Production - Stop Motion: Passion, Process and Performance - page 299

a life, then we are naturally cautious about destroying that life, especially with such a i gure that
is seen to consume the major character. It's just a creation of sticks, but with much presence and
potential violence, it seems capable of living. The head was initially given a suggestion of a face,
but it suddenly looked less hostile and mysterious. By removing any specii c features, it became
far more sinister. When onlookers couldn't read any expression, they read the worst.
Likewise, the i gures at Madame Tussauds may be just wax, but with the best ones it's hard not
to imbue sort of presence. It must be harder still to destroy them.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
This is a groundbreaking i lm in so many respects, but what I love is its energy. Too often
with stop motion this energy is due to rather unruly frenetic animation, but here the energy
is exquisitely controlled and dance like. The music and the camerawork sweep the audience
along, but it's the animation itself that is so lively. Jack's spindly design should strobe from one
frame to another, especially as some of the moves are so big, but it does work, wonderfully.
He is full of very striking, clear poses held for just long enough, and he snaps into these with
audacious speed, but this works because of tiny softening-out moves and gently overlapping
actions. The i lm bursts with all manner of glorious movement and rhythms, and eccentric
character walks and tics. It is a stunningly physical i lm, with every character clearly dei ned by
its movement. Watch and marvel.
I had forgotten how much of the facial expression relied on replacement pieces. You can
see how the design of the puppets has had to accommodate this. The replacement mouth
shapes have less subtle movements and less variety than were achievable with the Mackinnon
Saunders puppets for Corpse Bride , where the majority of facial movements relied on internal
mechanics. This allows the animator much more freedom for changes of rhythm, very detailed
i nessing and personal acting.
What amazes me about Nightmare are the tiny feet. With all the texturing on the sets and
curved surfaces magnets must have been impractical, so the puppets were tied down with
various screw devices. This is enormously time consuming, but does allow such small feet to
clamber over the variety of surfaces.
But Christmas itself? I wonder why there is so much stop motion associated with Christmas.
Is this a time when more stories are told, when more myths are circulated and children are
excited by all manner of fantasies? Or is it about toys? There are always more stop motion
programmes on at Christmas and it is fascinating that things coming to life are seen to be a
special treat.