The Nightmare Before Christmas [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray]

Overview

This stop-motion animated fable was a big hit when it was released -- not only at the box office, but critically. It was praised for its stunning originality and for the excellence of its execution. In addition, it was praised for being a completely absorbing fable that both grownups and children can enjoy, so long as the children are able to its handle scary bits (beginning perhaps at age seven or eight). In the story, Jack Skellington (voice of Chris Sarandon) is the Pumpkin King of Halloweentown, a realm of reality where the inhabitants make it their life's work to scare humans on Halloween. He's good at his work, and is very popular around town, but it all bores him. In a funk one day, he wanders into a wood where every tree is the doorway to realms serving one or another human holiday, and falls through the doorway into Christmas. There, he sees scenes of such glee and good will that he is overwhelmed. He returns to Halloweentown with the inspiration to persuade his fellow citizens to kidnap Santa and do Christmas in their own Halloweentown way -- complete with snakes and shrunken heads. Despite strong arguments against this project by Jack's otherwise loyal girlfriend, Sally (voice of Catherine O'Hara), Santa (voice of Edward Ivory) is duly captured, and the townspeople prepare a very special Christmas for everyone. Jack is excited about the new plan, and at first doesn't notice that Sally isn't around much anymore. Meanwhile, Oogie Boogie (voice of Ken Page), a sinister opponent of Jack's, has re-kidnapped Santa and has captured Sally as well. Since Sally is the true love of Jack's life and (he eventually realizes) the only one who can be relied upon to tell him the truth in every circumstance, a confrontation with Oogie Boogie becomes inevitable. In addition to being a monumental work of animation (it took over 120 animators and many more technicians more than two years to film it), this show features ten very appropriate musical numbers by composer Danny Elfman, who also supplies Jack's singing voice. In October 2006, fans of the innovative animated classic got to experience The Nightmare Before Christmas in a whole new dimension when the film was re-released into theaters in Disney Digital 3-D -- a process developed to add remarkable new depth to films that were originally released in standard 2-D.

Product Details

Release Date:	08/22/2023
UPC:	0786936900071
Original Release:	1993
Rating:	PG
Source:	Walt Disney Video
Language:	English
Sales rank:	3,826

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Chris Sarandon	Jack Skellington,Actor
Danny Elfman	Barrel,Composer
Catherine O'Hara	Sally
Glenn Shadix	Mayor,Actor
Ken Page	Oogie Boogie
Paul Reubens	Lock
William Hickey	Scientist
Ed Ivory	Santa,Santa
Gregory Proops	Harlequin Demon/Devil/Sax Player
Randy Crenshaw	Mr. Hyde/Behemoth/Vampire
Sherwood Ball	Mummy/Vampire
Carmen Twillie	Undersea Gal/Man Under Stairs
Susan McBride	Actor
Debi Durst	Actor
L. Callender	Voices
David McCharen	Voices
Doris Hess	Voices
Gary Raff	Voices
Gary Schwartz	Voices
Judi M. Durand	Voices
Pee-Wee Herman	Voices

Technical Credits

Tim Burton

Caroline Thompson

Michael McDowell

Henry Selick	Director
Tim Burton	Producer,Screenwriter,Director
Mary Gail Artz	Casting
Barbara Cohen	Casting
Pete Kozachik	Special Effects
Ariel Velasco Shaw	Special Effects
Caroline Thompson	Screenwriter
Denise Di Novi	Producer
Michael McDowell	Screenwriter
Bill Gavin	Producer,Producer
Tim Robinson	Producer

Editorial Reviews

From the macabre mind of visionary eccentric Tim Burton (Sleepy Hollow) comes this tour de force of stop-motion animation that explores the world of holidays with gleeful black humor and stunning visual inventiveness. Conceived and produced by Burton and directed by Henry Selick, The Nightmare Before Christmas chronicles the exploits of Pumpkin King Jack Skellington who, tiring of a life dedicated to bringing Halloween terror to children everywhere, decides to try his hand at Christmas instead. While he never quite grasps the essence of the holiday, Jack exhibits more true affection and imagination than the stern and workmanlike Santa Claus. The vivid imagery -- the spindly denizens of Halloweenland; the greedy, chubby-faced children awaiting their presents; the chipper garishness of Santa's workshop itself -- lingers when the film is over, as do Danny Elfman's wonderfully catchy songs. Functioning both as a sly dig at the mindless consumerism of Christmas and an argument for finding out what you do best and sticking with it, The Nightmare Before Christmas is a refreshing alternative to saccharine, mainstream holiday cinema.

Barnes & Noble - Amy Robinson

Though The Nightmare Before Christmas was universally acclaimed for its seemingly kid-friendly stop-motion animation, parents of the youngest tots should be duly warned. The expressionistic world created by producer/production designer Tim Burton and director Henry Selick may be full of jaw-dropping invention, but it also includes scenes of Santa Claus being tortured on a rack, and a confused child pulling a severed head from his stocking (rendered about as mildly as such a thing can be). What excuses these almost PG-13 images is that tongues are firmly planted in cheek, and everything is placed aright by the end, no serious damage done. Throw in Danny Elfman's lovely score, and the children may be too caught up to ask, "Mommy, why is that Jack Skellington man behaving that way?" The Nightmare Before Christmas was both one of the most imaginative and technologically sophisticated creations that had ever been seen at the time of its release. In a stroke of marketing genius, the film works as both a Halloween and a Christmas movie, combining Burton's fondness for the spooky by-products of the former with the latter's ability to ascribe classic status, which the film capitalizes on. Halloweentown is like a haunted thrill ride for the eyes, popping with trademark Burton twists and gnarls that also possess an underlying sweetness: Just look at the expressiveness of Jack's skeletal eyes. So what if he's a bit of a prankster? That just feeds Burton's and Selick's ghoulish sensibilities, without which this would not be such a subversive "family classic" that should amaze all ages, if for different reasons.

All Movie Guide - Derek Armstrong