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The Nightmare Before Christmas

Hollyfeld, here. Mallory Knox week concludes with a special look at our special film, a film that I feel defines us perfectly: Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. The film was released in 1993, just as us two impressionable youngsters were making our ways in the world, and even though we had never even met, it changed our lives in the same way. We both found solace in a world of rag dolls and Pumpkin Kings, and returned to this world whenever we could, if only in our heads. "Tender lumplings everywhere, life's no good without a good scare," as I always say.

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The film features the voice of Chris Sarandon as Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloweentown who has become so good at scaring people that each successive Halloween bores him more and more. An accidental trip to Christmastown, however, sends Jack into a flurry of excitement, and before he knows it, he has kidnapped Santa Claus (or "Sandy Claws," as he believes it is pronounced) and taken over the holiday for himself. Of course, a Christmas run by the good folk of Halloweentown is decidedly different from the yuletide norm, and it is up to Jack to realize the error of his ways and set things right again before it's too late. But things would not have gone wrong in the first place if everyone had just listened to Sally (Catherine O'Hara), who seems to be the only person who realizes that the mixture of holidays is a bad idea. Sally is a rag doll made by the mad Dr. Finklestein (William Hickey), and dreams of being free to live as she pleases. After hearing that Jack is also "tired of the same old thing," she falls in love, and tries desperately to keep the oblivious skeleton from making a terrible mistake.

At times even I find the exact point of The Nightmare Before Christmas confusing - although the obvious theme would be that Jack should be himself, to say so would also condone dreaming of a different life (something Tim Burton would probably never do). Perhaps the goal is to remind us to appreciate what we have - especially if what we have is a family that appreciates us, and a talent that we make the most of. Others have said that the film condones the commercialism of Christmas, noting (for example) the montage in which the people in Christmastown use factory machines to make their gifts, while the Halloweentown residents make everything with their hearts and hands. This of course leads us to the most likely theme of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: It's the thought that counts. So the next time someone gives you a Christmas gift you didn't exactly ask for, just remember that they tried.

So what is it about The Nightmare Before Christmas that Mallory and I identify with so strongly? To put it simply, she IS Sally, and I AM Jack. Mallory spent too much time being shut inside an evil tower by a madman, and I always dreamt of a more exciting place to be - we understand each other perfectly. All we want is freedom… freedom from those who would lock our imaginations away, and freedom to be together. It doesn't hurt, of course, that Tim Burton created it, though…

Mallory and I both have an innate appreciation for Tim Burton, and although he didn't technically direct this film (he was busy filling his contractual obligation to direct Batman Returns), his influence is in every frame of the film. The result, safe to say, is the ultimate Tim Burton experience. Every aspect of the mind is there, from the contorted architecture to the vertical black and white stripes, from the omnipresent spirals to the spectral dog. Every frame of The Nightmare Before Christmas is a sumptuous treat, and nowhere is this more evident than the spectacular DVD, which allows even the most devoted fan to see details otherwise not visible upon video. Never before had I noticed the rats running around all throughout Halloweentown, and certainly not that as the townsfolk prepared for Christmas the rats were adorned with orange Santa hats. Similarly, the simple matter that Jack's dog Zero's nose was a glowing pumpkin (and not just a nose) was also lost on me until now. The character design is also highly remarkable, from Sally's unquestionable beauty (she was modeled after Burton's longtime girlfriend Lisa Marie and Marlene Dietrich) the Oogie-Boogie Man, who actually serves as a perfect example of Joel Schumacher's continuation of Burton's Batman series: an impressive show, but nothing but a bunch of bugs underneath… neon ones, at that.

Worthy of its own paragraph, however, is Danny Elfman's stunning score, which manages to accentuate every scene with whimsy, wonder and even woe. Although the film is obviously intended for a family audience, the music nonetheless betrays the creator's love of the macabre.

"Kidnap the Sandy Claws, Beat Him with a stick, Lock him up for 90 years: See what makes him tick."

Elfman also provides Jack's gorgeous singing voice, which nicely complements Sarandon's equally superb voice work on the character. Tim Burton works with Elfman constantly, although this may be their greatest collaborative achievement.

Mallory and I often return to Burton's film in our current lives for love and inspiration. For her birthday I bought her a ring in the shape of a skeleton hand so I could hold her hand wherever she goes. (I know, I know - my editor is telling me to stop…) And some of my best memories with Mallory are from the Halloween when she made her own rag doll costume (my Jack costume was put to shame in comparison). Once again, Happy Birthday, Mallory. You have my heart forever. I wish I could have written this entire column in prose for my sweetheart, but instead I will simply end with Nightmare's final verse:

"My dearest friend, if you don't mind
I'd like to join you by your side
Where we can gaze into the stars
And sit together
Now and forever
For it is plain, as anyone can see,
We're simply meant to be."

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As always, Hollyfeld can be reached at hollyfeld_@hotmail.com

You there! You think you could do this job better than I can? Well, you might be right! Look Closer… is always looking for guest columnists, and you might as well be one of them. Just write a review of reasonable length for a movie that you think is under-rated, over-rated, no one knows, etc., and if it makes the grade we will print it in an edition of this column! Those whose reviews are published will also receive a free piece of (slightly cheesy and really inexpensive) promotional merchandise from a movie, to be sent when their review is published, courtesy of me. Just send any and all reviews to the above address. Thank you for reading and participating in the site!

Lazlo Hollyfeld is the pseudonym of an aspiring writer/actor/director located in Southern California. With one screenplay under his (collaborative) belt and more to come, he is sure to work his way up in the world with the help of his talented and close-knit group of friends, co-workers, and penguins. Yes, you heard me, penguins. A film student since before he can remember, he has devoted much of his life to the study of the silver screen and its related art forms.