A Christmas Video Essay (Patreon Exclusive)
Added 2024-12-25 01:39:57 +0000 UTCSurprise!
This year I was attempting to create and upload a video essay I've been wanting to do for a while- About the Operatic nature of The Nightmare Before Christmas. I spent 4 weeks pushing myself to make it happen before the 24th and had everything ready to go, when I got hit not just with expected copyright claims, but a full on worldwide block. I accepted cutting it this close might fail- it was a gamble after all- but given all the work I put in I wanted at least some people to see what I'd done, which the recent video upload feature on Patreon allowed me to do.
Now that I've missed the deadline for a public release things are up in the air as to whether or not everyone will get to see this before 2025. There's some ways I think it's still rough around the edges and maybe could go back in and change now I know I've lost the original deadline (this isn't the final title!), though I am fairly happy with how it's turned out. I'll talk more about it in an update here as well as having given some details on my Youtube Community page, but rest assured I will eventually come back to this at some point to try and make it public.
Either way, if you're reading this, I hope this feels like a worthy upload and I apologise for the strange nature of how this has shaken out, though maybe that's in keeping with the nature of the film itself. We'll speak again soon- but til then, have a wonderful Christmas Holiday!!
-B
Comments
Thanks! It’s just one of those things I’ve caught onto over the years. Also thanks for including a clip of Muppet Christmas Carol in here. Really made me think about the musical structure of the Muppet films. There’s definitely a lot to talk about there with certain influences and structures across the 8 theatrical ones (and also maybe the specials, since Emmett Otter and Muppet Family Christmas have songs too)
Jorge Rosado
2024-12-31 02:46:04 +0000 UTCI've barely seen people cover his work outside of the biggest of boys (aka animaniacs and pinky and the brain). Also i love tiny toons, but part of what i think makes that show such an interesting topic is that like half of it is pretty bad to muh (in my opinion) but the episodes that are good, are REALLY GOOD! like, saves the show overall really good. it's such a strange show. Especially in the animation quality flux from different studios. Just feel theres a lot to go over with that show, let alone all the other Ruegger work. Thanks for the reply by the way!, glad that idea wasn't super off base.
Sean (Pinata Time)
2024-12-31 01:44:22 +0000 UTCMan, I love the Ruegger shows- I've never found a good way to talk about them mostly because I've always felt so much of what they did was well covered, but perhaps there is something to discuss. I'd really have to sit down and watch all of Tiny Toons again as it's the one out of the three I've seen the least of since watching it religiously as a kid, so maybe that should be on my list of things to do in 2025.
B-Mask
2024-12-31 01:06:16 +0000 UTCA very insightful comparison! I think you're onto something concerning the time both movies were released in, as Disney was attempting to change what Animation on film meant to audiences and courting directors more closely associated with Hollywood. A lot of familliar themes play through quite a few of those films perhaps as a commentary on exactly what those creators were all going through- I know the Beast, for Howard Ashman, had a simillar sense of isolation, someone he felt represented his own outsider qualities and flaws as he pushed others away.
B-Mask
2024-12-31 01:04:19 +0000 UTCHey, I’m a patron now! Neat! Glad to hear someone talk about the musicality of Nightmare. Most conversations are about the atmosphere and characters, which while nice, never paint the full story. If anything, I’ve always compared Nightmare to, of all things, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Both films were made by a director on the rise in Hollywood. Both were released by Touchstone before being retroactively rereleased through the main studio after their success. Both have more intricate styles of animation to better convey their themes. Both were overly commercialized in the parks with no plans for sequel (at least according to Zemeckis anyway). But above all else, the main idea that the two share is that sense of isolation. Jack stays pretty stagnant. He doesn’t learn anything in his story, staying essentially trapped in a cycle (I’ve always had a personal theory that the events of the film happen every year, and everyone accepts it because it’s a routine). Eddie Valiant on the other hand, is down on his luck and miserable after a Toon claims his brother’s life. They both are stuck. The difference is their outlook. Jack wants to change and find something new. Eddie just goes through the motions. But once something (or someone) new enters their view and challenges their outlook, they reach the inverse of their arcs. Eddie has a new lease on life. Jack doesn’t. Sorry for the dissertation I left on here. Just a thought. Fantastic musical video as always!
Jorge Rosado
2024-12-28 17:21:43 +0000 UTCGreat video! My favorite of yours is easily the don bluth one, I've watched it what must be a dozen times and it led me to watching most of the films (Including rock a doodle with friends, which is indeed a magical experience.) So i adored this video as well. I remember you mentioning animaniacs in your cuphead video, and maybe this is a stretch or a weird thing to suggest. But i think you could make a fantastic video about all the Tom Ruegger shows. From the popular tiny toons and freakazoid to the stranger Road rovers. I've recently gone down that road and it just feels like something you'd do too. Any hope for a video about any of those kinda shows? (Maybe not an epic Tom Ruegger watch through) But ya know some sort of video in that don bluth style? whatever your cooking i appreciate your style. :)
Sean (Pinata Time)
2024-12-26 11:09:17 +0000 UTCMerry Channukah B
Tzvi Hirsch Wach
2024-12-26 06:01:11 +0000 UTCSorry for the trouble you had to share it publicly because it's a great video. It's a very nice Christmas treat to have. Thanks for making it!
J. MacGillivray
2024-12-25 18:14:56 +0000 UTCMerry Christmas! Like you mentioned this feels like a tale or a myth that you can visit multiple times. Makes me interested in the poem itself 👀 I enjoyed this video.
Jamidax
2024-12-25 13:30:16 +0000 UTCMerry Christmas!! 🎄
MishaMike
2024-12-25 07:07:51 +0000 UTCMerry Christmas, B! Fantastic video!
K The Shy Kat
2024-12-25 03:04:53 +0000 UTCHappy Hogswatch, B-Mask!
Eric Stovall
2024-12-25 02:43:17 +0000 UTCMerry Christmas B-Mask!
BellBoy
2024-12-25 01:47:16 +0000 UTC
