Matt O’Connor
It’s Day 7 of the Beacon’s Christmas Movie Countdown! Ever since the film was originally released in 1993, The Nightmare Before Christmas has been the subject of countless arguments about whether or not it truly qualifies as a Christmas movie. But since Director Henry Selick said that the film is indeed a film aimed for the holiday season, it’s secured its spot in our countdown.
From the mind of Tim Burton, The Nightmare Before Christmas tells the story of Jack Skellington, the beloved Pumpkin King of Halloween Town. After becoming tired of his usual spooky schtick, Jack stumbles upon Christmas Town and plots with his Halloween denizens to take over this new town. Working together with Sally, Jack dons a Santa Claus suit of his own, but this gains the attention of Jack’s personal rival, the Oogie Boogie Man. Although the film starts off with a spooky focus, the plot directly centers around the transition from Halloween to Christmas.
One of the most distinctive aspects of the film is its animation. Tim Burton’s unique character designs, the gothic and exaggerated proportions really lend to the fun yet goofy world that The Nightmare Before Christmas establishes. The cast is also doing a fantastic job, with Chris Sarandon as Jack and Catherine O’Hara as Sally being the standouts. Danny Elfman also kills it with a fantastic soundtrack.
Although it might not be a true blue Christmas film in the traditional sense, The Nightmare Before Christmas still tells a classic tale of learning the true meaning of the holiday. That’s one week down for our Christmas Countdown!
