Today is Christmas Eve. It is a time to spend with your friends and family, put up stockings and perhaps even open a few presents depending on your own family tradition. There is another popular thing to do when beautiful lights dance on trees and there is a merry sense of joy that fills the air; and that is to gather around and watch a great holiday movie. You have MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS, A CHRISTMAS STORY and so many classic tales to get you in the holiday spirit. So many choices, new and old, to celebrate another year and enjoy a festive meal and a great movie. Thankfully, just because we are horror fans doesn’t mean that we don’t have a few enjoyable excursions to shake things up a bit.
Horror has always found itself home for the holidays. From the controversial – but so bad it’s good – SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT (and sequels) to the terrifying BLACK CHRISTMAS, there is much to enjoy when Santa comes calling on December 25th. When it comes to spooky stuff, this time of year lends itself well to genre. As well, you can find a number of stories that feature a balance between comedy, horror and what have you. Joe Dante – with Steven Spielberg producing – gave us GREMLINS in 1983 which had a lovely sense of twisted whimsy. The Michael Dougherty tale of KRAMPUS conjured up a few fantastically creepy images with a demonic force ready to punish children who have misbehaved. And if you want something completely different, there is a gleefully awesome zombie X-Mas flick that abounds with humor, heart and killer tunes called ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE – this one is currently playing in select theatres.
With that in mind, there is one other flick that manages to be all of that and more. In fact, it is the rare feature film that can be enjoyed by nearly every single living soul. In 1993, Henry Selick and Tim Burton teamed up with Walt Disney to give fans something that is wondrous and exuberantly warped in the best of ways. A NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS is a brilliant fantasy that is filled with great songs, a sweet love story, scary creatures and a bit of gothic happiness that is unlike anything that came before or since. This stop-motion animated feature was in many ways ahead of its time, and over the years it has become an official holiday classic.
The beauty of this tale of Jack Skellington and his strange fascination with Christmas has one thing that most holiday horrors don’t, you get double the fun with such a magnificent mix of goblins and vampires during this magical time of candy canes and mistletoe. This is the rare film that is just as relevant when December rolls around as it would be on October 31st. It is a remarkable mix of holiday traditions and a soundtrack that magically works its way into your subconscious. A NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS is that brilliant mix of horror and ho ho ho that still manages to delight both the naughty, and the nice. If you haven't experienced it recently, this just might be the perfect present to go under the tree, or to set the right mood for a very special celebration.
As a horror fan, I was more than a little pleased at how cleverly this film managed to incorporate so much of what makes each day special. Hell, they even made Santa Claus a damn cool character. And frankly, this film has become more than a little iconic. Even at the Disneyland resorts, you can join in on Jack and Sally’s adventures. Every year they turn the Haunted Mansion into a place that is perfect for Skellington and all the little ghouls and boils to entertain in from September up until the New Year. This wonderful feature has become just as important to Christmas as Ebenezer Scrooge and The Grinch. In fact, last week I attended a special Cinespia holiday screening of the film and it was a joy to behold. This is more than just a Halloween or Christmas flick… What’s this?? It’s the best damn holiday movie you could ever ask for!
Maybe it’s the booze talkin’; but A NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS may be the perfect Christmas movie! Certainly we all have our favorite horror holiday treats – I cannot get enough of the original BLACK CHRISTMAS – but there is nothing like the magic of Jack Skellington and crew. This imaginative tale is far more than just your typical animated fantasy. It is a stunning work that still holds up as well as it did the year it was released. With the combined vision of Tim Burton, Henry Selick and the brilliance of Danny Elfman, there is no better time to gather round friends and family and celebrate with Jack, Sally and maybe even Oogie Boogie if he behaves. To you and yours, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and to all a good fright!