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The Nightmare Before Christmas
1993 76 min United States of America PG 12+
★8.5
Fantasy, Animation, Family
Director: Henry Selick
Trailers
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Description
Tired of scaring humans every October 31 with the same old bag of tricks, Jack Skellington, the spindly king of Halloween Town, kidnaps Santa Claus and plans to deliver shrunken heads and other ghoulish gifts to children on Christmas morning. But as Christmas approaches, Jack's rag-doll girlfriend, Sally, tries to foil his misguided plans.
Budget:
$18M
US Gross:
$94.71M
Worldwide:
$75.63M
Starring
Danny Elfman
Actor
Chris Sarandon
Actor
Catherine O'Hara
Actor
Awards
Saturn Awards 1994
— Best Fantasy Film
Saturn Awards 1994
— Best Original Score
Saturn Awards 1994
— Best Visual Effects
Saturn Awards 1994
— Best Fantasy Film
Saturn Awards 1994
— Best Director
Saturn Awards 1994
— Best Original Score
Key opinion
The Nightmare Before Christmas is widely celebrated as a visionary, gothic stop-motion masterpiece that serves as an enduring alternative to traditional holiday films. While its unique aesthetic, Danny Elfman’s iconic score, and dark humor are frequently praised, some viewers find the plot simplistic or the pacing hindered by its musical structure.
| Score | Danny Elfman’s score provides a memorable and essential foundation that anchors the film’s unique atmosphere. | |
| Production | The stop-motion animation remains visually impressive and provides a distinct, highly stylized gothic aesthetic. | |
| Theme | The film successfully balances themes of darkness and joy, making it a versatile classic for both Halloween and Christmas. | |
| Pacing | While fans enjoy the musical numbers, others find the frequent song pacing disruptive or the short runtime to feel unevenly distributed. | |
| Screenplay | Opinions on the screenplay are divided: some appreciate its brisk and simple fable-like quality, while others find the narrative and character development to be overly thin. |