Burton’s Nightmare still enthralling

By Joe Pelone
Collegian Editor
November 1, 2006

Reworking a successful film for a re-release can be a double-edged sword. The movie already comes with a built-in audience, but reshaping a beloved classic may just as easily earn scorn as it does praise. Sure, the Star Wars Trilogy made a ton of bank after being re-released, but some of its cosmetic work drew enough rotten tomatoes from fans to fill even Jabba the Hut’s mighty gut.

But while Jedi and old people suffer for George Lucas’ sins, Hot Topic shoppers and Halloween lovers can rejoice for Disney’s acts of kindness. The recently re-modeled Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas in Disney Digital 3D (whew, that’s a mouthful) sidesteps pitfalls through minimal changes, while still offering a fresh enough take on the film to warrant the 3-D re-release.

The town’s star citizen, Jack Skellington, designs the best scares every year, and the townsfolk love him for it. But the annual fright fests have worn Jack down to the bone (pun totally intended) and he longs for something more. After wandering through a graveyard and a forest, singing one of the film’s many brilliant Danny Elfman-penned tunes, Jack stumbles upon a door that whisks him away to the North Pole, where he learns about Santa Claus and Christmas.

Enchanted by this new holiday, Jack tries to sell Christmas to his friends back home, but they don’t quite grasp the topic. So, he settles for telling them Christmas is about giving dangerous gifts (as opposed to, ya know… thoughtful, loving, non-maiming ones), and the whole population gets to work. Jack sends some heinous trick-or-treaters to kidnap Santa so he can take the fat man’s place. Then some other stuff happens that I won’t spoil for you. But rest assured, Jack finally learns the real spirit of Christmas. Also, there are explosions.

Selick’s stop-animation still holds up against the new millennium computer animation of Dreamworks and Pixar, and it’s been 13 years since Nightmare’s original release. The animation is fluid and enchanting, especially with the 3-D enhancement. Nightmare doesn’t rely on lame 3-D gimmicks; nothing cheaply jumps out at the audience without reason.

Rather, the 3-D rendering allows each frame of the film to stand out for the audience, better pulling viewers in. There are few additions to the movie, like a few extra chains that stand out audience during Santa’s encounter with Oogie Boogie. Speaking of Boogie, his scenes greatly benefit from 3-D. When Jack and Boogie’s fight scene starts, the gambling-themed chaos of the combat jumps out at the viewer, with guns firing and swords slicing everywhere. It’s sheer 3-D madness. In contrast, the snow from the film’s ending also stands out, as the falling flurries are especially beautiful as they come to the cast and the audience alike.

Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas in Disney Digital 3D is a refreshing film, as well as a beautiful, funny and enthralling one. Although it was deemed too dark back in 1993, there is an innocence to it now that starkly contrasts with the snarky demeanor of films like Shrek. Nightmare Before Christmas is also the second, after 2005’s Chicken Little, in what will hopefully be a long line of 3-D Disney films.

pelonej1@lasalle.edu

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