Some said the songs were too short and safe, especially when compared to the sadistic, clever songs in Nightmare. Others said the claymation in Corpse was too perfect. Lastly, fans agreed that the story simply was not on par with its predecessor. The story behind Nightmare was so thought-out, while Corpse Bride seemed to drag at points, then ended abruptly. Despite these reasons, it is worth examining why Nightmare Before Christmas is the overwhelming favorite.
The Dark Tales of Tim Burton
Despite their differences, no one can say that The Corpse Bride lacked the darkness of Nightmare. Corpse is adapted from a Russian folktale, in which Emily, a bride who was killed on her wedding night, is cursed to hover between the living and dead worlds until she is asked to be a wife. Set in the Victorian era, Victor is set to make a good match with aristocrat Victoria. The match is beneficial for both, for while Victor’s family is looking to rise up in status, Victoria’s has run out of money. While practicing his vows in a Gothic forest, he inadvertently slips the wedding ring on Emily’s finger. Though the Land of the Dead is much more alive than the Land of the Living, Victor realizes he is in love with Victoria and attempts to return to his own world.
Despite the equal darkness of the two films, viewers preferred Nightmare because the story was more flexible. Because it has such morbid undertones, it can be enjoyed by adults as well as children. Many felt that Corpse was too safe and tried too hard to fit into a Children’s genre, despite its dark nature.
Often, the Music Makes the Movie
One of the things that made The Nightmare Before Christmas such a favorite were the clever, morbid songs littered throughout the film. The soundtrack by Danny Elfman boasts eleven vocal songs, all with a complex score and beautiful singing to back them up. Witty and fun, the lyrics are easy to remember as well as humorous.
In comparison, The Corpse Bride contains only four vocal songs. While they are beautiful arrangements, they lack the flavor of Nightmare’s lyrics, at times falling into tired clichés about death. Viewers said, they are “tamer” than Nightmare and lack the flowing “finished” quality of Nightmare’s pieces.
The Decision
Though both films are beautiful, The Nightmare Before Christmas is the favorite among adults and children. In the end, it all comes down to familiarity. Nightmare was such a staple of its generation that anything trying to measure up inevitably falls short. As a fellow viewer put it,
“It (Corpse Bride) is a beautiful film, very pretty to look at and well made. But despite all that, it just doesn’t measure up to Nightmare’s reputation.”
is a similarly dark tale about the inhabitants of Halloweentown, a town that spends every moment preparing for Halloween. As the Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington, is very good at “scaring,” but he has tired of this routine. When he accidentally stumbles upon Christmastown, he realizes that this change of scene is what his life has been missing. He takes it upon himself to hijack Christmas and place the inhabitants of his own town on the task. In order to ensure he is getting the holiday right, he kidnaps “Sandy Claws,” leaving Christmas thoroughly abandoned.
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