Tim Burton’s Claymation Movies

When I think about my childhood, the word Stopmotion comes to mind. During my elementary years, my language arts teacher made a point of introducing our class to Claymation, a type of Stopmotion. You see, some of the books we read were accompanied by short Claymation films and feature length. This is likely what started my love for “behind the scenes.” Animatronic figures require multiple frames to bring them to life on film. The more dynamic the gesture is, the more steps it takes to capture it. It’s meticulous work, but the end result is a three dimensional character that can captivate an audience. That’s why I decided to go in on a few Tim Burton Claymation films.

Claymation Movies I’ve Seen

Although I technically watched James an the Giant Peach first, I decided to go in chronological order. Plus, The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my favorite HalloThanksmas movies. 

Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

My first memory of The Nightmare Before Christmas was a trailer for The Lion King. It looked spooky and interesting. Years would pass before I got a chance to watch during an after school program. I was hooked by the songs, the characters, and the plot. I don’t watch it annually, but it’s not something that I strictly watch October thru December.

Given my general understanding of stop motion animation, the range of motion and expression is impressive. That’s a lot of detail with fragile figures and sets. Today, we are at a point where you can get the stopmotion look without some of the hands on Labor. I’d argue that The Nightmare Before Christmas still holds up today.

James and the Giant Peach (1996)

I recall reading James and the Giant Peach in elementary school. At that time, I didn’t register how large these bugs were in comparison to James. I was a suprised and a little creeped out at how large they were in the movie. The bugs were very kind to James, which is more than can be said for the adults in his life. Maybe that’s what made helped me look past their life threatening size.

Given the animation options of the 90s, claymation was a smart move. The Nightmare Before Christmas did well. James and the Giant Peach was a very popular children’s book. Combining the two made the contrast of the fictional world and the real world interesting.

Corpse Bride (2005)

I’ve yet to watch this from start to finish. It’s not that I’m not interested. Corpse Bride is one of those movies that’s considered a Halloween classic. It airs annually on channels like Freeform. So, I don’t have to put in much effort to watch it. Corpse Bride is definitely more mature than The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach.

For starters, a man accidentally vows to love a corpse for the rest of his life. Who knew practicing a heart felt proposal would go so terribly wrong. More importantly, the bride’s unfinished business involves another man that still roams amongst the living. Without giving to much away, there’s a mystery afoot and upcoming marriage that must be stopped. But how?

Setting wise, the Corpse Bride isn’t as vibrant as the others. The blue and black tones adds a layer of gloom that fits the situation. Range of motion is more fluid here, which should be expected of a you

Final Thoughts

Although Stopmotion films are not as popular as they used to be, I hope the art form continues to thrive. I’m aware that Tim Burton isn’t the only director working with these medium. Big names like his make audiences take not of his projects. Although animation has advanced heavily, it’s still interesting to see what people can do with their hands. It’s likely why 2-D animation hasn’t died out yet. Thank you for spending Friday with me. I hope you have a great weekend. Feel free to stop by next week for Meme Mondays with Trisha!