- Joined
- Jul 3, 1997
- Messages
- 66,750
- Real Name
- Ronald Epstein
What can I say? I love 3D! From the moment I began watching 3D content in my home I quickly discovered that I needed more content. I suspect that those of you just purchasing your first 3D hardware will acquire the same ferocious appetite. That's why I became the HTF 3D ADDICT. I personally love images that pop off the screen and come inches away from your face without becoming overly gimmicky. However, I certainly appreciate the nature documentaries that offer beautiful depth and separation. These are not necessarily reviews of the film themselves. I am not going to concentrate on story or supplements -- you can find the 2D reviews elsewhere on this forum. My job is to let you know exactly what kind of 3D experience to expect from the titles that are being released. As I will be receiving a handful of new product from the studios expect to see more title coverage.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Studio: Walt Disney
Product Release: August 30, 2011
Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: 7.1 Dolby True HD; English & Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
Running Time: 76 Minutes
Rating: PG
ON A SCALE 0-5
Overall 3D Presentation Rating: 4
3D Separation: 3
3D In Yo' Face Factor: 1
What's this? What's this? There's color everywhere!
One could say that my discovery of The Nightmare Before
Christmas is very much like Jack the Pumpkin King's
discovery of the holiday itself. Full of magic and wonder,
Tim Burton has given his own contorted homage to the best
known Christmas story in a film that has become his own
personal masterpiece as well as my favorite animated tale.
Released theatrically in 1993, this overly-dark animated
musical has stood the test of time. Thanks to its brilliant
stop-motion animation and three-dimensional sets it remains
one of the most innovative, quirky and spectacular classics
ever made.
In a world where holidays are run by individual towns,
Jack Skellington (Chris Sarandon) is the undisputed
Pumpkin King of Halloween who after years of heading
up the celebration of the holiday, becomes depressed at
his continued efforts. Upon taking a walk into the forrest he
happens upon an entrance way into a wondrous place called
Christmas Town filled with beautiful colors, decorations and
finely wrapped gifts. In the film's most memorable musical
number, Jack becomes enamored with this wondrous world.
After boasting the virtues of Christmas to his hobgoblin and
monstrous friends of Halloween Town, Jack hatches a plan
to kidnap Santa Claus and take his place for the upcoming
Christmas holiday. Though Jack feels this to be a novel idea,
he finds opposition from an adoring frankenstein-ish rag doll
named Sally (Catherine O'Hara) who feels that these plans
pose dangerous consequences.
Collaborating with Tim Burton, Danny Elfman wrote the songs
and composed the score for the film. This partnership once
again proved to be a huge success as Elfman provides a devilish,
dark underscore to Burton's story whichd features such memorable
tunes such as "This is Halloween" and "What's This."
Though not originally conceived for 3D when theatrically
released in 1993, The Nightmare Before Christmas has
been recently upconverted to the format. The results are
quite astonishing. This is perhaps the best upconverted 3D
title that I have seen. Though there isn't that kind of blatant
"pop up book" effect that I usually prefer, I was rather taken
back by the more subdued layered effect of the 3D presentation.
There is definitely a sense of depth here between background
and foreground images. Some of it gets lost within the dark
backdrop of the Halloween world (where slight ghosting issues
are introduced) while some shots seemed to be framed so
perfectly that one could easily think the film was conceived
for the format. Mind you, this doesn't rank as the best 3D I
have seen, but it's nice to see that the conversion has actually
enhanced the 2D experience to something even more satisfying.
There is very hardly any screen protrusion happening here,
though there are moments where feet and fingers just seem
to barely poke outwards.
As one would expect from a Disney transfer, The Nightmare
Before Christmas just looks and sound top-notch. The transfer
is incredibly sharp and well defined. Though the drab, Halloween
town scenes through most of the film minimize any sort of color,
the outstanding, deep and inky black levels give these scenes
amazing texture. When the film switches to Christmas Town one
can't help but be as wide-eyed as Jack Skeleton as you soak in
all the beautiful, vivid colors. Of course, the most impressive
eye-candy sequences involve Santa's encounter in Oogie
Boogie's lair with it's eye-popping neon images that look even
more impressive in 3D. There is not a flaw to be found here.
The film's 7.1 Dolby TrueHD (downconverted to 5.1 on my
system) is a real head-turner, and I mean that in the respect
that this is a totally immersive sonic experience that has a
seemingly never-ending barrage of vocals and supporting
effects emanating from every channel. Dialogue is well
centered across the front three channels, never drowned
out by the robustly presented musical numbers that come
through with amazing clarity.
The Nightmare Before Christmas is presented in a 3-Disc
3D Blu-ray/2D Blu-ray/DVD+Digital Copy combo package.
The 2D Blu-ray contains all the bonus material that includes
a Tim Burton introduction, Jack's Haunted Mansion Holiday
Tour, audio commentary, deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes
featurette and short films Frankenweenie and Vincent.
CONCLUSION
Let's face it. The Nightmare Before Christmas has
remained one of the most original and memorable animated
films ever made. It is beloved by multitudes of fans who
consider it to be a timeless classic. And certainly, after
18 years, this film has not lost a spec of its appeal. It is
one of those films that is no less deserving of an annual
holiday viewing than It's A Wonderful Life would be.
Disney has done an outstanding job with the transfer. In
all, this is a demo-quality disc. The 3D conversion is very
good -- considerably better than most upconversions I have
seen. This certainly has whet my appetite for the forthcoming
conversions of The Lion King and Beauty and The Beast.
This title belongs in every 3D collection.
Images are for illustrative purpose only not representative of the picture quality of this disc.
Equipment
LG 60PX950 THX Certified 3D display
Oppo BDP-93 3D Blu-ray Player
Denon 3311CI Receiver
Atlantic Technology H-PAS AT-1 fronts, 4400 center; 4200 rear speakers
SV Sound Subwoofer
Guess I'll always be a kid at heart.
