While Oogie Boogie is best known as the villain of 1993’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, the nefarious sack of bugs actually made his first appearance in another Tim Burton movie, three years earlier. Tim Burton is a writer, director, and animator who has been at the helm of some eerie and iconic movies, from Beetlejuice and The Corpse Bride to Sleepy Hollow and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. One of Burton’s most popular films is The Nightmare Before Christmas, an animated feature that follows Jack Skellington, the mayor of Halloween Town, who reignites his holiday cheer by taking over Christmas.
The Nightmare Before Christmas is a film full of memorable creatures, including the charismatic Jack Skellington and his red-haired love interest Sally. However, the film’s villains are just as impactful as the heroes. For example, The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Oogie Boogie is an iteration of the fabled boogeyman, made up of a cloth sack and countless squirming bugs. He ruins Jack’s plans for taking over Christmas, and notably, is helped along by three henchmen, Lock, Shock, and Barrel. Although Oogie Boogie is seemingly locked into the world of The Nightmare Before Christmas, his introduction actually came much earlier.
Oogie Boogie Was Secretly In Edward Scissorhands – Theory Explained
There is a Tim Burton fan theory which supposes that Oogie Boogie did not originate in 1993’sThe Nightmare Before Christmas, but instead, first appeared in Tim Burton’s 1990 film, Edward Scissorhands. The heart of this theory lies in the front hall of Edward’s mansion. In an entryway in front of the staircase, there is a large, gray statue that has a striking resemblance to Oogie Boogie. It is a figure seemingly covered in some type of cloak, with a pointy head and long, flowing sleeves. While this statue could just be a creepy figure, its similarity to Oogie is uncanny.
Ultimately, this statue and its origins are never explored in Edward Scissorhands, which means this theory will likely never be answered. However, it is a strong theory nonetheless. The statue could be a man covered by a black cloak, like a grim reaper, but it could also be an early iteration of Oogie Boogie’s sack-like body. The statue’s cloth-like form really does not have a start or end, which would indicate a piece of clothing over a body. Instead, the statue looks to be made from this cloth-form, which is closer to Oogie than a man wearing a cloak.
The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Creatures Being In Other Tim Burton Movies Actually Makes Sense
Tim Burton including Oogie Boogie in Edward Scissorhands actually makes a sort of sense as well. Considering the fact that Burton’s movies tend to lean towards the creepy and the macabre, it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to assume that, while making Edward Scissorhands, the director was already coming up with ideas for The Nightmare Before Christmas. In this way, the statue in the 1990 film could be an early version of what would later become the fully-formed Oogie Boogie. In this way, Burton may have connected his two movies without actually meaning to do so.
Furthermore, it also makes sense for Oogie Boogie to be in the Edward Scissorhands universe. The idea of the boogeyman is far-reaching, and to have an homage to one inside Edward’s mansion is suitable for a place so dark and spooky. On top of that, Halloween Town is full of monsters who scare humans for a living. In this way, Oogie may have scared Edward’s creator, causing him to erect a statue of the monster. All in all, the logic of The Nightmare Before Christmas means Oogie, or any other monster, could exist in a live-action Tim Burton movie.
Oogie Boogie Wouldn’t Be The Only Nightmare Before Christmas Character In Another Tim Burton Movie
This Tim Burton theory is only further supported by the fact that other The Nightmare Before Christmas characters have appeared in other Tim Burton films. Jack Skellington’s first appearance was in Burton’s 1982 short film, Vincent, and he also cameoed in 1988’s Beetlejuice. Additionally, a more recent example is Jack Skellington’s dog, Zero, having his grave appear in 2012’s Frankenweenie. Overall, it is not a totally crazy idea that Tim Burton has included his The Nightmare Before Christmas characters long before and long after the film’s release.
Ultimately, it seems likely that, intentionally or not, Oogie Boogie does appear in Edward Scissorhands three years before his official debut in The Nightmare Before Christmas, just as Jack Skellington first appeared in Vincent more than ten years before his own film. This Oogie Boogie theory is just one of many that insinuates that Tim Burton’s movies are inter-connected, or at the very least, share space in the same world. In the end, if these theories are true, this makes the work of Tim Burton that much more exciting and thoughtful.
