It’s been 13 years since the gothic, Tim Burton-produced The Nightmare Before Christmas stop-gapped its way into cinemas; in the years since, the world of animation has become a Pixar-dominated, altogether shinier place. Add 3-D tech-wizardry to the tale of Jack Skellington and his misplaced philanthropy threatening Christmas, though, and a ghastly gloss grows on Halloween Town. With specs on, the wormy, maggoty ghosts and ghouls feel horribly close.
In fact, so Burton-esque is this world that it remains baffling that he didn’t direct, megaphone duties instead falling to Henry Selick. Now beautifully realised, some of the 1993 original’s charm has been lost – nothing looks quite so painstakingly moulded – but never has the vivid imagination of Burton been so immersive. Happy holidays.
