When Two Holidays Meet By Mistake: The Nightmare Before Christmas

   And no, I couldn't do Blogtober without doing everyone's favorite, The Nightmare Before Christmas. Ever since 1993, it has the ultimate Halloween classic. It is also probably the crowning film of Tim Burton's career. Even I remember watching it for as long as I can remember! If you haven't thought about why it's so loved, I'd say it's time you begun!

    Once upon a time, there lived the land of Halloween, called Halloween Town. The town is lead by Jack Skellington, AKA The Pumpkin King. Halloween has just ended, and Jack is now tired of doing the same thing every year. When Jack stumbles upon Christmas Town, Jack wants to try it for himself. Now Halloween Town is busy preparing for Christmas, and Jack has Santa Clause get kidnapped. Will Jack be able to see his error and save Christmas?




      When people think of holidays meeting, most are guaranteed to think of The Nightmare Before Christmas. Tim Burton created the film after seeing an exhibit that had Halloween and Christmas joined together. No two holidays are more fun to mess with than Christmas and Halloween. This is because they are the most popular. Not to mention that these holidays basically contradict each other. Halloween kind of promotes the forces of evil and all things spooky. Christmas is the time for caring and sharing and celebrating the birth of our beloved Savior. 

       In the film, the colors don't mix that well. The land of Halloween is very dark, while Christmas has a lot of brighter colors. Primarily green and red. But when Jack tries to imitate Christmas, it turns into Halloween's version of Christmas. They don't use the bright colors of Christmas. They only thing they do that even looks like Christmas is the making of gifts, and Santa's sleigh. The people of Halloween create gifts that are both spooky AND dark! I think they should have created gifts that were creepy but more brightly colored.  

    A word concerning music: The Nightmare Before Christmas has one of the best Halloween soundtracks ever. Let's face it: It's awesome! If it's not James Horner (May he rest in peace) you look up to, it's the one and only Danny Elfman. Originally from the bad Oingo Boingo, Danny Elfman is Tim Burton's #1 music man. The sound track to The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of the reasons why we love it so much! 

   Do you agree with this? What's your favorite song or music from this film? Be sure to check out my stories at Thalionwen.blogspot.com and to like, comment, share, and follow to always come back for more Enchanted Tales of Film!

      

From the guy that brought you Mr. Banks: Bedknobs and Broomsticks

  Bedknobs and Broomsticks is one of my absolute favorite Disney movies. Truth be told, I'm not sure if I like it more than Mary Poppins. Unfortunately, it's definitely not as popular as Mary Poppins. But for the people who do love it, let's tap the knob three times, turn it smartly a quarter-turn to the left, and head into Bedknobs and Broomsticks. 

    Once upon a time, in 1941, world-war two was starting, and children of London were being sent into the country to escape the bombs. Which brings us to meet Charles, Carrie, and Paul Rawlins when they arrive from London into a town called Pepperinge Eye. With no one else to take them in, they are sent to live with a Miss Englantine Price. There's something a little strange about Miss Price, and the children soon discover that Miss Price is an apprentice witch. In return for the children not revealing her secret, Miss Price places a traveling spell on a bedknob before giving it to the children. Before they know it, Miss Price and the children, along with her teacher, Emelius Browne, are on an exciting adventure to find the words of a spell that Miss Price can use to help her country in the war. 
 
   One of my favorite parts of the film is the Portobello Road segment. This is the scene when Mr. Browne takes Miss Price and the children to a market type place in London called Portobello Road. "Street where the riches of ages are stowed. Anything and everything a chap can unload is sold off the barrow in Portobello Road. You'll find what you want in the Portobello Road." From the snipers that sniped old King Edward's cigars to society air looms with genuine gems, Portobello Road contains people from all over the world that sing and dance as Mr. Browne plays music while Miss Price looks for the other half of a book that can contain the words of the spell that they are looking for. In the weary times of WWII, Portobello road looks to be a colorful place with much variety.

   Like any other movie, Bedknobs and Broomsticks has a wide range of props. Specifically books. One being The Spells of Astoroth, and The Isle of Naboombu. Both of these things make connections from magic to the real world. Do you think the other props fit the 1940s? 

    Why I love Bedknobs and Broomsticks: I find it different from a lot of Disney films. What are you thoughts on this? Sure it has its songs and dances, but the story is completely something else. It's not everyday we meet an apprentice witch and a magician working together. The music is also a bit different. It's not like Mary Poppins, or some of the other musicals. Maybe these differences are the reason why it isn't as popular.

      Do you agree with this? Be sure to check out my stories at thalionwen.blogspot.com and to like, comment, share, and follow to always come back for more Enchanted Tales of Film!



   

Halloween in America: Sleepy Hollow (Disney Style!)

     What cartoon did I grow up watching? That's right! The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow, by Washington Irving, as told by Disney. That is, I watched it entitled as The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. Both a little creepy and funny, this Halloween cartoon is fun for kids and adults alike!

       Once upon a time, in a very small town called Sleep Hollow, a strange looking man called Ichabod Crane comes to town to be the new schoolmaster. Ichabod is a food-loving, and skinny ladies' man that soon becomes popular within the town. But when Ichabod lays eyes on Katrina Van Tassel, he can think of nothing else. The same can be said for Bram Bones, a very handsome but ignorant man. As the two basically fight over her, Bram sees Ichabod's weakness: Ichabod is quite superstitious. At Katrina's Halloween party, Bram tells a story about a headless horseman who rides once a year to find the perfect head. You can only escape him once you cross the bridge in Sleepy Hollow. On the ride home from the party, Ichabod runs into the Headless Horseman himself! Will Ichabod be able to escape, or has the Horseman found a new head?

    Over the years, Disney has mastered retelling classic stories in its own way. And Sleepy Hollow is no exception. However, a lot of us notice that Disney doesn't really like to stay accurate to the original story. Big examples of this are Pocahontas and Frozen. And Frozen is absolutely nothing like the original story of The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson. See what I'm saying? 

    When you look at the shape, you see some differences. The men, for example, have a more straight and sharp posture rather than smooth and curvy like that of the women. When it comes to film elements, curves usually suggest feminism. This can help define the Ichabod and the people of Sleepy Hollow physically. 

       A word concerning Katrina: With animation, Disney tends to make different characters look alike. Is this on purpose? Probably not, but we can't deny that it might annoy some of us Disney fans. Who does Katrina look like? It's Cinderella. 









                 Do you agree with this? Be sure to check out my stories at Thalionwen.blogspot.com and to like, comment, share, and follow to always come back for more Enchanted Tales of Film!

    
PS This is the part I always laugh at :)
     

 

"Walt sent me": Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

   It's very rare that live action and animation come together. Some think of Mary Poppins. Others Bed Knobs and Broom Sticks. And some, Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Made in 1988, Who Framed Roger Rabbit is one of the most unique live action-animated blended films. Why? For one thing, it has characters from both Disney AND Warner Bros. It literally has one of the only scenes in film to have Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse together. Why else is it unique! Let's see: 

    Once upon a time in Hollywood, year 1947, a grouchy detective by the name of Eddie Valiant signs on to help cartoon maker R.K Maroon blackmail Marvin Acme. (You know how when you watch Loony Toons you see that all the common objects have the name "Acme" labeled on them? That's the guy.) Eddie ends up taking pictures of Marvin Acme with Jessica Rabbit, the wife of Maroon's cartoon star, Roger Rabbit. The pictures naturally send Roger into a fit of jealousy. When Roger's framed for killing Marvin Acme, Valiant becomes Roger's only hope. 

      Color's an interesting thing in this movie. The Toons are are somewhat brighter than the humans. You can see that major color difference between Roger and Valiant. This of course ques and/or suggests action. Is this film action packed? Yep.

        Why this is appealing to kids: Who framed Roger Rabbit? has the most interaction between animated and live action characters that I've seen. This encourages kids to turn on their imaginations when animated characters look more real when seen with a live actor. This can similarly be said for the Muppets. Kids that had imaginary friends may be able to thank Who Framed Roger Rabbit? for that. 


       



A question concerning toons and people: If a Toon is still in the shape of a human, (Like Betty Boop or Jessica Rabbit,) can they marry an actual human? What's your take on this? I'm assuming Jessica and Roger will have to adopt if they want children. But do they want to adopt children or rabbits? I'm thinking some of both. If you could marry a cartoon character, who would it be? (Besides Anime.) I pick Prince Philip from Disney's Sleeping Beauty. 




  

     Do you agree with this? Be sure to check out my stories at Thalionwen.blogspot.com and to like, comment, share, and follow to always come back for more Enchanted Tales of Film!


     




    

Monster House: A house with a BAD attitude!

      Monster House is one of those lesser known Halloween movies. It's animated, but has a few dark, (if not disturbing,) elements to it. 

      Once upon a time, a young teen named DJ and his friend named Chowder live across the street from a weird old house. The house is owned by a Mr. Nebbercracker, a seemingly scary old man who takes whatever comes onto his lawn. But when Mr. Nebbercracker ends up in the hospital from a supposed heart-attack, weird things start to happen around the house. Now DJ, Chowder, and their new friend Jenny have figured out that the house is really a monster. Will they be able to stop the house before the worst can happen?

        Monster House is different because the antagonist in a horror story is usually a disturbed murderer or has to do with an evil spirit. Now we're talking Annabelle: House style. As we watch most of the film we feel like the house is an actual living house instead of a possessed piece of architecture. This can be unsettling since we spend a lot of time in our own homes. The place that used to be your safe haven has been made into a terrible creature in Monster House. And this is supposed to be a kids' movie!
    
    The design of the film is good to where we don't really notice it. Set in modern times, we can tell that Nebbercracker's house is probably the oldest in the neighborhood. Is that why DJ is fascinated with the house? Or is it because of the rumors that float around Mr. Nebbercracker? 


       A word concerning Constance: Constance is Mr. Nebbercracker's long deceased wife. She originally belonged to a circus. (Probably because of her size.) We see her as a highly aggressive woman. She may have had a troubled childhood, or has been treated wrongly by people when she was in the circus. Is there a possibility she could've had a mental illness? What do you think of Constance?

        Do you agree with this? Be sure to check out my stories at thalionwen.blogspot.com and to like, comment, share, and follow to always come back for more Enchanted Tales of Film!








       
    

Corpse Bride: The Grave Misunderstanding

Obviously, Halloween time is the #1 place for Tim Burton. He honestly excels in both live action and his signature stop-motion animation. And a great example of his stop-motion animation is Corpse Bride. Made in 2005, it made itself an immediate classic with its elements of color, dimension, and music.

     Once upon a time, a young man by the name of Victor Van Dort is preparing to get married to the Everglot's daughter, Victoria. But after a disastrous wedding rehearsal, Victor runs out into the woods to practice his vows. He eventually masters his vows...that's when it happened. He puts the ring on a branch that looks like a hand. What's the problem? It actually was a hand. That's right. Victor has accidentally married a living dead women named Emily. Now he has to make things right. 

       

    Corpse Bride, as usual, has the classic color combo of Tim Burton. Seeming to have a knack for working with both the dead and the living, Tim Burton tends to put most of the color in the dead. As we see with Victor and the living, almost all of them wear gray or otherwise dull colors. Even when the dead come back to the land of the living, the overall color in the atmosphere changes! 

       When you watch stop-motion animation, it like you're watching 3D and 2D at the same time! This provides a more unique dimension to the film. It also makes the characters really interesting to look at. All their facial shapes you wouldn't see in real life. Nevertheless, they still look like real people. 

       Oh, Danny Elfman...we love you! Corpse Bride wouldn't be half of what it is without the songs and music. As we notice, the music is fun upbeat in the land of the dead. The soft piano music we hear is very good too. Both of these together, create the feelings and environment of Corpse Bride. 

       A word concerning the brides: Victor makes a good couple with both Victoria and Emily. But who do we like better. For one thing, Emily is a bit more lively. (Given the fact that she's dead.) Probably a natural extrovert. Victoria, she's sweet, we like her, but who would we rather see Victor with? Tell me who you like most!

        Do you agree with this? Be sure to like, comment, share and follow to always come back for more Enchanted Tales of Film!

Art vs. Film

WARNING!!!! Don't be offended if you don't agree. Thank you

      Every human has their specialty. This includes the artists, and the filmmakers. But do they ever get involved? Let's explore that, shall we?

       When most people think of art, they think of painting. They might think of a famous person like Da Vinci or Salvador Dali. But painting isn't really the definition of art. My definition? Art is anything made with inspiration to express something, or convey a message. The art is usually linked with the artist's feelings or emotions. It's all about the meaning that makes it art. Sure, you don't need a camera to do that. But now you're asking: "What does this have to do with film?"

         First off, film is primarily for entertainment. We love our movies! But did you ever think why you love that movie? There must be something behind it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is where the art starts to show. Is there a movie you saw that touched you? A movie that meant something to you? When Disney was on the rise, Walt Disney considered his films to be art. Why do you think that was? Animation was new at the time, mind you. Films that had magic in them was a rare thing. Disney films, I think, was the dawn of creating magical films with drawing and our imaginations. Other films can hold a religious meaning for people. (Including myself.) One film that's an example of this is Passion Of The Christ. It may be controversial, but it does hold so much meaning. 

     Do you agree with this? What film holds meaning to you? Be sure to like, comment, share, and follow to always come back for more Enchanted Tales of Film!

Edward Scissorhands: Tim Burton and Johnny Depp at their Sharpest

        Tonight covers one of Tim Burton's best films: Edward Scissorhands. As usual, it contains the oddness that is Tim Burton and the great music that is Danny Elfman. Since its release, we've been watching every Halloween for the past 25 years. 

         Once upon a time, there lived a really old inventor, (played by Vincent Price,) who invented a man, named Edward. But this was no ordinary man. For the inventor had given him scissors instead of hands. Since the inventor was really old, he died before he could give Edward actual hands. So Edward is left all alone in the inventor's mansion, until a woman named Peg finds him, and takes him in. Will Edward be able to adjust to the new life and find love?

         Bo Welch, the production designer, did a great job on the look of Edward Scissorhands. And those looks include hair and makeup. In Edward Scissorhands, you don't truly notice the people's hair and face until you see Edward himself. His hair looks like it's a mess and wild. His face is very pale and has multiple scars on his face. In the scene where we meet Edward, you see the extreme difference between him and Peg. The people you see before Edward are the people that live in the neighborhood. Most of them, Joyce and Helen for example, wear the brightest clothes. Joyce always has a lot of makeup on. The only person that has the darkest sense around them besides Edward in the neighborhood is Esmeralda. 

           The way they used color in this film was very well executed. In the neighborhood they basically went all out on the bright colors to suggest a cheerful and perhaps peaceful lifestyle among the people there. The houses were yellow, pink, blue, even green! They only seemed to use the darker colors, mostly black,  on Edward. It makes Edward stand out from everybody in order to bring focus to him. After all, he is the main character. 

          The texture in Edward Scissorhands was hard to look for. Most of it was smooth rather than rough. Except some of the people didn't act so sophisticated. A lot of the ladies seemed kind of...goofy. But there was coldness. Kim wasn't exactly warm towards Edward when they met. But that changes by the end of the film. One thing that did have a rough look to it was the the hedges that Edward cut into different shapes. 

           The are a few things you seem to see over and over again in the film. To maintain Edward's awkwardness is his new world, we repeatedly see Edward having trouble doing things with his scissors. There really aren't many things in this film that contain symbolism. At least I had trouble finding things that did. But we hear the same music when Edward has his romantic momentic moments with Kim. To see the difference between Edward's life at the inventor's house and the neighborhood, we see Edward having flashbacks of his past. 

     My response to the look of the film was overall positive. It's the classic Tim Burton look that helps make it what it is. As you can see, design is what sets each film apart from the rest. And Edward Scissorhands is no exception. Design will always effect your primary reaction to the film. The design in Edward Scissorhands is made to create different feelings. The melancholy of Edward's problems.,  the slight cheerfulness that the neighborhood brings, and the romantic longing that is seen between Edward and Kim. I noticed an almost magical sense when I hear the soft music. I know when there will be something foreboding as I watch the opening scene. These are all the things I saw in the elements of Edward Scissorhands.

     Do you agree with this? Be sure to like, comment, share, and follow to always come back for more Enchanted Tales of Film!     

            

Beetlejuice: Say it once, say it twice, 3rd time's the charm!

     Welcome to The Enchanted Tale of Film's second episode of Blogtober! Today's episode covers one of the best, Beetlejuice. That iconic black and white striped suit, and the classic line: Beeltjuice, Beeltejuice, ....Beetlejuice! You love it, I love it. 

       Once upon a time, a couple, Barbara and Adam Maitland, lived in a big house on the top a hill overlooking their town. As they were driving home one day, their car fell off a bridge and into the river. They came home all wet, only to find strange things going on. They couldn't see themselves in the mirror, when they tried to leave the house, they ended up in a alternate desert full of monstrous sandworms. And finally, they found a weird book entitled, Handbook for the recently deceased. All of these things together brought them to the shocking realization: They didn't survive the car crash. Just as they're trying adjust their to "life" as dead people, a family moves into their house. The Deetzes are frankly, really weird. Hating what the Deetzes are doing to their house, The Maitlands eventually make contact with Beetlejuice. He offers to help. After a while, Beetlejuice starts taking over the house. Will he be stopped?

      When you think about it, the afterlife in Beetlejuice is dark and colorful AT THE SAME TIME. That, ladies and gentlemen, is why we love Tim Burton. The world of the living is actually less colorful than that of the dead. We see a lot of white colors in the world of the living. The lighting also effects how the colors look. With the dead, I notice the dark shades of bright colors in certain places. Dark yellow, blue, red, and green. Why does this film look so good? Production designing by Bo Welch of course!


       The special effects in this film were great. The dead people actually look like they're dead. The flat guy who gut run over looks like he really did get run over. But that's more about hair and makeup. There was great use of lighting. A  lot of the effects are seen when supernatural actions or appearances are seen. Such as when Adam and Barbara change their appearances to scare the Deetzes. Also when you see the Maitlands' aging process. You have to love such excellent effects on a film. 

   
    A word concerning perfection: I've been watching this movie for a long time, and I've loved it. But is there anything wrong with this film? There seem to be no mistakes. It has good acting and all the good elements of film. 
     
    Do you agree with this? Is there anything you Don't like about this film? Tell me in the comments! Be sure to like, comment, share, and follow to always come back for more Enchanted Tales of Film!
          

What Happened to Cartoon Network?!

WARNING!!! If you don't agree with the following, don't get offended. Thank you.

    At some pint during our childhood, we 90's and 2000's kids watched Cartoon Network. And most of us loved it. Including me! But if you were to watch Cartoon Network anywhere between 2013-now hoping for a little nostalgia, I'd have to inform you that it's kind of far from the cartoon network you used to love. In fact, you'd probably dislike the current Cartoon Network. A lot. 

     For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, Cartoon Network's shows now are...well...dumb. At least my favorite shows aren't on anymore. I mean I kind of like Adventure Time, but otherwise, I really don't like the shows now. Uncle Grandpa?! I wouldn't be surprised if that negatively affected kids! Let's look at the shows that used be on that we loved. 

Courage The Cowardly Dog: This was one of my favorites! Abandoned as a pup, Courage was found by Muriel, who lived in "The Middle Of Nowhere", with her husband, Eustace. But crazy stuff happens in Nowhere. From an evil banana,(yes, a banana) and a crazy cat named Katz, it's up to Courage to keep his home safe. 

Kids Next Door: This one is basically about an organization of kids that defend from all sorts of stuff. This one may kids feel inspired, like they could do anything, and most of all, that it's cool to be a kid! 

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends: This was something you didn't see every day. Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends follows the adventures of Mac, his imaginary friend Bloo, and all the imaginary friends at Foster's. This show could help turn our imaginations on. I bet some of the kids that watched this show came up with their own imaginary friend. 









I could name lots more that I loved. But sadly, times have changed. Instead of those, we got these:  

Do you agree with this? What were your favorite Cartoon Network shows? Be sure to like, comment, share, and follow to come back for more Enchanted Tales of Film!

Hocus Pocus: Putting a Spell on Us for 22 years!

     You've been waiting, and so have I. Time to start Blogtober! And the first the film I got was one of the old favorites/and or classics, Hocus Pocus. Made in 1993, it's one of the best Halloween films out there! You know that because you see it on ABC Family every year. 

      Once upon a time, three witches, the Sanderson Sisters, were hung for witchcraft and the life-taking of children. Just before they died, Winifred Sanderson cast a spell on herself and her sisters, that they would rise from the dead when a virgin lit the Black-flame candle on Halloween night when the moon is round. Now it's 300 years later, and Max Dennison and his family have moved to Salem. When he, his crush, and his sister sneak into the old Sanderson house, Max lights the Black-flame candle, calling the legend of the Sanderson Sisters coming back to life a bunch of "Hocus Pocus." Before they know it, the witches are back, and it's up to them to stop the witches and save the children of Salem. 

         The costumes in this movie are colorful and make the witches stand out a little more from the rest of the people in Salem. However, the witches are not what late 18th century women dressed like. Same with their hair. But don't get me wrong, we still love the Sanderson Sisters. Why do we love the Sanderson Sisters? They're witches trying to get a hold on the 20th century. That equals comedy. They also tend to use their magic in style, and do whatever they have to do to stay young and live forever. 

          The story is different from most of our Halloween Tales. We always have the monstrous force of evil that's trying to kill/destroy us. We have this in Hocus Pocus, but in a different form. These three villains are seen using their wits more often than their magic. Don't worry, there's still plenty of spells and powers to be seen. 

           With the design, the shapes can tell us about stuff we never thought about. In some of the girls' clothes, you see some triangular shapes, which suggest a sense of power or dominance. That makes sense because our main characters are female, and are the most powerful. After all, the witches are the most dynamic presence in the film. Does this sound true to you? 

      Do you agree with this? Don't forget to request a non-rated R Halloween to see on the blog during Blogtober! Be sure to like, comment, share, and follow to always come back for Enchanted Tales of Film!