EVERYONE loves a feel good Christmas movie over the holiday season.
But one film that has often sparked debate about whether it is a festive flick or not, is Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas.
Nightmare Before Christmas is a 1993 Tim Burton film
Is Nightmare Before Christmas a Christmas movie?
Called Nightmare Before Christmas, the title alone leads you to believe you’re about to watch a holiday film.
But when the main character is called Jack Skellington, you immediately think of Halloween.
The movie was also released in October 1993, NOT at Christmas.
This movie has sparked a debate that has long divided fans, but the evidence does seem point to Nightmare Before Christmas being a Halloween film.
In a 2019 interview with USA Today, composer Danny Elfman sided with Team Halloween, saying: “It’s obviously about Christmas, but for me, it’s a Halloween movie.”
Also director Henry Selick was asked this question during a Q&A at the 2015 Colorado Telluride Horror Show film festival,.
To which he simply replied: “It’s a Halloween movie.”
So there you have it, the movie is officially a Halloween film.
Who stars in Nightmare Before Christmas and what is it about?
The film follows the misadventures of Jack Skellington, Halloween Town’s beloved pumpkin king, who has become bored with the same annual routine of frightening people in the “real world.”
When Jack accidentally stumbles on Christmas Town, all bright colors and warm spirits, he gets a new lease on life – he plots to bring Christmas under his control by kidnapping Santa Claus and taking over the role.
But Jack soon discovers even the best-laid plans of mice and skeleton men can go seriously awry.
The film had a star cats which included:
- Chris Sarandon (speaking voice) and Danny Elfman (singing voice) as Jack Skellington
- Catherine O’Hara as Sally, a rag doll/Frankenstein’s monster-like creation of Finkelstein and Jack’s love interest.
- William Hickey as Doctor Finkelstein, a mad scientist and the loving but overbearing “father” of Sally.
- Glenn Shadix as the Mayor of Halloween Town, an enthusiastic leader who conducts town meetings.
- Ken Page as Oogie Boogie, a villainous bogeyman in Halloween Town, who has a passion for gambling and rivalry with Jack
- Paul Reubens as Lock, one of the trick-or-treaters working for Oogie Boogie.
- Frank Welker as Zero, Jack’s pet ghost dog who has a tiny pumpkin on his nose.
