets are mainly gloomy shades of gray.  In contrast,
the Christmas sets are full of bright and happy primary colors.  All
the images are intriguing and strangely lovely.  Watch, for example,
how long legged Jack is beautifully framed in silhouette against the
enormous Halloween moon.

     Young children could be quite frightened by the figures, but grade
schoolers and above will more likely be mesmerized.  Among other
memorable figures are a guy with an ax permanently slicing through his
head and a bad guy named Oogie Boogie (Ken Page) whose insides are full
of maggots and scorpions.  There are also scenes of Oogie Boogie about
to kill Santa Clause.  My favorite mannerism for a character is Dr.
Finklestein (William Hickey) who takes off his scalp to scratch his
brain when he is trying to think up an idea.

     If the story sounds familiar, DR. SEUSS'S HOW THE GRINCH STOLE
CHRISTMAS (1966) has a similar theme.  There, the Grinch does not want
Christmas to happen so he steals all the presents in a futile attempt
to stop Christmas.  Watching "the Grinch" is a family Christmas
tradition in our household, and I admit I much prefer its simple
message and rhyming dialog to Burton's story.  Nevertheless, there is
to admire in THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

     Jack Skellington has much less sinister plans than the Grinch.
Although he does kidnap "Santy Claus" (Ed Ivory), he has no malevolent
intent towards him.  Jack just wants to be Santy Claus himself.  He has
his friend Sally (Catherine O'Hara) knit him a Santa outfit, and Dr.
Finklestein crafts him some flying reindeer skeletons out of old bones
he has laying around his laboratory.  Jack even tries in vain to
discover scientifically the meaning of Christmas by putting the holiday
decorations under a microscope.

     Jack and Santa do have different ideas on what constitutes
acceptable gifts for the little kiddies.  Jack prefers severed heads
and other such demonic trinkets.

     The calls start pouring into the police station when the children
begin opening their presents.  "Attacked by Christmas toys," says the
police officer.  "That's strange, that's the second toy complaint we've
had."

     After scenes that include huge guns firing at Jack dressed as
Santa, the movie does find its way to a happy ending.  Be warned,
however, that Jack and Sally kiss at the conclusion.  This is the only
scene my son did not like and the only reason his thumb was not totally
up for the film.  Personally, I can handle the scene.

     A bizarre, but engrossing film.  Whether its quirkiness is
compelling enough to make it worth seeing is problematic, but its
freshness won me over.

     THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS runs just 1:16.  It is rated PG.
There is no sex, nudity or profanity, but there is threatened violence
and some potentially frightening images.  My son Jeffrey, age 7 1/2,
gives it "a thumbs up, but only about one half of a centimeter down."
His increasingly eccentric scale makes this my first metric review.  He
says the picture should be for kids six and up, and I agree.  I give
the movie a thumbs up and ** 1/2.

______________________________________________________________________
**** = One of the top few films of this or any year.  A must see film.
***  = Excellent show.  Look for it.
**   = Average movie.  Kind of enjoyable.
*    = Poor show.  Don't waste your money.
0    = One of the worst films of this or any year.  Totally unbearable.

REVIEW WRITTEN ON: December 8, 1996

Opinions expressed are mine and not meant to reflect my employer's.