"The Nightmare Before Christmas" in 3-D

Author's Note: I originally wrote this review around Halloween, when the 3-D version was released in theaters. Since the article is still a discussion and homage to the film in general, however, I'm including it here; particularly for those who have never watched Burton's timeless creation.


Tim Burton’s 1993 masterpiece The Nightmare Before Christmas has been resurrected on the silver screen, thrilling Burton and Nightmare enthusiasts everywhere. Avid fans would have been happy with just a theatrical re-release of the original, but the animation gurus have instead breathed three-dimensional life into some of the most charming and endearing characters to have ever been created.

Now, I have not seen a 3-D film since I was a child in the ‘80s, complete with the nifty cardboard glasses that had one red lens and one blue. Disney Digital 3-D is, unsurprisingly, light years ahead of what I remember as a kid. Burton’s characters move and sing with renewed life, and the minutest details of the scenery shimmer with superb clarity. It’s a breathtaking display. For all of you who have repeatedly watched Nightmare over the last 13 years and wished you could travel to or live in Halloween Town (because I know I’m not the only one), the new 3-D version brings you a step closer to that wish. With the giant screen stretched out in front of you, glasses on, Danny Elfman’s music seeping into your ears from every direction, you are a citizen of Burton’s world like never before. And loving every fantastic minute of it.

For anyone who has not yet seen this cult favorite, which now seems more popular than ever, The Nightmare Before Christmas lets you delve into the wonderfully dark and playful mind of Tim Burton. Set in Halloween Town (so called, because that’s where the holiday of Halloween is created each year), the film’s main character is Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, who year after year leads the holiday's frights and scares. But Jack has become disheartened as of late, feeling as if there must be something more to life than the mischievous tricks and horrific haunts. As he wanders through the woods, lost in his thoughts, he comes upon a ring of trees, each with a door bearing a symbol of a major holiday. The glittering green tree adorned with shiny balls catches Jack's eye, and when he opens the door, he is pulled into a strange and colorful new world that feels warm and inviting; where everyone seems happy and kind; where there are "children throwing snowballs instead of throwing heads." The fact that Christmas Town serves as the complete opposite to Halloween Town is what captures Jack's adoration. Completely enthralled, Jack believes that this is what he has been searching for and returns to his All Hallow’s Eve compatriots to share his excitement. Unfortunately, while his fellow citizens are intrigued with the news, they don't quite get it. So, when Halloween Town decides its ghouls and goblins will be in charge of the Christmas holiday this year, let's just say things don't quite go as Jack had initially planned.

While the originality of the story line certainly adds to its appeal, what makes Nightmare unique and enduring are all of the little details that Burton includes in his vision. Halloween Town appears grey and gloomy, and its cast of characters includes witches, devils, a mad scientist, trick-or-treaters, and every other spooky creature that one would expect to find in such a place. But Burton doesn't stop there. Add the mayor of the town, whose two-sided head swivels around to show the proper expression, depending on whether he's happy and optimistic, or worried and anxious. Or peek up at the sun looming overhead that's actually a jack-o-lantern. Or notice the myriad and often subtle facial expressions that parade across Jack Skellington's face. Never before has a skeleton possessed and displayed such emotion!

Having watched Nightmare a ridiculous number of times, so as to cross the line into addiction, I was surprised when I actually caught a few of Burton's finer embellishments for the very first time during the new rendition. The 3-D style neither improves nor ruins the original; it is merely a derivative work of art that can harmoniously coexist. Delightful as ever are the clever comedy, the enchanting sweetness, and the impeccable detail, not to mention the sonorous and witty musical numbers of Danny Elfman. No part of the movie has been lost or compromised in the new format, and watching the original after viewing the 3-D version does not detract from any of the film's allure or sublimity. At the same time, the remarkable experience (albeit seemingly) of having snowflakes falling all around you, or having Jack nearly touch you when he stretches out his bony arm, cannot be denied.

Released only in select theaters for a limited amount of time and, to fans' dismay, without much fanfare, The Nightmare Before Christmas in 3-D is a visually stimulating treat not to be missed this Halloween season. As Jack Skellington would say, "It's a world unlike anything I've ever seen, and as hard as I try, I can't seem to describe, like a most improbable dream."