The Nightmare Before Christmas 3D [Blu-Ray]

Henry Selick

BY Robert BellPublished Sep 8, 2011

Before getting too excited about the 3D release of holiday classic The Nightmare Before Christmas, it's important to know that the actual 3D is post-conversion, which only exacerbates the many oddities and tics of the stop-motion animation, making much of the experience jumpy and blurry. It's not to fault any of the efforts to make this "grass is greener" story of new discovery impressive and purchase-worthy for fans keen on collecting all variations, as the actual final product – ignoring the implicit problems – is a solid transfer with booming surround sound. It adds new dimension to the story of Jack, the Pumpkin King, and his romance with both Christmas and the Frankenstein-esque Sally, giving detail to the specificities of the individual tableaux, when they are discernable amidst the jerkiness. More successful is the straightforward Blu-Ray transfer, which is also included with the box set, adding dimension and clarity to Tim Burton's dark, musical fantasy. It's leaps and bounds beyond the DVD version, which, again, is included with this extensive set, making every viewing option a reality. What's more is that this three-disc set includes an absurd amount of supplemental material, such as a Haunted Mansion Holiday tour with on-screen factoids, a commentary track with Burton and Selick, a "Behind the scenes" featurette that details the intense craftsmanship that went into the film and the usual deleted scenes. We also have Time Burton short film Frankenweenie, wherein a young boy revives his dog from the dead, much to the surprise of his parents, Shelley Duvall and Daniel Stern. It's curious viewing knowing that Burton is currently working on the feature film adaptation of the short. There's also short film Vincent, wherein a boy dreams of being Vincent Price This is a solid package for Burton fans.
(Buena Vista)

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