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DVD Review: The Nightmare Before Christmas Collector's Edition

It's hard to believe the first DVD release of Nightmare Before Christmas came out over 8 years ago, and that the movie itself is almost 16 years old. I still remember seeing it for the first time (despite complaints from my friend's parents) and falling in love with Jack Skellington and Tim Burton's bizarre new world. A musical about Christmas? Who cares! A musical about Christmas from the point of view of Halloween's monsters? Who wouldn't want to see that?

As everyone knows by now, Nightmare Before Christmas has withstood the test of time, becoming one of the most popular (and most beloved) movies of all time, and easily the biggest stop-motion film of all time and the pinnacle of the craft. So with the new release of the movie and the two-disc collector's edition, it was an easy choice to put it on my list and hope Santa didn't find me naughty.

For the three people who haven't seen the movie, Nightmare follows Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town. After yet another drab Halloween, Jack wanders off to a forest he has never seen before, finding a strange array of trees. Opening several, he ultimately finds himself in different worlds; Christmas world is the one resonating most with the dejected skeleton.

This "Christmas World" is so different from Halloween Town, Jack can't help but fall in love with it. Spying on its populace, he takes notes and returns to his home where he instructs the other denizens of Halloween Town that this year they won't do Halloween-they'll do Christmas!

What follows is an entertaining mix of humor and music as the ghouls, ghosts, and ghastlies of Halloween Town prepare for Christmas, and ultimately try to wrestle control from Santa Claus himself.

Unlike other re-releases, Burton and Disney didn't just release this to make a quick buck. (Okay, they did, but they also made that buck worth it.) For starters, the case is easily one of the coolest I've ever seen. What you can't tell from looking at pictures on Amazon is how big it is, and that it's in 3D. Opening like a book, the case is twice as thick as a normal DVD case, and the picture of Jack on the cover isn't a picture at all, but a pop-out 3D carving of everyone's favorite skeleton.

The contents inside contain awesome goodies for fans, too.

One of the special features shows Jack's Haunted Mansion Holiday Tour at Disneyland. For those unlucky enough to grow up outside of Southern California, this feature shows how the Disney Imagineers transform the Haunted Mansion ride at Christmas to relate to Jack Skellington and Nightmare, and offers several views and audio tracks ranging from how riders see it in-person, to the behind-the-scenes events which make it possible. It's a rare look into the background of one of the world's most storied theme park attractions, and worth a watch if you're interested in anything Disney, Nightmare, or engineering.

In addition, there are Making Of featurettes (so much work goes into this movie...) and Tim Burton's own presentations on a variety of subjects. We have the reading of the original Nightmare Before Christmas poem complete with animation, two Tim Burton shorts (Frankenweenie and Vincent), deleted scenes, gallery pictures, concept art, and much, much more.

Disney certainly didn't take the easy way out. This set is packed with extras fans will love (I don't think I've ever watched as many extras willingly as I did with this), a fantastic digital remastering, and the best DVD case ever. If you're a fan of the movie and already own Nightmare on DVD, this is-without a doubt-worth the double dip. Pick this one up, and donate your old copy to some kids who haven't yet experienced the masterpiece.

Content - 5/5

A classic. One of the greatest Christmas movies ever made, and one of the greatest non-live-action movies of all time. The soundtrack will be stuck in your head for years, and Jack Skellington will be stuck in your heart forever. There's a reason this was already one of the biggest DVD releases of all time, and this new edition will certainly add on top of that.

Video - 4.5/5

Not quite as nice as the Blu-Ray release, but a great improvement over the original DVD. Nothing was lost in this remastering; only gained. If you don't own an HDTV and a Blu-Ray player, this is the best Nightmare will ever possibly look. The detail on the dolls pops out, you can see all the expressions flawlessly... It just looks good. 

Audio - 5/5

"What's this!?" One of the most addictive soundtracks of all time with an improved audio, that's what. 5.1 surround with a nice mix, the songs and world of Halloween Town have never sounded better.

Replay - 5/5

I know many people who watched their original Nightmare DVD so much it was wearing out. This will easily replace those, but with the new bevy of features you may need to re-buy down the road once the DVD player stops recognizing the disc from wear. Then again, this comes with a digital copy so you're probably good. Watch it every Christmas, watch it between Christmas, watch it whenever. Nightmare Before Christmas is always good. 

Overall - 5/5

If I could go higher than a 5, I would. Nightmare Before Christmas is a true classic in cinema, and this Collector's Edition offers so many new features and improvements on the original DVD release from 8 years ago that it's a must-buy for any movie fan, even if it means you're going to double dip. 

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