Nightmare Before Christmas | Lock, Shock, & Barrel

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Welcome to our first official movie discussion episode! Join us as we take a deeper dive into The Nightmare Before Christmas than you ever thought possible. Directed by Henry Selick and written by Tim Burton, Caroline Thompson, and Michael McDowell, this Disney cult classic has wormed its way into the heart of many a millennial. It is a stop-motion masterpiece centering on Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloweentown, and his search for something beyond the confines of his own fantastical realm. When he stumbles upon Christmastown, it seems he’s finally found what he’s looking for, but could a skeleton ever truly appreciate what makes Christmas so magical? Grab yourself some frog's breath and join us as we discuss this film's themes of cultural appropriate, feminism, racial impacts, and how the music shaped this movie.

A note about the movie and some subject matter warnings: though a kids’ movie, there are some motifs that audiences may find disturbing. These include dead animals (though not graphic, and, arguably, Zero the ghost dog is the cutest character), abusive relationships, and gaslighting.  

References:
https://songexploder.net/danny-elfman

The Clever Ghouls podcast, hosted by Maegan and Blair, is a show dedicated to watching, analyzing, and discussing the movies that make us think about them long after we’ve left the theater or turned off the TV. We bring quick wit and unique perspectives from backgrounds like art history, cinematography, psychology, analysis, public education, mysticism, mythos, and more to create a curated, inclusive conversation around the spooky movies we love. Tune in on your favorite podcast hosting platform to listen along, join the conversation, and chime in with your own observations!

Our intro and outro music was created for us by Josh Marshall. For more episodes and other spooky content, find us on your favorite social media platform through our handle: @CleverGhouls. Don’t forget to subscribe and share, and if you really like our content, please leave us a review. Or we’ll haunt you forever. Thanks for listening!