31 Days of Halloween: Day 17

Day 17

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)



Ah, claymation. My mother hates it. This is actually one of her least favorite movies...ever. I can't remember if its the claymation she doesn't like...or the story...but every time I mention this movie or watch it, she makes a comment.

Its ok. Having grown up around the time of the Christmas claymation stories (Rudolph, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, The Year Without A Santa, etc) I guess I just grew up liking those kinds of movies. But, I can understand if people don't like them. They can be choppy and unbelievable. Even in Nightmare, you can see the strings of items that they needed to make fly but couldn't do it without the fishing lures.

This is a great movie musical...and I think Danny Elfman does a fantastic job with the music and the lyrics. Creepy and Christmas-y...pretty impressive (no, not traditionally at the same time). You can keep the songs in your head and they are great to sing along to (I have the soundtrack...so trust me on this).

To me, Jack Skellington is a great Disney character. Sure...he's a skeleton, so he's kind of creepy. But he wants to take over Christmas and do it their own way. How cool is that?! He just wants a change in his life. What Disney story doesn't? Look at The Little Mermaid, Aladdin or Beauty and the Beast. Each of these stories have a main character that wants something different for themselves, claiming that there's something bigger and better waiting for them...and they find it.

In Jack's case, he finds it...but is doesn't go the way he would like. He ends up almost ruining Christmas and as Jack's enemy, the Boogie Man, locks Santa away...it looks like Christmas might be gone for good. Can Jack save the day?

Of course....but you can check it out for yourself!!


Similar Movies

The Corpse Bride (2005) (coming so soon...you can taste it!)
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Sleepy Hallow (1999)


Up Next

The Corpse Bride (2005)

31 Days of Halloween: Day 16

Day 16

Young Frankenstein (1974)



If you have never seen this classic from Mel Brooks, you are seriously missing out. Its a great parody of and a great tribute to the classic Frankenstein movies.

Gene Wilder is perfect as the eccentric Dr. Frankenstein (pronounced Franc-on-steen). Oh yes, the name is a huge bit in the movie, same with Igor (pronounced eye-gore). Madeline Kahn is a comic genius (check her out in Clue as Mrs. White...brilliant) and Terri Garr made her leading role debut in this movie. Her 'roll in the hay' scene is great.

Mel Brooks' was a smarty when he wrote this script. Naming Frau Blucher the way he did was great, especially when the horses 'nay' every time her name is spoken. For those who don't know, blucher means 'glue'...a sly joke indeed. Cloris Leechman was perfection here.

I have seen the original Frankenstein (1931) as well as Kenneth Branagh's version of the classic story, which released in 1994. Both are great films and I feel that Brooks' interpretation, while funny and farcical, is right up there with them and should never be overlooked when thinking of the story. Even as an ode to the original, it was presented in black and white.

Some of my favorite lines in this movie (please imagine some of these with Eastern European accents...I tried to add them in with spell):

Dr. F: "What knockers!"
Inga: "Oh, sank you Doctor."

Inga: "Put zee candle back!"

Inga: "He must have an enormous van schtucker."
Dr. F: "Well, that goes without saying."
Inga: "Woof."

Frau Blucher: "He vas my boyfriend!"


See it for yourself!! Its a movie I watch year-round as much as I can because its just that fun.


Similar Movies:

Frankenstein (1931)
Frankenstein (1994)
Van Helsing (2004)
Frankenweenie (1984) - they are remaking this, set to release in 2012


Up Next

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

PS...off to Salem, MA today and to a haunted house (yet to be picked)...I'll tell you about it later with pictures and stories a plenty!!