~Cast~The Nightmare Before Christmas 3D (1993)
~Cast~
Chris Sarandon..........................Jack Skeleton
Catherine O'Hara.......................Sally/Shock
William Hickey..........................Dr. Finklestein
Glenn Shadix.............................Mayor
Paul Reubens.............................Lock
Ken Page...................................Oogie Boogie
Directed by................................Tim Burton
Reviewed By: Lauren O'Brien
Lauren's Rating
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas quickly became, and continues on, as a holiday classic for both Halloween and Christmas. This past Halloween, I got the opportunity to see the 3D version of the film, which was released a year prior. As one of my favorite movies, I was excited to see the film in a different light. I wasn’t happy to pay an extra $2.50 for the film on top of already high theater prices, but I dealt because I was not going to miss seeing the film in this form for another season.
Lucky for my friends and I, we were one of three groups who showed up to see The Nightmare Before Christmas on Halloween night, so we got amazing seats. The glasses for the film were much nicer than the flimsy 3D viewers given at most shows, and added to the excitement of the presentation. The previews kept the anticipation high as well by having the final preview rely on 3D tactics as well. Though the preview packed a lot of punch with its popping off the screen action, the movie was not one I would bother paying to see, and the preview just made me want to see Tim Burton’s classic even more. No worries, the movie started soon after.
Right off the bat, the 3D additions failed to impress. Since I’ve seen the film countless times I believed it would be simple to detect the differences, but I found it difficult throughout the course of the movie. Instead of creatures leaping off the screen and objects flying through the air, certain props and scenery stood out creating a different contrast, which was not very exciting. The mild difference between the 3D and original version surfaced early in the movie, and I maintained hope that more significant improvements were on their way. I should have given up hope at the beginning.
Certain scenes, especially near the end of The Nightmare Before Christmas, beg to have 3D effects added to them, but whoever worked on this version ignored these cues. The final showdown between Jack and Oogie Boogie has spinning parts, knives flying, and insects buzzing, and not a single one came off the screen in any appealing way. The only semi-pleasing moment was near the very end, when snowflakes floated off the screen and danced in front of our eyes. Other than that, this version disappointed.
Unless you don’t mind spending extra money, I would not advise going to see this version of the film, whether you are a fan of the movie or not. The 3D effects are barely noticeable and they certainly do not add to the greatness of The Nightmare Before Christmas.
If you enjoyed this review by Lauren, make sure to check out her film live journal at http://fireflyfilms.livejournal.com !