Nightmare Before Christmas starts at 8:15 My thoughts? I absolutely loved it as a kid. I couldn't wait to go back and see it again, and it helped that my mom liked it too. Really, I couldn't care less about the story - mostly, I loved the visuals, liked the music, and liked the characters of Jack, Sally, and Zero. The film feels epic and real when the military gets involved and shoots down Jack. Siskel is wrong about the romance - it has just enough, including a whole song from Sally. Any more would have been very intrusive and weird for a kids' movie. My least favorite part was the introduction of the horrible trick-r-treaters. Maybe the story structure is a little weird, with a shoe-horned villian, but I don't know what else they could have done with this concept. Overall, it was a charming thrill ride for kids, and S&E were off the mark here. As I said on their review of Jumanji - why didn't they ever ask the opinion of kids, when reviewing a kids' movie???
I couldn't wait to see this movie when I saw the trailer and couldn't have been more disappointed when 10 minutes in I realized it was a musical! I just wanted a macabre version of the classic stop motion Christmas specials from the 60's and again Tim Burton disappoints as usual! Couldn't agree more with Siskel & Eberts critique!
The look from Nightmare Before Christmas alone was enough to get all the merchandise for it in stores (hot topic) even to this day. The story is pretty much the last thing people think about with that movie
What I find strange is that Siskel didn't mind the storytelling in Batman Returns in his earlier review, but thought that Nightmare Before Christmas got muddled. What a switcheroo.
Fearless! I forgot all about that movie. I remember my mom rented and enjoyed watching it with her as a teenager. Peter Weir...one of my favorite directors.
For whatever reason, I don't think they had a lot of sensitivity to music's charms. They always failed to mention scores that other people found gorgeous or intriguing. Such as the early work of Danny Elfman. In 1990, they talked frequently about the film Dick Tracy without once mentioning that its songs were by Stephen Sondheim: A fact worthy of report, even if you didn't like the music. Equally of note: Elfman was pulled in at the last minute to produce what amounts to a sound-alike of his own Batman music to underscore the film's action sequences. There used to be films like _Lawrence of Arabia_ that had long musical overtures and intermissions. It made one suspect that the film itself was there only as an ornament to the composition. But Gene and Roger only notice characters, situations, and special effects. Occasionally they'll mention dialogue and art direction. But never music. Not unless we're talking about a sappy, reassuring melody with a folksy 1970s vibe. (See Gene's moustache in episode 1 and all becomes clear.)
I think Nightmare had a good storyline. It just had a bit of a weak conclusion with the Oogie Boogie character who was a bit beside the point. But the basic storyline of Jack taking over Christmas and screwing it up was great fun.
Bummer that they never reviewed Judgment Night. I've seen the other episodes around this time when it was released in theatres and it wasn't featured on those either. Such a criminally underrated thriller. One of my all time favorites.
My 3 year old loves The Nightmare Before Christmas. We were scared to show it to him, but we were going to meet family on Halloween in Disneyland, and meet Jack and Sally, see the Haunted Mansion, etc. So we thought we better just show him. Absolutely loves it. Sings the songs all day. We are conditioned to think that ghouls and skeletons are "scary", but they don't have to be. And how the heck do they not even mention the soundtrack? Did they not notice that it's a MUSICAL?! How do you review a musical without mentioning the music? One of their worst reviews, easily.
A message to adults that have always been miserable to everyone around. Never too late to turn it around. Absolutely a fantastic movie all the way around.
It's more of a cult classic than a classic. Popularity isn't the same as quality. They are right that the movie doesn't flow perfectly, but it's still a good movie overall.
VERY surprised at Siskel and Ebert's reaction to Nightmare Before Christmas!! Before watching their review, I felt certain that both men would have LOVED this movie and hailed it as an "instant classic" (which is IS!!!) But to my surprise, they only gave it a luke-warm review....
I saw the "Beverly Hillbillies" at the second-run 2 dollar cinema and I paid too much...Nightmare is one of my most watched movies. I saw it 4 times at the cinema and 30-40 on video/DVD.
Finally, a proper review of fearless, the best Jeff Bridges performance, I haven't seen the Big Lebowski, but it can already say that his performance in Fearless is 10x better. Such an underrated MASTERPIECE
Haha yeah Ebert let the mush mouth fly for a second then had to shut it down. I'm sure you've seen the outtake video where ebert makes fun of siskels inability to talk coherently sometimes. I get the feeling they like to get these done in just one shot or two.... ni telling how many times gene had screwed something up. I love this show!
The Nightmare Before Christmas is definitely a brilliant animated movie I loved it when I was a kid. Although even then, I would agree that the story is pretty weak. And it would probably be too scary for anyone younger than say, 6 or 7. But still, it's a very good stop motion animated film for both Halloween and Christmas time.
I totally enjoy The Nightmare Before Christmas but they're right about the story. Apparently Burton and Elfman really sort of made it up as it went along and it does have that feel.
Siskel and Ebert never seem to get Burton's stories. I think the only film of Burton's they both liked visual and it's story is Ed Wood. Now I do agree with them on the Batman films on some points. I do think those films have some issues with story and character motives. (IMHB I do love those films but I can see the flaws.) I just never felt like they gave Burton enough credit as a story teller.
frankly, Mr. Ebert's assessment that the lead character in _Nightmare Before Christmas_ simply follows Tim Burton's usual hero who are "societal outcasts" isn't _true._ i don't love the movie, but isn't Jack Skelington, like, KING of where he lives? isn't he literally the Pumpkin King? i don't see him being a "societal outcast." well, maybe in the Normal World when he visits. or maybe i Christmas Land or wherever. if _Nightmare Before Christmas_ were just a 20-minute short with the intro and his "What Is This?" song, it'd be one of the best, most visually stunning achievements in Hollywood history. as it stands, though, once Oogie Boogie shows up it DOES becomes another desperate thwart-the-villain / save-the-girl-in-time snoozer. i know that's not a popular opinion.
he actually is a bit of an outsider in his own world. the role of being the leader of Halloween with everyone looking up to him makes him feel distant from the citizens.
Seems like everyone in the comments loved TNBC. I watched it when I was about 8, and I felt a bit uncomfortable/scared. Just my opinion of course. But I've never watched it since the first time. IMO closer to 10 or 12 is probably the right age for this film.
"...Hillbillies" was made for the fans of the original TV show it wasn't supposed to be a fresh daring edgy new comedy. I guess if you're not a fan of the original show then you wouldn't get it.
Ashley Judd was Oscar worthy in Ruby In Paradise and it's an excellent film. But emotionally it's a major downer. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to young women, I would recommend it more for acting students
Beverly Hillbillies was awful (I stopped watching after 20 minutes - it's unbearable). The guy who plays Jethro is the worst. Max Baer did a good job of making him stupid but funny in the series. The guy who plays him here is just plain stupid.
Deidrich Bader is actually a pretty funny actor in The Drew Carey Show and Office Space, but you’re totally right about his performance in this film. It’s really obnoxious and lazy, especially compared to Baer’s original performance.
The Beverly hillbillies movie was a major disappointment, and It still is today, and I'm not going to get the movie on VHS and dvd because it's the worst movie ever.
Bruh! Siskel is officially whack. I’m sorry I grew up on these two but Siskel smh I JUST saw the clip you gave Ferris Bueller’s Day off a THUMBS DOWN and said it wasn’t interesting! and now you trash the Nightmare Before Christmas?????
_The Night Before Christmas_ is almost certainly one of the most overrated movies of all time. the look is incredible and that _What's This?_ song sequence is really really good. but the characters, such as they are? the plot? i dunno man, i just find it all flat as _hell._
