Editorials
[Editorial] From Worst To Best: The Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack
Merry Christmas to one and all! Personally, my holidays kinda ended a few weeks ago when I didn’t need to light anymore candles for Hanukkah, so I got to sit back and just enjoy the fever pitch that Xmas puts a lot of my friends into.
Now, I know that for many of you, it’s a family tradition to watch certain films at this time of the year. For some of you, it might be A Christmas Story. For others, it might be Gremlins. Hell, for all I know, some of you might have a tradition of doing a Nightmare On Elm St. marathon (kudos to you and your family for being awesome).
For me, I watch whatever I want because it’s simply just another day of the year for me. So, today I watched Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. Then I got to thinking, what were my favorite songs and which ones did I simply just want to skip past? Then I figured I’d share my thoughts with you! So, head on below to see my take on the soundtrack to this classic film!
“Making Christmas”
I don’t know what it is about this song but I never liked it. It just never went anywhere and the lyrics felt broken and forced upon.
“Poor Jack”
Another bore of a song but at least this one amps up in intensity and sets up the climax and final battle with Oogie.
“Finale/Reprise”
Ends the film perfectly but the shifts from “Halloween” minor to “Christmas” major never really sat well with me.
“Jack’s Obsession”
It starts out slow and sinister and builds up to Jack’s need for dominance and control. While fun, I feel like it’s a track that is meant for the middle of the movie in that it simply keeps the pace going.
“Town Meeting Song”
While Jack is desperately trying to explain Christmas Town, it’s the banter between all the characters in this song that is the highlight. Their “understanding” of each Christmas concept is so ludicrous yet believable, that it’s fascinating to watch.
“Jack’s Lament”
What makes this song so poignant is that it incredibly relatable. No, none of us are The Pumpkin King and not all of us have such a strong sense of self-confidence in our abilities. However, we’ve all been at that point in our lives when we feel like we’re in a repeating rut.
“Oogie Boogie’s Song”
Inventive and wild, this Tom Waits-esque jazz number is a toe tapper of a good time.
“Kidnap the Sandy Claws”
After the somewhat (dare I say) boring “Jack’s Obsession”, this track brings the excitement back with perhaps the most sinister, violent and vicious lyrics of the whole movie.
“Sally’s Song”
A beautiful, tragic song that makes us all want to scream, “JACK! Don’t you see that the best gift is right in front of you?”
“What’s This?”
The excitement and thrill that Jack experiences from Christmas Town is much like the joy of seeing something as visually entertaining and thrilling as this movie.
“This is Halloween”
This opener is everything I want from the songs in this film. It’s exciting, it’s playful, it’s childishly terrifying, and it’s the true essence of the film.
Alright readers, what are your favorite tracks? Share ’em below in the comments!
Got any thoughts/questions/concerns for Jonathan Barkan? Shoot him a message on Twitter or on Bloody-Disgusting!
Editorials
‘The Vampire Lestat’ Concert Event Launches New Season With The Ultimate Expression Of Fandom
There are thousands of passionate fans decked out in gothic chic and champing at the bit like feral creatures. They’re screaming for Lestat, a legendary vampire-turned-rock star, as if the entire crowd has been glamored into submission.
The entire experience is magic, but not because some supernatural thrall has been activated. What’s going on is even more special. It’s the power of the effusive fandom that’s been authentically assembled by AMC’s sublime Immortal Universe, namely Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, now, The Vampire Lestat.
The Vampire Lestat is far from the first Anne Rice adaptation, and it’s not as if there’s been a lack of erotic vampire material for audiences to sink their teeth into. On June 2nd, during a one-night-only spectacle, New York City’s prestigious Beacon Theatre shook from Sam Reid’s bravado performance and an audience full of adoring fans who had already memorized Lestat’s songs.
It’s clear that The Vampire Lestat just hits differently than its predecessors. It’s become more than just a TV series at this point, and this opulent display of ego, swagger, and pure sex is the perfect way to premiere the new season and give back to the fans who helped make Interview with the Vampire/The Vampire Lestat such a breakout success. It’s exactly the sort of hyperbolized hedonism that would make Lestat cackle.
For all intents and purposes, AMC has successfully created the illusion that this concert/premiere is just one of the many destinations on Lestat and his band’s 54-stop tour that is simultaneously playing out on this season of television. It’s such a sophisticated and thorough level of interactive fan engagement that the audience doesn’t just understand, but also manages to accentuate through its involvement.
It’s a level of seamless synergy that’s not unlike the give-and-take relationship of vampire and victim.
Before the concert started, “LeStans” were sitting in the Beacon and flipping through a fake Rolling Stone issue with Lestat emblazoned on the cover, complete with interviews with the undead frontman inside. Other fans were admiring the vinyl pressing of Lestat’s EP as they walked past a section of undead band merch. Fandom and fantasy blur together, and it all becomes this elaborate, immersive experience. Fan celebration, erotic gothic fantasy, and a lavish rock concert transform into one beautiful thing.
To this point, AMC Global Media’s Chief Content Officer and President of AMC Studios, Dan McDermott, introduced the event by reiterating to fans, “You are the heartbeat of the series.” That’s abundantly clear on nights like this as that heartbeat collectively pulses to this performance. In terms of how AMC engages with The Vampire Lestat’s fans, it’s as bold a reinvention as the season itself.
This intuitive gamble speaks to AMC’s creativity in this department and a fandom that is eager to seize such opportunities. It’s the same innovation that led to zombie walks for The Walking Dead and real-life Los Pollos Hermanos restaurant pop-ups from Breaking Bad. It’s a great way to pump up the audience for The Vampire Lestat and then maintain that enthusiasm for the whole season.
For most series, a rock ‘n’ roll concert just doesn’t make any sense as a promotional tool. The Vampire Lestat finds itself in a very unique position where it can deliver an excellent concert at an iconic theater, but also use it to showcase The Vampire Lestat’s music by Daniel Hart (who was shredding on stage alongside Reid and the rest of their band) and, more than anything, Sam Reid’s endless charisma.
The way in which Reid feeds off of the crowd’s energy, modulating his performance and giving different sections of the Beacon life, is a perfect distillation of the series’ thoughtful relationship with its audience and how it’s become such a breakout success for AMC. AMC Studios President Dan McDermott emphasized that the fans are the reason that the show is still here and why an event like this is even possible. It’s rare to see a series in which every single cog in the machine is so perfectly attuned to its fans. Reid’s fans already cheer whenever they see him, so why not translate that to a concert setting?
It’s clear in this season of television that Reid was born to be a rock star, but it’s surreal to see him effortlessly command the stage — and the audience — at every step of the concert. He recites Shakespeare monologues and bitches out Armand between songs, all while the audience screams in support. For the duration of this concert, Reid is Lestat, and he’s given thousands of fans a memory that’s as immortal as any vampire.
Now bring on the encore and get this show on the road!
You must be logged in to post a comment.