A Nightmare before Christmas

Table of contents: page n°

1  ) General information  

  a) Cinematographical data  1

  b) Personal statement  1

  c) Classroom setting  1

  d) On the text  1

  e) General concept(s)  2

  f) Methods and Measures  3

  g) Summary  3

2  ) Lesson Plans  

  a) 1 st session  

  4  

  b) 2 nd session  

  6  

  c) 3 rd session  

  8  

  d) 4 th session  

  10  

  e) 5 th session  

  12  

3  ) Appendix  

  a) 1 st session  

  13  

  b) 2 nd session  

  15  

  c) 3 rd session  

  18  

  d) 4 th session  

  19  

  e) 5 th session  

  21  

4  ) References  22

Cinematographical data:

Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) (USA: complete title) Runtime: 76 min Country: USA Language: English Colour: Colour (Technicolor) Sound Mix: Dolby Digital Release date: USA 29 October 1993

Personal statement:

I saw the movie for the first time at about the age of 17, after having had approximately 4 to 5 years of school English. I remember that I didn’t understand many of the words, but that I could easily follow the story. I like the movie because of its cartoon-like appearance, its unorthodox combination of classic holiday movie features and its soundtrack. The latter is an important component of the movie, as it is declared not only a horror and animated movie, but also a musical. The story is easy to follow even if important information is transported by the lyrics of the songs which partly function as soliloquies (see: on the text).

Classroom setting:

I would set the film for students at least at about the age of 17, for students with knowledge of at least 6 years of school English. In this class, there are 21 persons. It’s a common classroom situation: 3 students who always have something to say, 5 students who are hard to be motivated because they are generally not interested and want to be left alone and 13 “ordinary” students who generally participate in classroom activities as long as they are in the mood and the topics at least a little interesting.

On the text:

The text is generally not difficult to understand, although some of the rather comic-like voices add a challenging character (to it). Thereby, the lack of accurate miming denies the possibility to read from the actors’ lips in order to clarify if the understood/heard is the word actually spoken.

Referring to the songs, the combination of the comic-like voices, the lack of miming, the speed of the songs and last but not least the poetic structure of the lyrics make it difficult to

understand the statements of the ballads. Some of the ballads are used in order to express a character’s emotions, mainly sorrow.

General concept(s):

Language use underlies two possible purposes. It is either taken to be brief, precise, descriptive and accurate in order to explain a circumstance or other appearance most notably, or its use tends to be expressive, creative, rich in detail and partly most fantastical. As these two features of language use happen to be both most important in everyday life, it is also intriguingly important to further/support/promote competence in expressing oneself in written as in oral language.

On the basis of these possibilities, I argue that in any classroom work you have to emphasise these features which means to write or orally produce summaries as well as prepare essays on related topics. With account to the rather creative use of language I will refer to according tasks as freestyle tasks.

I decided to employ group work (GW) to work on “Tim Burton’s Nightmare before Christmas”. I want to use two slightly different forms of GW: free and bound GW. I define a group of people who have to work together on one issue from its cradle to its grave as a bound workgroup. Students of a bound workgroup are forced to rely on the abilities/advantages they gain as a group. As a consequence, individualism counts less. Another advantage of bound GW is that by combining into people to one group, the restriction of working silently is taken from them. Its characteristics are continuous thinking, discussing, rethinking and evaluation. An obstacle is of course a possible lack of co-operation, but I am convinced the mass of impressions and emotions evoked by the film will force the students to voice their opinion. Free GW refers to a combination of individual work and teamwork. I will use this term to refer to the following procedure: First step: individual work ... second step: working together and evaluating the gained information. (It is of use, when in a first step, while working alone, any member of the later workgroup makes their thoughts about the issue and later join with the other members in order to present and compare their individual results and then to formulate a result. ) This form of GW is of advantage for the less outgoing students, because they can have their thoughts organised in silence and then participate in their workgroup’s discussion.

Methods and measures:

• Group work on possible statements for the presented themes

• Interpretation of a scene by staging it

• Explaining of new vocabulary on the basis of given definition

• Analysis of cinematographical means

• Discussion on predestination/destiny, Good against Evil

Summary:

Tim Burton’s “Nightmare before Christmas” has a simple plot. Its protagonist is Jack Skellington, the pumpkin king of Halloween Town. During his reign, Jack has somehow lost his understanding of his place in the world and the magic he creates with his Halloween holiday. After the completion of one particular Halloween season, Jack walks with a heavy heart and ends up in the woods outside Halloween Town discovering a grove of trees with doors to the other holidays. He discovers Christmas Town, and is so taken by the idea that he decides to take over Christmas with the help of the resident bats, ghouls, and goblins of Halloween Town. There is also a sub plot about a patchwork girl who is also trying to escape her role in the world.

1 ^ST SESSION: WATCHING THE MOVIE AS A WHOLE

Introduction:

This session should be supplementary to normal class hours, as it will take at least 120 minutes to explain the tasks, to show the movie and to present and evaluate the gained results.

Initially, in order to focus my students attention I will give them a brief overview on what the movie is about:

“We are going to watch an animated movie about a skeleton who is depressed by the routine of his life as a scary Halloween creature. By accidence he discovers a totally different holiday. Christmas! He likes the idea of this hearty holiday, so that he decides to take his Halloween staff to take over Christmas. It is a kind of macabre fairy tale, but as long as no one of you is afraid of monsters or ghosts, this movie will be fun!”

Action:

First of all, I’ll put on a OHP transparency containing the themes given on the file cards (see appendix). I’ll clarify what the headlines mean. Then I’ll distribute the file cards by letting the students draw cards without knowing what theme it’ll be that they have to focus on. Furthermore, as there are nine themes to focus on, there will be two cards (respectively three in case of the following themes: “How is Halloween Town presented?” “How are Halloween Town’s residents depicted?” “What is Pumpkin Jack going through?”) of the same topic. Like this, two respectively three students will focus on the same theme. Then I will show the movie which will take about 80 min. I will give some 10 minutes of extra time to organize their thoughts and notes.

After that I’ll have the student that had drawn the same cards sit together and discuss the results they gained, in order to come up with a bunch of keywords that they associate with the seen. If possible, I’d ask them to find a quote that could stand as the essential answer or an illustration to the question. The gained results will finally be presented in classroom discussion, in which every student is allowed to contribute ideas about any of the themes.

à See appendix n° 1 for workgroup material and possible results.

Intentions:

Being integrated into a free group, everybody is aimed to make notes for himself. As different people recognize different things, the density of the gained information will form a detailed picture of the featured themes and hence of the entire movie.

Expectations:

I do not expect each of my students to come up with every possible answer, but during classroom discussion they can compare and complete the facts and they will end up having understood all aspects of the story.

2 ^ND SESSION: WORKING ON SONGS: JACK’S LAMENT & WHAT’S THIS

Introduction:

“Today we are going to work on two songs of Nightmare before Christmas. It’ll be the second and the third song that are in the movie. The first song is ‘Jack’s Lament’ and we will come across some features we already discussed last time. As we know from our discussion, it gives us the initial information on what is bothering Jack. The second song is about Jack discovering Christmas Town."

1 st ) Jack’s Lament:

Action [free GW]:

First of all I am going to distribute copies of the lyrics and have them prepare the text in private. Then, before giving them the instructions for the following action, I will ask them about the reference the text makes to Shakespeare (“and since I am dead, I can take off my head to recite Shakespearean quotations”), whether they can tell me to which of Shakespeare’s plays this line refers. Actually, I expect them to come up with the correct answer, namely Hamlet. If it wasn’t the case, I’d put this reference into the according context. Also, I will explain the term soliloquy to them, as this song functions as one. Then, I will continue with the procedure, in which I will have them draw cards containing pictures from the movies. Those pictures are of no special purpose but to organise groups for the upcoming task. After the 5 groups are formed, I will tell them that they are to perform an interpretation-staging of the given text. I’ll give them about 10 minutes of preparation. In advance I’ll have prepared an order of the stagings according to the cards each group is associated with (see appendix 2). I will leave it totally to them how they want to perform it, but I will have the song prepared on tape, in case that they want to perform the scene using playback.

Intentions:

I’ve chosen the free GW, as any pupil can work through the text, come up with a feeling for this soliloquy and then discuss it with the others preparing the staging. The purpose of staging the text is to gain a different understanding of a text. By staging a text, pupils not only have to analyse but to commit themselves to the text and discover the emotions the protagonist have

to feel, combining those with a adequate and accurate gesture and mime. It is a playful way to get an understanding of a text.

Expectations:

I guess that most of the students are going to feel uncomfortable about acting rather spontaneously in front of their classmates, but it is a chance for some of the students who do like acting to make use of it. For those who haven’t yet been confronted with acting it is a new experience which could entice them. Finally I expect my students to be anxious to discuss the performances. The length of this possibly following discussion will show, whether there is still enough time for the second part of this session (What’s this).

2 nd ) What’s this

Action:

Again I will distribute the song lyrics and have the students prepare it. Then I’ll show the scene and remark to the students that they make notes about how Christmas Town is perceived by Jack.

Then I will initialise a discussion on what they think about Christmas; whether they personally agree or disagree with this perception.

Finally I will tell them to write a poem on their own (based on the manner of the lyrics) on how they see Christmas. This is to be prepared at home.

Intentions:

This movie-clip only serves as initial basis for the discussion. The purpose of the discussion and the further homework is what I described as freestyle task in my general concept.

Expectations:

I think that not many of the students will contribute a poem. I’ll collect those that are and present the best of them at the end of the sessions. Then, I will read out loud the best lines of the poems and with permission of the students I will hand out copies of the best two to four poems.

SESSION 3: REVIEWING PART OF THE MOVIE & VOCABULARY WORK

Introduction:

“Today we will review a smaller part of the movie focussing on some vocabulary items which probably will be new to you. We will start with this vocabulary list of words that will appear during this session. We will work through this sheet in order to understand all the words.”

Action:

At the beginning of this session, I will hand out the vocabulary list enclosed in appendix n° 3. At this point, the 3 ^rd column of the list entitled “translation” will be left blank. In class we will read the lines from the left to the right - one line per student - , beginning with the term itself and then going on with the definition. As I didn’t pick the easiest definitions for the terms, it will be the case with some definitions to explain included terms (e.g. coffin). Finally, the student will be asked to present a fitting translations, which if correct will be written down. Then, I’ll show again part of the movie (from 0:16:09 to 0:36:37). I will remark to the students to watch out for the enlisted words in which context they appear and how they are used.

Finally, I will tell the students to cover the list. I’ll have the students draw cards containing the introduced terms given on the list. They will have to explain the word they have drawn only using gestures. If it should be impossible for a student to present their word, I will give them the option to either sketch it on the blackboard or to paraphrase it in a TABU - like manner.

Furthermore, I will tell them that they names of the Oogie Boogie boys (Lock, Shock and Barrel) are a derivation of the idiomatic expression lock, stock and barrel in order to express unity. Then I will tell them, that this is only one of three expressions in this part that describe conformity. The other two are “three of a kind” and “birds of a feather”

Intentions:

Since I give them the vocabulary list, the students are first confronted with the new words. The definitions will mostly give them the exact idea of what is meant. To come up with the most exact definition is a task which can easily be fulfilled yet knowing the definition of the term. New words, contained in the definitions, will be explained to the students and thus of no bigger problem. This is just supplementary vocabulary which the students may remember. The task of watching the movie concerning the context of the new vocabulary serves the

purpose to listening comprehension, referring to locating a word in its context. The presentation of the given words serves to use the vocabulary and to check whether already one word or another has already clung.

Expectations:

In this session, on the basis of the different measures and methods that are employed, there are several possibilities for students to get to know, to understand and to remember the new vocabulary they came across. Thus, all students have a chance to learn some of the words, according to which procedure is most appropriate for their language acquisition customs.

SESSION 4: COMPARISON OF CINEMATOGRAPHICAL MEANS

Introduction:

This session is dedicated not to text or vocabulary work but to the effects of cinematographical means that are used to visually underline the meaning of the text. Cinematographical means include use of colours, light and shadow, perspective and set organisation. Furthermore we will consider how music is used to evoke emotion. We are going to take a look on two cinematographically very different scenes. Again, it is going to be scenes containing songs. First we will work on “Making Christmas” and after that on “Oogie Boogie’s Song”.

1 st ) “Making Christmas”

Action: (free GW)

In the first place, I will hand out the lyrics (see appendix n° 4). I will ask some of the students that so far didn’t participate that much in class to read out loud the text. Unknown vocabulary will be explained. Then I will tell my students to make notes on how the discrepancy between the characters’ intention and their acting produces the absurdity of the scene is presented by cinematographical means, while watching the according scene (from 0:39:07 to 0:42:56). Finally, in order to organise the following discussing of the gained results, I will ask the students to sit in groups of four to five persons. During this part of the group work, the students are supposed to come up with one sentence about each of the following features: use of bright colours, use of shades of grey, employment of characters, use of grotesque elements, mood conveyed by music.

Each group should then chose a speaker who will present their results.

Intention:

The students are first confronted with the lyrics which will give them the basic information for this task. These lyrics do not contain many new words, so that it will be easy to understand the text. The analysis of cinematographical means will make them realise how important visual data is in a movie and how it can stress important textual parts.

Expectation:

Some students will feel uncooperative in fulfilling this task, because they probably will not see the necessity of analysing those features. Those students will basically agree that cinematographical means are of great importance but they will disagree on analysing them. Expected results: All features of Christmas are depicted in bright colors. Everything about Halloween Town is depicted in shades of grey. Halloween Town’s residents try to make “pleasant” presents, but they fail. Music gives impression of darkness and scariness, although it also includes a jolly tune when referring to Christmas. The overall mood of Halloween Town, preparing Christmas is grotesque.

2 nd ) “Oogie Boogie’s Song”

Action:

I will hand out the lyrics and have the students read it while they listen to song on tape. Then I ask them whether they have any vocabulary problems and if so, I’ll solve them. I will ask them what impression the combination of the lyrics and the tune evoked and we will chat about their ideas.

Then I will show them the scene (from 0:46:00 to 0:48:31), advising them to focus on the same questions as with “Making Christmas”.

Intention:

Reading the text and solving vocabulary problems serves the understanding of the text. Simultaneously listening to the music gives possibilities to listen to the text rather than to read it which serves as optional listening comprehension. Analyzing the cinematography of this scene is an activity which serves to use the previously acquired knowledge, which results in an complex understanding of the intention the scene.

Expectation:

I expect half of the class to rather listen to the song than to read the actual text. The analysis of the scene will be done faster than the first one, because the students already know on which feature they have to focus.

Expected answers: grotesque mixture of gambling issues, torture chamber like room, and the person of Oogie Boogie, which is a combination of spiders, snakes and bugs. Sharp bright artificial colors make the appearance quite surreal. The music is of a very animating character

but Oogie Boogie’s articulation and intonation put a certain threat in it.

SESSION 5 : FINAL DISCUSSION AND FEEDBACK

Introduction:

“This is the last session in that we will discuss “A Nightmare before Christmas”. Some of you may be happy to see it come to an end, some may not. Anyhow, I hope that you liked it at least a little. After this final task, you can tell me everything you liked or disliked when we come to the feedback part.”

Action:

At the beginning of the session I will show the last part of the movie (from 0:48:31 to 1:08:22). At the same time I will put on a work sheet containing some keywords. (see appendix n° 5)

With regard to the whole movie and the words on the work sheet, I will ask the students to put the keywords into relation according to their impression of the movie. They can basically relate these words by putting arrows between them. Furthermore, they can put notes aside of the arrows. Finally, the students will present and thus share their impression on the movie’s themes.

The very last task for me to do is to hand out the feedback sheet for them to fill out and collecting it at the end of the session.

Intention:

The last part of the movie is a total happy end including the rescue of Santa Claus, the purification of Pumpkin Jack and the discovering of their love between Jack and Sally. It serves perfectly to conclude this teaching unit.

As I ask the students to relate their impressions with the keywords on the worksheet, they are forced to organise their ideas according to the given words. This organisation of thoughts serves to come to a common ground for the final discussion.

Expectation:

I guess that the students will be slightly confused by the task I give them, but I will tell them to just try to find some way of relating the keywords. Actually, I think that there is only one basic result: that everything is relative and depends from the point of view. There is nothing a really bad, and nothing really good, that every being is a creature, and depending on the

standpoint every creature can appear as a monster. This is the scheme I want to tell them

finally, after they have sketched their schemes.

APPENDIX 1: FILE CARDS

APPENDIX 2: CARDS & TEXTS

Jack's Lament

There are few who'd deny, at what I do I am the best For my talents are renowned far and wide When it comes to surprises in the moonlit night I excel without ever even trying With the slightest little effort of my ghostlike charms I have seen grown men give out a shriek With the wave of my hand, and a well-placed moan I have swept the very bravest off their feet Yet year after year, it's the same routine And I grow so weary of the sound of screams And I, Jack, the Pumpkin King Have grown so tired of the same old thing Oh, somewhere deep inside of these bones An emptiness began to grow There's something out there, far from my home

A longing that I've never known

I'm the master of fright, and a demon of light And I'll scare you right out of your pants To a guy in Kentucky, I'm Mister Unlucky And I'm known throughout England and France And since I am dead, I can take off my head To recite Shakespearean quotations No animal nor man can scream like I can With the fury of my recitations But who here would ever understand That the Pumpkin King with the skeleton grin Would tire of his crown, if they only understood He'd give it all up if he only could Oh, there's an empty place in my bones That calls out for something unknown The fame and praise come year after year Does nothing for these empty tears

What's This?

APPENDIX 3:VOCABULARY SHEET (for sources of definitions and translations, see references)

APPENDIX 4: LYRICS OF “MAKING CHRISTMAS” AND “OOGIE BOOGIE’S SONG”

Making Christmas See how I transformed this old rat Into a most delightful hat This time, this time Making Christmas Hmm, my compliments from me to you Making Christmas On this your most intriguing hat Consider though this substitute Making Christmas, making Christmas A bat in place of this old rat Is so fine Huh! No, no, no, now that's all wrong This thing will never make a present It's ours this time It's been dead now for much too long And won't the children be surprised Try something fresher, something It's ours this time pleasant Try again, don't give up Making Christmas Making Christmas All together, that and this Making Christmas With all our tricks we're making Christmas time Time to give them something fun They'll talk about for years to come This time, this time

Let's have a cheer from everyone It's ours! It's time to party Making Christmas, making Christmas Making Christmas, making Christmas La, la, la It's almost here Snakes and mice get wrapped up so nice And we can't wait With spider legs and pretty bows So ring the bells and celebrate It's ours this time All together, that and this 'Cause when the full moon starts to With all our tricks we're climb Making Christmas time We'll all sing out

Here comes Jack It's Christmas time Hee, hee, hee I don't believe what's happening to me

My hopes, my dreams, my fantasies Hee, hee, hee, hee

Won't they be impressed, I am a

genius

Oogie Boogie's Song

Well, well, well, what have we here? Would someone shut this fella' up Sandy Claws, huh? I'm drownin' in my tears Oh, I'm really scared It's funny, I'm laughing So you're the one everybody's talkin' You really are too much about, ha, ha And now, with your permission You're jokin', you're jokin' I'm going to do my stuff I can't believe my eyes You're jokin' me, you gotta be What are you going to do? This can't be the right guy He's ancient, he's ugly I'm gonna do the best I can I don't know which is worse Oh, the sound of rollin' dice I might just split a seam now To me is music in the air If I don't die laughing first 'Cause I'm a gamblin' Boogie Man Mr. Oogie Boogie says Although I don't play fair There's trouble close at hand It's much more fun, I must confess You'd better pay attention now With lives on the line 'Cause I'm the Boogie Man Not mine, of course, but yours, old And if you aren't shakin' boy There's something very wrong Now that'd be just fine 'Cause this may be the last time You hear the boogie song, ohhh Release me fast or you will have to Ohhh, he's the Oogie Boogie Man Answer for this heinous act

Release me now Oh, brother, you're something Or you must face the dire You put me in a spin consequences You aren't comprehending The children are expecting me The position that you're in So please, come to your senses It's hopeless, you're finished You haven't got a prayer You're jokin', you're jokin' 'Cause I'm Mr. Oogie Boogie I can't believe my ears And you ain't going nowhere

APPENDIX 5: WORK SHEET & FEEDBACK SHEET

ü Which of the tasks did you like/ dislike? Give a brief comment what you liked/ disliked!

ü Do you think that you have learned something? If yes, can you describe it? ü Which task did you help to learn/ understand most? Why? ü Did you like your teacher’s way of presenting the tasks? ü Which improvements would you recommend? ü Comment:

References:

Copy of the movie: ARD broadcast

Vocabulary definition after: http://dictionary.cambridge.org ; © Cambridge University Press 2001;

Vocabulary translation after: Pons Kompaktwörterbuch; Klett Verlag 1999 Movie Transcript after: http://www.script-o-rama.com/filmtranscripts3.shtml