If I could have devised a more contrasting film to watch after 'White Christmas', 'Nightmare Before Christmas' would fit the bill nicely.
I only remember watching this once previously, when I was quite young, and think that may explain away any deep seeded mental problems I may have.
The film that bred a million goths, goes something like this: Jack Skellington (voiced by composer Danny Elfman), is tired of scaring on Halloween, and decides to hijack Christmas as his own. With the help of all the ghouls and ghosts of Halloweenland.
It's a good idea. And the film is genuinely funny. When Jack tries to explain Jingle Bells to a grotesque band, the result had me chuckling.
But this film is.... and I was trying to find the more eloquent way to say this... fucked up. I mean truly. I mean how this hasn't sent every child whose seen it into a shuddering, catatonic wreck is beyond me.
Some of it has quite a mean spirit (a terrified Easter Bunny) but some of it is, well, the stuff of Nightmares. The Boogeyman is the main culprit. He may sing in a bluesy voice, but that doesn't stop him looking like something your subconcious would throw up when you've eaten stilton just before bed. The moment he's unzipped to reveal a big pile of formation bugs is unsettling and not something I should have to deal with when I've just eaten toast. Then there's the trick-or-treating kids who sing a song about how best to beat the shit out of Santa. Nice. Not to mention a clown with a detachable face. It's makes the Human Centipede look tame by comparison.
To a certain degree I'm glad this film has come early in the list. It is a film more suited to the late night snack eating of Halloween, than the holy jolly glow of Christmas. A unique film, definitely, but one I'm kinda glad is out of the way.
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