Jack Skellington, épouvantail de son état et grand nabab de Halloween, en a ras le squelette d'être le Roi des citrouilles ! Tous les ans, c'est la même rengaine ! Jack n'est pas loin de faire une dépression quand, au hasard d'une promenade, il trouve une porte qui le conduit à Christmas Town. Toutes ces couleurs, ces pâtisseries parfumées, ces boules de neige et autres guirlandes ne lui donnent qu'une envie : devenir Père Noël à la place du Père Noël ! Ni une ni deux, Jack met en place son plan pour pimenter un peu la douce nuit, ô, sainte nuit...
Alors qu'il est en train de réaliser dans la douleur Batman Returns, Tim Burton fait une déprime de courte durée et, plutôt que de se noyer dans le bourbon, il se plonge dans le travail pour nous offrir ce petit bijou de l'animation image par image. C'est un vieux projet de Tim Burton : il l'avait présenté à Disney quand il travaillait encore pour la firme aux grandes oreilles. Il avait conçu son projet à partir d'un poème qu'il avait écrit en s'inspirant d'une histoire pour enfants, Night before Christmas de Clement Clarke Moore mais aussi en s'inspirant des programmes jeunesse de son enfance comme Rudolph, le renne au nez rouge ou How the Grinch stole Christmas. Chez Disney, on l'avait envoyé balader. Mais à la fin des 90's, Tim Burton est devenu un réalisateur respecté : Disney accepte de lui rendre les droits sur son histoire et l'autorise à l'adapter comme bon lui semble. Burton exige que le film soit fait à l'ancienne, image par image, avec des décors et des personnages en 3D car pour lui, l'énergie qui se dégage de ces films est "de la pure énergie de créateur, ce que les ordinateurs ne parviendront jamais à remplacer." (Tim Burton par Tim Burton).
Trop occupé par la réalisation de son Batman, Tim Burton confie son bébé à Henry Selick, un vieil ami, ancien de chez Disney. Dany Elfman est engagé pour écrire chansons et musiques de cette comédie musicale gothique. Elfman chantera lui-même les chansons de Jack.
Le film est le parfait reflet de l'imaginaire de Tim Burton : gothique, morbide, enfantin et drôle.
L’Étrange Noël de Mr Jack est une fable qui envoie valser les sacro-saints rites de Noël américains. Il est peuplé de créatures étranges nés d'un imaginaire débridé et virtuose où le mot d'ordre semble être transgression : les boas bouffent les sapins de Noël, les canards ont des dents et mordent les gentils enfants, le Père Noël est maltraité par trois gamins, les génies s'ouvrent le crâne pour se gratter le cerveau et la copine de Jack doit se recoudre les membres régulièrement !
Mais Selick et Burton ont mieux à faire que provoquer pour provoquer. Le film traite de la marginalité et de l'acceptation de soi.
Jack est un épouvantail qui en a plein les bottes de n'être qu'un épouvantail. Il nous ressemble : qui n'a pas eu, un jour, envie de tout envoyer balader ? Le problème, quand on est un épouvantail, c'est que les autres ne nous voient que comme un épouvantail. Ils n'admettent pas l'idée que l'on puisse avoir envie de faire autre chose de sa vie que de faire faire de la tachycardie aux octogénaires. Jack est rangé dans une boîte et personne n'a envie de le voir en sortir : on le traite de fou. Mais, lorsqu'il réussit enfin à faire comprendre son désir à ses semblables et à les faire sortir de leur torpeur et de leurs habitudes réconfortantes, ce sont les lutins et les humains qui le regardent d'un sale œil. Les épouvantails et les fées ne dînent pas à la même table. Autrement dit, on ne mélange pas les torchons et les serviettes. Il n'est pas normal d'offrir des poupées vaudou aux enfants le soir de Noël ! Ah, bon ? C'est ce qu'on offre à Halloween ! Las, Jack s'en retournera aux pays des citrouilles, laissera le Père Noël distribuer ses satanés bonbons mais il n'aura pas tout perdu. Il aura compris qu'il est le meilleur épouvantail que Halloween ait jamais eu et qu'il vaut mieux boxer dans sa catégorie plutôt que de vouloir atteindre des sommets inaccessibles. Ce qui ne l'empêchera pas de rêver et d'aimer car Jack trouve l'amour en la personne de Sally, une poupée disloquée et sensuelle. Il s'accepte enfin comme il est et croque la vie à pleines dents (ce qui lui en reste ☺).
L’Étrange Noël de Mr Jack n'est pas moralisateur. Si c'était le cas, Jack aurait fini entouré de lutins, à boire du thé dans des tasses roses chez la Mère Noël. Le film est une ode à la tolérance, l'ouverture d'esprit et le respect des autres. Il est normal de se poser des questions, d'en avoir marre, de se sentir inutile, d'être dépressif. On ne peut pas toujours être un winner, foncer bille en tête et être reconnaissant envers la vie. On peut être faible et les autres aussi. Réussir sa vie n'est pas nécessairement gravir les échelons, être le meilleur. C'est trouver sa place dans le monde, s'accepter comme on est avec ses qualité et ses défauts et accepter le fait qu'il y aura toujours des plus beaux, des plus forts, des plus riches... C'est difficile mais pas impossible.
Tim Burton et Henry Selick ont réussi à faire passer leurs messages de façon joyeuse, enjouée, drôle, sans jamais prendre le spectateur pour un con.
Le public ne s'est pas trompé et le film a cartonné au box-office, engraissant encore plus le ventre de la souris Disney. En 2007, la firme s'est même offert le luxe de ressortir le film en 3D.
Le film a marqué un virage dans le monde de l'animation car c'est le premier long métrage tourné en stop-motion (image par image) et, il reste encore aujourd'hui une référence.
Quand je dis que Tim Burton est un génie !
Première publication : 26/08/2010
L’Étrange Noël de Mr Jack de Henri Selick avec des squelettes, des citrouilles, des poupées désarticulées, des lutins et les voix originales de Chris Sarandon, Danny Elfman, Catherine O'Hara, Paul Reubens...
Sortie en salles : 7 décembre 1994
Durée : 1 h 15 min
A partir de 6 ans
Trop occupé par la réalisation de son Batman, Tim Burton confie son bébé à Henry Selick, un vieil ami, ancien de chez Disney. Dany Elfman est engagé pour écrire chansons et musiques de cette comédie musicale gothique. Elfman chantera lui-même les chansons de Jack.
Écrire musiques et textes, chanter moi-même, fut une expérience gratifiante autant qu'épuisante. Cela a pris deux ans et demi de mon temps, soit dix fois plus de travail que pour un film normal. Mais Tim est comme moi, il aime ça et évolue en permanence de façon imprévisible.
(Entretien avec Dany Elfman, Libération, 22 août 2001).
Le film est le parfait reflet de l'imaginaire de Tim Burton : gothique, morbide, enfantin et drôle.
L’Étrange Noël de Mr Jack est une fable qui envoie valser les sacro-saints rites de Noël américains. Il est peuplé de créatures étranges nés d'un imaginaire débridé et virtuose où le mot d'ordre semble être transgression : les boas bouffent les sapins de Noël, les canards ont des dents et mordent les gentils enfants, le Père Noël est maltraité par trois gamins, les génies s'ouvrent le crâne pour se gratter le cerveau et la copine de Jack doit se recoudre les membres régulièrement !
Mais Selick et Burton ont mieux à faire que provoquer pour provoquer. Le film traite de la marginalité et de l'acceptation de soi.
L’Étrange Noël de Mr Jack n'est pas moralisateur. Si c'était le cas, Jack aurait fini entouré de lutins, à boire du thé dans des tasses roses chez la Mère Noël. Le film est une ode à la tolérance, l'ouverture d'esprit et le respect des autres. Il est normal de se poser des questions, d'en avoir marre, de se sentir inutile, d'être dépressif. On ne peut pas toujours être un winner, foncer bille en tête et être reconnaissant envers la vie. On peut être faible et les autres aussi. Réussir sa vie n'est pas nécessairement gravir les échelons, être le meilleur. C'est trouver sa place dans le monde, s'accepter comme on est avec ses qualité et ses défauts et accepter le fait qu'il y aura toujours des plus beaux, des plus forts, des plus riches... C'est difficile mais pas impossible.
Tim Burton et Henry Selick ont réussi à faire passer leurs messages de façon joyeuse, enjouée, drôle, sans jamais prendre le spectateur pour un con.
Le public ne s'est pas trompé et le film a cartonné au box-office, engraissant encore plus le ventre de la souris Disney. En 2007, la firme s'est même offert le luxe de ressortir le film en 3D.
Le film a marqué un virage dans le monde de l'animation car c'est le premier long métrage tourné en stop-motion (image par image) et, il reste encore aujourd'hui une référence.
Quand je dis que Tim Burton est un génie !
Voici le poème écrit par Tim Burton qui a servi de point de départ à L’Étrange Noël de Mr Jack :
It was late one fall in Halloweenland,
and the air had quite a chill.
Against the moon a skeleton sat,
alone upon a hill.
He was tall and thin with a bat bow tie;
Jack Skellington was his name.
He was tired and bored in Halloweenland,
everything was always the same.
“I’m sick of the scaring, the terror, the fright.
I’m tired of being something that goes bump in the night.
I’m bored with leering my horrible glances,
And my feet hurt from dancing those skeleton dances.
I don’t like graveyards, and I need something new.
There must be more to life than just yelling,
‘Boo!’”
I’m tired of being something that goes bump in the night.
I’m bored with leering my horrible glances,
And my feet hurt from dancing those skeleton dances.
I don’t like graveyards, and I need something new.
There must be more to life than just yelling,
‘Boo!’”
Then out from a grave, with a curl and a twist,
Came a whimpering, whining, spectral mist.
It was a little ghost dog, with a faint little bark,
And a jack-o’-lantern nose that glowed in the dark.
It was Jack’s dog, Zero, the best friend he had,
But Jack hardly noticed, which made Zero sad.
Came a whimpering, whining, spectral mist.
It was a little ghost dog, with a faint little bark,
And a jack-o’-lantern nose that glowed in the dark.
It was Jack’s dog, Zero, the best friend he had,
But Jack hardly noticed, which made Zero sad.
All that night and through the next day,
Jack wandered and walked.
He was filled with dismay.
Then deep in the forest, just before night,
Jack came upon an amazing sight.
Not twenty feet from the spot where he stood
Were three massive doorways carved in wood.
He stood before them, completely in awe,
His gaze transfixed by one special door.
Entranced and excited, with a slight sense of worry,
Jack opened the door to a white, windy flurry.
Jack wandered and walked.
He was filled with dismay.
Then deep in the forest, just before night,
Jack came upon an amazing sight.
Not twenty feet from the spot where he stood
Were three massive doorways carved in wood.
He stood before them, completely in awe,
His gaze transfixed by one special door.
Entranced and excited, with a slight sense of worry,
Jack didn’t know it, but he’d fallen down
In the middle of a place called Christmas Town!
Immersed in the light, Jack was no longer haunted.
He had finally found the feeling he wanted.
And so that his friends wouldn’t think him a liar,
He took the present filled stockings that hung by the fire.
He took candy and toys that were stacked on the shelves
And a picture of Santa with all of his elves.
He took lights and ornaments and the star from the tree,
And from the Christmas Town sign, he took the big letter C.
In the middle of a place called Christmas Town!
Immersed in the light, Jack was no longer haunted.
He had finally found the feeling he wanted.
And so that his friends wouldn’t think him a liar,
He took the present filled stockings that hung by the fire.
He took candy and toys that were stacked on the shelves
And a picture of Santa with all of his elves.
He took lights and ornaments and the star from the tree,
And from the Christmas Town sign, he took the big letter C.
He picked up everything that sparkled or glowed.
He even picked up a handful of snow.
He grabbed it all, and without being seen,
He took it all back to Halloween.
He even picked up a handful of snow.
He grabbed it all, and without being seen,
He took it all back to Halloween.
Back in Halloween a group of Jack’s peers
Stared in amazement at his Christmas souvenires.
For this wondrous vision none were prepared.
Most were excited, though a few were quite scared!
Stared in amazement at his Christmas souvenires.
For this wondrous vision none were prepared.
Most were excited, though a few were quite scared!
For the next few days, while it lightninged and thundered,
Jack sat alone and obsessively wondered.
“Why is it they get to spread laughter and cheer
While we stalk the graveyards, spreading panic and fear?
Well, I could be Santa, and I could spread cheer!
Why does he get to do it year after year?”
Outraged by injustice, Jack thought and he thought.
Then he got an idea. “Yes. . .yes. . .why not!”
Jack sat alone and obsessively wondered.
“Why is it they get to spread laughter and cheer
While we stalk the graveyards, spreading panic and fear?
Well, I could be Santa, and I could spread cheer!
Why does he get to do it year after year?”
Outraged by injustice, Jack thought and he thought.
Then he got an idea. “Yes. . .yes. . .why not!”
In Christmas Town, Santa was making some toys
When through the din he heard a soft noise.
He answered the door, and to his surprise,
He saw weird little creatures in strange disguise.
They were altogether ugly and rather petite.
As they opened their sacks, they yelled, “Trick or treat!”
Then a confused Santa was shoved into a sack
And taken to Halloween to see mastermind Jack.
When through the din he heard a soft noise.
He answered the door, and to his surprise,
He saw weird little creatures in strange disguise.
They were altogether ugly and rather petite.
As they opened their sacks, they yelled, “Trick or treat!”
Then a confused Santa was shoved into a sack
And taken to Halloween to see mastermind Jack.
In Halloween everyone gathered once more,
For they’d never seen a Santa before
And as they cautiously gazed at this strange old man,
Jack related to Santa his masterful plan:
“My dear Mr. Claus, I think it’s a crime
That you’ve got to be Santa all of the time!
But now I will give presents, and I will spread cheer.
We’re changing places I’m Santa this year.
It is I who will say Merry Christmas to you!
So you may lie in my coffin, creak doors, and yell, ‘Boo!’
And please, Mr. Claus, don’t think ill of my plan.
For I’ll do the best Santa job that I can.”
For they’d never seen a Santa before
And as they cautiously gazed at this strange old man,
Jack related to Santa his masterful plan:
“My dear Mr. Claus, I think it’s a crime
That you’ve got to be Santa all of the time!
But now I will give presents, and I will spread cheer.
We’re changing places I’m Santa this year.
It is I who will say Merry Christmas to you!
So you may lie in my coffin, creak doors, and yell, ‘Boo!’
And please, Mr. Claus, don’t think ill of my plan.
For I’ll do the best Santa job that I can.”
And though Jack and his friends thought they’d do a good job,
Their idea of Christmas was still quite macabre.
They were packed up and ready on Christmas Eve day
When Jack hitched his reindeer to his sleek coffin sleigh,
But on Christmas Eve as they were about to begin,
A Halloween fog slowly rolled in.
Jack said, “We can’t leave; this fog’s just too thick.
There will be no Christmas, and I can’t be St. Nick.”
Then a small glowing light pierced through the fog.
What could it be?. . .It was Zero, Jack’s dog!
Their idea of Christmas was still quite macabre.
They were packed up and ready on Christmas Eve day
When Jack hitched his reindeer to his sleek coffin sleigh,
But on Christmas Eve as they were about to begin,
A Halloween fog slowly rolled in.
Jack said, “We can’t leave; this fog’s just too thick.
There will be no Christmas, and I can’t be St. Nick.”
Then a small glowing light pierced through the fog.
What could it be?. . .It was Zero, Jack’s dog!
Jack said, “Zero, with your nose so bright,
Won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?”
Won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?”
And to be so needed was Zero’s great dream,
So he joyously flew to the head of the team.
And as the skeletal sleigh started its ghostly flight,
Jack cackled, “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
So he joyously flew to the head of the team.
And as the skeletal sleigh started its ghostly flight,
Jack cackled, “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
‘Twas the nightmare before Christmas, and all though the house,
Not a creature was peaceful, not even a mouse.
The stockings all hung by the chimney with care,
When opened that morning would cause quite a scare!
The children, all nestled so snug in their beds,
Would have nightmares of monsters and skeleton heads.
The moon that hung over the new-fallen snow
Cast an eerie pall over the city below,
And Santa Claus’s laughter now sounded like groans,
And the jingling bells like chattering bones.
And what to their wondering eyes should appear,
But a coffin sleigh with skeleton deer.
And a skeletal driver so ugly and sick
They knew in a moment, this can’t be St. Nick!
From house to house, with a true sense of joy,
Jack happily issued each present and toy.
From rooftop to rooftop he jumped and he skipped,
Leaving presents that seemed to be straight from a crypt!
Unaware that the world was in panic and fear,
Jack merrily spread his own brand of cheer.
Not a creature was peaceful, not even a mouse.
The stockings all hung by the chimney with care,
When opened that morning would cause quite a scare!
The children, all nestled so snug in their beds,
Would have nightmares of monsters and skeleton heads.
The moon that hung over the new-fallen snow
Cast an eerie pall over the city below,
And Santa Claus’s laughter now sounded like groans,
And the jingling bells like chattering bones.
And what to their wondering eyes should appear,
But a coffin sleigh with skeleton deer.
And a skeletal driver so ugly and sick
They knew in a moment, this can’t be St. Nick!
From house to house, with a true sense of joy,
Jack happily issued each present and toy.
From rooftop to rooftop he jumped and he skipped,
Leaving presents that seemed to be straight from a crypt!
Unaware that the world was in panic and fear,
Jack merrily spread his own brand of cheer.
He visited the house of Susie and Dave;
They got a Gumby and Pokey from the grave.
Then on to the home of little Jane Neeman;
She got a baby doll possessed by a demon.
A monstrous train with tentacle tracks,
A ghoulish puppet wielding an ax,
A man eating plant disguised as a wreath,
And a vampire teddy bear with very sharp teeth.
They got a Gumby and Pokey from the grave.
Then on to the home of little Jane Neeman;
She got a baby doll possessed by a demon.
A monstrous train with tentacle tracks,
A ghoulish puppet wielding an ax,
A man eating plant disguised as a wreath,
And a vampire teddy bear with very sharp teeth.
There were screams of terror, but Jack didn’t hear it,
He was much too involved with his own Christmas spirit!
Jack finally looked down from his dark, starry frights
And saw the commotion, the noise, and the light.
“Why, they’re celebrating, it looks like such fun!
They’re thanking me for the good job that I’ve done.”
But what he thought were fireworks meant as goodwill
Were bullets and missiles intended to kill.
Then amidst the barrage of artillery fire,
Jack urged Zero to go higher and higher.
And away they all flew like the storm of a thistle,
Until they were hit by a well guided missile.
And as they fell on the cemetery, way out of sight,
Was heard, “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.”
He was much too involved with his own Christmas spirit!
Jack finally looked down from his dark, starry frights
And saw the commotion, the noise, and the light.
“Why, they’re celebrating, it looks like such fun!
They’re thanking me for the good job that I’ve done.”
But what he thought were fireworks meant as goodwill
Were bullets and missiles intended to kill.
Then amidst the barrage of artillery fire,
Jack urged Zero to go higher and higher.
And away they all flew like the storm of a thistle,
Until they were hit by a well guided missile.
And as they fell on the cemetery, way out of sight,
Was heard, “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.”
Jack pulled himself up on a large stone cross,
And from there he reviewed his incredible loss.
“I thought I could be Santa, I had such belief”
Jack was confused and filled with great grief.
Not knowing where to turn, he looked toward the sky,
Then he slumped on the grave and he started to cry.
And as Zero and Jack lay crumpled on the ground,
They suddenly heard a familiar sound.
And from there he reviewed his incredible loss.
“I thought I could be Santa, I had such belief”
Jack was confused and filled with great grief.
Not knowing where to turn, he looked toward the sky,
Then he slumped on the grave and he started to cry.
And as Zero and Jack lay crumpled on the ground,
They suddenly heard a familiar sound.
“My dear Jack,” said Santa, “I applaud your intent.
I know wreaking such havoc was not what you meant.
And so you are sad and feeling quite blue,
But taking over Christmas was the wrong thing to do.
I hope you realize Halloween’s the right place for you.
There’s a lot more, Jack, that I’d like to say,
But now I must hurry, for it’s almost Christmas day.”
Then he jumped in his sleigh, and with a wink of an eye,
He said, “Merry Christmas,” and he bid them good bye.
I know wreaking such havoc was not what you meant.
And so you are sad and feeling quite blue,
But taking over Christmas was the wrong thing to do.
I hope you realize Halloween’s the right place for you.
There’s a lot more, Jack, that I’d like to say,
But now I must hurry, for it’s almost Christmas day.”
Then he jumped in his sleigh, and with a wink of an eye,
He said, “Merry Christmas,” and he bid them good bye.
Back home, Jack was sad, but then, like a dream,
Santa brought Christmas to the land of Halloween
Première publication : 26/08/2010
L’Étrange Noël de Mr Jack de Henri Selick avec des squelettes, des citrouilles, des poupées désarticulées, des lutins et les voix originales de Chris Sarandon, Danny Elfman, Catherine O'Hara, Paul Reubens...
Sortie en salles : 7 décembre 1994
Durée : 1 h 15 min
A partir de 6 ans
