What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this offbeat, stop motion-animated
movie is one of the great family films for all ages. That said,
it does have scary Halloween creatures in it -- characters take
off their own heads and limbs, and there are skeletons, nasty
toys, and a creepy villain named Oogie Boogie. A Christmas tree
even burns up. Some little kids who aren't old enough to
distinguish this fantasy from the goings on at Halloween (or
those prone to nightmares) might steer clear, although you can
always pause the TV and talk about what's scaring them. The
special 3D version is identical in content and storyline to the
original, but the enhanced visuals may add marginal spookiness
and could further blur the line between fantasy and reality for
some younger kids.
Families can talk about why we celebrate the holidays we do.
What does your favorite holiday mean to you? Has anyone ever
tried to ruin one of your holiday experiences, and how did you
overcome that? When you get tired of something, what are some
creative ways to bring excitement back into it? Also, why did
Jack's experiment fail? Is it fair to expect people who have
done something the same way for a long time to change quickly?
Could Jack have tried his ideas a different way?
Made in stop-motion animation, Tim Burton's holiday fantasy centers around Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King (voiced by Chris Sarandon) -- a creature who is to Halloween what Santa is to Christmas. When Jack becomes bored with staging yet another frightnight for the sketchy members of Halloweentown, he wanders away from town one night and stumbles across Christmastown and becomes immediately entranced. Jack decides he needs to bring Christmas to Halloweentown and he is willing to do just about anything to make it happen -- even it if means kidnapping Santa himself. Unfortunately for Jack, his plans don't exactly come out right. The holidays just don't translate. Whether it's a coffin-shaped sled pulled by skeletal robo-reindeer to gifts that terrify their recipients or shrunken heads, or snakes that devour Christmas trees (all done in a way that isn't too scary for kids), the effects just don't come out the way Jack wishes. At one point, the military is called out to shoot down Jack's sled from the Christmas Eve skies.
Burton's movie is a magical marvel. With a nod to Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Burton has fashioned a funny, darkish tale that pokes a bit of fun at kids' two favorite holidays (indeed, only the Easter Bunny is spared).
The movie is twisted in the way of Roald Dahl or even Maurice Sendak, are slightly off kilter. By changing the perspective on something we all take for granted, Burton makes us see these special holidays anew. And, of course, he does provide a happy ending. It's pure Tim Burton -- utterly weird and totally enchanting.
BeetlejuiceEdward Scissorhands
Tim Burton's Corpse Bride
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
0 |
