rated PG

At its original release in 1994, in a climate where Jurassic Park’s dinosaurs were poised to dominate the future of cinematic special effects (which they arguably have), Tim Burton’s “Nightmare Before Christmas” stood as a bold statement against the rise of computer animation. Utilizing time tested techniques of manually manipulated stop motion photography, the film was a literal throwback to simpler, handcrafted traditions. That said, Disney’s poor marketing machine simply didn’t know quite what to make of it, and apparently neither did the movie-going public. Seen by many as too creepy for kids and too goofy for adults, the picture opened to lukewarm reviews and shallow box office receipts. The film seemed doomed to be buried and forgotten as a simple, if ambitious, cinematic curiosity.

And then, something happened. The VHS release, then the DVD, then the “Special Edition,” all outsold each other in turn. The demand for various Skellington related toys, tee-shirts, dolls and doo-dads seemed to grow, in spite of Disney’s complete lack of marketing or support, every year. Poke your head into Hot Topic sometime and you’ll see that the degree (and quality) of “Nightmare” merchandise rivals just about any of the latest blockbuster paraphernalia that you’ll find at major toy stores. It would seem that, given time to find its niche, “Nightmare Before Christmas” may have finally risen from its potential grave to become the Mouse House’s one and only bonafide underground hit.

Now, 3D film has existed, if you can believe it, almost since the invention of film itself. Its popularity certainly boomed in the 1950s, when film distributors scrabbled for innovative new ways to generate theatrical audience draw in the looming threat of television. Along with Natural Vision, Cinerama, and Cinemascope (which arguably won the war of gimmicks), 3D was applied to all kinds of movies to make them seem bigger than life and more attractive to audiences who could now entertain themselves in the comfort of their own homes. Many of the most popular 3D releases were cheap schlock sci-fi and horror films (“Creature From the Black Lagoon” and “Robot Monster” spring to mind). The infamous Vincent Price is credited as having starred in more of them than any other actor. These movies had a palpable impact on Burton’s sensibilities, and he’s stated that Price continues to be one of his heroes, even casting the man in two of his works, one actually called “Vincent.” It comes as little surprise, then, that even as “Nightmares’” chosen medium turned its back on technical advances, Burton would embrace emerging 3D technologies to further cement his creation into the cannon of good ol’ fashioned movie going fun.
It bears note, that with the exception of being re-rendered into three glorious dimensions by the magicians at Disney and ILM, the film is virtually unchanged from its original release. The characters spill directly out of Burtons childhood-fever-dreams with a real life, light and shadow vitality that only could have been achieved with real models being filmed in real space. Rife with detail, depth and invention, and completely free of any pop-culture reference (unless, of course, you consider holidays an extension of pop-culture, but that’s another discussion), the film has proved timeless and warrants repeated viewings. The added depth and texture of the 3D process only compliments what was already an endearing and enduring story. And, rarely has a soundtrack been so perfectly married to its visuals. Danny Elfman’s award winning score, as well as his performance as the singing voice of our haunted hero Jack Skellington, are simply unmatched.

You may have caught the movie in theaters in 1994, or you may have rented the tape or bought the DVD. You may think you’ve seen “Nightmare Before Christmas” before, but do yourself a favor and cough up the extra two bucks for the funny glasses, grab a friend or your kids or your grampa, and go see it on a really big screen in surround sound. It may be goofy, but what’s wrong with that? It may be creepy, but the best fairytales usually are. It’s a treat fit for any holiday, but one you might only get this Halloween. Don’t miss your chance.