People become filmmakers for a variety of reasons. Some see it as a way of making money or becoming famous. Others do it as a means of hopefully meeting and working with movie stars. Most, however, do so simply for the love of film and storytelling. A certain number of them are also tormented souls of one variety or another who need to express their thoughts, emotions and dreams through a visual outlet.
If there's any one filmmaker who would perfectly seem to personify those last qualities, it's Tim Burton. From his early days at Disney (where he put a canine twist on the old Frankenstein legend in his short, "Frankenweenie") through his feature films such as "Beetlejuice," "Batman," "Edward Scissorhands" and "Sleepy Hollow," Burton has excelled at creating and crafting bizarre and often surreal worlds populated by peculiar characters. His troubled protagonists, however, always have a very identifiable and sympathetic humanness to them, and thus ground the films despite their otherwise otherworldly aura and exotic visual flair.
That's particularly evident in "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas," the director's stop-motion animation/musical masterpiece. Although directed by Henry Selick ("James and the Giant Peach") and written by Caroline Thompson ("Edward Scissorhands," "The Addams Family"), the incredibly imaginative and visually astonishing film obviously originated and percolated in Burton's mind (he created the basic story and characters and produced the film).
Something of a combination of Dr. Seuss (and clearly "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"), operatic Broadway musicals along the lines of "Les Miserables" and "The Phantom of the Opera," and Disney's own animated musical features, the film was unlike anything seen or undertaken at the time when it was originally released in 1993.
Back then, Disney was dominating the field with its hugely popular and financially successful films such as "Beauty and the Beast" and "Aladdin." The film form of stop-motion animation - where miniature models are meticulously arranged movement by movement and shot one film frame at a time - that fueled projects such as "King Kong," most of Ray Harryhausen's work and even the popular "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer" TV show, had fallen by the wayside. Practiced in shorts by a few diehards such as Nick Parks (who later went on to create 2000's "Chicken Run"), that sort of filmmaking was essentially extinct on the big screen.
That is, until the release of this picture. Incredibly detailed, rich and complex, the film is nothing short of a visual treat to behold and was nominated for a Visual Effects Oscar (losing out to the more flashy and technologically advanced "Jurassic Park"). Up until its release, no "feature length" film (it clocks in at 76 minutes) had been fashioned, crafted and populated in such an intricate manner. Repeat viewings were and still are a necessity to take in and appreciate all of the detail and small bits of visual humor that permeate the picture.
Of course, no film can stand on its technical merits alone, and like the "Toy Story" films that later followed it, this picture contains engaging, often compelling and certainly human type characters, as well as a fun, and inspired underlying premise and overall plot.
Something akin to "How the Pumpkin King Hijacked Christmas," the story is quite imaginative and clever, and composer/lyricist Danny Elfman's (who's composed most of the scores for Burton's films) near operatic songs help - as in any properly fashioned musical - in moving it along. While many of the individual songs may be a bit heavy or overwhelming for those familiar with the usual pop tunes that populate Disney films, some are absolutely delightful, such as "What's This," an infectiously catchy song about exuberant discovery.
As is the case with most of Disney's traditional and computer-animated efforts, both the vocal and singing talent at work here is first rate, with Chris Sarandon (""The Princess Bride," "Dog Day Afternoon"), Catherine O'Hara ("Best in Show," the first two "Home Alone" films), William Hickey ("Prizzi's Honor," "My Blue Heaven") and Broadway veteran Ken Page ("Torch Song Trilogy," "All Dogs Go to Heaven"), along with singer Danny Elfman all delivering great performances.
While perhaps not for everyone's tastes, if you've enjoyed Burton's other dark and/or surreal works, you'll probably get a kick out of this one. Filled with incredible visuals, a great score and songs, and varying levels and degrees of humor (my favorite being the mayor who's literally two-faced), not to mention an imaginative story and engaging characters, "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas" combines the tricks and treats of Halloween with the warm yuletide spirit of Christmas into a highly entertaining and enjoyable package. It rates as an 8 out of 10.
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