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IMDbPro

The Nightmare Before Christmas

  • 19931993
  • PGPG
  • 1h 16m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
328K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,562
94
Danny Elfman and Chris Sarandon in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Offcial Trailer
Play trailer1:14
11 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Animation
  • Family
  • Fantasy
Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas Town, but his attempts to bring Christmas to his home causes confusion.Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas Town, but his attempts to bring Christmas to his home causes confusion.Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas Town, but his attempts to bring Christmas to his home causes confusion.
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
328K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,562
94
  • Director
    • Henry Selick
  • Writers
    • Tim Burton(story and characters)
    • Michael McDowell(adaptation)
    • Caroline Thompson(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Danny Elfman(voice)
    • Chris Sarandon(voice)
    • Catherine O'Hara(voice)
Top credits
  • Director
    • Henry Selick
  • Writers
    • Tim Burton(story and characters)
    • Michael McDowell(adaptation)
    • Caroline Thompson(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Danny Elfman(voice)
    • Chris Sarandon(voice)
    • Catherine O'Hara(voice)
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 599User reviews
    • 226Critic reviews
    • 82Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 6 wins & 17 nominations total

    Videos11

    The Nightmare Before Christmas: 2018 Edition
    Trailer 1:14
    The Nightmare Before Christmas: 2018 Edition
    The Nightmare Before Christmas
    Trailer 2:00
    The Nightmare Before Christmas
    Hidden Gems to Watch on Disney+
    Clip 3:20
    Hidden Gems to Watch on Disney+
    Holiday Movies and TV Specials That Get You in the Spirit
    Clip 2:06
    Holiday Movies and TV Specials That Get You in the Spirit
    The Nightmare Before Christmas: 3D
    Clip 1:48
    The Nightmare Before Christmas: 3D
    The Nightmare Before Christmas: 3D
    Clip 1:09
    The Nightmare Before Christmas: 3D
    The Nightmare Before Christmas: 3D
    Clip 1:59
    The Nightmare Before Christmas: 3D
    The Nightmare Before Christmas: 3D
    Clip 1:42
    The Nightmare Before Christmas: 3D
    The Nightmare Before Christmas
    Clip 1:38
    The Nightmare Before Christmas
    The Nightmare Before Christmas
    Clip 1:59
    The Nightmare Before Christmas
    What Are These Stars Watching This Holiday Season?
    Full Episode 3:11
    What Are These Stars Watching This Holiday Season?

    Photos181

    Glenn Shadix in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
    Danny Elfman, Paul Reubens, Catherine O'Hara, and Edward Ivory in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
    Danny Elfman and Chris Sarandon in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
    Danny Elfman and Chris Sarandon in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
    Catherine O'Hara and William Hickey in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
    The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
    Tim Burton and Henry Selick in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
    Tim Burton and Danny Elfman in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
    Danny Elfman, Catherine O'Hara, and Chris Sarandon in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
    Catherine O'Hara and Chris Sarandon in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
    Danny Elfman and Chris Sarandon in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
    Danny Elfman and Chris Sarandon in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Danny Elfman
    Danny Elfman
    • Jack Skellington - Singing Voiceas Jack Skellington - Singing Voice
    • (voice)
    • …
    Chris Sarandon
    Chris Sarandon
    • Jack Skellingtonas Jack Skellington
    • (voice)
    Catherine O'Hara
    Catherine O'Hara
    • Sallyas Sally
    • (voice)
    • …
    William Hickey
    William Hickey
    • Dr. Finkelsteinas Dr. Finkelstein
    • (voice)
    Glenn Shadix
    Glenn Shadix
    • Mayoras Mayor
    • (voice)
    Paul Reubens
    Paul Reubens
    • Lockas Lock
    • (voice)
    Ken Page
    Ken Page
    • Oogie Boogieas Oogie Boogie
    • (voice)
    Edward Ivory
    • Santaas Santa
    • (voice)
    • (as Ed Ivory)
    Susan McBride
    • Big Witchas Big Witch
    • (voice)
    • …
    Debi Durst
    • Corpse Kidas Corpse Kid
    • (voice)
    • …
    Greg Proops
    Greg Proops
    • Harlequin Demonas Harlequin Demon
    • (voice)
    • (as Gregory Proops)
    • …
    Kerry Katz
    • Man Under Stairsas Man Under Stairs
    • (voice)
    • …
    Randy Crenshaw
    Randy Crenshaw
    • Mr. Hydeas Mr. Hyde
    • (voice)
    • …
    Sherwood Ball
    • Mummyas Mummy
    • (voice)
    • …
    Carmen Twillie
    Carmen Twillie
    • Undersea Galas Undersea Gal
    • (voice)
    • …
    Glenn Walters
    • Wolfmanas Wolfman
    • (voice)
    • Director
      • Henry Selick
    • Writers
      • Tim Burton(story and characters)
      • Michael McDowell(adaptation)
      • Caroline Thompson(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In 2001, Walt Disney Pictures began to consider producing a sequel, but rather than using stop motion, Disney wanted to use computer animation. Tim Burton convinced Disney to drop the idea. "I was always very protective of [Nightmare] not to do sequels or things of that kind," Burton explained. "You know, 'Jack visits Thanksgiving world' or other kinds of things just because I felt the movie had a purity to it and the people that like it."
    • Goofs
      (at around 37 mins) In "Kidnap the Sandy Claws," just before Lock launches Barrel across the room, Lock is singing and his words are aligned. But when Barrel begins to sing, Lock's lips are moving to the words that Barrel should be singing. Barrel's lips don't move at all.
    • Quotes

      Jack Skellington: [singing] Just because I cannot see it, doesn't mean I can't believe it!

    • Crazy credits
      No credits are shown, except the company and the film's name.
    • Alternate versions
      The special edition DVD version has never-before-seen footage of this movie and are the following:
      • Lock, Shock and Barrel (the trick-or-treaters) are bored so they grab some snacks and go inside their cage/elevator to watch oogie boogie torture Santa and Sally. And later, a thought to be dead Jack Skellington enters the lair by jumping on the cage/elevator with the kids inside and he scares them which can explain how he got inside the lair at the nick of time. Pictures of the scene were in the promotional booklets, postcard books, and storybooks.
      • Jack's further experiments with Christmas such as having a illustrating "Sandy Claws" as a human/lobster hybrid.
      • a deleted part of oogie boogie's song that shows his shadow dancing.
      • a scene where the vampires are playing hockey with the head of Tim Burton, this was corrected and Tim's head was replaced with a Jack O' Lantern.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Making of Tim Burton's 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' (1993)
    • Soundtracks
      Here Comes Santa Claus
      (1947)

      Written by Gene Autry and Oakley Haldeman

    User reviews599

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    A true must see for all Halloween fans
    I am not a big Tim Burton fan, but this movie is in my top 3 of all time. Perhaps the fact that Halloween is my favorite holiday influenced my opinion, but I doubt it. The more I hear and read about this movie, the more I love it.

    Based on a parody of the famous "Night before Christmas" poem by Moore that Burton wrote and illustrated while employed at Disney, this idea was stagnant for many years prior to filming. In many ways this was a good thing, technology was able to catch up to Burton's ideas.

    In NBC, we see our hero Jack Skellington, aka The Pumpkin King, depressed as another Halloween passes. In the background we hear the residents of Halloween Town celebrate another wonderful holiday. But Jack is sad. The only one who notices is the Rag Doll-style woman Sally.

    Other characters, including many town-monsters, are introduced. We meet the wonderful mayor with two faces, the evil scientist and his assistant, three local children and our evil boogie-man.

    After an accident, Jack develops a plan to kidnap "Sandy Claws" and give presents out for Christmas in place of Christmas Town. You will have to view this movie to discover the rest.

    The claymation is not what I expected, it was of a high quality and the movements are not jerky like the old Christmas Specials. Danny Elfman's music has little resemblance to his work with Ongo Bongo and "What's this?" (which Jack sings when he discovers the colorful world of Christmas Town) is closer to a tune mixed from Cabaret and The Music Man. The voices match the mouth movements nearly perfectly. This was a project from the heart and all the little touches to make it 'just' right show this fact.
    helpful•86
    23
    • CheshireCatsGrin
    • Dec 12, 2004

    FAQ6

    • What is "The Nightmare Before Christmas" about?
    • Is "The Nightmare Before Christmas" based on a book?
    • Is this really a Disney movie?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 29, 1993 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Nightmare Before Christmas in Disney Digital 3-D
    • Filming locations
      • Skellington Productions - 375 7th Street, San Francisco, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Touchstone Pictures
      • Skellington Productions Inc.
      • Tim Burton Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $18,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $77,368,668
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $191,232
      • Oct 17, 1993
    • Gross worldwide
      • $91,221,845
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 16 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
      • Dolby SR
      • Dolby Digital

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