Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas

Jack is the Pumpkin King in this other worldly setting who has the role of ringing in the frights that take place during Halloween. But like some real people, Jack begins to wonder if there?s something more than being stuck in the same rut, doing the same thing year after year – so he goes for a walk.

It?s during this walk that he discovers that Halloween Town is not the only holiday place. He finds other holidays, with each one being on a tree that can lead to a different town. He chooses to step into Christmas Town after seeing the beautifully decorated Christmas tree in the center of one of the trees. He visits and loves the warmth and cheer that he discovers there.

He goes back home to share what he?s discovered, but fails to adequately communicate exactly what Christmas is. Despite his inability to get the others to see Christmas as he sees it, he decides that he?ll be in charge of Christmas instead of Santa Claus – so he arranges for three children to bring Santa to Halloween Town.

The love interest in the movie is Sally, a rag doll with large, expressive eyes who doesn?t want Jack to try to take over Christmas, but he won?t listen to her. When he fails to be stopped, Jack takes off on his Christmas voyage and gives to the world?s children his version of Christmas.

But his version is a bounty of frightful things that are related to Halloween rather than Christmas. Instead of imparting the love and cheer he found when visiting Christmas Town, Jack has imparted fear to the residents. After being discovered, Jack?s coffin sleigh is downed and the word spreads that he has been killed.

Back in Halloween Town, Sally is desperately trying to free the kidnapped Santa, but ends up in trouble herself. Jack returns to town in time to save both her and Santa Claus. After he rescues Sally, he realizes that he loves her as she loves him and the two sing a duet.

The movie is a darkly funny twist on The Night Before Christmas and Jack is a leading character you can root for. While it?s a great movie and many audiences will find it appealing, parents of younger children may want to watch the movie first before allowing their children to see it because of some of the frightening scenes.

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