Boba Fett

I really don't get the obsession over this movie? Firstly, it irks me a bit that a lot of people call it Tim Burton's film (yes he wrote the story) and Henry Selick ends getting the shaft.

At best, it's an above average film, with some memorable music. It's almost as if the mass marketing of the movie on almost every type of product conceivable has convinced people even more that it's a better movie than it actually is.

Dr Mabuse

What's the deal with Ovaltine? Why do they call it Ovaltine? The mug is round. The jar is round. They should call it round tine.

CharlieK

Says the guy with the Boba Fett screen name!

PopcornTreeCt

This

naitram

Loved it when it came out (before the "merchandising"), still love it. A classic is a classic.

Go watch your DVDs.

DeputyDave

bunkaroo

Yep.

Hot Topic decided this would be a cool thing to market so now it seems like it was a "merchandising" movie. It wasn't. It wasn't even that big when it came out from what I remember.

Boba Fett

Touché sir.

Matthew Chmiel

I just don't get it!

Troy Stiffler

You know, I still haven't sat down and watched this yet. I've seen parts on TV or whatever. But never watched it in full.

I watched Coraline not too long ago. And it was good. So 'Nightmare' has actually been in the back of my mind lately.

zombeaner

I first saw this on opening night when I was a Freshman in high school and I thought it was amusing. I've since gone back to it and realized how layered and well made it is. Not mention the fact that it shows a world in which I would love to live. My wife loves it, my son loves it, it is an all around good time.

majorjoe23

The decision to market it heavily also comes from the fact that there wasn't much Nightmare merchandise when the film originally came out, and that stuff was worth a fortune and going for tons on ebay. So clearly there was demand for more Nightmare stuff.

Solid Snake

Yeah, I love the flick. Don't remember a lot of stuff for it at the time..but probably what? 4-5 years ago shit started popping out like crazy for it. It's a film a lot people liked and remembered so..it's understandable, as much as I hate saying that, that people would want stuff from it. I just hate how it's everywhere in your face at times.

clckworang

I will agree about the Henry Selick part of the first post. The film gets pushed so much as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas that most people I speak to have no idea that he didn't direct it. In fact, some people have gotten very adamant about the fact the Burton did direct it ... until I take them to the movie's IMDB page.

Groucho

My only pet peeve with this movie is Disney's decision to remake a classic ride (Haunted Mansion) once a year with the characters from this movie.

I guess it could have been worse. They could have inserted Eddie Murphy in there like they did with Johnny Depp and Pirates of the Caribbean.

UAIOE

I watched this movie after it first showed up on TV and didn't like it. I'm not sure what it was I didn't like, but I really didn't care for it at al.

Drop

I think it's pretty cool actually.

Anyway, so some people like the film, some don't. Okay, that's like any film. Could you be more specific about your criticisms, maybe we can have a good discussion about it's merits or lack of.

I personally really like the music, the visuals of the film, and the characters. I also enjoy the twist they take on Christmas, and the mashing up of 2 holidays. I think it's really interesting considering stores push Christmas earlier and earlier every year so the premise of the film isn't all that absurd.

And yes Selick did direct the film and deserves most of the credit for making it work, but it feels so much like a Burton film that having his named stamped on it isn't that absurd.

RyoHazuki

Boba Fett whats your real name or the name your dvdtalk reviews are posted under?

Poink

I loved it when it came out; I was about 11 or 12. Haven't watched it in about 8 or 9 years since I bought the DVD, but I still have my original Jack Skellington, and Zero toys on display in my room.

I have no problem with the increased popularity / cult status of the movie. Beats the hell out of what "the kids" normally watch nowadays.

Also, when I see some hot teenage girl rocking a Nightmare Before Christmas hoodie or purse, I feel as if I might have a chance. Then I realize that they were maybe 2 years old when the movie came out.

Travis McClain

It can be confusing having Burton's name attached to the title, but I always just took it to be the same as "Ian Fleming's From Russia with Love" or "Bram Stoker's Dracula." Including the originator of a story isn't uncommon, and this was always Burton's story.

Others have already addressed the post facto continuity of the nature of the NBX merchandise, so I'll simply add that it's the closest thing to all-ages goth that has hit the mainstream, so there's that appeal to the imagery. As for the fact that the film went largely ignored in its initial release, I liken it to The Shawshank Redemption in that its popularity came later. So what? Art galleries are full of paintings now considered priceless that went derided and ignored during their artists's lifetimes. Public appreciation doesn't always happen on a marketing department's schedule.

As for the film itself, I always liked the mood of the thing, and how the done-to-death story of discovering the real meaning of Christmas was turned on its head; it's through Christmas that Jack Skellington discovers the real meaning of Halloween. Each holiday speaks to a different part of our society (at least, the parts that observe them), but they're very different parts. I like the dichotomy of these seemingly opposite holidays and the implications they hold for us. Then again, I've talked for years about going dressed as Santa Claus for Halloween just to confuse the hell out of little kids.

Solid Snake

You should totally dress as Santa.

caligulathegod

While Henry Selick was the animation talent behind the film, he's never been able to replicate the entertainment value of TBTNBC. Tim Burton provided the soul that has been severely lacking in Selick's subsequent films.

My Other Self

I saw it in theaters upon its initial release in '93 ('94?) and enjoyed it as a kid. I watched it a couple times afterwards and it went from "Cool!" to "Meh. Nothing special." Then Hot Topic made it cool to like it and it became a cult classic and then I despised it. Still do. I'll never watch it again.

Hokeyboy

I enjoyed NIGHTMARE long before I ever heard of or walked into a Hot Topic. But I also just got rid of a canoe I've had for nearly 20 years.

My Other Self