For Kids Who Have Studied Art History

The Scene: Premiere of “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas,” Thursday night at El Capitan Theatre, to benefit California Institute of the Arts. The logistics of the post-screening supper party were made painless and simple. Under protection of a phalanx of guards, moviegoers simply had to walk next door to the Masonic Temple on Hollywood Blvd.

Who Was There: Since it’s an animated film, there wasn’t your usual turnout of star machinery, save for the shy Johnny Depp who came directly from the set of Burton’s next feature, “Ed Wood.” Burton, director Henry Selick, producer Denise Di Novi, composer Danny Elfman and Disney honchos Jeffrey Katzenberg, Michael Eisner and David Hoberman were the prime foci of attention.

Audience Review: Unanimous belief that the film is technically brilliant and imaginative. Many pointed to the film’s references to everything from Kurt Weill to Dr. Seuss, while others wondered whether the “Aladdin” crowd would go for such a ghoulish tale. “It’s for kids who were raised on German Expressionism,” offered one wag.

Quoted: “I’m sure we wouldn’t have a tie that cool and not license it to somebody. It would be depressing,” said Katzenberg, when asked if his red silk necktie displaying an image from the movie would be available to the public. (Translation: The tie is part of a huge “Nightmare” merchandising campaign that includes books, dolls, jewelry and clothing.)

Noted: “Tim (Burton) is more into Halloween and death imagery and I’d like to make Picasso paintings come to life,” said director Selick.

Charity Heaven: The connection between “Nightmare” and CalArts is hardly gratuitous: Burton and Selick are graduates; Walt and Roy Disney founded it.

Hit: Party Planners West Inc.’s transformation of the Masonic Temple into the ultimate Halloween scene with the usual skeletal devices, plus precious details like scraggly branch-and-thistle floral arrangements. Fortunately, the monstrous theme stopped short of the buffet lines, unless you consider rack of lamb scary.

Miss: Segregating entire rooms or sections of rooms for VIPs is alienating for most, and in this case the plan proved a total disaster. Tables reserved for Creative Artists Agency, William Morris, Bloom, Dekom, Hergott & Cook, and other industry companies went unused.

Freebie factor: Gigantic “Nightmare” T-shirts and Christmas tree ornaments.