The Nightmare Before Christmas
features incredible stop-motion animation, with a deliciously dark story for the whole family. Unlike many of Disney’s best-known animated films, The Nightmare Before Christmas takes a markedly darker and more twisted approach to storytelling. Everything from the stop-motion animation to the gruesome characters to the narrative, which is designed to be eccentric and unique, comes together perfectly.
Jack Skellington rules as the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, but when he stumbles upon a fateful discovery of magical doors that lead to other holidays, Jack’s ambitions lead to a dastardly plan to take control of all the holidays, starting with Christmas City. Along the way, he faces unique challenges and monsters before also stumbling upon the love of his life, Sally. This holiday musical hit is a showstopper from start to finish.
The Nightmare Before Christmas is an iconic musical masterpiece
There is a lot to praise The Nightmare Before Christmas. The story comes from the wild and strange imagination of Tim Burton, although he didn’t work directly on the film as a writer or director. Despite this, his unique style is present throughout the film, with unique character designs and a unique soundtrack provided by his frequent collaborator Danny Elfman. The film is visually stunning, but perhaps even more impressive is the music.
The story comes from the wild and strange imagination of Tim Burton, although he didn’t work directly on the film as a writer or director.
Elfman’s incredible creativity explores an intersection between the spooky and mysterious tones of Halloween and the magical joy and mystery of Christmas. The combination of two elements that seem opposite creates a dynamic, rich and totally immersive soundtrack. Both the instrumentals and the songs are spectacular. And although they are a major strength of the film, the soundtrack is worth listening to on its own.
The nightmare before Christmas happens at every turn
This is further supported by the film’s narrative, which is without a doubt one of the most creative and brilliant holiday stories ever made. Burton’s approach to storytelling resulted in many wonderful and innovative tales and The Nightmare Before Christmas is no different. Although he didn’t direct, the central concepts were spectacularly adapted by director Henry Selick and writer Michael McDowell.
The remastering of the film that has taken place since its initial release in 1993 makes it look even more vibrant and updated than ever before.
Stop-motion animation film is also an incredibly compelling and perfect delivery method for the story. It gives the film a timeless feel that makes it equally entertaining and powerful when rewatched decades later. The film’s remastering since its initial release in 1993 makes it even more vibrant and updated than ever.
The Nightmare Before Christmas brings together all these elements in perfect harmony. The result is an iconic story that has cultivated a devoted fan base. The film has broad audience appeal thanks to the more mature themes, incredibly catchy and fun songs, and animation style. The Nightmare Before Christmas is more than just another classic film for the whole family – its themes remain relevant and the film, thanks to its double holidays, can be enjoyed at any time of year.
- The music and score are absolutely incredible.
- The visual style and stop-motion animation are a delight.
- Narratively speaking, the story is exceptionally creative and innovative.