The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Also known as "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"
A ghoulish tale with wicked humour & stunning animation.
Starring: Chris Sarandon, Danny Elfman, Catherine O'Hara, William Hickey, Glenn Shadix, Paul Reubens, Ken Page, Ed Ivory, Susan McBride, Debi Durst, Greg Proops, Kerry Katz, Randy Crenshaw, Sherwood Ball, Carmen Twillie
Director: Henry Selick
Running Time: 76 minutes
US MPAA rating: N/AUK BBFC rating: PG
Animation, Comedy, Fantasy, Horror, Musical
On DVD If you were to lop off the top of Tim Burton's head and take a peek inside - not something I'm in any way advocating by the way - I like to think the contents would look something like 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'.
This animated masterpiece is the full embodiment of the worlds hinted at in previous Burton projects such as 'Beetlejuice', 'Edward Scissorhands' and the first two 'Batman' movies. But it's also much more than that. It's the antidote to every overly-sugary Chrimbo-flick ever made. It's the number one example of how good quality animation can be used to make any stretch of the imagination seem real. And, like so many of Burton's movies, it's macabre and morbid, but also surprisingly uplifting.
Chris Sarandon is the voice of Jack Skellington, the spindly-legged resident of the ghoulish Halloween Town. While walking in the woods one day, he discovers a doorway to Christmas Town, where he's overcome by the spirit of goodwill shown by the cheery residents with their decorated trees and snow-covered streets. In fact, so taken is he by the idea of Chrimbo, that upon returning home he convinces his fellow townsfolk to abandon Halloween and start preparing for yuletide instead.
The only trouble is, his plans - which include having "San-dee Claws" kidnapped - aren't entirely appreciated by the rest of the world. Particularly when small children discover severed heads and giant snakes in their stockings instead of the usual array of pressies.
Director Henry Selick (you can also see his work in 'James and the Giant Peach') is the man behind making Burton's vision come true, using the stop-start animation technique to brilliantly create a world packed with creepy characters.
Danny Elfman, meanwhile, chips in with a string of marvellous songs with razor-sharp lyrics to turn this into a dark musical from the same file as 'Little Shop of Horrors'. Elfman also supplies several of the voices, including that of Jack himself when it's time for another song.
Coming in at a short 76 minutes, you needn't worry about kids losing interest. Every scene is both a visual and a musical treat, and there's so much going on in the shadows that you'll be happy to watch it over and over again. But be warned - although it's a PG, you can bet that some kids (and quite possibly some adults) will find it just a teensy-weensy bit too scary. Personally, that's just another one of the many things I love about it.
DVD Extras: Deleted scenes, animated sequences, behind-the-scenes featurette, storyboards and image gallery, an audio commentary, and some excellent original trailers.
It's Got: Santa Claus being chased around an underground casino by a gambling boogie man.
It Needs: To be watched every year - at Christmas AND Halloween.
Alternatives: Batman Returns, Beetlejuice, James and the Giant Peach, Little Shop of Horrors
Summary: If there's a more wickedly funny, inventive and totally engrossing festive flick than this, I've yet to see it. Tremendous.
Review by Gary Panton
Review Date: 27th November 2003
Image Gallery
There are 5 images available in our gallery. Click on the thumbnail pictures for the full size images or view the full gallery
External Links
Official Web Site
The Nightmare Before Christmas at the IMDB
Comments54 Comments |
| omg i am the biggest fan of nightmare before christmas i am in love with that movie i have dollz and t-shirts and i would really really love a nightmare before christams sweatshirt to add to my col. or a autograph form jack or sally or oogie and lock shock and barrle well u can e-mail me to but i love THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LEIGHANN |
| Comment by:- | | 26 September 2004 | ip: logged |
| i love the nighmare before christmas! my favourite bit is when Jack is in christmas land and the movement he does on the carasell |
| Comment by:- | | 28 September 2004 | ip: logged |
| the way tim burton's mind twists to create such amazing settings is a gift beyond anything! he is trully tallented and the movie is an all time favorite. |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 01 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| i love this movie sooo much!!! it is such an awesome movie! i agree with leighann!! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 03 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| I always hated my name but after watching The Nightmare.....for the first time in like ten years, i'm quite pleased to be called Sally, the wierd thing is is that i look just like her! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 03 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| i love the nightmare before christmas! it has been my fav. since i was 7! and now im 13! my friends always chatch me singing "making christmas making christmas making christmas town!" lol my fav. part is in the end, where jack comes and sings 2 sally and they kiss aww! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 09 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| i have only seen the nightmare before christmas 4 times but it is my fav. movie! i love that movie and i love sally! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 09 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| The Boogie Man is the best. He scenes need to be extended. |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 10 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| This movie is so awsum! I am like Sally's identical twin! This movie rox and i love watching it! I have seen it over a billion times and it never gets old! I especialy like Jack cuz he rox. I wish i was as tall as him! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 13 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| omfg this movie is so frecking awesome ive seen this movie milloins of times and i will never get tired of it Jack and Sally rock so much they need to make another on but make it just as good as the first one!!!!!!!!! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 15 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| I'm 13 now and i'v been watching this movie since it came out! it's like a Halloween and christmas tradition to watch it at least once during october and december! If we were to do this one in school for the spring musical, i'd try out for Sally(because she's my favorite), Shock(because she's the leader of the trick or treaters), Jack(because he's cool), and OOgie Boogie(because he's freaky, scary, and evil, and cocky). I even looked up the lyrics to the songs!!!!!! How nuts is that!!!!!????? |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 19 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| i dont know why i love this movie but i totally do. it has the coolest scenes and characters. Jack is my favorite then Sally and then the oogie boogie man! i also love the soundtrack the songs are so creative and makes my mind explore places i would have never ever ever seen in my entire life! i love the part where Jack is giving out the toys on Christmas that was funny. but the entire movie was totally awesome i really cant say no more than that. i think it is the coolest thing to see so many people love this movie. i am 13 but i never would have thought that almost everyone i know (not only likes but.....) LOVES this movie. i can go on and on and on about this subject. i bet a lot of others could too! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 19 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| I am this movies BIGGEST fan not you or anyone else |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 23 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| i live off of nightmare before christmas i like sally's song also it is like me anyway i just love the movie and i am hoping that you will have more collecting products out to be purchased by fans around the world ! thanks, venessa |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 24 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| I like nightmar before chirstmas.Is my favourit movie!!!!and i like very much Sally |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 25 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| What's this? What's this? haha! I love this movie so much I wish Tim Burton would create another. I want to work on it though. It is a pop culture classic. |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 27 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| Dude This Movie is so the best i own 3 copies just in case i lose one and cant watch it after school Tim Burton ROCKS LATER |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 29 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| I am the biggest i know all the words to the movie and i have close to all of the nightmare before christmas stuff you should see my room my friends think they are the #1 fan tell they see my room! I LOVE THAT MOVIE!!! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 04 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| blah blah blah yes we know you all love nightmare before christmas. It's a ****ing awesome show but hey i was watching it the year it came out and i'm 13 going on 14 so get over yourself and don't be so "like omg and crap it gives nightmare a bad look morons. |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 04 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| best film eva any1 who hasn't seen ot hasn't lived it is awsome i love the boogie man |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 08 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS RULES!!!! ITS THE BEST!!!! I LOVE YOU JACK!!!! WILL YOU MARRY ME?? I LOVE YOU!!!! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 08 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| i absolutely love this movie. it is my all time favorite. i know every song. i have the slippers, the posters and some dolls of thenightmare before christimas. im a juinor in high school and i still love this movie, all of my friends love it too. i hope that tim burton makes another one perhaps with jack and sally and theier kids maybe or something like that . thanks tim burton for the awesome movie.!!!!!! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 09 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| 'Nightmare' rocks my socks! It is one of ze coolest movies ever, and I'm obsessed with all the songs. Woohoo! Go me...I've also been on the ride at Disneyland. It is also nifty :) PS- Zero's my favorite!!! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 10 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| OMFG i love nightmare b4 xmas so dus katty jack rox. this is ville valo's fave film an es my fave person eva so i love it even more! and cheese is nice. hmm lozz xxxx |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 11 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| I love the nightmare before christmas it is so kool i wish that there would b a 2nd 1 any ways c ya xmas,lover xoxoxxoxoxooxoxoxoox |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 11 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| omg isnt the nightmare before christmas like the best film in the whole world!! its bin my fave since the age of 4!!!! i have the dolls the t-shirts the jackets,the bag the everything!!!!! its soo amazing i.m totally in love with jack hes so great. beth x |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 15 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| I LOVE THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS =| Go to: http://www.freewebs.com/mylilsitey |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 19 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| This is the best animated Ihave seen (besides Incredibles.) I Love Sally she is so clever and beautiful (for a doll). Everyone should see this movie. |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 19 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| THIS IS THE BEST MOVIE. SALY HAS A BEAUTIFUL VOICE AND I AM HOPING TO GET A SALLY DOLL. |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 19 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| Nightmare Before Christmas rocks my socks!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE sally and jack I hve the blanket i have them on my nails I have the dolls and nik-naks! I never knew at my age (11) I would ever love something as much as them. I draw them night and day. My mom gets so sick and tired of me talking about it. I even got my fiends to love the movie! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 26 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| its was soooooooooooooooooooooo cool i love it any one wanna chat call 0423879568 |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 02 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| I LOVE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!! the coolest animation and i love drawing the characters. GENIUS! you all have the best taste ever! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 02 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| The Nightmre Before Chirstmas is my FAVORITE movie. I am the biggest fan. I have T-shirts, posters, pillows, sweatshirts, bed speards, lunchboxes, and much more. I think Tim Burton is the most brilliant, open-minded man on the face of this Earth for making this movie and I think other Nightmare Before Chirstmas fans will have to agree with me.I think Jack is hot, move over Sally! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 04 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| I think nightmare should be a musical. It would be the best. |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 04 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| are a wonderfcul film ! is there nightmare b.c.2? |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 10 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| jack is awasome |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 14 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| omg that movie is the best movie of all time i wached it every night before i go to sleep sence i was 5 |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 16 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| my favorite part is when jack discovers christmas and then he stars singing that song.. whats this? whats this?!.. lol.. |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 16 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| starts*.. |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 16 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| This movie is absolutely beautiful. |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 18 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| Tim Buton: You are magical!!! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 18 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| Tim BuRton: You are MAGICAL!!! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 18 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| Hey. I love this movie. My younger sister Carrie watches it with me all the time. I watch it in between band practice. I wish I could marry just. But he's just bones. Besides, I have my Evanescence boys to look after! I plan to write a song about this movie!!! -Amy Lynn Lee |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 20 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| that's the most beautiful movie I have ever seen! It was an accident for me to discover such a film because I intended to download some music, and not a musical. Althoug I didn't like it at the beginning because there were so many scarry creatures, I continued watching it and I didn't regret at all. Watching it further, I understood the gist of it and now it doesn't seem to me very scarry. I have already watched it 4 times and this is not the end! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 21 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| Man you think you love nbx you should come to my house I have every thing nightmare shirt shoes etc.I can't wait til' the game comes out 2/15/05 they unfortunatly they delayed it from oct. to feb. WHY!!!!!no idea but feb. has nuttin' to do with x-mas |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 25 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| I can play What's this on my violin i no it is girly but oh well.my favorite song is poor jack almost to the end also "kidnap mister sandy claus" by lock shock & barrel.I no every song in that movie i'm still wanting tim to e-mail me back about if they're making a 2nd movie (I'm not giving any1 his E-mail O.K) |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 25 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| you little baby jerks >_< |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 25 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| i really like nightmare before christmas, and i've watched it every christmas since i was 5 years old. it's such a shame to see it get so popular to the point that it "sold out". If hot topic hadnt made it so popular, i think that i would still be really into it. |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 29 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| i watched this movie every year since it came out when i was 4, i think it's the best movie disney ever made.to the people hu don't like it.....you smell and u have really bad taste. |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 29 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 31 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| personaly i like Jack Skellington, but there is one problem, he's a freaking sak of bones. But he is still cool. Don't get me wrong, the Nightmare Before Christmas kicks your mom's butt. Where is the mindless violence, weapons of mass destruction, and ninjitsu. i hate you all who read this and i'm going to cut your hands off. |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 02 January 2005 | ip: logged |
| i love the Nightmare Before Christmas. every day after school i watch it. i like Jack Skellington cause he womped the Oogie-Boogie Man and got lade by Sally. Screw you all!! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 02 January 2005 | ip: logged |
| personaly i like Jack Skellington, but there is one problem, he's a freaking sak of bones. But he is still cool. Don't get me wrong, the Nightmare Before Christmas kicks your mom's butt. Where is the mindless violence, weapons of mass destruction, and ninjitsu. i hate you all who read this and i'm going to cut your hands off. |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 02 January 2005 | ip: logged |
| I understand that you all like the movie but, i think that all this publicity gives the movie a bad intake and reputation. and as you know, there are posers out there that wear the clothing from the movie b/c they thinks it's "in." They are nothing but posers and i hate them all for making the movie look stupid. I have been watching this movie since the day it came out. I'm 14 going on 15 and i'm a freshmen at Wellston Public Schools in Oklahoma. I watch the movie on average four times a week and it never gets old. i don't have any dolls or stuff like that I have one sweater with Jack on it. I am a really big fan of Tim Burton and his movies.I like the way he thinks. What i don't like is people giving a bad opinion about the movie b/c they don't understand it. Tim Burton is a genius and i hope some day, everyone will realize that. i hope you are reading this Tim.Oh by the way, the person who's name is go rott in flames, your a ****ing asshole and you can rott in flames u dick sucker. See ya |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 02 January 2005 | ip: logged |
