The Nightmare Before Christmas
Henry Selick
(1993)
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.
Cast
Crew
Overview and Horror Legacy
Over subsequent decades the film has become one of the most beloved and culturally pervasive animated films of its era, generating an enormous and enduring merchandise presence and achieving a level of popular affection that far exceeds its original commercial performance, with its imagery and characters having become genuinely iconic elements of popular Halloween and Christmas culture.
Collector Market and Memorabilia
Jack Skellington's outline against a full moon is among stop-motion cinema's most reproduced images — collected at every level from film art to fashion to lifestyle merchandise. The handmade puppet quality and Elfman's score make production materials extraordinary collector objects well beyond the horror genre.
Cult Status
Directed by Henry Selick, The Nightmare Before Christmas was produced on a budget of approximately $18 million, with the production offsetting its lean resources through craft and camera technique. Its initial box office performance of approximately $75 million worldwide was solid without being spectacular. Over subsequent decades the film has become one of the most beloved and culturally pervasive animated films of its era, generating an enormous and enduring merchandise presence and achieving a level of popular affection that far exceeds its original commercial performance, with its imagery and characters having become genuinely iconic elements of popular Halloween and Christmas culture.
