The very idea is striking. This is the film that intimates that holidays inhabit the lives of people - so much so that a land exists where devoted denizens work specifically on being the mind, soul and body of sed holiday. An early explanation is given in which a circle of trees, each bearing the symbol of a holiday, is revealed, immediately dispelling the idea that we are watching something of a retread of the handful of stories usually told at this time of year. No, this idea was conceived by Tim Burton when he was working for Disney as an animator, years before the 'Beetlejuice's and 'Sleepy Hollow's of the world would be birthed. The film is written by Caroline Thompson - though the dialogue and movement are often dwarfed by a Burton favorite, Danny Elfman, the writer of the film's brilliant songs. These tunes (beware, they're catchy), all reflect the wonderment of the film's prime entertainer: Jack Skellington: the king of Halloween land.

        Jack (voiced by both Sarandon and Elfman) is restless with a lifetime of successful Halloweens. Matching his sadness is the ever longing Sally, a creation of Halloween land's local Dr. Frankenstein-esque professor. Seeking variety, he walks into another holiday world, Christmas land, and decides, after experiencing the warmth of candy canes and snowmen, to revamp the whole idea of Halloween. His plan is to incorporate specific customs of Christmas (such as gift giving and "Sandy Claws" - a mispronunciation of Santa Claus that knocks the monsters of Halloween land dead at the town meeting). Even then, though, Jack can't wrap his head around the concept (you see, he's only known Halloween), in which case he decides to kidnap Santa Claus - or, rather, give him some time off - and take over Christmas duties (in this way he's kind of alike a well-meaning Grinch, he makes Christmas a time of giving mixed with terror and bites off far more than he can chew on the moral front). The leaf filled Sally comes to his rescue, of course, the woman's sense in the face of a man's ungodly stubbornness.

        The intricate and slow moving process of this type of stop motion animation (which entails filming slight movements of tiny models) gives way to a ton of wonderful designs. Less a film sometimes than an art show of the gothic and macabre art school kids we all know, there never seems to be too little to look at. In fact, I think watching the film now for the third time, there are things I'd never seen - and things yet to see. Any type of artistic expression that can serve repeat viewing - by overloading the screen with creativity and therefore ensuring surprises - is a skilled and often near impossible task worth noting. 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' is no exception (see also the magnificent blend of part live action, part stop motion animation feature 'James and the Giant Peach', also directed by Selick). This is a film that gets more and more fun to watch with every passing year.

        This was the first high school date I would embark upon.. Sure, my date was preoccupied by what my inevitable review would be (yes, I've always written for dorky school papers, serve yourself at the humble pie table), but the very moment the film started and the rush of darkness, the sound of the projector and the warm, breathing silence I was helping to break by attempting intimacy, in fact dreaming of a kiss - it was all as much of a dream as what occurred onscreen. Thrilling; there I was, at the Fox Coventry theater in Pottstown, Pennsylvania - watching 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' in October of 1993 - and beginning a partnership with romance and the cinema that would, well, never get me anywhere life. Oh well. At the very least, its a page marker. (Hey! Save some humble pie for me!)