What is your favourite Chrismtas film?
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Written by Tim Burton, directed by Henry Selick 1993.
When, and where, was the first time you saw this film? Was it a particularly memorable day/company/experience?
I first watched The Nightmare Before Christmas on my own around Halloween time. The film is regularly categorized as both a Halloween and a Christmas film. It’s not you’re traditional Christmas film, and yet it’s always the first film I choose to watch to get into the festive mood!
Favourite character and why?
I think everyone’s favourite character has to be Jack Skellington. His originally frightening appearance hides an innocent and childlike excitement for Christmas, which mirrors my own excitement for the holidays! He’s determined to put on the greatest Christmas day that anyone has ever seen, and his good intentions and childlike hopefulness force you to forget all about his previously spooky persona.
He’s a lovable, childlike, spindly skellington who loves Christmas, what’s not to like?!
Favourite scene?
I love the scene where Jack stumbles upon Christmas town. It captures every feeling that you ever had about Christmas as a child. The newness, the bright colours and Jack’s excitement of not knowing what’s going on eradicates everything that had previously made Jack frightening and gives him an endearing naïve quality to his character. His response reflects everyone’s inner child and it illustrates the best bits of Christmas that everyone loves!
Favourite quote?
‘Just because I cannot see it, doesn’t mean I can’t believe it!’ – Jack Skellington.
This quote is one of my absolute favourites, it shows the depth of Jack’s sincere, childlike and unaltered belief. Jack has no idea of what Christmas town really encompasses, and yet his anticipation and his hope of this new, mysterious event keep him striving for what he believes in!
Who would you like to be in the film?
I’d like to be one of Oogie Boogie’s henchmen. They epitomise the naughty, devilish children that end up on Santa’s naughty list. Despite their eagerness to help and please Jack, they can’t help but to return to their mischievous habits when they hand the real Santa Claus over to Oogie Boogie.
Why is it your favourite?
I know that The Nightmare Before Christmas isn’t your traditional portrayal of Christmas time, it’s full of originally dark and frightening ideas that somehow manage to create innocence, hope and love throughout the film. It’s sing-song, nursery rhyme-esque script help to lighten the dark animation and create a loveable cast of characters from both Halloween and Christmas town. The characters may not achieve the Christmas that everyone longs for, but their childlike excitement and energy essentially sums up every attempt that we make in life to create the perfect Christmas. This film takes me back to Christmas day as a child, and it’s all down to the characters enthusiastic attempt at making others happy through their attempt at creating the perfect Christmas day. As both a child and now as an adult, The Nightmare Before Christmas manages to convey the real meaning of Christmas.
