Friday, July 18, 2014

Character Analysis: Oogie Boogie


Character Analysis: Oogie Boogie

By: Brian Cotnoir

     So a while back I asked my friends to vote on which character from “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” I should do a Character Analysis on.  Much to my surprise the winner was not Jack Skellington or Sally, or even Dr. Finklestein, but the Mayor of Halloween Town who they chose.  Well, I was actually hoping that my friends would vote for my favorite character from the film, Oogie Boogie, but he only came in 3rd (Lock, Shock, and Barrel came in second).  Well this is my blog, and I really want to do an Analsyis on Oogie Boogie so I’m doing it.  So kick back and enjoy my character Analysis on Oogie Boogie from “The Nightmare Before Christmas”.

CHARACTER: Oogie Boogie from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993)


That's Mister Oogie Boogie to you!
In a town that is full of witches, goblins, zombies, werewolves, and other paranormal beings, Oogie Boogie is a social outcast.  While everyone in Halloween Town appears to be friendly and kind, Oogie Boogie is a pariah.  He lives on the outskirts of town, and is rarely ever seen (but can be heard early throughout the movie).  The only contact he has with the outside world comes from his three trick or treating minions, Lock, Shock, and Barrel.  After his minions kidnap Santa Clause, for Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, Santa is brought to Oogie Boogie’s lair (against Jack’s request).  It is that this point that we finally see the Boogie Man.  He is short, portly, and his external appearance consists of a green burlap bag.  He dances and sings about his apparent gambling addiction to Santa Clause and informs him that he is a “gamblin’ Boogie Man” and that his favorite time to gamble is when “life’s are on the line”.  However, Oogie Boogie is a sore loser with a bad temper and Santa Clause’s life is on the line unless someone comes to his rescue.
 

THE VOICE ACTOR:

Voice Actor Ken Page
Oogie Boogie in “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is voiced by actor Ken Page.  Page has an extensive Broadway acting background, and “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is one of his few appearances on film.  Most of Page’s dialogue consists of song.  Even when he’s just saying his lines, he’s so loud and bombastic, it sounds like he’s singing his lines.  Besides Oogie Boogie Ken Page is also known for being the voice of King Gator from Don Bluth’s 1989 Animated film “All Dogs Go to Heaven” (aka the scene that gave birth to the “Big Lipped Alligator Moment”).  Kevin Page has wonderful deep singing voice to compliment the showmanship and theatrics of Oogie Boogie in “The Nightmare Before Christmas”.
 

CHARACTER IS SIMILAR TO OR INSPIRED BY:

     While researching Oogie Boogie’s character, I found something rather interesting on-line.  It turns out that his character was inspired a character from a Bettie Boop short in the 1930’s.  Oogie Boogie’s voice is inspired by Big Band Jazz leader Cab Calloway’s character the Old Man of the Mountain from the short “The Old Man of the Mountain” (1933).  Hell, they even quote the Old Man of the Mountain in “The Boogey Song”.  The line where Santa Clause asks Oogie Boogie “What are you going to do?” and he replies “I’m going to do the Best I can”, comes from the short.  
 
4:50 mark was used in the film.
              
     Besides being a close distant relative to Cab Calloway’s, Old Man of the Mountain, I also think that Oogie Boogey shares some similar qualities to Audrey II form “The Little Shop of Horrors”.  I don’t think you can deny that Kevin Page and Levi Stubbs have very similar singing voices.  Hell, for the longest time I believed that Audrey II and Oogie Boogey had the same voice actor.  Plus, both characters are somewhat flamboyant, over-the-top, and have insatiable appetites.
 

FATE OF THE CHARACTER:

 

After a failed attempt to free Santa Clause from Oogie Boogie’s clutches, Santa and Sally lives are now in grave danger.  Oogie Boogie tries to send both of them to their deaths, but he is thwarted by Jack Skellington.  After a brief battle, Jack manages to get Oogie Boogie’s burlap skin caught in a trap ripping off his skin, and revealing his true form:  Oogie Boogie is comprised of thousands of tiny insects controlled by one master insect.  As this master insect tries to escape with the others he is squished to death by Santa Clause, thus ending the life of Oogie Boogie.
CURSE YOU JACK SKELLINGTON!