Directed by:
Henry SelickCinematography:
Pete KozachikComposer:
Danny ElfmanCast:
Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara, William Hickey, Glenn Shadix, Paul Reubens, Ken Page, Danny Elfman, Sherwood Ball, Edward Ivory, Greg Proops, Billie HayesVOD (4)
Plots(1)
Halloween Town will never be the same once Jack Skellington adds a tad of eerie excitement to his annual fright-fest. When the Pumpkin King finds himself in Christmas Town, surrounded by yuletide joy beyond his wildest nightmares, he becomes obsessed with Christmas. However, it is not until he must rescue "Sandy Claws" from the clutches of the evil Oogie Boogie that he truly understands the spirit of Christmas. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (9)
The beautiful eccentricity that Tim Burton contained within himself long before he fully succeeded in Hollywood. It is an unparalleled experience to witness his morbid imagination running at full speed. This work is half his and half Danny Elfman's, who created possibly his most captivating musical composition and also sang perfectly as Jack. A pre-Christmas nightmare that is starting to charmingly claim its place among domestic holiday programming.
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This movie is powerful, has a strong sense of humor, plus a great soundtrack which is always guaranteed with Tim Burton. You are going to love Jack Skellington and his crazy ideas, the abduction of Santa Claus, and the residents of Halloween Town – and you will be excitedly watching even while the end credits roll.
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I've seen this movie twice and I have to say I liked it a lot the first time, but I don't really remember why. I didn't like it as much the second time around. Animation-wise, it's great, musically it's well done, but in terms of the plot, it just didn't grab me. I probably should have developed a connection to it when I was younger. It has its charm, but after many films from Burton and one exhibition, it's just too much.
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The plot, building on endless contrasts, is a bit hackneyed nowadays, but the visuals, plasticity, and almost self-flagellating perfectionism (I really want to try turning stop-motion animation into wild camera movements) still make this a great fairy tale. Compared to today's trends, moreover, it's quite exceptional in terms of meaning, because the hero here comes to an epiphany on his own, and that epiphany takes the conservative form of the view that everyone simply has their place in the world and there's no point in trying to change it. And that itself takes place through the process of "Well, I tried it, now I know it was stupid, so shut up."
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With the central blueprint of "Burton-esque" visuals, director Henry Selick played around according to his own judgment, and together with composer Danny Elfman, they created a fresh and impressive piece of work. For seventy-five minutes, the wonderful musical concept managed to dispel my dislike of Halloween and the American concept of Christmas. The opulent parade of creatures from Halloweentown, brimming with the darkest humor, is presented at such a rapid pace that it's impossible to absorb everything in one viewing. Indeed, the camera flies around quite frenetically, and the editor could also benefit from slowing down a bit. Yet all those aspects are overshadowed by the intricate story, which spares neither All Saints' Day nor Christmas, perfect dialogues, beautiful songs, and last but not least, the fantastic set design. I would have never believed how much I would grow fond of the old, rundown graveyard.
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Gallery (87)
Photo © 1993 Touchstone Pictures
![The Nightmare Before Christmas - Photos](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w663/files/images/film/photos/000/111/111243_8e9f86.jpg)
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