For all the ghoulish flair, “Nightmare” was a sweet film.
I thought I was a weirdo for wanting to be Jack Skeleton on Halloween. Now it seems everyone wants to dress up.
Who knew that, 14 years after its initial release, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” would become one of the most popular modern Disney movies? It’s not technically a Disney movie, since it was released under the Touchstone umbrella, but try telling that to whoever decided to sell Jack Skeleton t-shirts at Magic Kingdom.
Perhaps appearing out of touch with the mainstream crowd, Tim Burton’s “Nightmare” debuted with soft box office earnings that reflected a hesitant audience. Imaginative youngsters, however, caught on through the teenage years and ate up the stop-motion animation fantasia. You know it’s a hit when Hot Topic catches on, like it or not.
“Nightmare” 101, for the unschooled — Jack Skeleton is the Pumpkin King, praised by all who inhabit Halloweentown, Jack feels empty and wants to take on new challenges. He decides to give Santa Claus a break and give children presents on Christmas. Not getting the idea, Halloweentown residents capture Santa and give creepy gifts like decapitated heads.
The cult popularity peaked with last year’s 3-D version in theaters, accompanied by a soundtrack with Marilyn Manson, Fall Out Boy and Fiona Apple covering songs from the original film. Though the Disney machine can churn out some questionable marketing, I’m glad the company that was once skeptical of Burton’s vision is realizing the groundbreaking animation here.
Since Santa was good to you this year, the movie is coming back this month, so get the 3-D glasses and keep them, bone daddy!
