|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack features 10 ghoulishly delightful songs and score by renowned composer songwriter Danny Elfman, and stars Chris Sarandon and Danny Elfman as the speaking and singing voices of Jack Skellington; Ken Page as Oogie Boogie, Catherine O'Hara as Sally, and Paul Reubens, Catherine O'Hara, and Danny Elfman as the trouble-making trio Lock, Shock, and Barrel. Combining the heart of Disney entertainment with the look of a Burton film and the sound of Elfman's haunting operatic score, Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas sets the holiday worlds on a comic collision course, when the residents of Halloweentown try their hand at "making Christmas." A fiendishly delightful adventure into the thrilling world of make-believe, Nightmare Before Christmas is the brainchild of Tim Burton (Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, Batman, and Edward Scissorhands). Conceived nearly 12 years ago, when Burton was a young animator at Disney, the film unites a cast of bizarre but lovable characters in a world of surreal landscapes and musical mastery. Blending the offbeat and the upbeat with ghoulish good humor and tenderness, Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas brings meticulously crafted miniature sets and puppets together in a fascinating three-dimensional world through stop-motion animation and innovative state of-the-art technology.
Embracing the traditional musical structure of 10 songs and underscore, Elfman creates a musical landscape in which the story narrative is wholly integrated into each musical number. Allowing the film's fantastic characters to come convincingly to life, the songs set into "stop-motion" the fanciful tale of Jack Skellington with haunting melodies, vivid imagery, and spectacular wordplay. Supported by an evocative and suspenseful underscore, the Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack is a dazzling marriage of music and innovative technique. The film's production numbers include: "This Is Halloween," the song that introduces the storyline; "Jack's Lament," in which Jack expresses his frustration with his life; "What's This?," Jack's exuberant testimonial to Christmastown; "Town Meeting Song," which introduces the denizens of Halloweentown; "Jack's Obsession," in which Jack realizes his newfound desire for Christmastown; "Kidnap the Sandy Claws," which unveils Lock, Shock, and Barrel's plan to abduct Santa Claus; "Making Christmas," Halloweentown's off-kilter impression of Christmas; "Sally's Song," a tender ballad of unrequited love; "Oogie Boogie's Song," the evil demon's gloriously ghoulish tribute to himself; "Poor Jack," a song of self-awakening, in which Jack discovers he truly belongs in Halloweentown; and the finale reprise performed by Jack, Sally, and the citizens of Halloweentown.
Here's the full list of tracks:
The StorySet in the "holiday worlds of old," Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas follows the comic misadventures and misguided passion of Jack Skellington, Halloweentown's beloved Pumpkin King, who oversees the creation of all the ghoulish delights, frights, and surprises that his holiday traditionally exports to the "real world." Bored with the same annual routine, Jack finds a new purpose in life when he accidentally stumbles upon the entryway to Christmastown. Instantly enchanted with the bright colors, toys, decorations, and warm spirit he discovers there, Jack returns home, obsessed with bringing Christmas under his control. Enlisting his loyal townspeople to help him become a substitute Santa, Jack sets out to create a new and improved version of the holiday, which soon goes seriously astray.
The CastHeading the animated cast for Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas is Jack Skellington, the tall, elegant, skeletal figure who presides over Halloweentown and its strange-looking but lovable residents. Dapper in his spider-web pin-striped suit, bat bowtie, and tails, he is the "Jack" of his trade but is a sorry substitute for "Sandy Claws." Chris Sarandon is the soulful sound behind Jack's speaking voice, while Danny Elfman provides the melancholy glee for Jack's musical interludes. Rarely far from his master's side is Jack's faithful canine friend, Zero, the ghost dog with a glowing jack-o'-lantern nose.Sally, a resourceful rag doll created by Halloweentown's Evil Scientist, is always nearby, watching over Jack. Even though she feels that he is courting disaster with his outlandish scheme to take over Christmas, she stands by her skeleton man and helps him out of his predicaments. Multi-talented Catherine O'Hara speaks, sings, and laments for this lonely, lovelorn lass. Veteran stage and screen actor William Hickey (Prizzi's Honor) is the familiar, gravelly voice behind the Evil Scientist, a mad genius who makes haunted house calls and can cure everything except Sally's restlessness. The Mayor of Halloweentown loves to face his public and has two faces -- one optimistic, one pessimistic -- so that he's politically correct at all times. Famous for his rapid mood swings, he's the quintessential bureaucrat, and he can't make decisions on his own. Glenn Shadix (Beetlejuice) does a great turn in this vocal role. Lock, Shock, and Barrel outwardly appear like a devil, a witch, and a ghoul, and underneath it all this trio of trick-or-treating troublemakers is rotten to the core. Delighted with their assignment to capture the real "Sandy Claws," they scheme deliciously nasty ways to trap him, before ultimately delivering him to their main man -- Oogie Boogie. Paul Reubens provides the voice of Lock; Catherine O'Hara does double time as Shock; and Danny Elfman is the impish voice of Barrel. Acclaimed stage performer Ken Page (Ain't Misbehavin ') is a demonic delight as the voice of Oogie Boogie, the meanest guy in Halloweentown and a rambling, gambling bag of bugs who invites Santa to stay for Christmas dinner. Of course, the only problem is that Santa is the planned special ingredient in Oogie Boogie's famous snake stew. Santa Claus (Sandy Claws) himself figures prominently in this holiday charade when he becomes the unwilling pawn in Jack's takeover attempt. Jack ultimately discovers that the jolly one's boots are not so easy to fill, and Santa arrives in the "Nick" of time to fix the holiday. In true Christmas spirit, a forgiving Santa even makes a special side trip to Halloweentown to bring the residents their first-ever snowfall. Ed Ivory fills Santa's suit as the beleaguered Christmas icon. Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, featuring songs and score by Danny Elfman, is a ghoulish combination of breathtaking filmmaking and haunting musical invention. Available on CD or cassette from Walt Disney Records. Use of this site signifies your agreement to the
terms of use.
© Disney. All rights reserved.
|
The film reunites Burton with singer songwriter composer Danny Elfman in their fifth collaboration. Lead singer of the popular rock group Oingo Boingo, Elfman composed the scores for the films Dick Tracy, Batman, and Edward Scissorhands, as well as the theme song to TV's The Simpsons. In addition to creating the songs and score for Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, Elfman served as album producer and is currently at work on a live-action musical fantasy for Disney entitled Little Demons.
1.1 MB