Nightmare Before Christmas |
| Tim Burton's "Nightmare Before Christmas" is the first time that a feature length stop motion animated film has been treated with the same level of technical commitment and money as feature length animated films have been, and by no less than the Walt Disney Company! The film represents a high water mark in the art of stop motion, both for its art direction and its smoothly executed and ambitious character animation. There was a close camaraderie among the animators and artists working on the film. The work was physically and emotionally taxing, with 12 hour days, six times a week not uncommon. Everyone knew that the picture was something special and unique in the history of stop motion animation. Tim Burton's vision, director Henry Selick's unswerving perfectionism, and the Skellington Productions' highly talented crew proved that stop motion animation can still be a viable and exciting technique in this age of hi-tech computers. The Nightmare Before Christmas has something to offer just about everyone. For the kids, it's a fantasy celebrating two holidays. For the adults, it's an opportunity to experience some light entertainment while marvelling at how adept Hollywood has become at these techniques. There are songs (even if they aren't nearly as noteworthy as they should be), laughs, and a little romance. In short, The Nightmare Before Christmas does what it intends to: entertain. |