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)
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| 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:
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| 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.
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| CURSE YOU JACK SKELLINGTON! |
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