The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

A Christmas Musical Animated Movie

Stars   :  Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara
Score  :  7.0 / 10

 

The Nightmare Before Christmas is a second movie Christmas-themed, which I chose to fill Christmas in 2013. Unlike Christmas movie in general, The Nightmare Before Christmas is very far from the beautiful things that we usually find when Christmas come. This movie featuring the main setting in a place that is 180 degrees opposite from Christmas, a dark town called Halloween Town. According the name, Halloween Town is a town that is filled with shades of Halloween. The atmosphere is very dark. The buildings are far away from a beautiful word, old-fashioned and not maintained well.

The peoples are scary figure, which usually exists in horror movies, such as the skeleton, vampire, mummies, witches and much more. A skeleton tuxedo, named Jack Skellington (Danny Elfman) led Halloween Town wisely. All the people respect and obey on him. Jack has a friend, a ghost dog, named Zero. Sally (Catherine O'Hara), a woman doll created by Dr. Ficklestein admired Jack. She often out from home quietly without permission from Dr. Ficklestein only to see Jack.

Jack Skellington, the king of Halloween Town

Sally

One day, Jack and Zero walk into the forest. Jack found seven trees with magical door. Each door has a different shape representing seven public holidays. Halloween with a Jack-O-Lantern, Christmas with a Christmas Tree, Valentines Day with a Heart, St. Patricks Day with a Clover, Thanksgiving with a Turkey, Easter with an Easter Egg and Independence Day with Firecracker. Each door connected to another world, a place where each of the holidays is ongoing. Jack was very interested in decorative lights on Christmas door. He opened Christmas door and got into it.

Jack found a door to Christmas Town

Christmas Town

Jack saw a holiday town, called Christmas Town. Everything in the town is Christmas themed, the ornaments, Christmas tree, gifts, songs, food, candies, families gathering and also Santa Claus. Jack felt the warmth and happiness while in Christmas Town. He had never felt like that before. After coming back to Halloween Town, Jack gathered the people and told his experiences during in Christmas Town. Jack felt that the people in Christmas Town are so happy. He wanted to bring Christmas in Halloween Town. He tried to find out the meaning of Christmas from books. He invited the people to do the same thing like in Christmas Town. He did not realize that he had made a mistake. Sally also got a bad feeling about Jack.  

Jack tried to find the meaning of Christmas

Jack tried to find the meaning of Christmas

The Nightmare Before Christmas is a movie written by Tim Burton. This movie reminds me with another Burton's movie, Edward Scissorhands. Both have a similarity on eccentric character in the story, Dr. Ficklestein in The Nightmare Before Christmas and Edward in Edward Scissorhands. I think Burton is so identical to the movies which have an eccentric character, no matter as a writer, director or producer. Just look at his movies, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in a Wonderland, Dark Shadows and many more which have an eccentric character in the story. But, one thing that I like from Burton is he still gives a human side in those characters, like shyness and sensitive in Edward personality, loneliness and possessive in Dr. Ficklestein personality.   

If you like an animation and musical movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas may be become an option to choose, because 70 percent of the story told with singing. Very entertaining. The story is simple and suitable for all ages. But, if you wish to feel the strong atmosphere of Christmas in a Christmas-themed movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas is not a right choice.