Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

About Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas

The Nightmare Before Christmas is an American stop-motion animated musical dark fantasy film directed by Henry Selick and produced by Tim Burton. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, the King of "Halloween Town" who stumbles through a portal to "Christmas Town" and decides to celebrate the holiday, with some dastardly and comical consequences.

Making / Production

The process of making The Nightmare Before Christmas was a long and detailed one. The film was completed with stop-motion animation, which requires each scene to be set up with 3D puppets and then shot one frame at a time, with slight movements in between. This method resulted in an overall production time of three years.

Actors

• Chris Sarandon: Provided the speaking voice for Jack Skellington. His passionate performance brings life to the charismatic and well-meaning, yet misguided character.
• Danny Elfman: Provided the singing voice for Jack Skellington and the voices of Barrel and Clown with the Tear-Away Face. His hauntingly beautiful melodies and vocal expressions greatly enhance the overall mood of the film.
• Catherine O'Hara: Voiced Sally, a rag-doll woman created by Dr. Finkelstein. Her tender, heartfelt performance provides an emotional counterpoint to Jack's manic obsession with Christmas.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film was originally intended to be a television special. It became a full-length film when Disney realized the potential of the project.
• The character of Jack Skellington makes cameo appearances in several other Disney films, including 'James and the Giant Peach' and 'The Princess and the Frog'
• It took a team of around 120 people to complete the movie over a period of 3 years.

Awards

The Nightmare Before Christmas won the 1994 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. It has also received numerous other nominations and awards for its striking visual style and unique storytelling approach.

Quotes

• Jack Skellington: "Just because I cannot see it, doesn't mean I can't believe it!"
• Sally: "But you're the Pumpkin King!"
• Dr. Finkelstein: "Nothing's more suspicious than frog's breath!"

Music, Soundtrack

• "This Is Halloween": The introductory song sets the tone and introduces the audience to the spooky world of Halloween Town.
• "What's This?": In this song, Jack Skellington discovers Christmas Town, introducing a major theme of the movie.
• "Kidnap the Sandy Claws": This song is a lively, yet slightly sinister, number that reveals the plans to kidnap Santa Claus.