The Nightmare Before Christmas Page #16

At quaint conveyor belts, SANTA'S ELVES work their hardest:

-- Assembling the Christmas toys we most sentimentally associate

with Christmas, among them -- cherubic baby dolls in bonnets and

gowns, gorgeously painted wooden rocking horses.

-- Wrapping the beautiful gifts, colorful papers, elaborate bows.

-- Labelling packages.

CUT TO:

EXT. REINDEER SCHOOL. DAY.

Santa's team of sleigh-pulling reindeer practices roof jumping

techniques. One YOUNG BUCK lands with a splat and must try

again.

CUT TO:

INT. SANTA'S COTTAGE. DAY.

MRS. CLAUS putters in the kitchen while

SANTA CLAUS:

sits in his big armchair in front of a roaring fire. He is

checking a long list, checking it twice... when the

DOORBELL:

rings.

Setting aside his list, Santa hoists himself to his feet and

slowly crosses to the door. He opens it and SEES

LOCK, SHOCK & BARREL

crouched on his front stoop. They cry their little banshee cry

and leap up at his face with their sack wide open, bagging him --

all goes

BLACK.

CUT TO:

EXT. HALLOWEENLAND TOWN SQUARE. CHRISTMAS EVE.

The town has been festooned with "Christmas" decorations.

Presents are being loaded into the coffin sleigh. The Evil

Scientist oversees the harnessing up of his skeleton reindeer.

He glowers over at

SALLY:

morosely helps Jack on with the red coat of his Santa Claus

outfit. He already wears the pants and boots. Jack is

positively thrilled with the costume.

JACK:

It's perfect! It couldn't be

more perfect!

Jack laughs -- his version of a booming laugh.

Sally pulls out her needle to make a last minute adjustment to

one of the cuffs. Then she sticks the needle back behind her ear

where it will be handy.

Jack puts on his white beard and turns eagerly to check his

REFLECTION:

in the polished black side of the coffin sleigh. He grins at

himself... then, in a moment, his smile fades and he furrows his

brow... He peers closely at himself.

JACK:

Something's missing... but

what? I've got the beard, the

coat, the boots, the belt--

His musing is INTERRUPTED by the COMMOTION

Lock, Shock & Barrel cause as they scuttle into view, out of

breath, struggling with their enormous sack.

LOCK, SHOCK & BARREL

This time we bagged him!

LOCK:

This time we really did!

BARREL:

He sure is big, Jack...

SHOCK:

And heavy...

Reaching Jack, they dump the sack and reveal the prize inside,

untying the knot and peeling back the sides, uncovering the

legendary Sandy Claws.

JACK:

Sandy Claws! Himself! In

person! I can hardly believe

it! What a pleasure it is to

meet you!

Santa blinks. Jack grabs his hand and shakes it.

JACK:

Why, you have hands... You

don't have claws at all...

Santa looks around to see where he has been brought. He gapes in

horror at the "Christmas" decorations everywhere, at the coffin

sleigh, at the reindeer, at the staring residents of

Halloweenland, at Jack before him in what looks very much like a

deflated version of his own outfit. THE SHOCK RENDERS HIM

SPEECHLESS.

JACK:

(delighted by Santa's

reaction)

Surprised, aren't you? I knew

you would be! But you haven't

seen anything yet...

Jack pauses a beat for impact, then springs the good news:

JACK (CONT'D)

You don't need to have another

worry about Christmas this

year. Not a single care.

We've seen to every detail.

Santa's eyes go wide and he begins to sputter -- searching for

the words that could conceivably express the depths of his

feelings.

Sally looks on, horrified.

JACK (CONT'D)

Consider this a vacation,

Sandy, a reward. You've worked

hard for a long time. It's

your turn to take it easy.

Leave everything to me...

You're going to be so pleased.

You just relax and enjoy

yourself while you're here.

(to Lock, Shock &

Barrel)

See that he's comfortable,

boys...

Lock, Shock and Barrel grab ahold of Santa to drag him off again,

but Jack stops them--

JACK (CONT'D)

Just a second, fellas.

Jack plucks the red cap off Santa's head.

JACK (CONT'D)

Of course! That's what I'm

missing.... You don't mind if

I borrow it, do you? Thanks!

He pops Santa's cap on his own head. It is too big and droops

charmingly over one of Jack's big eye sockets. He grins the

biggest grin yet.

SALLY:

(chants softly to

herself)

There must be something...

There must be something...

There must be something I can

do to stop him... I know!

I'll make him some tea!

She rushes off.

CUT TO:

EXT. HALLOWEENLAND STREETS. CHRISTMAS EVE/A LITTLE LATER.

Lock, Shock & Barrel strain to push/pull/haul/carry the

astonished, still sputtering Santa Claus through town.

BARREL:

Where're we taking him?

SHOCK:

Where?

LOCK:

To Oogie Boogie's place, of

course... There isn't any

place in the whole world more

comfortable than that, is

there?

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