Friday, December 29, 2017

Nightmare Before Christmas Sally Puppet face Replica?

(left face is genuine, right is face is in question)

An auction popped up offering a replacement face for Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas, that caught my eye. This face claims it's an original Prop, however I have my doubts.

I contacted the seller regarding my concerns, but my email went ignored. So, I put it to you. Do you think this is a replica?

Here are my tells that make me think this is a replica (or a recast off an original).

1. The eye lids are cast into the face. In the auction itself shows a photo of Sally next to her eye lids.
(original photo showing eye lids are cast separate)

They were all cast separate to provide more versatility in facial expressions when animating.

2. There are no markings on the back to indicate where this face was to be used by the animator during filming. All faces should be marked so the animator knew when to use which face to line up with the dialogue.

3. The Paint colors and style doesn't match other genuine screen-used faces that have popped up.

4. The last thing that sticks out to me, is literally her tongue. I have watched that movie figuratively a million times, and have no recollection of Sally having a tongue. Now that doesn't mean she didn't. If this face is a recast of an original, then she would have somewhere. But for the life of me, I cannot think where she would have had this facial pose anywhere in the film. EDIT: I believe this face closely matches when Sally is holding the Christmas Tree that burns, sitting outside Jacks House.

Personally,  I believe it's a replica.