The Nightmare Before Christmas

Movie Title--  The Nightmare Before Christmas

Release Year--  1993

Running Time--  1 Hour and 13 Minutes

Director--  Henry Selick

Cast--  Danny Elfman, Chris Saradon, Cathrine O'Hara, William Hickey, Glenn Shadix, Paul Rubens, Ken Page, Edward Ivory

Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, tires of his job in Halloween Town.  He stumbles into Christmas Town and after deciding that this is the something new he is looking for, decides to make Christmas his own.

The Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington (Danny Elfman, Chris Saradon), is tired of his position in Halloween Town.  After the town celebrates it's Halloween festivities, he finds himself wandering aimlessly with his dog Zero by his side.  He comes to a place in the forest that he has never been before and in front of him is a semicircle of trees, each with a different door in the shape of a holiday (unbeknownst to him).  Jack picks the door with a Christmas Tree on the front and is pulled down into Christmas Town, where he finds the change he is looking for.

Jack takes the goodies he finds back to Halloween Town, where the residents have spent all day looking for him.  He calls a town meeting to show all of the townsfolk the new holiday he has found and tells them that he has decided that this year Christmas will be theirs.  He sends three bad children Lock (Paul Rubens), Shock (Catherine O'Hara) and Barrel (Danny Elfman) to retrieve Santa Claus (Edward Ivory) and tells them no matter what they do, do not take Santa to their boss, Oggie Boogie (Ken Page).  A very down to earth rag doll woman, Sally (Cathrine O'Hara) tries to warn Jack that is plan will not go well but he does not heed his warning.

Jack makes a disaster out of Christmas, leaving the poor children of the world to wonder if Santa will save Christmas and the townsfolk of Halloween Town to wonder what has become of their poor Jack Skellington.

I have loved this film since the first time I saw it.  I know that this film has a kind of a following, especially from people my age, since we were around to see it when it was first released but I think that this is a film that will never go away.  The adults of my generation are showing their children this film that they enjoyed when they were young and in return, the children are enjoying this film that much more.  

Jack Skellington is easy to  sympathize with; everyone gets bored of what they are doing, so this is a concept that will never go away.  Watching Jack go through this disastrous change and then realizing that his original "job" is what makes him who he is only helps to remind us that there is something out there for everyone, even if we do become bored from time to time.

The story is great, the songs are catchy and easy to remember and the stop motion process for this film is just incredible.  This is the perfect film to watch when you are finished Trick-or-Treating!  Grab your little person and sing your way through this film together and Don't Forget the Popcorn!

Happy Halloween!