Here’s a fun little movie musical that can’t even decide what holiday it wants to be about. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” was Tim Burton’s fever dream, a mash-up of Halloween and Christmas, stitched together like a Frankenstein’s monster of holiday specials. Once in a blue moon, someone comes along and creates something so uniquely twisted, so beautifully macabre, that even this crusty old critic’s heart grows three sizes. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is what happens when Halloween spikes Christmas’s eggnog and they make a baby that’s cooler than your goth niece’s Instagram feed. I’ve got enough holiday confusion with department stores putting up Halloween candy next to Christmas decorations, so I’m not exactly thrilled about this thing either. But hey, it’s a “classic,” right?
What’s the Deal with This Plot?
Alright, here’s what we’re working with: We’ve got Jack Skellington, the “Pumpkin King” of Halloween Town. This guy is basically their rock star, but he’s bored out of his skull—pun intended. One day, he stumbles into Christmas Town and decides that Halloween Town should take over Christmas. Now, I don’t know about you, but if some bony guy from Halloween wants to take over my Christmas, I’m not having it. That’s basically trespassing in the name of “holiday spirit.” It’s the kind of movie that makes you wonder what these guys were smoking, and where can the rest of us get some – for purely creative purposes, of course.
Anyway, Jack’s big plan is to hijack Christmas, kidnap Santa Claus, and deliver presents himself. Naturally, it all goes wrong. Turns out, people don’t want shrunken heads and snake-filled stockings. Who knew?
What Works (I Guess)
Here’s where I’ve got to give credit: The movie is visually incredible. This thing is a stop-motion masterpiece, which means some poor soul spent months moving little puppets millimeter by millimeter to get Jack Skellington to blink. And, yeah, it does look fantastic—the whole twisted, Gothic style is classic Tim Burton. It’s dark and eerie, but also somehow cozy. It’s like Halloween and Christmas collided in a haunted house with excellent taste in décor. Sweet mother of mercy, it’s gorgeous. Every frame looks like it was crafted by obsessive-compulsive elves with art degrees. The attention to detail makes my old bifocals fog up with joy. These puppets move with more grace than I did at my daughter’s wedding, and that was before the bourbon kicked in.
Plus, the songs by Danny Elfman are catchy in that weird, haunting way. “This Is Halloween” and “What’s This?” are earworms that will stick with you long after you’ve hit the stop button. You can’t watch this movie without one of these tunes bouncing around your brain, whether you like it or not. It’s like a musical lobotomy.
Let’s Talk About Jack (And Why He’s Kind of a Jerk)
Jack Skellington may be the Pumpkin King, but he’s got the self-awareness of a rotten pumpkin. Here’s a guy who doesn’t bother to ask a single person if they’re interested in celebrating Christmas; he just decides to hijack the whole holiday. He’s like that one friend who always insists on picking the restaurant without checking if anyone else is even in the mood for sushi.
And let’s talk about his Christmas “spirit.” Kidnapping Santa Claus? Brilliant plan, Jack. Real heartwarming. Not to mention, he pretty much ruins Christmas for a bunch of kids who wake up to snakes and creepy dolls under the tree. I mean, I’m all for a little holiday chaos, but there’s a fine line between “festive” and “traumatizing children.”
Oh, and we can’t forget Sally. Poor, sweet, stitched-up Sally, the only voice of reason in this entire town of loony misfits. She spends the whole movie trying to knock some sense into Jack, but he’s too busy chasing his Christmas dreams. Of course, they end up together, because apparently, putting up with Jack’s nonsense is what passes for romance in Halloween Town. Sally’s constantly falling apart but still has it more together than most romantic leads these days. She’s like a ragdoll version of Dear Abby, trying to keep Jack from turning Christmas into a horror show.
And let’s talk about Oogie Boogie – a burlap sack full of bugs who’s essentially running an underground casino. He’s like what would happen if Las Vegas had a baby with a compost heap. The guy’s got more style in one maggot than most villains have in their whole body.
The Animation Style and Why I’ll Grudgingly Admit It’s Good
Look, I’m not made of stone. The animation here is impressive. The stop-motion style has this weird, jerky charm that just works for Halloween Town. Every character is designed with these odd proportions and spooky details that make them look like they crawled out of a mad scientist’s sketchbook. Halloween Town itself is a beautifully eerie place, full of twisted trees, fog, and creepy, lopsided buildings. I may not know what holiday it’s celebrating, but it does look pretty good.
Tim Burton was onto something here, I’ll give him that. Everything looks a little off, like it’s Halloween through a cracked snow globe, and honestly, that’s kind of brilliant. I don’t know what kind of mindset you need to be in to come up with it, but it’s exactly the right mix of unsettling and enchanting.
Is It a Halloween Movie or a Christmas Movie? (I’m Gonna Say “Neither”)
This movie sits in a weird spot. Some people say it’s a Halloween movie. Others say it’s a Christmas movie. Personally, I think it’s a Halloween movie that wants to be a Christmas movie, but can’t quite pull it off. It’s like when your neighbor puts up Christmas lights in October. It’s confusing and borderline offensive. So what do we call it? A Hallowmas movie? A Christween flick? I don’t know, but trying to figure it out makes me tired.
The movie’s trying to be edgy, but also sweet, like a gothic candy cane. It doesn’t lean fully into one holiday, which would drive any holiday purist crazy. It’s a movie that works best for people who love both Halloween and Christmas and can’t commit to either.
Verdict: Like Holiday Leftovers in the Fridge—Weird, But Pretty Tasty
Alright, fine, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is a unique film. It’s visually striking, a little bit creepy, and kind of heartwarming, in that “let’s not think too hard about it” kind of way. It’s not for everyone—if you want a pure Christmas or Halloween movie, this will leave you more confused than satisfied. But if you’re into spooky singalongs and don’t mind a holiday identity crisis, this is probably right up your alley.
Now, some people say it’s too scary for kids. To them I say: have you seen what’s on TikTok these days? At least this movie has a moral compass, even if it’s pointing to both the North Pole and a graveyard simultaneously.
Would I watch it every holiday season? Maybe, just for the weirdness. But if you’re looking for holiday cheer, go grab It’s a Wonderful Life or Home Alone. This movie is for when you’re in the mood to watch a pumpkin-headed guy give Santa a nervous breakdown.
In the end, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is like finding out your grandmother is secretly a rock star – surprising, kind of weird, but ultimately awesome. It’s the perfect holiday movie for anyone who thinks both “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “The Exorcist” could use a little more singing.
Making Christmas, making Christmas… Get off my haunted lawn, you holiday-hybrid hellions!
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 haunted ornaments.
Stars in the movie:
- Jack Skellington (voiced by Chris Sarandon)
- Sally (voiced by Catherine O’Hara)
- Oogie Boogie (voiced by Ken Page)
- Mayor of Halloween Town (voiced by William Hickey)
- Dr. Finkelstein (voiced by Ed Wynn)
5 Famous Quotes from the Nightmare Before Christmas:
- “I’m Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town! And I’m tired of the same old routine! I want to experience something new, something different!”
- “I’m not dead, I’m just different.”
- “I think I’ve got a new plan. A new idea. A new direction for Halloween Town.”
- “I’m not the Pumpkin King anymore. I’m Santa Claus!”
- “Boogie Woogie!”
5 Interesting Notes from the Nightmare Before Christmas:
- The film was originally intended to be a short film, but it was eventually expanded into a full-length feature.
- The film was directed by Henry Selick, who had previously worked on Tim Burton’s The Dark Knight.
- The film was released on October 29, 1993, just in time for Halloween.
- The film has been a critical and commercial success, and it has become a cult classic.
- The film has spawned a number of merchandise, including toys, books, and video games.
Trailer: