• The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

    The film follows the misadventures of Jack Skellington, Halloweentown's beloved pumpkin king, who has become bored with the same annual routine of frightening people in the "real world." When Jack accidentally stumbles on Christmastown, all bright colors and warm spirits, he gets a new lease on life -- he plots to bring Christmas under his control by kidnapping Santa Claus and taking over the role. But Jack soon discovers even the best-laid plans of mice and skeleton men can go seriously awry.

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The Nightmare Before Christmas
82
metacriticBased on 31 Critics
86
Based on 116 Users

Release Date: October 13th, 1993

DVD Release Date: December 3rd, 1997

PG |1 hr 15 min

Plot Summary

The film follows the misadventures of Jack Skellington, Halloweentown's beloved pumpkin king, who has become bored with the same annual routine of frightening people in the "real world." When Jack accidentally stumbles on Christmastown, all bright colors and warm spirits, he gets a new lease on life -- he plots to bring Christmas under his control by kidnapping Santa Claus and taking over the role. But Jack soon discovers even the best-laid plans of mice and skeleton men can go seriously awry.

Cast: Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara, William Hickey, Glenn Shadix, Paul Reubens, Ken Page, Edward Ivory

Director: Henry Selick

Genres: Comedy , Children , Fantasy , Animated

Production Co: Touchstone Pictures, Skellington Productions

Distributors: Touchstone Pictures

Keywords: Heartwarming, Small town, Creative, House, Pursuit, Mystery

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Cast & Crew

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Ratings & Reviews

  • 88
    Michael WilmingtonChicago Tribune

    The movie has a grotesque charm, a pie-eyed magic. With its crack-brained, spidery-limbed, Edward-Gorey-eyed crew of dashing skeletons, Frankenstein ladies, mad scientists with detachable brainpans, swivel-headed two-faced politicians and big bad bug-bag monsters, it comes at you like a Saturday afternoon kiddies' special gone pleasantly berserk. show more

  • 88
    Roger EbertChicago Sun-Times

    The director of the film, a veteran stop-action master named Henry Selick, is the person who has made it all work. And his achievement is enormous. show more

  • 88
    Bill CosfordMiami Herald

    That Burton darkness, gentle and sweet though it may be (he's David Lynch through a Disney looking-glass), was said to be the one element that kept Batman Returns from becoming the most popular movie of all time. Maybe so. But this time, it's simply perfect. [22 Oct 1993, p.G4]

See all critic reviews on metacritic.com

Awards

Nominated Best Original Score - Motion Picture
Golden Globes (1994)
Nominated Visual Effects
Oscars Academy Awards (1993)