Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Way Back Wednesday

Because we've all been such good little boys and girls, this edition of Way Back Wednesday is a 2-fer - 2 movies by Tim Burton that make me think about Halloween

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas is a 1993 stop motion fantasy film directed by Henry Selick and produced/co-written by Tim Burton. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, a being from "Halloween Town" who opens a portal to "Christmas Town". Danny Elfman wrote the film score and provided the singing voice of Jack, as well as other minor characters. The remaining principal voice cast includes Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara, William Hickey, Ken Page and Glen Shadix.

From IMDB: The Nightmare Before Christmas started as a poem by Tim Burton in the early-1980s. Halloween Town is a dream world filled with citizens such as deformed monsters, ghosts, ghouls, goblins, vampires, werewolves and witches. Jack Skellington - The Pumpkin King - leads them in a frightful celebration every Halloween, but he has grown tired of the same routine year after year. Wandering in the forest outside the town center, he accidentally opens a portal to "Christmas Town". Impressed by the feeling and style of Christmas, Jack presents his findings and his understanding of the holiday to the Halloween Town residents. They fail to grasp his meaning and compare everything he says to their idea of Halloween. He reluctantly decides to play along and announces that they will take over Christmas.


I love both of these movies - mainly because I love all of Tim Burton's work - but I think The Nightmare Before Christmas is my favorite.

Tim Burton's Corpse Bride is an Academy Award-nominated 2005 stop-motion-animation fantasy film directed by Mike Johnson and Tim Burton. It is based loosely on a 19th century Russian-Jewish folktale version of an older Jewish story and set in a fictional Victorian era village in Britain. Johnny Depp led an all-star cast as the voice of Victor and Helena Bonham Carter (for whom the project was specially created) voiced Emily, the title character.

From IMDB: When a shy young Victor Van Dort (Depp) fails to recite his vows properly at his wedding rehersal to a complete stranger Victoria Everglott (Watson) he flees and practises his vows in the woods. However when he eventually gets it spot on he accidently places the ring on the finger of a corpse known as the corpse bride (Carter). He ends up in the afterlife known as the land of the dead (which proves to be much more colourful and fun than the land of the living). He desperatly tries to get home especially when he finds out that his beloved wife to be will be marrying someone else to save her family from the poor house. The man she is being forced to marry is the devious Lord Barkiss, who is only after Victoria for her money (not knowing that she and her family are now completely broke) When he (and the rest of the dead) finally get to the land of the living a shocking discovery is made which reveals how Emily (the corpse bride) died and who did it as Victor and Victoria are finally able to be together. Charming comedy with an all star cast including Christopher Lee, and a few sweet songs along the way.

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