100 Greatest Movie Characters: 78

"Just because I cannot see it doesn't mean I can't believe it!"

78. Jack Skellington
The Nightmare Before Christmas

If there's anything I hate on this planet, it might be Hot Topic co-opting Tim Burton's work. Selling $18 Beetlejuice t-shirts completely misses the point of the man's works. The majority of his fantasy works reflect an innocence in unnatural places or other beautiful, interesting aspects such as that. It's not meant to be entirely dark and spooky just so you can enjoy it you stupid fucking fake cynical asshole teenager.

One of the best things Tim Burton does is putting strange characters out of their comfort zones. Sometimes they fear where they are out of place, like the newly deceased yuppies of "Beetlejuice". Sometimes they are absolutely fascinated by their surroundings, like Jack Skellington.

The avatar of Halloween Town (and thusly, of Halloween) feels something missing in his life as all that ever happens in Halloween Town is preparation until next Halloween's big celebration. Going for an oddly long walk, Jack eventually finds himself in a huge clearing in the forest containing portals to other holidays. Opening the door shaped like a pine tree, Jack is taken to Christmas Town and just LOSES HIS SHIT OVER IT. He sings about how all of this is so new to him and amazing. And that's what I'm talking about when I say innocence. Jack lived in a world where people scare for fun, so when he's brought to Candyland he's walks around with wide-eyed, (well, wide-eye-socketed) childlike wonder.

His eventual decision to make a Halloweeny Christmas, however, proves that he's still a little green towards it all, no matter how much he understands Christmas Town more than the other monsters. His fallacy in this once again proves what I love about the character of Jack Skellington, the willingness to try something new, all the while being amazed by it.

Don't let you local goths dissuade you, "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is a fucking awesome movie.

Defining moment: When he loses his shit in Christmas Town. Seriously, watch how enamored he is with this place.